1. SOIL DEGRADATION AND
DESERTIFICATION-A Challenge
By:ASHISH(2011A22BIV)

2. SOIL DEGRADATION
• Soil degradation is the decline in soil quality
caused by its improper use, usually for
agricultural, pastural, industrial or urban
purposes.
• The Decline in quantity and quality of soil It
includes Erosion by wind and water Biological
degradation (loss of humus) Physical
degradation (loss of structure, permeability,
compaction) Chemical degradation (reduced
fertility, salinisation , changing pH, toxicity)

3. SOIL DEGRADATION
DESERTIFICATION
If Degradation is so severe that land becomes
unusable it is termed desertification

4. DESERTIFICATION
• Desertification is a process of turning the
productive land into desert.
• A definition of desertification should recognize
that it is a land degradation process that
involves a continuum of change, from slight to
very severe degradation of the plant and soil
resource, and is due to man's activities.
• Desertification is also a situation on the desert
expansion. That means desert is continuously
expanding to the surrounding area.

5. Causes on desertification
desertification
Climatic
change
Human factors
High pop.
+
Poor / poverty
Impropriate
irrigation
-salinization
Over
grazing
deforest
ation
Global
warming
Over
cropping
↓ Soil fertility ,↓ soil degradation &↓ Soil aridity
Low Rainfall

6. Cause
Human factors:
High population
Deforestation---∵Demand more
land and timber for cropping & building,
cutting down to tree extensively.
Over cropping—-∵demand for food
crops↑ & the cash crops demanded ↑,
↑shifting cultivation, ↓soil fertility,
secondary growth

7. Cause
Impropriate irrigation:
infiltration >E underground water table
rises salinization
Climatic change
Global warmingCO2↑, T ↑, ice cap
melt, flooding in coastal area , ↓ rainfall,
drought , veg. die
Less rainfallDrought , veg. die.

8. “If the climatic factors are said to be the
main causes of desertification ,then
human activities are going to intensify it.”

9. Effects on desertification
desertification
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Lithosphere
Biosphere
-local climate
-water cycle
-loss of arable
breaks down
salinization
-extinction of
plants &
animals
↓R”
drought
-macro climate
-land intensify the
soil erosion
global warming
Upset the balance of ecosystem
-↓biodiversity

11. Effects

12. Effects
Lithosphere
1)loss of arable land
soil texture change to sandy  ↓cohesive power
(cannot hold water) not suitable for veg growth
2)intensify the soil erosion
1.↑ deforestationno root to bind the soil
 ↑ soil erosion↑ silting

13. Effects
Hydrosphere
1)Water cycle breaks down
∵↓Rainfall & ↑ evaporation(∵ no
shelter)
 rivers and wells dried up
Biosphere
1)lower the bio-diversity
↓R” & unevenly dis.+deforestation
scattered veg. (veg. Is shorter, few
species, less luxuriant)extinction

14. Effects
Others
1)lower the income
Rainfall ↓ crops productivity
↓,
2)use a large amt of capital for soil
protection & recovery

15. How to solve???
1.Control the pop. growth / natural increase
by using family planning, in order to
decrease the land use capacity
2.The number of grazing and the rate of
cultivation should not over the carrying
capacity of land

16. How to solve???
3. Improve i)farming & ii)grazing methods,
in other to reduce soil erosion and
salinization
i) suitable timing and amount to carry out irrigation
plant the halophytes (which can adapt salty &
droughted soil) e.g, Chenopodiaceae
ii)sufficient fallowing period

17. How to solve???
4.Legislation: band the deforestation and over
grazing, etc. , in order to balance the ecosystem
of desert.
5.afforestation i.e. plant the wind break trees &
drought resistant plants
6.stone lines
7. Building reservoir and canal , (e.g, The Indira
Gandhi Canal)