World’s Physical Geography

How Human Activities Exacerbate Geomorphological Processes like Landslides and Soil Erosion

Human activities significantly intensify natural geomorphological processes such as landslides and soil erosion. These activities, through deforestation, construction, agriculture, and mining, destabilize landscapes, making them more vulnerable to these processes.

1. Deforestation and Soil Erosion

Deforestation is a major cause of soil erosion. Trees and vegetation bind soil particles, preventing them from being washed away by rain or blown away by wind. Large-scale deforestation for agriculture, urban expansion, and logging accelerates surface runoff and reduces soil stability. For instance, in the Western Ghats of India, deforestation has led to severe soil erosion, affecting both agricultural productivity and water availability.

Recent examples include the Amazon rainforest, where deforestation for cattle ranching and soybean cultivation has led to significant topsoil loss, affecting local ecosystems and contributing to sedimentation in rivers like the Amazon.

2. Unsustainable Agricultural Practices

Intensive farming practices, such as mono-cropping and overgrazing, degrade soil structure, reducing its ability to absorb water and increasing erosion. Excessive use of chemical fertilizers can also lead to the depletion of organic matter, further destabilizing soil. In regions like the Gangetic plains, unsustainable agriculture has caused soil erosion, depleting the fertility of once-productive lands.

For example, the Loess Plateau in China suffered from extreme soil erosion due to centuries of intensive farming, but recent afforestation and soil conservation efforts have reversed this trend.

3. Infrastructure Development and Landslides

The construction of roads, dams, and buildings, particularly in hilly and mountainous regions, destabilizes slopes, leading to landslides. In places like the Himalayas, large-scale infrastructure projects, such as roads and hydropower dams, have triggered numerous landslides. A prominent example is the 2021 Chamoli disaster in Uttarakhand, India, where hydropower projects in an ecologically sensitive area contributed to the deadly landslide.

The excessive removal of vegetation and the blasting of hills during road construction in states like Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh have similarly worsened the frequency of landslides.

4. Mining and Quarrying

Mining activities disturb the structural integrity of landscapes by removing large quantities of soil and rock, making areas prone to both landslides and erosion. Open-pit mining, in particular, leaves large exposed areas that are vulnerable to erosion. For instance, in Meghalaya, illegal coal mining (rat-hole mining) has exacerbated erosion and led to significant environmental degradation.

In places like Jharkhand, mining activities have caused soil erosion, with long-term impacts on the local ecosystems and agricultural productivity.

5. Climate Change and Human Influence

Human-induced climate change is intensifying extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfall and storms, which directly contribute to soil erosion and landslides. In recent years, landslides triggered by intense rainfall have become more frequent in places like Kerala, where deforestation and unplanned construction have compounded the problem.

Conclusion

Human activities such as deforestation, unsustainable agriculture, construction, and mining are exacerbating geomorphological processes like landslides and soil erosion. These processes not only damage the environment but also threaten human life and property. Sustainable land-use practices, afforestation, and soil conservation measures are crucial to mitigating these impacts and ensuring ecological balance.