Day 72 – Q 5.Do you think desertification is an ecological hazard? Examine. What are the man made factors leading to desertification? Discuss.

5. Do you think desertification is an ecological hazard? Examine. What are the man made factors leading to desertification? Discuss. 

क्या आपको लगता है कि मरुस्थलीकरण एक पारिस्थितिक खतरा है? जांच करें। मनुष्य ने किन कारकों को मरुस्थलीकरण के लिए प्रेरित किया है? चर्चा करें।

Introduction:

Desertification is a type of land degradation in which a relatively dry land region becomes increasingly arid, typically losing its bodies of water as well as vegetation and wildlife. It is caused by a variety of factors, such as climate change and human activities. Desertification is a significant global ecological and environmental problem.

Body

Desertification is an ecological hazard

• According to UNESCO, one third of world’s land surface is threatened by desertification and across the world it affects livelihood of millions of people who depend on the benefits of ecosystems that drylands provides. 
• Desertification is another major environmental concern and a major barrier to meeting human basic needs in drylands and are being constantly threatened by increases in human pressures and climatic variability.
• Farming becomes next to impossible – If an area becomes a desert, then it’s almost impossible to grow substantial crops there without special technologies. This can cost a lot of money to try and do, so many farmers will have to sell their land and leave the desert areas.
• Hunger – Without farms in these areas, the food that those farms produce will become much scarcer, and the people who live in those local areas will be a lot more likely to try and deal with hunger problems. Animals will also go hungry, which will cause even more of a food shortage.
• Flooding – Without the plant life in an area, flooding is a lot more eminent. Not all deserts are dry; those that are wet could experience a lot of flooding because there is nothing to stop the water from gathering and going all over the place. Flooding can also negatively affect the water supply, which we will discuss next.
• Poor Water Quality – If an area becomes a desert, the water quality is going to become a lot worse than it would have been otherwise. This is because the plant life plays a significant role in keeping the water clean and clear; without its presence, it becomes a lot more difficult for you to be able to do that.
• Overpopulation – When areas start to become desert, animals and people will go to other areas where they can actually thrive. This causes crowding and overpopulation, which will, in the long run, end up continuing the cycle of desertification that started this whole thing anyway.
• Poverty – All of the issues that we’ve talked about above (related to the problem of desertification) can lead to poverty if it is not kept in check. Without food and water, it becomes harder for people to thrive, and they take a lot of time to try and get the things that they need.

Man-made factors leading to desertification

• Overgrazing –If there are too many animals that are overgrazing in certain spots, it makes it difficult for the plants to grow back, which hurts the biome and makes it lose its former green glory.
• Deforestation – Without the plants (especially the trees) around, the rest of the biome cannot thrive.
• Farming Practices – By stripping the soil of its nutrients, desertification becomes more and more of a reality for the area that is being used for farming.
• Urbanization and other types of land development – As areas become more urbanized, there are less places for plants to grow, thus causing desertification.
• Climate Change – human induced climate change plays a huge role in desertification. As the days get warmer and periods of drought become more frequent, desertification becomes more and more eminent. 
• Stripping the land of resources – activities like mining usually strips the soil of nutrients, which in turn kills the plant life, which in turn starts the process toward becoming a desert biome as time goes on.

Conclusion

Desertification is a huge problem that needs to be addressed accordingly, and if we take the time to do it now, we can prevent other problems from happening with it in the future. By taking that critical look at desertification, we have the tools that we need in order to get through the processes effectively.