Causes
Land degradation is a global problem, largely related to agricultural use. The major causes include:
- Land clearance, such as clearcutting and deforestation
- Agricultural depletion of soil nutrients through poor farming practices
- Livestock including overgrazing and overdrafting
- Inappropriate irrigation and overdrafting
- Urban sprawl and commercial development
- Soil contamination including
- Vehicle off-roading
- Quarrying of stone, sand, ore and minerals
- Increase in field size due to economies of scale, reducing shelter for wildlife, as hedgerows and copses disappear
- Exposure of naked soil after harvesting by heavy equipment
- Monoculture, destabilizing the local ecosystem
- Dumping of non-biodegradable trash, such as plastics
Read more about this topic: Land Degradation