Land Degradation - Causes

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