Select One Of The Two Choices Below And Address All Topics ✓ Solved

Select one of the two choices below and address all topics l

Select one of the two choices below and address all topics listed under your choice using the provided resource. Above, list the section you have chosen. You MUST paraphrase all content.

Choice 1: Desertification

Visit the GreenFacts Initiative web-page on Desertification (9 sections). Using only this webpage, complete the following:

1. Read all nine sections.

2. Select three sections (excluding sections 1 and 9) and summarize each in a separate paragraph, paraphrasing the content. Include the section title above each paragraph.

3. Summarize section 9 (the conclusion) in one paragraph.

4. In one paragraph, explain what you found most interesting and how desertification may impact your life.

Choice 2: Desertification and the Soil

Watch the provided video and address the following (each at least one paragraph):

1. Describe soil and its roles in agriculture; state how long soil formation takes and challenges of arid soils.

2. Describe how human activities cause desertification, including impacts on soil and the role of modern agriculture.

3. Discuss who is impacted by desertification, which continents are affected, and the role of population growth.

4. Describe at least two approaches to reduce desertification.

5. Explain what you found most interesting and how desertification may impact your life.

Paper For Above Instructions

Choice Selected: Desertification and the Soil

1. What soil is and its roles in agriculture

Soil is a dynamic, biologically active layer of the Earth that supports plant life by supplying physical anchorage, water, nutrients, and a medium for root growth and microbial processes (FAO, 2015). It is composed of mineral particles, organic matter, water, air, and a vast community of organisms that cycle nutrients and maintain structure (SSSA, 2014). In agriculture, soil performs multiple essential functions: it stores and supplies nutrients, retains water for crops, buffers pH and chemical changes, and hosts microbes that assist nutrient transformations and disease suppression (FAO, 2015; Lal, 2001). The formation of a productive topsoil is an extremely slow process; estimates indicate that forming just a few centimeters of soil can take hundreds to thousands of years under natural conditions (USDA NRCS, 2018). This slow pace means soil is effectively a non-renewable resource on human timescales. Arid soils present particular challenges: they often have low organic matter, limited water-holding capacity, high salinity from evaporation, and sparse vegetation cover that leaves them vulnerable to wind and water erosion (UNCCD, 2017). These constraints reduce fertility and make crop production riskier without careful management (IPCC, 2019).

2. Human activities that cause desertification and modern agriculture's role

Desertification is frequently driven by human actions that disturb vegetation cover, soil structure, and water balance. Overgrazing removes protective plant cover and accelerates erosion; deforestation exposes soils to sun and wind; and inappropriate irrigation can raise groundwater tables and concentrate salts in the root zone, leading to salinization (UNCCD, 2017; FAO, 2015). Modern agricultural practices have sometimes intensified these pressures: repetitive monocropping, excessive tillage, and heavy reliance on chemical inputs can degrade soil organic matter and diminish soil structure, increasing runoff and erosion (Lal, 2001; World Bank, 2016). Intensive irrigation without adequate drainage promotes salt accumulation in arid and semi-arid regions, rendering soils less productive (FAO, 2015). Additionally, land conversion for large-scale cropping or infrastructure fragments landscapes and reduces the resilience of ecosystems to climatic variability (IPCC, 2019). While technological advances have increased yields, when deployed without sustainable land management, they can accelerate the loss of soil health and expand the geographic reach of desertification (UNEP, 2011).

3. Who is impacted and the role of population growth

Desertification affects people, economies, and ecosystems across multiple continents, with particular severity in parts of Africa (notably the Sahel), Central and South Asia, the Mediterranean basin, and some areas in Latin America and Australia (UNCCD, 2017; IPCC, 2019). Vulnerable rural communities who rely on rainfed agriculture and pastoralism suffer first as land productivity declines; food security, incomes, and access to clean water are compromised (World Bank, 2016). Urban populations can also be affected indirectly through higher food prices and migration from degraded rural areas (UNCCD, 2017). Population growth magnifies these pressures by increasing demand for food, fuelwood, and grazing land, prompting expansion into marginal lands and intensifying resource extraction (FAO, 2015). Climate variability and extremes compound these human-driven drivers, creating feedback loops where degraded land becomes more sensitive to droughts and extreme weather, harming both local livelihoods and broader regional stability (IPCC, 2019).

