Terrace (agriculture)

A patio (from French terrace) is a gradation in the field.

Natural terraces

Terraces can arise naturally when deeper regions of a gently sloping terrain more subject to erosion than higher; thus forms an embankment and above it remains a terrace. Resulting river terraces offered the opportunity to invest relatively flood-proof settlements near rivers already in prehistoric and early historic times.

Artificial terraces

Be created artificially terraces to create surfaces lower slope on steep slopes, such as the terraced fields (terrace cultivation ) or traffic routes horizontal or gently sloping ramps to perform as needed in serpentine. In earlier times one has created terraces also for the fortifications, while it was above all on the steep terrace level.

Agriculture

Viniculture

In viticulture, often artificial terraces are created based on appropriate, sunny slopes. First, one gains a less steeply inclined surface for the vineyard, secondly can the soil erosion by rainwater runoff decrease. Terra Siert were many steep slopes, which otherwise can not be managed. Known vineyard terraces are available in many Lössgebieten. In Central and Western Europe, terracing has been reduced since the last decades of the 20th century in many vineyards or completely removed in order to create continuous surfaces for machining.

Terraced fields

In East Asia, rice is often built on irrigated terraces. Terrace-like water storage systems are known from the earliest urban civilizations.

Generally, there are terraces in mountainous area if there farming is done. Most walls were coated by hand. Particularly notable examples of terrace cultures are found in Yemen, Nepal, in the Iberian Peninsula (Andalusia ) and in the Andes. The Inca terraces and the rice terraces in the Philippine Cordilleras UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Today forfeited many terraces, as the labor-intensive cultivation is too complicated and therefore no longer competitive. The Philippine rice terraces were registered in 2001 in the Red List of World Heritage in Danger.

Traffic routes

As Thoroughfare landscaped terraces berms are called. The construction of roads and railways on mountain slopes increases the risk of erosion. Load and vibration of vehicles can lead to landslides. The steep terrace levels can be easily washed out, unless measures are taken to their backup. So passing on modern mountain roads such as the Simplon road, the rain water into a sewage system instead permit expire superficial.

Mining

Terraces also arise where it is operated in mountainous terrain mining. In steps the minerals are removed, the berms they are transported.