98 Geography for Global Citizens

Learning about …
1 Explain why so few people live in deserts.
2 Create a mind map that describes the different uses of deserts by humans.
3 Describe the difference between hunters, gatherers and nomads.
4 Discuss some of the major minerals found in deserts. Give examples of countries
where these occur in large quantities.
5 What attractions are there for tourists in deserts?
6 Explain how deserts are used for scientific research. Give examples.
7 Outline the dangers associated with nuclear testing in deserts.
8 Explain how the discovery of oil and natural gas in some countries could create
global tension.
9 Explain how deserts could become the ‘carbon-free powerhouses of the
twenty-first century’.

Learning to …
1 Using the Internet, collect and categorise photos of how deserts are used.
2 Write a one-page report outlining the various ways deserts are utilised and the
dangers associated with some of the uses. You should include diagrams.

Management issues in hot deserts

Deserts are fragile environments, vulnerable to changes caused by
natural and human influences. There are many issues that need to be
ecological managed in order to achieve ecological sustainability in hot desert
sustainability environments:
the ability to meet the
needs of the present * population growth * tourism
generation without
compromising the ability * water supply * salinity
of future generations to
meet their needs * climate change * desertification.
salinity
an increase in the
amount of salt in the soil Population growth
and water supply
Desert populations have traditionally minimised impacts on the
environment through the nomadic lifestyle of pastoralists, patterns
of shifting cultivation, and use of drought-resistant crops. However,
these adaptations to the desert environment are only successful when
The United Nations predicts
that desertification could create populations are small.
more than 135 million refugees, Population expansion is one of the biggest threats to fragile desert
as droughts become more
frequent and climate change environments. As desert populations increase, people are forced to move
makes water increasingly to marginal arid lands. Populations of hot desert ecosystems need to be
scarce in dryland regions.
monitored and managed.

Each year nearly 5 million
people visit the Grand Canyon.
The Central Sahara is being
viewed as a potential major
tourist destination.
Some of the world’s largest river
systems—the Nile, the Tigris
and Euphrates, the Rio Grande of
North America and the Murray–
Darling in Australia—flow for
much of their length through
otherwise parched land.
water table
the layer of earth that is
saturated by water
4 : Deserts 99
[4.35] A nomad and his son trek through a semi-arid portion of the Sahara desert
Tourism
The worldwide growth in tourism, especially with people looking for more
adventurous holidays, has placed additional stress on arid lands. This growth
jeopardises the deserts’ fragile ecosystems and strains scarce resources,
affecting both the landscape and the local population.
Some people argue that tourism in deserts has a negative impact on the
environment, and takes away the true value of visiting nature. They suggest
that the increase in tourism may bring about the construction of large luxury
hotels and an increase in waste and sewage disposal. Others suggest that
tourism in deserts can be a positive influence and, if well managed, should
not harm the environment.
Water supply
By definition, arid lands have a limited supply of water, which is essential for
human habitation. Increasing population pressure, higher living standards,
expanding agriculture and industrialisation all increase demand for water.
Salinity
Salinity is the amount of salt that is contained in soil, rivers or irrigation
water. Where thick vegetation is cleared for cropping, or grasslands replace
them, less water is used by plants and water enters deep into the layers of the
soil. Salinity is caused by the upward movement of salts (dissolved in water)
in the soil. The water table becomes salty and the salt-laden water seeps
upwards and invades the root crops, causing low crop yields. If allowed to
continue, the soil can become so salty that no crops will grow at all and the
land is turned into a desert [4.36] and [4.37].
100 Geography for Global Citizens
mulch
when straw, leaves and
loose earth are spread
on the ground to protect
the roots of newly
planted trees and crops
salt-tolerant plants
plants that can adapt to
and cope with a salty
environment
[4.36] Salinity in deserts
River becomes
more salty
Evaporation
rates high
Diversion
weir
Upward movement of
moisture in soil brings
salts to surface
See chapter 11 for more
on climate change.
desertification
spreading of the desert
conditions to areas
outside existing deserts
Some actions to manage salinity include:
* encourage community involvement in conservation to replant trees and
pastures to reduce runoff and surface flow problems
* reduce drainage problems by building banks to divert water flow
* mulch the soil
* plant salt-tolerant plants.
[4.37] Salt comes to the surface where land has been overused
Irrigation area upstream—
salty drainage water
returns to river
Irrigaton area downstream
suffers from salinity
problems—crops die
Climate change
Changes in global climate patterns are expected to have dramatic impacts
on desert environments. Climate change is expected to reduce rainfall by up
to 20 per cent by the end of the century. Drought has already intensified in
length and intensity in many desert regions of the world.
Desertification
Desertification is the process where once productive land becomes less
productive and may eventually become desert. Human activity often plays
a major role in changing the environment, and nowhere is this more critical
than in fragile arid regions. Desertification affects the productivity of land as
well as the livelihoods of millions of people. Map [4.38] shows the increase
of global desertification.
The causes of desertification
There are many causes of desertification [4.39]. In some desert regions of the
world, people use marginal land to grow crops for food. Crops are continually
planted and there is no time for the soil to rest. This contributes to soil
erosion.
 4 : Deserts 101

[4.38] The increase of global desertification

Arctic Ocean

Arctic Circle

Atlantic
Ocean
Tropic of Cancer

Pacific Ocean

Equator

Indian
Ocean
Tropic of Capricorn

Existing desert N
0 1500 3000 km
Risk of desertification

Communities in many desert

regions rely on grazing animals
for food and sale to local markets.
Overgrazing compacts the soil, rain
no longer penetrates, and the plants
lose the water they need to grow.
An additional impact on desert
environments is excessive clearing
of trees for firewood. When trees
are removed the soil is loosened
and blows away in the wind. The
land that is left behind is barren and
unproductive.

It is estimated that the cost of

desertification in global farm
loss is $42 billion per year.
102 Geography for Global Citizens

[4.39] The causes of desertification

The causes of desertification are:

• drought • increasing population sizes
• overgrazing • cultivation of marginal lands
• poor irrigation • destruction of vegetation
• harmful agricultural practices • clearing of trees.
Source: United Nations, Global Deserts Outlook

The effects of desertification

The major effects of desertification are:
* declining groundwater tables
salinisation * salinisation of topsoil and water (soil becomes salty)
an increase in the
amount of salt in the soil * less surface water (fewer streams and lakes)
* very high soil erosion (removal of topsoil)
* loss of native vegetation
* loss of a number of animal species due to habitat destruction.

Learning about …
1 Outline why population expansion is one of the biggest threats to the fragile
desert environment.
2 Explain how tourism can have both positive and negative impacts on the
desert environment.
3 Explain why water supply is an important management issue in hot deserts. Give
examples to illustrate your points.
4 Explain the process of salinity. How can it be managed?
5 Discuss the change in global climate patterns that is predicted to occur in desert
regions in the future.
6 a Explain the meaning of desertification.
b List the causes of desertification.
c Refer to [4.38] and discuss the extent and risk of desertification in the world today.
d List the major effects of desertification.

Learning to …
1 Conduct a class debate on the topic: ‘that tourism should not be permitted in deserts’.
2 Design an educational pamphlet to inform people of the management issues in hot
deserts today. Provide details and illustrations.
3 Visit the website <www.greenfacts.org/en/desertification/> and prepare a speech on
desertification.
4 Class activity: There are six subheadings on page 98 that discuss the management
issues in hot desert environments. As a class, attempt to rank these headings in order
of priority from most important to least important. Which issues should take priority?
Why? Are they difficult to rank? Why?