Soil erosion by wind is serious when natural vegetation is removed or depleted and nothing is put back in it s place. Some of things that have contributed to the removal or depletion of vegetation are animals, insects, and of course people. Wind erosion is more likely to occur in dry areas where soil is loose and unprotected by vegetation. Winds of high speeds in these areas carry rock fragments that cause wind abrasion. This kind of abrasion is seen in ventifacts, which are rock fragments that have been cut and polished by the sandblasting action of windblown sediments.
Deflation is a form of erosion that occurs when loose rock particles are blown away by the wind.
This cause bowl-shaped depressions and relatively smooth surfaces of exposed boulders, cobbles, and patches of bedrock. Three ways to keep wind from getting the soil are increase the soil stability and surface roughness, plant and maintain vegetation, and placing barriers perpendicular to the direction of the wind. Precipitation in the form of rain produces the greatest amount of runoff and erosion. Some rains are highly beneficial with supplying the needs of microorganisms in the soil and crops. Others cause damage far in excess of any benefits.