Erosion-0.mp3
Erosion-0.mp4
Erosion-I.mp3
Erosion-I.mp4
Erosion-II.mp3
Erosion-II.mp4
Erosion-Reggae.mp3
Erosion-Reggae.mp4
Erosion-intro.mp3
[Intro]
Stronger and longer
(Wind erosion)
Deliver river
(Flow erosion)
Glacial retreat
(Repeat, repeat)
[Bridge]
Whoa, oh, oh
(Stop the flow, oh, oh)
[Verse 1]
The winds are whipping
(And stripping)
Blowing the land away
(Day by day)
[Chorus]
Stronger and longer
(Wind erosion)
Deliver river
(Flow erosion)
Glacial retreat
(Repeat, repeat)
[Bridge]
Whoa, oh, oh
(Stop the flow, oh, oh)
There we go, go, go
(Like we don’t know whoa woe)
[Verse 2]
The water’s wailing
(While we’re flailing)
Washing the land away
(Day by day)
[Chorus]
Stronger and longer
(Wind erosion)
Deliver river
(Flow erosion)
Glacial retreat
(Repeat, repeat)
[Bridge]
Whoa, oh, oh
(Stop the flow, oh, oh)
There we go, go, go
(Like we don’t know whoa woe)
[Chorus]
Stronger and longer
(Wind erosion)
Deliver river
(Flow erosion)
Glacial retreat
(Repeat, repeat)
[Outro]
Whoa (oh, oh)
There we go (go, go)
Like we don’t know (whoa woe)
A SCIENCE NOTE
Why Soil Might Be the Most Important Piece of the Climate Change Puzzle
Global warming is driven by an increase in thermal energy within the Earth’s climate system. This system is made up of interconnected subsystems, including the atmosphere, oceans, and land. Chaos theory highlights the complexity and nonlinearity of these dynamic systems, and this complexity is particularly evident in the intricate interactions between soil, the atmosphere, and the oceans.
What makes soil so crucial to addressing the climate crisis is its unique role in these interactions — soil is alive. Unlike the atmosphere or oceans, which are primarily composed of inorganic matter and operate as passive systems, soil is a living, dynamic medium that supports a vast array of organisms, from microbes to plant roots. These organisms play a central role in processes like carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, and water retention, all of which directly influence climate stability. Soil offers the most adaptable and interactive mechanisms for slowing or preventing a wide range of climate feedback loops.
Erosion Feedback Loop
Climate change accelerates erosion by altering weather patterns, increasing extreme weather events, and disrupting land and water interactions. More intense rainfall, rising sea levels, and prolonged droughts all contribute to faster soil loss and degradation.
In turn, erosion exacerbates climate change through multiple feedback mechanisms:
-
Reduced Vegetation Cooling: The loss of plant cover decreases evapotranspiration, which helps regulate temperatures, leading to further warming.
-
Albedo Changes: As fertile, dark soil is stripped away, exposed lighter-colored subsoil or sand reflects more or less sunlight, disrupting local and global climate patterns.
-
Carbon Release: Erosion exposes and breaks down organic matter in soil, releasing stored carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, further fueling climate change.
-
Water Cycle Disruptions: Degraded soils hold less moisture, reducing cloud formation and precipitation in some areas while increasing flood risks elsewhere.
This self-reinforcing cycle makes erosion not just a consequence of climate change but also a driver, worsening environmental instability over time.
Climate change intensifies erosion in multiple ways by altering weather patterns, increasing extreme weather events, and changing land and water interactions. Here are the key mechanisms:
1. Increased Rainfall Intensity
-
Heavier Downpours: Warmer air holds more moisture, leading to more intense rainfall. This enhances surface runoff, stripping away topsoil and deepening gullies.
-
More Frequent Storms: Stronger storms produce flash floods that erode riverbanks, coastal areas, and hillsides more aggressively.
2. Rising Sea Levels & Coastal Erosion
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Stronger Waves & Storm Surges: Rising sea levels push tides further inland, eroding coastlines at an accelerated rate.
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Saltwater Intrusion: Weakens coastal soils, making them more vulnerable to erosion.
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Loss of Protective Barriers: Higher temperatures contribute to coral reef and ice cap loss, reducing natural barriers against wave action.
3. Increased Droughts & Vegetation Loss
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Soil Drying & Cracking: Frequent droughts cause soils to dry out and become less cohesive, making them more prone to wind erosion.
-
Vegetation Decline: Heat stress, wildfires, and shifting climate zones kill plants that anchor the soil, leading to more erosion from wind and water.
4. Melting Permafrost & Landslides
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Thawing Permafrost: Releases previously frozen organic material, causing ground instability and slumping.
-
More Landslides: Unstable, thawing soils on slopes increase the risk of landslides, especially in mountainous regions.
5. Glacial Retreat & River Erosion
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Faster Glacier Melting: Increases sediment transport in rivers, leading to changes in riverbanks and deltas.
-
Altered River Courses: More meltwater can change river flow patterns, leading to unexpected erosion and sedimentation.
6. Stronger Wind Erosion
-
Desertification Expansion: Hotter, drier conditions turn more land into deserts, exposing it to wind erosion.
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Dust Storms: More frequent and intense, carrying away nutrient-rich topsoil and worsening land degradation.
Overall Impact
Erosion worsened by climate change not only depletes fertile soils and damages infrastructure but also increases sedimentation in rivers, harming aquatic ecosystems. Coastal communities face greater risks, and agricultural lands lose productivity, exacerbating food insecurity.
More Resources
Soil Degradation and Desertification
The Decline of Penn’s Sylvania: Trees and Temperate Zones
The Album ‘Wood You Save the Trees?’ by The Beatless Sense Mongers