Describe Land Degradation Causes And Effects

Land degradation is the decline or loss of the productive capacity of land, including its soil, vegetation, and water resources. It is a major environmental and economic threat.

Common Causes of Land Degradation

• Deforestation: The large-scale clearing of forests for agriculture, logging, or urban development. This exposes the soil and removes a key ecosystem stabilizer.
• Unsustainable Agricultural Practices: Methods like over-cultivation (not letting fields rest), monocropping (planting the same crop repeatedly), and the overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides deplete soil nutrients and kill beneficial soil organisms.
• Overgrazing: Allowing too many livestock to feed on a piece of land. The animals remove the vegetation cover, leading to soil compaction and erosion.
• Urban Sprawl and Industrial Pollution: The expansion of cities paves over fertile land (known as "soil sealing"), and industrial activities can contaminate soil with heavy metals and toxic chemicals.
• Climate Change: Increased frequency of droughts, heavy rainfall, and high temperatures can accelerate erosion and desertification.

Major Effects of Land Degradation

• Soil Erosion: This is the most visible effect. The fertile topsoil is washed or blown away, leaving behind unproductive subsoil.
• Loss of Productivity and Food Insecurity: Degraded land produces lower crop yields, threatening the livelihoods of farmers and contributing to food shortages.
• Desertification: The process where fertile land in semi-arid and arid regions becomes desert. This is a severe, often irreversible, form of degradation.
• Loss of Biodiversity: When habitats (like forests or wetlands) are destroyed, the plants and animals that lived there are lost.
• Worsened Floods and Droughts: Degraded soil cannot absorb water effectively. This leads to increased surface runoff (causing floods) and reduced groundwater recharge (worsening droughts).