Question

independent practice
humans cause soil to erode more rapidly when they ______.
a. remove natural vegetation
b. plant trees
c. fertilize crops
d. fill in lakes or wetlands

Explanation:

To determine which human action causes soil to erode more rapidly, we analyze each option:

• Option A: Removing natural vegetation (like trees, grasses) takes away the roots that hold soil in place. Without this root system, soil is more easily carried away by wind or water, increasing erosion.
• Option B: Planting trees helps prevent erosion as tree roots stabilize soil.
• Option C: Fertilizing crops provides nutrients but doesn’t directly increase erosion (in fact, healthy crops can help hold soil).
• Option D: Filling in lakes/wetlands affects water systems, not soil erosion directly.

So the action that causes faster soil erosion is removing natural vegetation.

Answer:

A. remove natural vegetation