Human causes of desertification include overgrazing, the buildup of salt in irrigated soils , and topsoil erosion. Permanent changes in climate, particularly rainfall, are responsible for natural desertification.
What are 3 human causes of desertification?
Human activities that contribute to desertification include the expansion and intensive use of agricultural lands, poor irrigation practices, deforestation, and overgrazing . These unsustainable land uses place enormous pressure on the land by altering its soil chemistry and hydrology.
What are the main causes of desertification?
‘Climatic variations’ and ‘Human activities’ can be regarded as the two main causes of desertification. removal of the natural vegetation cover(by taking too much fuel wood), agricultural activities in the vulnerable ecosystems of arid and semi-arid areas, which are thus strained beyond their capacity.
What are the 3 main causes of desertification in Africa?
- Overgrazing. ...
- Deforestation. ...
- Farming Practices. ...
- Excessive Use of Fertilizers and Pesticides. ...
- Overdrafting of groundwater. ...
- Urbanization and Other Types of Land Development. ...
- Climate Change. ...
- Stripping the Land of Resources.
What are the causes of desertification and drought?
Although the cycles of drought and climatic disturbances can contribute to the development of desertification, it is mainly caused by overgrazing, land clearance, over-exploitation of cultivated and natural lands , and by generally using land in a way that is inappropriate to local conditions.
How can desertification affect humans?
Land degradation and desertification can affect human health through complex pathways . As land is degraded and deserts expand in some places, food production is reduced, water sources dry up and populations are pressured to move to more hospitable areas. ... the spread of infectious diseases as populations migrate.
How can desertification be prevented?
Integrated land and water management are key methods of desertification prevention. All measures that protect soils from erosion, salinization, and other forms of soil degradation effectively prevent desertification.
Can desertification be reversed?
In order to prevent and reverse desertification, major policy interventions and changes in management approaches are needed . ... In areas where desertification processes are at the early stages or are relatively minor, it is possible to stop the process and restore key services in the degraded areas.
Which could cause topsoil to be lost?
Overgrazing . The conversion of natural ecosystems to pasture land doesn’t damage the land initially as much as crop production, but this change in usage can lead to high rates of erosion and loss of topsoil and nutrients. Overgrazing can reduce ground cover, enabling erosion and compaction of the land by wind and rain. ...
Where is desertification occurring today?
Africa is the simple answer to the question: where is desertification happening? More specifically, desertification plays its largest role in the grasslands of East Africa , the Kalahari Desert and the Sahara Desert. These regions span over 65 percent of the land.
Which countries are most affected by desertification?
Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania . These are the EU countries that will be particularly affected by desertification and therefore, more likely to lose natural resources in the coming years.
Where in Africa is desertification a problem?
Desertification is happening at an estimated 20,000 hectares per. At least 70 per cent of Ethiopia is prone to desertification. While in Kenya, around 80 per cent of the land is threatened by desertification.
What is desertification short answer?
Desertification refers to the process of fertile land becoming unproductive . This means that the land struggles to grow any type of vegetation due to lack of minerals and nutrients in the soil.
What are 7 consequences of desertification?
In addition, the delegates considered the varied consequences of desertification, such as crop failures or decreased yields in rain-fed farmland, the loss of perennial plant cover and thus loss of forage for livestock, reduced woody biomass and thus scarcity of fuelwood and building materials, a decrease in potable ...
What are 5 causes of drought?
- 1) Land and water temperatures cause drought. ...
- 2) Air circulation and weather patterns also cause drought. ...
- 3) Soil moisture levels also contribute to drought. ...
- 4) Drought can also be a supply and demand of water issue.
What will happen if desertification continues?
Across the world, desertification affects the livelihoods of millions of people who rely on the benefits that dryland ecosystems can provide. ... Some 10 to 20% of drylands are already degraded, and ongoing desertification threatens the world’s poorest populations and the prospects of poverty reduction .
