5

Science
Quarter 4 – Module 2
Soil Erosion in the
Community and its Effects on
Living Things and the
Environment

‘
Science – Grade 5
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 4 – Module 2 Lesson 1: Investigate extent of soil erosion in the community and its
effects on living things and the environment
First Edition, 2021

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Published by the Department of Education Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones

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Lesso Soil Erosion and its

ii
Effects on Living Things
n 1 and the Environment

At the end of this module, the learner will be able to

 Identify the agents of soil erosion
 Cite the effects of soil erosion on living things
 Appreciate the importance of ways to control soil erosion

Note: All the answers to the activities should be written in the answer sheet provided.

What is It

 Erosion is the movement of rock fragments and soil from one place to another. It
is also the process that wears away surface materials and moves them from one
location to another.
 Sediments are the materials (rock fragments and soil) that are transported due to
erosion.

Agents of Soil Erosion

1. Water - as water flows, it transports rock and soil particles from one place to
another. The speed of flowing water affects the rate of soil erosion. The faster the
water flows, the faster and farther the erosion would be. Mud left on the
ground after flooding is also an evidence of erosion.
2. Wind – as the wind blows, it carries light particles of rocks and soil, transporting
and depositing them in another place. Strong winds carry the particles of soil in a
distant place. Wind erosion can take place in any area where soil is not compacted.
When the wind blows, the particles of soil or sand move along with it. Light
particles of soil can be easily blown away by the wind. Formation of sand dunes is
caused by wind erosion. Sand Dunes are ridges of sand formed by wind and are
usually found in deserts and shorelines. It is formed when the wind blows sand into
a secluded area.
3. Animals – animals also contribute to the transportation of sediments. When
burrowing animals dig the ground, some rock and soil particles stick to their
bodies. As they move from place to place, they carry such particles, too.
 4. Humans – although erosion is a natural phenomenon, humans have a major
contribution to the rate of soil erosion in the environment. Just like animals,
whenever we walk, the soil clings to our shoes, so the soil gets transported from
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place to place. Other human activities like gardening can also cause erosion since
soil moves as we dig the ground. When quarrying, the impact created by blasting
rocks and soil particles triggers soil erosion. Huge volumes of soil and sand also
get transported when they are used in the construction of houses and other
infrastructure.
5. Land Slope – a slope is an inclined surface of a land. The slope of a land affects
the rate of soil erosion. Roots of trees and other plants absorb water as it rains, but
some unabsorbed water still flows downward, washing away soil. If the surface is
greatly slanted, the water that flows has greater force and thus carries more soil.
This results to greater and faster erosion. Since the rate of erosion is faster on lands
with steeper slopes, there is also a great possibility for a landslide to occur. This is
why it is not advisable to build houses on mountainsides or hillsides.

Other factors affecting Erosion

1. Deforestation – cutting of trees, transforming of forest into cleared land
2. Intensive farming – farmers use excessive fertilizer and irrigation damages the
land
3. Housing development and road construction, which make the soil bare.

Effects of Soil Erosion

A. On Land Forms
 Damages the slopes of mountains and other high landforms
 Causes the formation of landscapes such as sand dunes
 Destroys large masses of land
 Transforms a mountain to a hill or plateau
 Could trigger erosion or landslide
 Changes the appearance of landforms

B. On Plants
 Plants will receive very little nourishment from the soil that could lead to
less food production
 Plants cannot anchor themselves on loose soil
 Soil becomes dry and coarse that makes unfit for vegetation

