What causes Desertification?

  • The drivers of desertification include overexploitation of soil for agriculture, inappropriate irrigation, deforestation, land cleaning for human settlement and urban development, and overgrazing by livestock. Increase in wildfires and decline in water table through excessive extraction of groundwater are other factors that cause desertification.
  • Climate change (which can be attributed to human activities) is also a major factor behind the increase in desertification. Climate change affects the frequency and magnitude of extreme events such as droughts. In areas that are naturally dry, a drought can have a huge impact on vegetation cover and productivity. As plants die off due to lack of water, the soil becomes bare and is more easily eroded by wind. According to studies, the global area of dry lands is expected to expand as the Earth warms.

 

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