What environmental force closely represents a natural process that counteracts erosion over time?

Accretion is the process through which sediment and materials are added to a landform, which can effectively counteract erosion. Over time, as water flows and carries sediments, it may deposit these materials in different areas, contributing to the build-up of land and mitigating the impacts of erosion that wear away at coastlines, riverbanks, and other geographical features. This accumulation can create new landforms or increase the size of existing ones, illustrating how natural processes can work to maintain landmass in the face of erosive forces.

Deposition, while related and also contributing to the accumulation of land, does not specifically address the gradual buildup that occurs as a response to erosion in the same way that accretion does. Transportation refers to the movement of sediments, and disintegration involves the breakdown of materials, neither of which serves to counteract erosion. Hence, accretion is the most direct representation of a natural process that helps to balance the effects of erosion over time.