C. On Humans and Animals

 Humans and animals are put at risk of dangerous incidents such as
landslides
 Loss of lives and shelter in some instances
 Scarcity of food because plants cannot thrive on loose, unconditioned soil
 Prevalence of mine tailings – mine tailings are the mineral wastes or
leftovers after the mining process.
Ways to Control Soil Erosion
1. Natural Vegetation – the simplest and natural way of controlling soil
erosion is through natural vegetation, which is allowing plants and trees to
grow naturally without human interference. The root system of plants grip
2 thereby minimizing the movement of
on the soil and make it more stable,
the soil throughout the ground. Trees also serve as windbreaks. A
windbreak is a row of trees planted in a straight path shielding and
protecting plants and crops from strong winds and gales. Windbreaks
prevent strong wind to directly blow the soil, thus lessening the soil erosion
that takes place.
2. Contour Plowing – Since erosion easily takes place on a slope, farmers
who plant on the mountainsides follow the contours or curves of the land
instead of planting the crops up and down the slope so as to slow down the
flow of water and the soil that it carries. This technique is known as
contour plowing.
3. Strip Cropping – this method involves alternately planting different crops
in strips. These crops are planted across the slope, too. Grass and other
plants that grow close to the ground
4. Terracing – the Banaue Rice Terraces is a very good example of
terracing., which involves planting on terraces or steps built on the slopes
and mountainsides to act as ridge to help slow down the flow of water that
carries soil.
5. Crop Rotation – crop rotation refers to planting crops in a different spot
each year. For example, a farmer would plant corn on one part of the field
while cabbage would be on the other side. After the harvesting season, the
soil would rest for a while. Then, the farmer would plant the corn on the
area where cabbage was planted before and cabbage will be planted on the
cornfield.
6. Riprapping – another way to control soil erosion is by building ripraps or
chunks of stones or rocks arranged on the edge of a slope.
How Forest Help in Controlling Soil Erosion
The forest canopy, the uppermost layer of the forest where most tree
branches and leaves are found, acts like an umbrella that lessens the impact of
rain on the forest floor. This lessens the rate of soil erosion.
The leaves that fall to the ground, together with the naturally growing
mosses, cover the forest floor. These coverings minimize the force of surface
runoffs so less soil is carried away by water.
Since a lot of trees and plants grow in the forest, more root systems hold
the soil together. Roots of trees spread out underground and keep the soil more
intact. The more intact a soil is, the less prone it is to soil erosion.
 What’s More
Directions: Write True if the statement is correct and False if it is wrong.
________1. The movement of rocks from one place to another is called weathering.
________2. Sediments are materials transported due to erosion.
________3. The faster the running water is, the slower the soil erosion would be.
________4. Soil erosion changes the appearance of landforms.
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________5. Terracing can help control soil erosion.
________6. Gardening can also cause erosion because soil moves as we dig the ground.
________7. A slope is a flat surface of land.
________8. Canopy is the uppermost layer of the forest.

Assessment

Directions: Read the questions carefully. Write the letter of the correct answer on your
answer sheet.
1. Which process refers to the movement of soil from one place to another place?
A. Erosion B. Deposition C. Landscaping D. Weathering
2. Which of the following materials is transported by erosion?
A. Big Rocks B. trees C. soil D. water
3. Which of the following is not an agent of erosion?
A. Human B. soil C. water D. wind
4. What agent of erosion contributes to the formation of sand dunes?
A. Animals B. plants C. water D. wind
5. The following are practices that can control soil erosion except _________.
A. Terracing B. Contour plowing C. Riprapping D.
Deforestation
6. Which of the following is an effect of soil erosion to humans and animals?
A. Changes land form
B. Soil becomes dry and unfit for vegetation
C. Destroys large masses of land
D. Loss of lives and shelter
7. The following activities can cause soil erosion except _____.
A. Reforestation C. Quarrying
B. Mining D. Intensive farming
8. How do the roots of the trees may help in controlling soil erosion?
A. They keep the soil more intact. C. They absorb the nutrients from the
soil.
B. They go deep down the ground. D. A and B
 ANSWER4SHEET
Science 5

Name: ____________________________Grade & Section: ___________ Score: _______

MODULE 2

What’s More
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Assessment
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Answer Key 5
References 6

Gacrama, Michel P. 2011. LRMDS Portal. Accessed November 11, 2020.

[Link]
Larisma, Evelyn T., Jan Jason M. Mariano Revised Edition 5. Science Links. Rex Book
Store

Sarte, Evelyn T., Ednaliza R Garcia, Eliza A Lopez, Mary Jean Dela Cruz, Harold Arradaza.
2016. Science Beyond Borders. Quezon City: Vibal Group Inc.

[Link] Accessed November 11, 2020.

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