Desertification

1. Introduction

1.1 Purpose

Desertification is a process of land dilapidation in arid, as well as semi-arid areas due to different factors which include climatic changes and human activities. In addition, overgrazing, natural disasters and oil spillage are also among the factors which lead to desertification, hence making land less reliable for farming.

The main objective of this report is to provide a summary, explanation as well as recommendations of desertification, and also provide and recommend potential solutions to the issue where appropriate.

1.2 Scope

This report will focus and discuss the impact of desertification within the Las Vegas community. The Las Vegas community is undergoing challenges due to desertification, hence it would be necessary to critically analyse the issue and provide probable ways of addressing it.

2. Summary of the background.

Human activities and climatic changes are the main reasons for desertification within this community. Initially, the area was experiencing normal temperatures and seasons were also normal. Nonetheless, after cutting down of trees in order to create room for industries, the area started experiencing changes. The area became hot and temperatures would be as high as 35⁰c in summer which is high as compared to the early temperatures of 25⁰c before the cutting down of trees (Gaur & Squires, 2018). Similarly, climate changes were also a huge factor, since after cutting of trees, seasons changed, and the area would barely experience rain in the rainy seasons. Availability of water became a critical issue since water is a basic necessity, and without clean water it becomes hard for people to survive.

Desertification is still prevalent in Las Vegas because of continued cutting down of trees and increase in the number of factories in the area. The release of carbon by factories into the atmosphere tends to interfere with the ozone layer thus leading to global warming which in turn leads to an increase in temperature (Gaur & Squires, 2018). High temperatures, and consequently interfere with the climatic changes in the region which leads to less rainfall.

3. Explanation of the impact of Desertification

            There are multiple effects of desertification in different parts of the world which include drought and famine, migration, lack of water, increased temperatures, and extinction of species. Drought and the lack of water are the main effects of desertification, and in such a situation most people tend to lose their lives. Over the years, people in different parts of the world have lost lives due to drought which often leads to scarcity of food in a region forcing people to starve to death (BEHNKE & MORTIMORE, 2016). Moreover, animals also tend to lose their lives owing to the fact that they cannot find arable land to graze. Due to drought most people usually forced to migrate in such food. On the other hand, scarcity of food also leads to increase in food prices which relates to poverty. Desert areas are majorly surrounded by the poor for the reason that the cost of living is high and thus they tend to purchase everything starting with clean water, which could have been otherwise tapped into the house.

Likewise, in Las Vegas things are not as different as the area experiences hotter and drier conditions, wild fires, and lack of water. The region has been experiencing these condition, hence hindering our day to day activities. In a span of a year, the temperature has increased by 2.8⁰c making it difficult for the body to adapt. Additionally wildfires have also been on the rise, with different areas experiencing fires (Gaur & Squires, 2018). Finally, the lack of water in the region has been the most critical issue as it becomes difficult to survive without water.

Increased temperatures often lead to skin diseases which are costly to treat, hence negatively affecting the community. In addition, the lack of water in the region has also slowed down developments, for the reason that investors tend to shy aware from areas which lack basic necessities since they do not favor investments (SIMONS, 2011). Lastly wildfires in the region have also affected the community negatively because, some people have lost their property due to the fire which spreads fast. As a matter of fact, wildfires have led to loss of countable lives and loss of both animal and plant species. Animals caught in the fires tend to die, while indigenous trees have also been burnt down a factor which has led to the extinction of tree and small plants. For that reason desertification has dealt a huge blow to the community as a whole.

5. Recommendations

            These issues can be dealt with through planting of trees, maintenance of soil health and fertility, growing drought resistant plants, and reducing the release of carbon into the atmosphere. In order to protect the soil, it is necessary to practice farming which reduces soil erosion, thus holding the soil to the ground (BEHNKE & MORTIMORE, 2016). In addition, wildfires can be stopped through the removal of undergrowth and litter from the forest depriving a raging wildfire. The release of carbon fire can be controlled through coming up with strict laws against the emission of carbon in the atmosphere by factories. In so doing, factories will control the amount of carbon being released into the atmosphere thus reducing the effects of global warming.

Correspondingly, planting drought resistant crops is also good for the reason that it will allow us to plant crops hence having a source of food. Tree planting is also significant because trees help in bringing rain and in improving climate changes. In so doing, the climate will not be harsh hence we will start experiencing rainfalls in the region which will translate into the availability of water. Availability of ran will help improve farming in the area while at the same time kicking out drought.

Conclusion

            As discussed in the report desertification has adverse effects on the community, thus it is necessary to come up with measures of preventing it. In a bid to cub desertification, it is necessary to understand the factors that lead to climate and reasons why the climate changes from time to time. In order to stop desertification, it would be necessary to study climatic trends of a region, and to also come up with possible ways of predicting future climatic trends. Predicting future climatic trends helps in being able to plan for the future and to also stop the factors that may lead to desertification earlier.  

Reference

SIMONS, J. (2011). From Agamben to Žižek: contemporary critical theorists.

Slade, G. (2013). American exodus: Climate change and the coming flight for survival.

In Gaur, M. K., & In Squires, V. R. (2018). Climate variability impacts on land use and livelihoods in drylands.

BEHNKE, R. H., & MORTIMORE, M. (2016). The end of desertification?: disputing environmental change in the drylands. http://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=4504833.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LAND DEGRADATION, & ZDRULI, P. (2010). Land degradation and desertification: assessment, mitigation and remediation. Dordrecht, Springer. http://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=603338.