Desertification

Eleanor McKnight, Nicole Petry, Marquis Dixon, Steven Cao

What is it? A land slowly becoming a desert, usually due to

human causes

Causes of

Desertification

Overgrazing-People fence their animals, causing less space and more animals in one area.-People have a steady supply of food so they do not need to move as much to get resulting in overgrazing.

Drought

War

Extended periods of time with less than normal rainfall. It damages

vegetation.

War causes refugees to move into marginal land. Because of this the new fresh land is destroyed.

Destruction of Plants in Dry Region

People cut down trees to use them as fuel. Then, there is

nothing left to protect the soil.

A solution is to let average land replenish before farming

Farming of Average Land

-Farmers clear average land and use it, taking way the richness of soil. By letting average land replenish before farming with can prevent this.

Effects of Desertification

Soil being less usable

• The soil can be blown away by wind or washed away by rain.

• Nutrients in the soil can be removed by wind or water.

• Salt can build up in the soil which makes it harder for plant growth

People near affected areas

• Desertification can cause flooding, poor water quality, dust storm and pollution.

• All of these effects hurt people living near affected region

Vegetation is lacked or damaged

• Loosened soiled may bury plants or leave their roots exposed.

• Also when overgrazing occurs, plants species may be lost.

• Drought and poor land management contribute to famine.

• If the Population is growing, this will cause economic problems and starvation

Short term effects of Desertificationin Sahel

• Soil loses its nutrients which makes it not useful

• Overgrazing destroys vegetation and without it erosion occurs

• Land becomes salty which makes it difficult to grow crops

Map of Sahel

Long term effects of Desertificationin Sahel

• People die of starvation• Cattle die of starvation• The soil becomes completely useless

Solutions

• Water Conservation– Through irrigation systems, water can easily access the wildlife

• Planting shrubs and trees• “San d Fences”

– Fences of wood that move the sand into another area– They help stop the

accumulation of a desert• Set regulations on ff- road vehicles

Preventing Desertification

● Soil erosion must be prevented, which can be done by placing boulders and/or planting plants.

● Overgrazing of plants are damaging to the ecosystem and must be addressed.

Other Notes

● Water is absolutely necessary in order to green a desert and combat desertification. Careful irrigation is essential.

● It is almost always best that the local people combat desertification in their own areas as to be more efficient and less costly.

● People need to be given some kind of benefit for combating desertification.

China’s “Great Green Wall”

• Largest tree-planting program of its kind in the world.

• The “Wall” will get to 5,700 km by 2050– 400million hectacres– 42% of China’s

landmass

Bibliography• http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/deserts/desertification/• http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/se

p/23/china-great-green-wall-climate• http://desertification101.tripod.com/id8.html• scalloway.org.uk/phye4.htm• desertification.tripod.com/id3.html• http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/deserts/desertification/• http://

www.greenfacts.org/en/desertification/index.htm\

• http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/envfacts/facts/desertification.htm