What is erosion?

Erosion refers to the geological process in which external forces such as flowing water, wind, glaciers, and waves break down surface rocks and transport debris to other locations. It is one of the primary external processes shaping the Earth's surface, an important link in the rock cycle, and also the core driving force behind the formation of most landform landscapes in geological parks. 

Common types of erosion include water erosion, wind erosion, glacial erosion, wave erosion, and chemical dissolution. Water erosion is powerful and widespread; precipitation erodes the surface, and flowing water widens and deepens valley bottoms and riverbeds. Surface runoff scours the slopes, breaking them apart and forming canyons and valleys. The dissolution of limestone by groundwater forms karst landforms. Wind erosion shapes yardang landforms and wind-eroded mushrooms in arid regions, and combined with wind transportation, can form deserts, while bare rock deserts are mainly created by intense wind erosion, weathering, and intermittent water flow. Glacial erosion forms horn peaks and U-shaped valleys, while wave erosion forms sea cliffs and sea stacks. 

Erosion not only shapes landscapes but also provides material sources for the formation of sedimentary rocks. It is an important geological process connecting the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere, and has significant implications for the ecological environment, land use, and the protection of geological heritage.