▁also ▁affect ▁er os ion , ▁via ▁their ▁effects ▁on ▁veget ation ▁and ▁soil ▁properties . ▁In ▁general , ▁given ▁similar ▁veget ation ▁and ▁e cos ystem s , ▁areas ▁with ▁more ▁precip itation ▁( es pecially ▁high - int ens ity ▁ra inf all ), ▁more ▁wind , ▁or ▁more ▁storm s ▁are ▁expected ▁to ▁have ▁more ▁er os ion . ▁ ▁In ▁some ▁areas ▁of ▁the ▁world ▁( e . g . ▁the ▁mid - western ▁USA ), ▁ra inf all ▁intensity ▁is ▁the ▁primary ▁determin ant ▁of ▁er os ivity , ▁with ▁higher ▁intensity ▁ra inf all ▁generally ▁resulting ▁in ▁more ▁soil ▁er os ion ▁by ▁water . ▁The ▁size ▁and ▁velocity ▁of ▁rain ▁dro ps ▁is ▁also ▁an ▁important ▁factor . ▁Lar ger ▁and ▁higher - vel ocity ▁rain ▁dro ps ▁have ▁greater ▁kin etic ▁energy , ▁and ▁thus ▁their ▁impact ▁will ▁dis place ▁soil ▁particles ▁by ▁larger ▁distances ▁than ▁smaller , ▁slower - mov ing ▁rain ▁dro ps . ▁ ▁In ▁other ▁regions ▁of ▁the ▁world ▁( e . g . ▁western ▁Europe ), ▁run off ▁and ▁er os ion ▁result ▁from ▁relatively ▁low ▁intens ities ▁of ▁strat iform ▁ra inf all ▁falling ▁onto ▁previously ▁s atur ated ▁soil . ▁In ▁such ▁situations , ▁ra inf all ▁amount ▁rather ▁than ▁intensity ▁is ▁the ▁main ▁factor ▁determ ining ▁the ▁sever ity ▁of ▁soil ▁er os ion ▁by ▁water . ▁ ▁So il ▁structure ▁and ▁composition ▁ ▁The ▁composition , ▁mo ist ure , ▁and ▁comp action ▁of ▁soil ▁are