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GEOFILE Causes of Desertification
GEOFILE Causes of Desertification
Geo file
SEPTEMBER 2008
576
John Rutter
CAUSES OF DESERTIFICATION
Strictly speaking, desertification
should perhaps be defined as the
making of a desert, but there is
considerable disagreement amongst
scientists over what exactly the term
means the internet has over 100
different definitions. Confusion arises
because nobody seems sure of the
exact causes of desertification, or what
the most important causes are.
Chinese scientist Zhu, for instance,
said desertification is an
environmental degradation process
created as a result of the influence of
excessive human activities, defining
the process as an extreme form of
man-made land degradation, but
completely missing the influence of
climate change.
Scientists are reluctant to put their
necks on the line and say exactly why
desertification occurs. The situation
has not been helped by media reports
over the last 30 years that have
exaggerated the growth of the Sahara
every time there is a new drought in
Africa. The expansion and contraction
A global problem
According to the UN, desertification
puts at risk the health and well-being
of more than 1.2 billion people in
more than 100 countries. Other
countries face indirect consequences,
such as mass immigration from
desertified areas. Often its most severe
influence is seen in the damaging
droughts and famines of sub-Saharan
1
5
Key
Severe risk
Moderate risk
Slight risk
1 Ethiopia
18% at risk
2 Sudan
23% at risk
3 Chad
30% at risk
4 Niger
42% at risk
5 Somalia
26% at risk
Source: US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Soil Survey Division, World Soil Resources, Washington, DC
Photolibrary/Oxford Scientific
Source: http://humanities.cqu.edu.au/geography/GEOG11024/week_6.htm
Figure 3: Population statistics for the countries of the Sahel (UK provided for
comparison)
Country
Population
total (2005)
Senegal
11,658,000
Mauritania
3,069,000
Mali
13,518,000
Burkina Faso
13,228,000
Niger
13,957,000
Nigeria
131,530,000
Chad
9,749,000
Sudan
36,233,000
Eritrea
4,401,000
United Kingdom 59,668,000
Birth rate
per 1000
population
(2003)
Death rate
per 1000
population
(2003)
34
34
48
43
48
43
45
33
37
12
13
15
23
19
19
18
16
10
13
10
Population
change average
% per annum
20002005
2.4
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.6
2.5
3.0
2.2
3.7
0.3
Source: Statistics from Collins Student World Atlas 2005 and 2007
Climate change
The media is obsessed with climate
change, providing, as it does, an
endless source of stories of doom and
gloom. It is unsurprising, therefore,
that desertification has also been
blamed on the world getting warmer.
In recent times, long periods of
drought in Africa have been followed
Geofile Online Nelson Thornes 2008
Physical processes
While the influence of man is,
perhaps, the overriding factor in
leaving soils open to erosion and
degradation, it is physical processes
that are responsible for the actual
erosion itself. Once the soil has been
rendered infertile and its structure has
been broken down, it is very
susceptible to the actions of both wind
(a process known as aeolian erosion)
and rain.
Strong winds blow over flat land
stripped of vegetation, picking up
the finest soil particles,
transporting them in suspension
and forming the huge dust clouds
associated with desert landscapes.
Saharan dust has been found in the
Caribbean and southeast England
(Figure 4), and the path of a single
dust storm can be up to 4000km.
Larger particles are blown by the
wind in a series of short hops or
bounces, dislodging other soil
particles as they land in a process
known as saltation.
Finally, in a strong enough wind,
the biggest particles roll or slide
along the soil surface as surface
creep (Figure 5).
Rain in semi-arid and arid lands is
concentrated in intense downpours
which land heavily on the soil,
dislodging particles and, if on a
Geofile Online Nelson Thornes 2008
Source: http://www.seafriends.org.nz/enviro/soil/
water.
Desertification an ongoing
problem
While many scientists now think
desertification may not be a serious
problem on a global scale, there is no
doubt that land degradation affects
many people on a local basis. Many
initiatives are now stopping the spread
of desert-like conditions but, with an
ever-increasing population and the
threat of serious climate change, it
seems likely the problem will remain
for many years to come.
Focus Questions
1 Describe the global distribution of countries at risk from
desertification with reference to slight, moderate, and severe risk.
2 What are the main causes of desertification? Discuss whether the causes
are mainly man-made or natural in origin.
3 Compare and contrast the causes of desertification in MEDCs and
LEDCs. In which type of country is the problem more severe, and why?
You should refer to specific countries in your answer.
4 What effect has the concentration on the production of cash crops in
LEDCs had on desertification?