Causes of Desertification
- Desertification is caused by both natural factors and human activities
- Many of the natural causes may be made worse by climate change
Natural and Human Causes of Desertification
| Natural causes | Human causes |
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Soil erosion leads to the loss of nutrients. Plants are unable to establish and grow |
Overgrazing means the vegetation has all gone due to the number of animals or the land does not have a chance to recover |
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Rainfall patterns have become less predictable leading to drought and any vegetation dying due to lack of water |
Over-cultivation leads to all the nutrients being taken up by crops leaving none for future vegetation to grow |
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Reduced vegetation means that nutrients are not added to the soil through the decomposition of dead organic matter |
Deforestation removes shade from the soil which means there are no roots which bind the soil together. This increases soil erosion, whilst decreasing infiltration and interception |
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Any rain that does fall is often in short, intense bursts, leading to increased surface runoff and soil erosion |
Population growth puts increased pressure on the land as people raise more animals and grow more crops |
Causes of Desertification
