As global temperatures rise and the human population expands, more of the planet is vulnerable to desertification, the permanent degradation of land that was once arable.While land degradation has occurred throughout history, the pace has accelerated, reaching 30 to 35 times the historical rate, according to the United Nations. This degradation tends to be driven by a number of factors, including urbanization, mining, farming, and ranching. In the course of these activities, trees and other vegetation are cleared away, animal hooves pound the dirt, and crops deplete nutrients in the soil. Climate change also plays a significant role, increasing the risk of drought.
Solutions to desertification
The struggle against desertification can occur at several levels. Since regional variations in climate are the main causes of the loss of dryland productivity, it is important to understand the influence of global warming in specific dryland regions. According to some models of climate change, many grasslands in western North America, for example, are predicted to be at greater risk of drought due to projected increases in summer temperatures and changes to existing rainfall patterns. Many authorities argue that since desertification and global warming are so closely related, one of the main solutions to the former may be the implementation of effective economic policies (such as carbon trading) and technical measures (such as carbon sequestration) that reduce the production of greenhouse gases.
At local scales, however, desertification is often the result of unsustainable land and soil management. To maintain the biological productivity of the land, soil conservation is often the priority. A number of innovative solutions have been devised that range from relatively simple changes in how people grow crops to labour-intensive landscape engineering projects. Some of the techniques that may help ameliorate the consequences of desertification in irrigated croplands, rain-fed croplands, grazing lands, and dry woodlands include:
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Irrigation improvements, which can inhibit water loss from evaporation and prevent salt accumulation. This technique involves changes in the design of irrigation systems to prevent water from pooling or evaporating easily from the soil.
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Cover crops, which prevent soil erosion from wind and water. They can also reduce the local effects of drought. On larger scales, plant cover can help maintain normal rainfall patterns. Cover crops may be perennials or fast-growing annuals.
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Crop rotation, which involves the alternation of different crops on the same plot of land over different growing seasons. This technique can help maintain the productivity of the soil by replenishing critical nutrients removed during harvesting.
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Rotational grazing, which is the process of limiting the grazing pressure of livestock in a given area. Livestock are frequently moved to new grazing areas before they cause permanent damage to the plants and soil of any one area.
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Terracing, which involves the creation of multiple levels of flat ground that appear as long steps cut into hillsides. The technique slows the pace of runoff, which reduces soil erosion and retards overall water loss.
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Contour bunding (or contour bundling), which involves the placement of lines of stones along the natural rises of a landscape, and contour farming. These techniques help to capture and hold rainfall before it can become runoff. They also inhibit wind erosion by keeping the soil heavy and moist.
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Windbreaks, which involve the establishment of lines of fast-growing trees planted at right angles to the prevailing surface winds. They are primarily used to slow wind-driven soil erosion but may be used to inhibit the encroachment of sand dunes.
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Dune stabilization, which involves the conservation of the plant community living along the sides of dunes. The upper parts of plants help protect the soil from surface winds, whereas the root network below keeps the soil together.
Human beings can take action right now to halt desertification and perhaps even reverse its effects. Here are five ways that we can do so
1. Reforest the planet: planting forests actively protects the soil against becoming a desert: leaf mulch is packed with nutrients and the trees’ roots will hold the soil in place. Reforestation has plenty of other benefits alongside simply preventing desertification – forests help to support huge biodiversity, for example.
2. Stop burning fossil fuels: this will go a long way to halt climate change and global warming and stop the earth reaching the scorching temperatures that cause desertification.
3. Stop polluting our land with pesticides, oil, chemicals, and other harmful materials: this will prevent the formation of dead zones where nothing grows. Using fewer chemicals and opting for organic methods of farming will really help here.
4. Stop water pollution: everything from pesticides sprayed into the air to leaks from industrial tankers can quickly turn a lake that was once teeming with life into a barren desert.
5. Stop intensive agriculture: The ‘slow food’ movement which is all about a less intensive way to producing and consuming food is another potential solution to this issue.
Conclusion:
It’s time to stop desertification in its tracks. Earth is home to various natural deserts, such as the majestic Sahara or the deserts in Nevada. However, these are natural deserts, with carefully balanced ecosystems of their own.