Wind Erosion
What is wind erosion?
The process where wind removes surface materials like soil, sand, and dust.
What is a sand dune?
A hill of sand formed by wind deposition.
What is desertification?
The process where fertile land turns into desert due to wind erosion and other factors.
How does wind help plants?
It disperses seeds, helping plants grow in new areas.
What is topsoil?
Wind erosion primarily removes this fertile layer from the Earth’s surface, critical for plant growth.
Name two places where wind erosion is most common.
Deserts and dry, open fields.
Name one type of sand dune.
Barchan, transverse, parabolic, or longitudinal.
How does deforestation contribute to desertification?
Without trees, there is nothing to hold soil in place, making it easier for wind to erode it.
What renewable energy source is powered by wind?
Wind energy (wind turbines).
What is atmospheric transport?
This process involves the movement and spreading of airborne pollutants over long distances.
What is the term for small particles being lifted and carried by wind?
Deflation.
What is loess?
Fine, wind-blown dust that accumulates in thick layers.
What happened in the U.S. in the 1930s due to extreme wind erosion?
The Dust Bowl.
How does wind affect ocean currents?
Wind drives surface currents and affects global climate.
What are sediments?
On coastlines, wind-driven movement of these materials can lead to changes in shoreline shapes.
How does wind erosion impact farming?
It removes nutrient-rich topsoil, reducing crop growth.
How do sand dunes move?
Wind picks up and deposits sand on the other side of the dune.
Name one way people can prevent desertification.
Planting vegetation, reducing overgrazing, or improving irrigation.
What process allows birds and some insects to travel long distances using wind?
Wind-assisted migration.
What is a firestorm?
In wildfire-prone regions, strong winds can rapidly spread flames—a dangerous situation often intensified into this phenomenon.
What farming method helps prevent wind erosion?
Planting windbreaks, cover crops, or using no-till farming.
Name a famous desert where wind shapes the landscape.
The Sahara, Gobi, or Mojave Desert.
How does climate change contribute to desertification?
Rising temperatures and reduced rainfall increase soil dryness and erosion.
How does wind help biodiversity?
Aiding in pollination by spreading seeds.
What is wind scouring?
In cold climates, wind can remove insulating snow layers from the ground, accelerating melting; this process is known as this.