Pollution of water resources from the contamination of. Land degradation is a global issue for a number of reasons but most significantly because productive land is one of several resources where a reducing supply threatens our capacity to feed a growing world population estimated to be over 9 billion by 2050. This research may give them a total framework of the causes and consequences of land degradation. Desertification, a phenomenon referring to land degradation in arid, semiarid and dry subhumid regions as a result of climatic variations and human activities, is considered as one of the most severe environmental and socioeconomic problems of recent times. Half of the topsoil on the planet has been lost in the last 150 years. The complexities of the dynamics involved in the onset and progression of land degradation complicate its assessment. These impacts include compaction, loss of soil structure, nutrient degradation, and soil salinity. The causes of rangeland degradation in many developing countries are complex, but we stress that it can be both a cause and a result of open conflicts. Looking back into the past we find that the use of fire by the prehistoric people is the initiation of maninduced environmental degradation. Of the 80 countries substantially affected by land degradation, 36. Mar 25, 2007 desertification is land degradation occurring in arid, semiarid and dry subhumid areas of the world. Desertification has been defined as land degradation in arid, semiarid, and dry subhumid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities11. It is viewed as any change or disturbance to the land perceived to be deleterious or undesirable.
A case study on keyain village of munshigonj district. Cause of land degradation and its impacts on livelihoods. Sustainable and successful intervention requires clear understanding of the nature of the problem. Unesco eolss sample chapters water resources management vol. Land degradation is the major consequences of direct interference of human activities in the natural phenomenon. In addition, land zoning concept with the intention of minimizes the misuse of agricultural lands. Among the variety of uses, the ones that top the list in terms of extent and intensity are agriculture and urban development. I will also talk about ways to restore lost land, and these posts will be featured under the restoration ecology category of the blog.
The effects of the major environmental problems on both health and productivity are. Effect of environmental parameters on the biodegradation. The problem is most acute where the environment is intrinsically vulnerable and where the population is losing control of its own resources. The result is a loss of land productivity with impacts on livelihoods and the economy.
An assessment of land degradation in the save catchment of. Thus, arthur and jeanette conacher defined land degradation as alterations to all aspects of the biophysical. Land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by. Environmental degradation can lead to a scarcity of resources, such as water and farmable. Economics of land degradation in china springerlink. Onsite effects are the lowering of the productive capacity of the land, causing either reduced outputs crop yields, livestock yields or the need for increased inputs. The magnitude and significance of impact on environment due to mining varies from mineral to mineral and also on the potential of the surrounding environment to absorb the negative effects of mining, geographical disposition of mineral deposits and size of mining operations. The principal aim of this study was to explore the impacts of desertification, degradation and drought on both the.
In his book coming famine, julian cribb points out that of the 1. The change in the characteristic and quality of soil which adversely affect its fertility is called as degradation. The importance of land degradation in calabar south is enhanced because of its impact on food security and quality of the environments. Environmental degradation can be a result of the dynamic interplay of socioeconomic, institutional and technological activities carried out by the human.
In turn, unsustainable land use is driving land degradation. The main outcome of land degradation is a substantial reduction in the productivity of land. Land degradation is defined as the temporary or permanent decline in the productive capacity of the land, and the diminution of the productive potential, including its major land uses e. Causes of land degradation according to 4, the causes of land degradation can be divided into natural hazards, direct causes, and underlying causes. Land is a vital resource to humankind, like air and water. Young 1998 observes the lack of techniques to assess the extent and severity of land degradation. Soil science society of america journal, 59, 661667. Degradation of environment causes effects pollution. Jun 01, 2016 major causes of land degradation greentumble soil degradation june 1, 2016 whether it is through building homes and settlements, the cultivation of crops, the harvesting of plants for food, medicine, fiber, or fuel, or by setting fires to the landscape for hunting purposes, humans have always influenced the landscape around them. Land degradation in arid, semiarid and dry subhumid areas as a basic result of adverse human conduct. Land degradation causes losses to agricultural productivity in many parts of the world. The condition of the soil is one of the best indicators of land degradation. Destruction of natural vegetation cover is a major factor responsible for erosion of soils by water and wind. Nov 12, 2015 land degradation is a serious potential threat to food production and rural livelihoods.
The direct impacts of degradation are a major cause for concern. Land degradation as the land use section earlier in this chapter shows, demands on the land for economic development and pressures from a burgeoning population are leading to unprecedented land use change. Final submission land degradation in the limpopo province 2 c. Rangeland degradation the many important uses and resources provided by rangelands make their protection and proper management vitally important. Read this article to learn about the meaning, factors responsible, prevention and control measures of land degradation. This section describes land degradation trends in kenya as an introduction to the following pairs of satellite images that show this degradation on the ground. Land degradation is a serious potential threat to food production and rural livelihoods. Land is probably the most used natural resource in the world. Erosioncrop productivity relationships for soils of africa. Apr 15, 2015 land degradation is the most important environmental problem currently challenging sustainable development in many parts of the world. If you go to a farm you will most likely see tracks caused by the animals walking, these tracks will be near clear of grasses and will be simply dirt. Land degradation can be viewed as any change or disturbance to the land perceived to be deleterious or undesirable eswaran, 2001.
