Land degradation of the steppe, China
- Created by: AlexMaltby
- Created on: 03-02-22 14:06
View mindmap
- Land degradation of the steppe, China
- Information
- dry, grassy plain with cold winters, short hot summers, prone to drought, strong winds, thunderstorms
- Population growth and settlement establishment + state mandate for agricultural yields leads to:
- overgrazing
- over cultivation
- Impacts of land degradation
- Environmental
- Water and wind erosion (5bil tonnes top soil/year) leads to dramatic desertification(2500km^2/year)
- Bio degradation form pollution impacts biodiversity
- Soil compaction from overgrazing
- Exposure of soil to cultivation and overgrazing -> loss of soil and nutrients
- reduced vegetation cover
- Irrigation wells reduces water table
- Economic
- Reduced income from traditional economies ($6.5bil/year)
- Food aid dependence
- Increased rural poverty
- Socio-cultural
- Loss of traditional skills
- Forced migration
- Tension in migrant receipt areas
- Environmental
- Solutions to land degradation
- Overgrazing
- Improved stock quality thru vaccination, better breeding, meaning yields can be increased without bigger herds.
- Better management and grazing over wider areas reduce soil damage
- However, vaccines improve survival rates = bigger herds
- Overcultivation
- Use of fertilisers, reduces need to use more land
- GM crops
- Improved crop rotation, irrigation, grain storage etc.
- However, this is costly, may damage soils, risk of crop failure etc.
- Overgrazing
- Information
Similar Geography resources:
Teacher recommended
Comments
No comments have yet been made