Made slowly, lost quickly
Soil looks like it was always there. It was not. Rain can wash soil away.
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Step 1 of 4
- Rock breaks into tiny grains.
- Old leaves and roots rot into the grains.
- Over hundreds of years, a thin layer of soil forms.
- Heavy rain can wash it away.
Soil erosion — soil carried away by water or wind. Ground with no plants is bare.
Rule: Bare ground loses more soil than ground held by roots.
Bare ground has no roots, so nothing holds the soil.