Glossaryterms closely related to assessment of land degradation. Degradation definition of degradation by merriamwebster. Land degradation is the most important environmental problem currently challenging sustainable development in many parts of the. Soil degradation needs to be recognised, alongside climate change, as one of the most pressing problems facing humanity. Introduction the change in the characteristic and quality of soil which adversely affect its fertility is called as degradation. Thus, arthur and jeanette conacher defined land degradation as alterations to all aspects of the biophysical. It is estimated that 2535% of drylands are already degraded, with over 250 million people directly affected and about one billion people in over one hundred countries at risk. What is forest degradation and what are various causes of it. Land degradation leads to the reduction or loss of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of land. Soil degradation causes include agricultural, industrial, and commercial pollution. In this guide, we look at what land degradation is including the sub land and soil issues it encompasses, along with the causes, the effectsimpacts, and the potential.
Solutions need to be developed and introduced which address both issues simultaneously. It is viewed as any change or disturbance to the land perceived to be deleterious or undesirable. Research by the economics of land degradation initiative in 2015 calculated that soil degradation is. The result is a loss of land productivity with impacts on livelihoods and the. Induced degradation results from inappropriate land use and management. All of these factors will combine to create a very stable but very unproductive desert environment. The soil integrates a variety of important processes involving vegetation growth, overland flow of water, infiltration, land use and land management.
Unesco eolss sample chapters water resources management vol. However, there is no single internationallyapproved definition of degraded land. Land degradation soil degradation is the decline in soil quality caused by its improper use, usually for agricultural, pastoral, industrial or urban purposes. Congress and international bodies are discussing various policies to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation redd. Soil degradation is, in itself, an indicator of land degradation. Land degradation is caused by multiple forces, including extreme weather conditions particularly drought, and human activities that pollute or degrade the quality of soils and land utility negatively affecting food production, livelihoods, and the production and provision of other ecosystem goods and services. In turn, unsustainable land use is driving land degradation. It thus covers the various forms of soil degradation, adverse human impacts on water resources, deforestation, and lowering of the productive capacity of rangelands. Degradation definition and meaning collins english. Degradation of the natural environment is a worldwide problem, and some examples are quite ancient.
Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water and soil. A general definition of land degradation is presented by wasson 1987 as. In remediation, people identify the causes of the land degradation and explore methods for reversing it. Desertification has been defined as land degradation in arid, semiarid, and dry subhumid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities11. May 01, 2019 land degradation soil degradation is the decline in soil quality caused by its improper use, usually for agricultural, pastoral, industrial or urban purposes. In the third section, a conceptual framework of the environmental degradation poverty nexus is provided. The term land degradation involves both soil and vegetation degradation. In this report, land degradation is defined as a negative trend 4 in land condition, caused by direct or indirect humaninduced processes including anthropogenic. What is forest degradation and what are various causes of.
Land definition is the solid part of the surface of the earth. Land degradation is a change to land that makes it less useful for human beings. Land degradation is a process in which the value of the physical environment is affected by a. This can lead to unsustainable agricultural practices, further land degradation, exacerbated urban sprawl, and sociopolitical problems. Dec 31, 2014 land degradation and its management speaker. Overgrazing refers to excessive eating of grasses and other green plants by cattle. Chapter 2 types of land degradation food and agriculture. However, if acted upon quickly, there is a possibility for land reclamation and reversal of desertification. Apr 04, 2020 the process of restoring land that has become degraded is known as remediation. Land degradation is the major consequences of direct interference of human activities in the natural phenomenon.