The soil integrates a variety of important processes involving vegetation growth, overland flow of water, infiltration, land use and land management. History, nature, causes, consequences, and solutions conacher, arthur encyclopedia of life support systems eolss peoples attitudes, perceptions and knowledge, actions or inactions by government agencies, and inappropriate government policies. Oct 01, 2016 in a series of posts on this topic, i plan to cover the causes of land degradation and its implications on the environment and human society. Of the total, 25% of land area is highly degraded, 8% moderately or slightly degraded, 36% stable and 10% improving faostate of the worlds land and water resources for. Cause of land degradation and its impacts on livelihoods of. There are very, very few places on land that humans havent yet used in some way for our activities directly or indirectly.
There are four main ways of looking at land degradation and its impact on the environment around it. Causes and impacts of land degradation and desertification. Land degradationthe deterioration or loss of the productive capacity of the soils for present and futureis a global challenge that affects everyone through food insecurity, higher food prices, climate change, environmental hazards, and the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Cause and effects of land degradation environmental sciences. These are biophysical land use and land management, including deforestation and tillage methods, socioeconomic e. The land degradation processes include soil erosion, nutrient depletion, salinization, desertification and soil acidification or alkalinisation. Land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by a combination of humaninduced processes acting upon the land. What are causes and effects of environmental degradation. Causes of land degradation are the agents that determine the rate of degradation. Livestock livestock causes land degradation by both over exploiting the area of food and nutrients as well as the trampling of being walked over near permanently.
Aug 18, 2008 environmental degradation can lead to a scarcity of resources, such as water and farmable. Land degradation intruduction land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by a combination of humaninduced processes acting upon the land. Land degradation is a process in which the value of the physical environment is affected by a. Research into the causes and effects of climate variations and longterm. Land degradation or improvement is an outcome of many proximate and underlying causes. Soil erosion can be driven by both natural and anthropogenic causes. Soil erosion is a natural process that removes soil from the land. The use of customary slm practices, both in forested areas and in agricultural and pastoral regions, officially supported by government programmes and by local community participation, as well as regulatory frameworks, have the potential to reduce the causes and effects of land degradation processes, and therefore contribute to znld. Both extent and severity of the problem of land degradation spatial variations depending on different relief, ecology, rainfall, land use, land cover and soil types being as proximate and underlying causes.
Conversion of agricultural land in nonagricultural uses is one of the main reasons to follow. It would not be wrong to say that rising human demands, as well as hunger, is also a major factor driving the environmental degradation. The map of the study area is presented on the next page. The detrimental effects of mining on the environment at local, regional and global levels will continue to be a topic of public concern. Axle load and tillage effects on soil degradation and rehabilitation in. Deforestation causes fast degradation when the soil is steep sloppy or easily erodible. The changes of land quality are the result of many highly interlinked factors including natural, socioeconomic and also policy and related agricultural practices. Degradation in gef3 20022006, looking towards more evidencebased implementation based upon good science in gef4 20062010. In order to clarify what is meant by land degradation and to quantify its global extent, the food and agriculture organisation and the. History, nature, causes, consequences, and solutions conacher, arthur encyclopedia of life support systems eolss above. The magnitude and significance of impact on environment due to mining varies from mineral to mineral and also on the potential of the. Oct 07, 2017 the use of customary slm practices, both in forested areas and in agricultural and pastoral regions, officially supported by government programmes and by local community participation, as well as regulatory frameworks, have the potential to reduce the causes and effects of land degradation processes, and therefore contribute to znld. The terms of reference for this study are to provide gefstap with.
The causes and effects of degradation of encapsulant ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer eva in crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules. The result is a loss of land productivity with impacts on livelihoods and. It is against this background that the study is designed to examine land degradation due to mining in gunda. Answers to answers to preventative measures can often be found within the causes of land degradation. Abu sayeed during the last few years the agriculture sector is facing danger in many ways. In addition to erosion, soil quality is affected by other aspects of agriculture. By modeling the decomposition of soil organic matter dynamics, crop systems models can simulate the effects of soil nutrient depletion under lowinput extractive field management practices, as well as soil carbon sequestration under regenerative management practices.
These susceptible drylands cover 40 percent of the earths surface and puts at risk more than 1 billion people who are dependent on these lands for survival. The term desertification has in the meantime been broadened to almost all forms of land degradation and is even used to include resource degradation in humid areas. Loss of natural fertility of soil because of loss of nutrients. Extreme weather events, such as severe flooding, increase the spread of waterborne diseases, such as malaria and diarrhoea. A laboratory study was conducted with the aim of evaluating and optimizing the environmental parameters of landfarming, i. Tillage effects on soil degradation, soil resilience, soil quality, and sustainability. According to global assessment of soil degradation glasod, deforestation is the main cause of soil erosion by wind in about 98% of the area. Pdf the causes and effects of degradation of encapsulant. Of the total, 25% of land area is highly degraded, 8% moderately or slightly degraded, 36% stable and 10% improving faostate of the worlds land and water resources for food and agriculture. Desertification is land degradation occurring in arid, semiarid and dry subhumid areas of the world. The extent of degradation in developing countries is difficult to quantify because of the lack of monitoring, but certainly, concern exists that the human population is exerting significant.
Cause and effects of land degradation environmental. Still land degradation lingers and presents the greatest threat to the survival of the nation d. In this paper, the diverse factors that cause soil erosion are assessed. Air pollution has a great economic impact, with up to 5% of.
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