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The Degradation Of Earth 's Skin

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John Vang
Professor McKay
GEO 1021

The Degradation of Earth’s Skin

Earth’s skin, the very flesh of this planet, is slowly degrading due to human impact; this result is desertification. According to our book, Discovering Physical Geography, desertification is “the process through which a formerly vegetated landscape gradually becomes desert-like (Page number).” The process of desertification is an ongoing issue that has inflicted major harm to landscapes all around the globe. Amongst the many that has degraded the land, consequences have been paid dearly. In this paper, I will review the causes, effect, and spread of desertification throughout the World. (TOO BROAD) To get us going, I will explain the many factors that has set …show more content…

The Great Plains is now a barren wasteland. The cause for vegetation removal, such as in the Great Plains, vary upon many factors.
Alone or in combination, the removal of vegetation can be caused by overgrazing, deforestation, unsustainable farming practices, inappropriate irrigation practices that leads to salinity, and much more. These causes are in turn associated with a wide range of other problems, thus speeding the process of desertification. Some include: drought, climate shifts, growing populations, poverty, inadequate infrastructure, and inappropriate technologies (oasisglobal). I will explain a few of these problems and their association with desertification.
Depending on how it is managed, agriculture can play a positive or negative role on the landscape. In the case of unsustainable farming practices, the landscape is bound for a negative road. Such practices can include the use of intense fire to promote nutrients for the crops. According to Green Facts, an organization that provides information on Health and the Environment, the excessive use of intense fire can cause “irreversible changes in ecological processes, and ultimately, to desertification.” This in turn changes the soil organic matter, causes erosion, and changes the habitat for many plant and animal species (GreenFacts). However, this is not the only human-inducing practice that has caused the lost of vegetation leading into desertification.
Inappropriate irrigational

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