Final answer:
Artificial erosion is a critical ecological concern because it occurs at rates significantly faster than natural erosion due to human activities, leading to significant soil loss, reduced agricultural productivity, and ecological harm. option b is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Artificial erosion is a concern even though erosion can naturally occur because artificial erosion generally happens at a faster rate than natural erosion. When human activities, such as deforestation, agriculture, and resource exploitation, strip away vegetation and disturb the soil, they accelerate the erosion process far beyond the natural rate. This rapid loss of soil can lead to decreased agricultural productivity, desertification, and increased sediment in rivers and streams, which can harm aquatic ecosystems and reduce water quality. Moreover, the loss of soil takes centuries to millennia to replace, making it a nonrenewable resource on human timescales, and the loss of topsoil also removes vital nutrients necessary for plant growth, impacting future food security.
Artificial erosion is a concern because it changes environments, while natural erosion does not. It occurs at a faster rate than natural erosion and affects soil. On the other hand, natural erosion is a natural process that occurs over long periods of time and does not significantly alter the environment. Thus, artificial erosion is a concern due to its negative impacts on ecosystems and soil quality.