DEFINITION
A desert is a region or an area where vegetation is sparse or absent and the rainfall is insufficient to support desirable vegetative growth (Rozanov, & Tyurin, 1961). The United Nations Conference on desertification in 1977, defined desertification as the diminution or destruction of biological potential of land which can lead ultimately to desert like conditions. The word desertification has been and still is used by many authors to describe degradation of various types and forms of vegetation, including the sub-humid and humid forest areas which have nothing to do with deserts either physically or biologically. The term desertification has also been defined as the natural or man induced processes by which irreversible changes
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To monitor desertification, it would appear worthwhile to establish, within the frame work of the plan of action to combat desertification, a wide network of observation stations based on existing research centres, experimental stations, test fields, and natural reserves, as appropriate (UNCOD, 1978). These monitoring stations should assume responsibility for conducting combined research on bio-productivity and soil-water regimes on a regular basis. An important aspect of desertification assessment and monitoring is identifying the factors which ease or contribute to desertification in each particular case. In the case of desertification by natural processes, these factors may be climatic or geologic such as aridization of climate, uplifting of land, lowering of the water table, or geo-chemical accumulation of salts in closed drainage …show more content…
Often, desertification is the result of a number of causes or is provoked by one cause and intensified by others (Darkoh, 1996). Concrete analysis of an environmental situation and of the factors involved will make it possible to find national and international means to prevent and control desertification and ways of restoring the biological potential of the area. Both desertification prevention and control often require a combination of social, economic and technologically coordinated activities, constituting an overall plan of social and economic development for a particular territory.
1.4 Need to Control Desertification
Desertification causes great human misery, starvation or malnutrition. Its symptoms are as follows (Sheridan, 1981):
i) Degradation of native vegetation due to natural or manmade actions. ii) Un-naturally high soil erosion by the action of wind or
Freshwater is also looked at as floodplain management is observed. The patterns of environmental quality are also examined. My hypothesis is that pH levels and drainage account for the significant differences in vegetation between the areas. This is because both drainage and pH levels play a role in what type of soil is available. The pH level determines the types of plants that grow and the drainage effects the type of soil present, which influences the
For the OECO the desertification is process of pressure, state and response (PSR) while the FAO, UNCCD and European commission for dry land (12) look the desertification process as results of five steps: Driving forces, pressure, state, impact and responses (DPSIR).
Rivers change the shape of the earth by eroding away sediments of the earth's surface. There are four different types of erosion created by rivers: hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition and solution. Hydraulic action is when the river bank is weakened by the velocity of the river, which allows air to enter small breaks in the river bank, and the bank slowly erodes away. Abrasion is when the bed and bank of the river is worn away by rocks carried by the river. Attrition is when rocks in the river forcefully hit each other and create smaller sediments.
The erosion process can increase or decrease in volume. Erosion is dependent on specific geological agents.
Heavy mechanisms have ruined the nation by cutting all the grass or most of the grass and that has kept the soil open. When the wind comes, it picks up the soil and when miles and miles of land’s grass has been cut by heavy mechanisms, the wind constantly picks up the soil and after many miles, the soil and dust is all over the air and causing havoc. The heavy mechs. Has helped the nation economically but has worsened us physically.
The drought’s direct effect is most often remembered as agricultural, many crops were damaged by deficient rainfall, high temperatures, and high winds, as well as insect infestations and dust storms that accompanied these conditions. This caused many migrant workers to not be feed, as the food source was very limited. In conclusion these three events play a huge role in
The amount of soil that was blown away reduced by 65% from the earlier years from the
4. Habitat alteration: Removal and reduction of natural habitat by flooding, soil erosion and water
Agricultural practices did as well. Farmers had been using intensive farming techniques such as monoculture, overgrazing, and deep plowing to maximize their crop yields. These practices led to the depletion of soil nutrients, leaving it vulnerable to erosion by wind and water. Additionally, farmers had removed native grasses that held the soil together and replaced them with crops like wheat. When drought hit the region in the 1930’s, these unsustainable practices exacerbated its effects.
In the article “Water Worries Grow in the Desert Southwest,” Rice (2013) talks about climate changes and causes that impact on water in the desert Southwest. The author mentioned Native Americans, they used canals and dams to bring water since 10 centuries. Today, there are 56 million Americans growing up in Southwest and they have region’s natural dryness. Also, Arizona state has less rain every year around 7.5 inches. In addition, Colorado River is most important to help 30 million people in Southwest.
Desertification, Deforestation, soil depletion, and water contamination are among some of the consequences of agriculture. An agricultural boom often means that an over farming and an overproduction stage occurs. This result can be worse than the pre-food famine, because now no food is being produced. Water contamination from pesticides and
Landslides may cause the loss of lives and properties. Deforestation causes the soil to lose its stability. Decreasing of trees causes there is lack of tree leaves to protect the soil from the collision of raindrops and also causes the lack of tree roots to hold the soil. Thus, the soil is exposed directly to the raindrop. The top layer of soil is easily washed away by the heavy rainfall.
World Hunger affects a significant amount of people all around the world. It is an issue that everyone should be aware of. The future is bright but there are lots of steps left to figuring out a way to end world hunger. From my research, my intention is to inform the reader about what is hunger, what are the causes, what are the effects of it, where does it mostly occur, and how can we end it. Someone who is severely hungry is someone who is incapable of accessing food on a consistent basis.
Deserts cover 20 percent of the earth’s land surface, which is close to thirty million square miles. Deserts are large and dry regions that receive very little amount of rainfall per year, have a lot of bare soil and low vegetation cover. Despite the common misconception of all deserts being dry and hot, there are cold deserts as well. Areas covered in ice or snow, with limited vegetation plantation, are sometimes called 'cold deserts '. However, in this essay, we will be discussing on survival in hot desert.
Food security is one of the greatest problems faced the world. There is fact said that food is enough for everyone in the world but because of the great changes which happened rapidly in the world the rate of food become less than before and it is difficult to secure it. Food security is very important to ensure that everyone has enough to eat and families can build their communities without worrying about securing their live. To meet global needs, food production must be doubled in the next years in order to solve many issues such as: starvation, malnutrition and associated health. According to The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security as existing “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain