Keeping the desert at bay
Man-made desert (areas that are no longer productive) has increased the world's deserts from 36.3 to 43% of the land surface. Desertification involves ecological degradation that makes the land less productive or allows an uneconomic type of vegetation, such as mesquite, to replace an economic plant. The process was first thought to be an encroachment by expanding deserts, but, except for the movement of sand dunes, desertification is now viewed as productive land that deteriorated and was added to the desert. Land is lost to agriculture by erosion, loss of nutrients, compaction, salination, urban development, and pollution. The interacting biosphere, technosphere, and social sphere form the framework of man's existence. An understanding of this framework is crucial to those offering technological assistance to developing countries. (DCK)
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Cairo, Egypt
- OSTI ID:
- 6531408
- Journal Information:
- EPA J.; (United States), Vol. 7:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
DESERTS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
LAND USE
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
ARID LANDS
ECOSYSTEMS
510500* - Environment
Terrestrial- Site Resource & Use Studies- (-1989)
530000 - Environmental-Social Aspects of Energy Technologies- (-1989)
290400 - Energy Planning & Policy- Energy Resources