Desertification

Desertification

Takatoshi AKAI

JOCV 231

KWS Malindi Marine Park

Outline

• Forest desertification

• Cause of desertification

• Failed solution

• Mechanism of damage from salt

• Is it possible to recover the land?

• Cause of erosion

• Creatures in desert

How much hector faced to deforestation each year？

A ． 5,000 Hectare

B ． 6,000,000 Hectare

C ． 16,000,000 Hectare

※Especially, in Africa, Brazil, and Indonesia.

Philippine ni wapi?

Forest desertification

In Philippine,

They used to a country of 2nd biggest amount of timber exporter.

They cut down 90% of natural forest.

Now, they import timber 100% from

other countries.

Also, some NGO help to reforestation

by panting trees.

Cause of desertification 1

Since 1950,

World requirement of timber expand,

Consumption of paper expand,

Who use timbers?

• More than half of those timbers, consume in developed countries, such as Europe, USA, and Japan.

• Also more than 70% of paper consume in developed countries.

Timbers for what?

News paper

Magazine

UnnecessaryDirect Mail

Piles of failed copy

Cause of desertification 2• Maltreat of land lead to expand desert

Exceed grazing

Exceed farming lead to loss of nutrient

Cut down tree for firewood

India & Pakistan ni wapi?

Failed solution

• People cut down trees and became desert.• So, use irrigation to recover green land beside the

Aral Sea.• But, irrigation lead to loss of water.• It also lead to damage from salt.

Mechanism of damage from salt①Pomp up underground water by irrigation

②Water gather salt in the ground and came up to the surface

③After water evaporate, salt remain on the ground

④Plants cannot grow with salt

Is it possible to recover land?

• According to FAO (Food and Agriculture Org of UN), if topsoil reduce 1mm, it will lead to reduce 2~5% productivity of agriculture.

• If there is no erosion in Africa, their productivity increase 8%.

• But problem is government in Africa does not work on this. 1mm

8%

How to occur erosion

①In forest, trees absorb rain and land hold water.

②If cut tree, land cannot hold water anymore.

Also, exceed farming use nutrient in the land, then it become stiff and dry.

③Once heavy rain fall, water wash away soil.

soil

④Erosion occur⑤If we don’t do anything, desertification occur

Environment of desert

50 during day time℃Up to 90℃ on the surface of sand

Fall below -5 frost℃ during night time on the surface of sand

Are there any creature in desert?

Miracle behavior of creature in desert

Cactus

Sea-buckthorn

In the case of plants, they have spine (thorn/needle/prickle).They arm themselves by spine against other creatures.

Water collector in the desert

Namib Desert beetle

This insect stand still on the middle of desert.In the foggy day, they raise up their hip, and receive moist wind in the early morning.

Stoic mouse: Giant Kangaroo Rat

They live in desert of Western USA.Canyon of San Joaquin Valley.

Length ： 31.1~34.7cmTail ： 15.7~19.8cmWeight ： 131~180g

They never drink water directly.They get water from seed of plants.So, they shield their home at daytime to avoid evaporation.They stock seed in the moisture storage in the tunnel.

Conclusion• We should stop desertification,

otherwise people find difficulty to access food.

• Especially, people in Africa will difficult to

improve their living standard.

• It is difficult to recover land from erosion,

so avoid erosion is important.

• There are also many species live in desert.