Erosion: the process of land/soil/earth broken down by water, wind and ice. The loss of plant cover leads to soil erosion.
Plants provide protective cover on the land and prevent soil erosion by: - slows water as it flows over the land, allowing it to soak in - roots hold the soil in position and prevent it from washing away - break the impact of a raindrop before it hits the soil - reducing it's ability to erode - plants in wetlands and on the banks of rivers slow down the flow of the water and their roots bind the soil