Changing landscapes - human causes and effects of land degradation

Investigate the human causes and effects of land degradation, for example:
- identification of the ways people utilise and change landscapes
- description of the impact of a range of human activities on landscapes
- examination of ONE type of land degradation including its spatial distribution, causes and impact

What is Land degradation:
- Soil degradation
• erosion - rate of soil loss (tons/ha/year);
• fertility decline - soil organic matter/topsoil carbon;
• soil nutrient balance (under present land use);
• occurrence of soil deficiencies, including micronutrients;
• salinization - extent of patches of salinized soil.

- Vegetation degradation
• normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) (total plant cover: forests/ woodlands, croplands, grasslands);
• annual rate of forest clearance (forests/woodlands).

- Water resources degradation:
• monitored levels of water tables;
• monitored river flow regimes.

Causes of Land Degradation
- Deforestation
- Vegetation overgrazing
- Poor agricultural land management
- Excessive use of vegetative cover
- (bio-)industrial operations

Impacts of land degradation
Land degradation, at its worst, can result in desertification or land abandonment (or both).

What can we do?
Consume less meat and, more broadly, to educate ourselves about the origins and consequences of the food we buy – including its packaging, fuel, and transportation.