Desertification

Desertification is a type of gradual land degradation of fertile land into arid desert due to a combination of natural processes and human activities. This spread of arid areas is caused by a variety of factors, such as overexploitation of soil as a result of human activity and the effects of climate change.^[2]^[3] Geographic areas most affected are located in Africa (Sahel region), Asia (Gobi Desert and Mongolia) and parts of South America. Drylands occupy approximately 40–41% of Earth's land area and are home to more than 2 billion people.^[4] Effects of desertification include sand and dust storms, food insecurity, and poverty.

Methods of mitigating or reversing desertification include improving soil quality, greening deserts, managing grazing, and tree-planting (reforestation and afforestation).

Throughout geological history, the development of deserts has occurred naturally over long intervals of time.^[5] The modern study of desertification emerged from the study of the 1980s drought in the Sahel.^[6]

^ European Commission. Joint Research Centre. (2018). World atlas of desertification :rethinking land degradation and sustainable land management. LU: Publications Office. doi:10.2760/9205.
^ "Sustainable development of drylands and combating desertification". Archived from the original on 4 August 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
^ Zeng, Ning; Yoon, Jinho (1 September 2009). "Expansion of the world's deserts due to vegetation-albedo feedback under global warming". Geophysical Research Letters. 36 (17): L17401. Bibcode:2009GeoRL..3617401Z. doi:10.1029/2009GL039699. ISSN 1944-8007. S2CID 1708267.
^ Global Drylands Report unemg.org 2018
^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[1] European Commission. Joint Research Centre. (2018). World atlas of desertification :rethinking land degradation and sustainable land management. LU: Publications Office. doi:10.2760/9205.

[2] "Sustainable development of drylands and combating desertification". Archived from the original on 4 August 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2016.

[Zeng_L17401-3] Zeng, Ning; Yoon, Jinho (1 September 2009). "Expansion of the world's deserts due to vegetation-albedo feedback under global warming". Geophysical Research Letters. 36 (17): L17401. Bibcode:2009GeoRL..3617401Z. doi:10.1029/2009GL039699. ISSN 1944-8007. S2CID 1708267.

[:5-4] Global Drylands Report unemg.org 2018

[:1-5] Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[:6-6] Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]