. Why step farming is the common agricultural practice in mountainous regions?
How can overgrazing leads to soil erosion?
1.
Step farming or terrace farming is common in hills to check soil erosion through water current on the slopes.
Terrace farming is most common in hills as it provides a physical barrier to soil erosion by water. The mountain is made into steps which slows down the speed of rain water preventing damage to crops. Also it allows farmers to cultivate crops on steep slope, and thus provides more usable land
2.
Overgrazing can lead to soil erosion in a few ways. The obvious way is by removing the ground cover (the grasses) exposing the soil to wind and water erosion. The removal of the ground cover also can hasten desiccation (drying) destroying the organic matter, and ruining the soil structure - making it easier for the soil to erode. Overgrazing can also destroy the soil structure by compaction of the soil by the animals, reducing infiltration and increasing runoff.