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Jul 10, 2024 · Desertification, the process by which natural or human causes reduce the biological productivity of drylands. Such declines may be the result of climate change, deforestation, overgrazing, poverty, political instability, unsustainable irrigation practices, or combinations of these factors.
Aug 3, 2022 · What Is Desertification? Desertification has a few varying definitions, but mostly centres around semi-arid, sub-humid lands; in simple terms, it can be described as areas with low or variable rainfall. In addition, there is also the added element of human-induced land degradation owing to an expanding population and rampant deforestation.
There are five main causes of desertification. These are: Climate Change – hotter and drier conditions are increasing the risk of land turning to desert; Removal of trees for fuel – cutting down trees to use the wood for fuel leads to roots dying.
Oct 26, 2020 · 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.
May 31, 2019 · About 2 billion people live on the drylands that are vulnerable to desertification, which could displace an estimated 50 million people by 2030. Where is desertification happening, and why?
Desertification is a type of gradual land degradation of fertile land into arid desert due to a combination of natural processes and human activities. This spread of arid areas is caused by a variety of factors, such as overexploitation of soil as a result of human activity and the effects of climate change .
Desertification poses a serious challenge to sustainable development and humanity’s ability to survive in many areas of the world. The UNCCD’s goal is a future that avoids, reduces, and reverses desertification.
Firstly, desertification is caused by an interaction of different drivers which vary in space and time. Secondly, in drylands, vegetation reacts closely to changes in rainfall so the effect of rainfall changes on biomass needs to be ‘removed’ before attributing desertification to human activities.
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.
Jun 22, 2020 · Desertification deprives land of its capacity to support life and to provide essential ecosystem services to human populations, leading to displacement of populations.
