▁it ▁up ▁into ▁smaller ▁particles ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁picked ▁up ▁by ▁the ▁wind . ▁Ex ac erb ating ▁this ▁is ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁trees ▁are ▁generally ▁removed ▁from ▁agricult ural ▁fields , ▁allowing ▁wind s ▁to ▁have ▁long , ▁open ▁runs ▁to ▁travel ▁over ▁at ▁higher ▁spe eds . ▁He avy ▁gra zing ▁reduces ▁veget ative ▁cover ▁and ▁causes ▁severe ▁soil ▁comp action , ▁both ▁of ▁which ▁increase ▁er os ion ▁rates . ▁ ▁De for est ation ▁ ▁In ▁an ▁und ist urbed ▁forest , ▁the ▁min eral ▁soil ▁is ▁protected ▁by ▁a ▁layer ▁of ▁leaf ▁l itter ▁and ▁an ▁hum us ▁that ▁cover ▁the ▁forest ▁floor . ▁These ▁two ▁layers ▁form ▁a ▁protect ive ▁mat ▁over ▁the ▁soil ▁that ▁absor bs ▁the ▁impact ▁of ▁rain ▁dro ps . ▁They ▁are ▁por ous ▁and ▁highly ▁per me able ▁to ▁ra inf all , ▁and ▁allow ▁rain water ▁to ▁slow ▁per col ate ▁into ▁the ▁soil ▁below , ▁instead ▁of ▁flow ing ▁over ▁the ▁surface ▁as ▁run off . ▁The ▁roots ▁of ▁the ▁trees ▁and ▁plants ▁hold ▁together ▁soil ▁particles , ▁prevent ing ▁them ▁from ▁being ▁was hed ▁away . ▁The ▁veget ative ▁cover ▁acts ▁to ▁reduce ▁the ▁velocity ▁of ▁the ▁ra ind ro ps ▁that ▁strike ▁the ▁fol i age ▁and ▁st ems ▁before ▁hitting ▁the ▁ground , ▁reducing ▁their ▁kin etic ▁energy . ▁However ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁forest ▁floor , ▁more ▁than ▁the ▁can opy , ▁that ▁prevents ▁surface ▁er os ion . ▁The ▁terminal ▁velocity ▁of ▁rain