▁causes ▁a ▁large ▁increase ▁in ▁the ▁rate ▁of ▁bank ▁er os ion . ▁ ▁Cl imate ▁change ▁ ▁The ▁war mer ▁atmos pher ic ▁temper atures ▁observed ▁over ▁the ▁past ▁dec ades ▁are ▁expected ▁to ▁lead ▁to ▁a ▁more ▁vig orous ▁hydro log ical ▁cycle , ▁including ▁more ▁extreme ▁ra inf all ▁events . ▁The ▁rise ▁in ▁sea ▁levels ▁that ▁has ▁occurred ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁climate ▁change ▁has ▁also ▁greatly ▁increased ▁coast al ▁er os ion ▁rates . ▁ ▁Studies ▁on ▁soil ▁er os ion ▁suggest ▁that ▁increased ▁ra inf all ▁amounts ▁and ▁intens ities ▁will ▁lead ▁to ▁greater ▁rates ▁of ▁soil ▁er os ion . ▁Thus , ▁if ▁ra inf all ▁amounts ▁and ▁intens ities ▁increase ▁in ▁many ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁world ▁as ▁expected , ▁er os ion ▁will ▁also ▁increase , ▁unless ▁am el ior ation ▁measures ▁are ▁taken . ▁So il ▁er os ion ▁rates ▁are ▁expected ▁to ▁change ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁changes ▁in ▁climate ▁for ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁reasons . ▁The ▁most ▁direct ▁is ▁the ▁change ▁in ▁the ▁er os ive ▁power ▁of ▁ra inf all . ▁Other ▁reasons ▁include : ▁a ) ▁changes ▁in ▁plant ▁can opy ▁caused ▁by ▁sh ifts ▁in ▁plant ▁bi om ass ▁production ▁associated ▁with ▁mo ist ure ▁regime ; ▁b ) ▁changes ▁in ▁l itter ▁cover ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁caused ▁by ▁changes ▁in ▁both ▁plant ▁resid ue ▁decomposition ▁rates ▁driven ▁by ▁temperature ▁and ▁mo ist ure ▁dependent ▁soil ▁micro b ial ▁activity ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁plant ▁bi om ass ▁production ▁rates ;