Effect of Climate Change on Land Degradation

Abstract

Degradation currently affects 25 % of the land on Earth and 40 % of the agricultural land on Earth. Environmental effects of soil degradation are widespread, including increased soil losses, deterioration of water quality, decline of biodiversity and degradation of ecological resources and associated values, especially where actual land use is disrespectful (natural use in circumstances where land is in conflict with the environment. Changes in temperature, wind velocity, and precipitation patterns can affect the production of plant biomass, land use, land cover, soil moisture, infiltration rate, runoff and crop management, and eventually land degradation. In recent decades, powerful partnerships have been seen between global climate change and land loss processes. In order to reliably define or forecast the effect of climate change on the loss of land, models of climate change and land use models should be combined with hydrology. Until the first seventies land degradation and geological process weren't thought of a serious issue in most Mediterranean regions. Traditional agricultural systems were believed to be able to keep those processes under control. So low priority was appointed to research programmes and comes on eroding and conservation, preference being given to the impact of farm machinery on soil structure and compaction beside the role of organic matter within the soil. To regulate the destruction of soil, it is therefore important to have limited and global strategies and regulations. Land use and land cover changes influence carbon fluxes and GHGs emissions that directly alter atmospherical composition and radioactive forcing properties. Land degradation aggravates greenhouse gas-induced global climate change through the discharge of CO2 from cleared and dead vegetation and thru the reduction of the carbon sequestration potential of degraded land. The present analysis furnishes effects of climate amendment on land degradation.