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    Desertification PDF

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    Nimra Khalid
    Desertification is the expansion of dry lands due to factors like overgrazing, degradation of soil, improper moisture management, erosion, deforestation, and climate change. It is defined by the UNEP as land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas caused by various human and climatic factors. An estimated 4.5 billion hectares of land, or 35% of the earth's surface, is threatened by desertification, which reduces 21 million hectares to near uselessness each year. Desertification's causes include high population pressures, poverty, improper irrigation leading to salinization, global warming, and less rainfall.

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    Desertification PDF

    Uploaded by

    Nimra Khalid
    243 views29 pages
    Desertification is the expansion of dry lands due to factors like overgrazing, degradation of soil, improper moisture management, erosion, deforestation, and climate change. It is defined by the UNEP as land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas caused by various human and climatic factors. An estimated 4.5 billion hectares of land, or 35% of the earth's surface, is threatened by desertification, which reduces 21 million hectares to near uselessness each year. Desertification's causes include high population pressures, poverty, improper irrigation leading to salinization, global warming, and less rainfall.

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    Desertification is the expansion of dry lands due to factors like overgrazing, degradation of soil, improper moisture management, erosion, deforestation, and climate change. It is defined by the UNEP as land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas caused by various human and climatic factors. An estimated 4.5 billion hectares of land, or 35% of the earth's surface, is threatened by desertification, which reduces 21 million hectares to near uselessness each year. Desertification's causes include high population pressures, poverty, improper irrigation leading to salinization, global warming, and less rainfall.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    243 views29 pages

    Desertification PDF

    Uploaded by

    Nimra Khalid
    Desertification is the expansion of dry lands due to factors like overgrazing, degradation of soil, improper moisture management, erosion, deforestation, and climate change. It is defined by the UNEP as land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas caused by various human and climatic factors. An estimated 4.5 billion hectares of land, or 35% of the earth's surface, is threatened by desertification, which reduces 21 million hectares to near uselessness each year. Desertification's causes include high population pressures, poverty, improper irrigation leading to salinization, global warming, and less rainfall.

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    Desertification

    Desertification is the expansion of dry lands due to


    poor agricultural practices (e.g. overgrazing,
    degradation of soil fertility and structure), improper
    soil moisture management, salinization and erosion,
    forest removal, and climate change.
    Desertification
    “Land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry
    sub-humid areas, resulting from various
    factors including climatic variability and
    human activities”

    UNEP 1992
    • A definition of desertification should recognize
    that it is a land degradation process that involves
    a continuum of change, from slight to very
    severe degradation of the plant and soil
    resource, and is due to man's activities.
    • Desertification is also a situation on the desert
    expansion. That means desert is continuously
    expanding to the surrounding area.
    • The UNCED defined desertification as
    land degradation in the arid, semi-arid,
    and sub-humid areas resulting from
    various factors, including climatic
    variations and human activities.
    • World arid lands by continent
    • According to a UNEP estimate, 35 per cent of
    the earth's land surface (4.5 billion ha) - an area
    approximately the size of North and South
    America combined - and the livelihoods of the
    850 million people who inhabit that land are
    under threat from desertification.
    • Currently, each year some 21 million ha are
    reduced to a state of near or complete
    uselessness.
    • These areas are subject to serious physical
    constraints linked to inadequate water
    resources, low plant formation productivity, and
    general vulnerability of biological systems and
    functions.
    Where?
    • Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East,
    western Asia, northern Mexico and south-
    eastern South America, western United
    States, prairies of Canada, and eastern
    Australia. Scientists estimate that 60,000
    square kilometers of new desert are now
    annually created worldwide.
    Dryland regions of the world (yellow)
    These are sensitive to desertification

    8
    Causes on desertification
    desertification
    Climatic
    Human factors
    change

    Impropriate
    High pop. + Poor / poverty irrigation Global warming Less Rain
    -salinization

    Over grazing deforestation Over croping


    Cause
    Human factors:
    High population
    -Deforestation---∵demand more
    land and timber for cropping &
    building, cutting down to tree
    extensively
    -Over cropping—-∵demand for
    food crops↑ & the cash crops demanded
    by MCDs ↑, ↑shifting cultivation, ↓soil
    fertility, secondary growth
    Poverty / poor
    -Over grazing---∵LDCs have a large international debts,
    the cheap labours & the extensive land in LDCs used by MDCs,
    in order to pay the debts, →the extensive is suitable for grazing
    (i.e., cattle )
    Cause
    Impropriate irrigation
    ∴infiltration >E underground water table rises
    salinization