The three degradation terms, environmental degradation, land degradation, and soil degradation, are defined as any change or disturbance to the environment, land, or soil perceived to be. From food production to quality air and water, nutrient cycling and soil formation, we depend on our land for the very basics of existence. In this report, land degradation is defined as a negative trend 4 in land condition, caused by direct or indirect. Induced degradation happens more quickly than natural degradation. A landslide is often viewed as an example of land degradation in action it changes the features. Land degradation and desertification, largely due to deforestation and unsustainable land use, are amongst the most pressing problems facing the world today. Land degradation is a process in which the value of the physical environment is affected by a combination of humaninduced processes acting upon the land. Land degradation has accelerated during the 20th century due to increasing and combined pressures of agricultural and livestock production overcultivation, overgrazing, forest conversion, urbanization, deforestation, and extreme weather events such as droughts and coastal surges which salinate land. Degraded land is land that has lost some degree of its natural productivity due to humancaused processes.
Land degradation is defined as the temporary or permanent decline in the productive capacity of the land, and the diminution of the productive potential, including its major land uses e. Land degradation is a change to land that makes it. It encompasses physical soil erosion, chemical salinity and alkalinity, pollution and biological deterioration pollution and. In proper terminological definition, forest degradation is the decline of the capacity of a forest to produce healthy ecosystem products and services such as the provision of timber and other resources, support to biodiversity, carbon storage and so on as a result of environmental and anthropogenic changes. Land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by a combination of humaninduced processes acting upon the land. Environmental degradation is one of the ten threats officially cautioned by the highlevel panel on threats, challenges and change of the united nations.
The condition of the soil is one of the best indicators of land degradation. Deterioration in the quality of land, its topsoil, vegetation, andor water resources, caused usually by excessive or inappropriate exploitation. In drylands, however, the most serious landdegradation problem is water and wind erosion. Pollution of water resources from the contamination of. You use degradation to refer to a situation, condition, or experience which you consider. Loss of natural fertility of soil because of loss of nutrients. History, nature, causes, consequences, and solutions conacher, arthur encyclopedia of life support systems eolss above. It is defined as any change or disturbance to the environment perceived to be deleterious or undesirable. Land degradation is the temporary or permanent lowering of the productive capacity of land unep, 1992b. It encompasses physical soil erosion, chemical salinity and alkalinity, pollution and biological. However, desertification is only one part of the wider problem of land degradation, and so the 2018 world atlas of desertification uses a more inclusive definition. Soils decline in quality, but productivity can be maintained by applying artificial nutrients and by appropriate soil management. Degradation definition is the act or process of degrading.
Land degradation is a concept in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by one or more combinations of human induced processes acting upon the land. This will create much drier soil, which in turn is more vulnerable to erosion and runoff. It results into reduced growth of vegetation, reduced diversity of plant species, excessive growth of unwanted plant species, soil erosion, and degradation of land due to cattle movement. Healthy landscapes are fundamental to the health of life on earth. Land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by one or more combination of humaninduced processes acting upon the land. Desertification is the process by which a piece of land becomes dry, empty, and. Land degradation is, usually, the result of complex interrelationships between biophysical and socioeconomic issues which affect many people and their land, specially in the tropics and developing countries. Mar 02, 2020 land degradation is the blanket term usually used to describe a number of land and soil degradation issues such as soil contamination, soil erosion, desertification, and more. Without a longterm solution to this issue, the world risks increasing food shortages, rising poverty, and increased migration.
Soil degradation is a serious global environmental problem and may be exacerbated by climate change. Usually remediation takes time, as scientists want to encourage the land and ecosystem to rebuild and become stable again rather than enacting a quick fix. Degradation definition of degradation by medical dictionary. Land degradation, soil erosion and soil conservation pmf ias.
Land degradation and its management linkedin slideshare. Degradation definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Land degradation is damage to land that makes it less economically useful and less biologically diverse. This term is used specifically to refer to damages caused by human activities rather than natural ones, and human activities can indirectly. In drylands, land degradation is known as desertification. Causes and impacts of land degradation and desertification. In the third section, a conceptual framework of the environmental degradationpoverty nexus is provided. The united nations international strategy for disaster reduction defines environmental degradation as the reduction of the capacity of the environment to meet social and ecological objectives.
Desertification definition and meaning collins english. As indicated by the ipat equation, environmental impact i or. Information and translations of land degradation in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Land degradation intruduction land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by a combination of humaninduced processes acting upon the land.
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