4. Approaches to reduce desertification

Effective responses to desertification combine land stewardship, restoration, and policy measures that promote sustainable livelihoods. Sustainable land management (SLM) practices—such as conservation agriculture (minimum tillage, cover cropping, and crop rotation), agroforestry, and improved grazing management—help rebuild soil organic matter, reduce erosion, and increase water infiltration (FAO, 2015; World Bank, 2016). Restorative initiatives, including reforestation, the creation of terraces, and targeted revegetation with native species, can stabilize soils and recover degraded landscapes (UNCCD, 2017). Addressing water issues through efficient irrigation technologies (drip systems), improved drainage to prevent salinity, and rainwater harvesting reduces pressure on soils in arid zones (FAO, 2015; UNEP, 2011). Policy and community-based measures—secure land tenure, incentives for sustainable practices, and integrated landscape governance—are critical to encourage long-term adoption (UNCCD, 2017). Large-scale programs such as the Great Green Wall in Africa and regional restoration funds demonstrate that coordinated investments can restore ecosystem services and enhance resilience (World Bank, 2016).

5. Personal reflection on interest and potential impacts

What I find most compelling about desertification is how closely soil health links ecological function, food security, and human wellbeing. The fact that centuries of soil formation can be undone within decades by unsustainable use underscores the fragility of the systems that feed societies (USDA NRCS, 2018; FAO, 2015). This topic matters personally because the consequences—reduced crop yields, higher food prices, and increased displacement—can affect urban and rural lives alike. As a consumer and potential land steward, the issue highlights the importance of supporting sustainable agricultural practices, conserving water, and advocating for policies that protect soil as a finite resource. On a practical level, desertification could influence the availability and cost of food staples, the resilience of supply chains, and the frequency of climate-driven migration, all of which have societal and personal implications (IPCC, 2019; World Bank, 2016).

Conclusion

Soil is indispensable for agriculture, yet it forms slowly and is vulnerable to degradation, especially in arid regions. Human activities—overgrazing, deforestation, poor irrigation, and unsustainable farming—drive desertification by disrupting vegetation and soil processes, and an increasing population amplifies demand on fragile lands. Mitigation requires integrated strategies: sustainable land management, restoration efforts, water-smart agriculture, and supportive policies that align livelihoods with conservation. Protecting and restoring soil health is therefore essential for long-term food security, ecosystem resilience, and human wellbeing (FAO, 2015; UNCCD, 2017).

References

  • Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2015). Status of the World’s Soil Resources. FAO, Rome. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/3/a-i5199e.pdf
  • United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). (2017). Global Land Outlook. UNCCD Secretariat. Retrieved from https://www.unccd.int/glo
  • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2019). Climate Change and Land: an IPCC special report. Retrieved from https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/
  • Soil Science Society of America (SSSA). (2014). Soil Basics and Functions. SSSA. Retrieved from https://www.soils.org
  • Lal, R. (2001). Soil degradation by erosion. Land Degradation & Development, 12(6), 519–539. doi:10.1002/ldr.472
  • United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS). (2018). Soil Formation and Development. Retrieved from https://www.nrcs.usda.gov
  • World Bank. (2016). Soil and Land Degradation: A Global Concern. World Bank Publications. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org
  • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). (2011). The UNEP Year Book: Ecosystems and Human Well-being. UNEP. Retrieved from https://www.unep.org
  • NASA Earth Observatory. (2020). Monitoring Desertification and Land Degradation. Retrieved from https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov
  • Reynolds, J. F., et al. (2007). Global Desertification: Do Humans Cause Deserts? BioScience, 57(9), 755–765. doi:10.1641/B571009

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