    Climatic change
    -Global warmingCO2↑, T ↑, ice cap melt, flooding in
    coastal area , ↓ rainfall, drought , veg. die

    -Less Rainfall drought , veg. die


    Indicators of desertification
    Physical indicators
    • Decrease in soil depth
    • Decrease in soil organic matter
    • Decrease in soil fertility
    • Soil crust formation/compaction
    • Appearance/increase in frequency/severity of dust
    sandstorms/dune formation and movement
    • Salinization/ alkalinization
    • Decline in quality and quantity of ground and surface
    water
    • Increased seasonality of springs and small streams
    • Alteration in relative reflectance of land (albedo
    change)
    Phoenix, Arizona in the early 1970s

    14
    Biological indicators

    • Vegetation
    • Decrease in cover
    • Decrease in above-ground biomass
    • Decrease in yield
    • Alteration of key species distribution and frequency
    • Failure of species successfully to reproduce
    • Animal
    • Alteration in key species distribution and frequency
    • Change in population of domestic animals
    • Change in herd composition
    • Decline in livestock production
    • Decline in livestock yield
    Social/economic indicators
    • Change in land use/water use
    • Change in settlement pattern (e.g.
    abandonment of villages)
    • Change in population (biological) parameters
    (demographic evidence, migration statistics,
    public health information)
    • Change in social process indicators -
    increased conflict between groups/tribes,
    marginalization, migration, decrease in
    incomes and assets, change in relative
    dependence on cash crops/subsistence
    crops
    Effects on desertification
    desertification

    Atmosphere Hydrosphere Lithosphere Biosphere

    -local climate -water cycle -loss of arable -extinction of


    salinization plants &
    ↓R” breaks down
    animals
    drought -land intensify the
    -↓biodiversity
    -macro climate soil erosion
    global warming

    Upset the balance of ecosystem


    Effects
    Atmosphere
    1) Micro
    (i)↓R”+↑T° ↑T in day time &↓ T in night
    time↑ET/reflection ↑diurnal range of T°
    (ii) ↑wind speed  ∵no veg cover / shelter
    (iii) ↓relative humidity

    2)Macro
    (i)Global warming
    (ii)Sandstormexpanding of desert
    Effects
    Lithosphere
    1)loss of arable land
    soil texture change to sandy  ↓cohesive
    power (cannot hold water) not suitable for
    veg growth

    2)intensify the soil erosion


    1.↑ deforestationno root to bind the soil
     ↑ soil erosion↑ silting
    Effects
    Hydrosphere
    1)Water cycle breaks down
    ∵↓R” & ↑ evaporation(∵ no shelter)
     rivers and wells dried up

    Biosphere
    1)lower the bio-diversity
    ∵↓R” & unevenly dis.+deforestation
    scattered veg. (veg. Is shorter, few
    species, less luxuriant)extinction
    Effects

    Others
    1)lower the income
    ∵R” ↓ crops productivity ↓,

    2)use a large amt of $ for soil protection &


    recovery
    (i.e. UNCED us$1,060m per yr to recover the
    deserted land)
    How can we solve the
    problems of desertification?
    LDCs
    1.Control the pop. growth / natural increase
    in order to decrease the land use capacity

    2.The number of grazing and the rate of


    cultivation should not over the carrying
    capacity of land
    3. improve i)farming & ii)grazing methods,
    in other to reduce soil erosion and
    salinization
    i) suitable timing and amount to carry out irrigation
    plant the halophytes (which can adapt salty &
    drought soil)
    4.Legislation: band the deforestation and over
    grazing, etc. , in order to balance the ecosystem
    of desert.

    5.afforestation i.e. plant the wind break trees &


    drought resistant plants

    7. Building reservoir and canal , (e.g, The Indira


    Gandhi Canal)
    MDCs
    1) international aid (e.g.,Green Peace)
    technology, low interest rate of loan &
    education
    2) scientific research e.g World Association of Soil
    and Water Conservation (WASWC)
    Both citizens in MDCs & LDCs have
    Responsibility

    i) 5R(reuse, reduce, renew, recycle, rethink)


    ii) Fund raising
    Conclusion

    The effectiveness of preventing desertification


    is depended on the cooperation of MDCs &
    LDCs.

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