DesertificationDesertification

Jedidah JacksonJedidah Jackson

http://www.visumsurf.ch/jahr_der_wueste/images/klima.jpg

What is it?What is it?

Desertification is “the processes by which Desertification is “the processes by which an area becomes a desert, usually an area becomes a desert, usually involving drought combined with the involving drought combined with the overexploitation of existing plant life” overexploitation of existing plant life” (Random House Webster’s College (Random House Webster’s College Dictionary)Dictionary)

http://www.kew.org/science/tropamerica/images/peru/IMAGE-4-desertification.jpg

What does that mean?What does that mean?

It means that Desertification is when land It means that Desertification is when land becomes a desert, because of lack of becomes a desert, because of lack of rain and not enough plant liferain and not enough plant life

http://www.worldproutassembly.org/images/desert_tunisia.jpg

What happens to land in What happens to land in Desertification?Desertification?

Demonstration Time!Demonstration Time! I need 7 volunteersI need 7 volunteers Oh yeah, and Chris, tooOh yeah, and Chris, too

What just happened?What just happened?

Chris (the rich top soil) couldn’t be Chris (the rich top soil) couldn’t be pushed around by the wind very much pushed around by the wind very much because of all the plants standing around because of all the plants standing around himhim

However, when the plants weren’t there, However, when the plants weren’t there, Chris went EVERYWHEREChris went EVERYWHERE

This is what happens in Desertification – This is what happens in Desertification – there is not enough plant life to keep the there is not enough plant life to keep the rich, fertile top soil where it needs to berich, fertile top soil where it needs to be

Also, there isn’t enough rain to keep the Also, there isn’t enough rain to keep the top soil moisttop soil moist

The wind comes along and blows the top The wind comes along and blows the top soil all over the place, exposing the less soil all over the place, exposing the less nutrient-rich soil underneathnutrient-rich soil underneath

Because there is no nutrient-rich top soil, Because there is no nutrient-rich top soil, plants have a very hard time growing, plants have a very hard time growing, because they don’t have enough food to because they don’t have enough food to eateat

This continues the vicious cycle of no This continues the vicious cycle of no plant life to save the top soil from being plant life to save the top soil from being blown all over by the windblown all over by the wind

This is when the land turns into a dry, This is when the land turns into a dry, barren DESERTbarren DESERT

http://chinadigitaltimes.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/china-desert.jpg

That’s only in Africa…That’s only in Africa…

No, it isn’t! Desertification is a threat to No, it isn’t! Desertification is a threat to any place that doesn’t have a lot of rain any place that doesn’t have a lot of rain and has few plants (or has and has few plants (or has overexploitation of the plants they do overexploitation of the plants they do have)have)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Desertification_map.png

Is Oregon at risk for Is Oregon at risk for Desertification?Desertification?

What do you think?What do you think?

What can WE do about What can WE do about Desertification?Desertification?

Brainstorming/thinking shower time!Brainstorming/thinking shower time! Think about the causes of Desertification Think about the causes of Desertification

and how we can prevent it!and how we can prevent it!

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Projects already in ActionProjects already in Action

International Day to Combat International Day to Combat Desertification – June 17, 2009Desertification – June 17, 2009

http://www.unccd.int/images/june17/june17-big.jpg

Activity Time!Activity Time!

ResourcesResources

http://sgp.undp.org/intranet//img/projects/7167/VN-03-002-6.jpghttp://sgp.undp.org/intranet//img/projects/7167/VN-03-002-6.jpg http://www.unccd.int/images/june17/june17-big.jpghttp://www.unccd.int/images/june17/june17-big.jpg http://www.cite-sciences.fr/english/ala_cite/expositions/eau_pour_tous/imhttp://www.cite-sciences.fr/english/ala_cite/expositions/eau_pour_tous/im

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http://chinadigitaltimes.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/china-desert.jpghttp://chinadigitaltimes.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/china-desert.jpg http://http://www.worldproutassembly.org/images/desert_tunisia.jpgwww.worldproutassembly.org/images/desert_tunisia.jpg http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/tools/edb/sbfinal.gifhttp://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/tools/edb/sbfinal.gif http://portal.unesco.org/es/files/33055/11492610633desertification.jpg/http://portal.unesco.org/es/files/33055/11492610633desertification.jpg/

desertification.jpgdesertification.jpg http://www.kew.org/science/tropamerica/images/peru/IMAGE-4-http://www.kew.org/science/tropamerica/images/peru/IMAGE-4-

desertification.jpgdesertification.jpg http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/desertification-4.jpghttp://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/desertification-4.jpg http://www.visumsurf.ch/jahr_der_wueste/images/klima.jpghttp://www.visumsurf.ch/jahr_der_wueste/images/klima.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/

Desertification_map.pngDesertification_map.png