41. Len Milich: Desertification desertification LE FastCounter. Discussed at length during the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, and driven by the renewed interest of the United Nations http://ag.arizona.edu/~lmilich/desrtif.html

Desertification LE FastCounter Discussed at length during the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, and driven by the renewed interest of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP, 1992), desertification has reemerged on the international agenda as a topic of concern. Whether or not the deserts are growing, their population surely is; for example, drylands in the Middle East cover 99 percent of the surface area, and the region's rate of population growth is approximately 3 percent per year. Many millions of people have nowhere else to go since half the countries on earth lie partly or entirely in arid and semiarid zones, which cover one-third of the planet's land surface, 44 percent if the subhumid zone is included. In 1950, the population of these countries was 76 million; in 1985, it reached 205 million; and the forecast for 2000 is 300 million (Braverman, 1994). While overall population densities in most of the world's drylands are low overall, locally this may not be the case. For example, I estimate local population densities in the agricultural lands of the Niger-Nigeria border region to reach 148/sq. km. (Milich and Weiss, 1997). In some such densely-populated areas, demands on natural resources - arable land, grasslands for grazing, trees for fuelwood and browsing - are unsustainable given the indigenous systems in use at present. "The ballooning demand for resources that this growth represents almost inevitably generates extensive resource abuse in the short run," according to a

42. Desertification - A Global Issue Gives some tips on desertification, including international concerns and the effect in Australia. http://www.nynrm.sa.gov.au/Portals/5/pdf/biodiversity/global.pdf

43. What Is Desertification desertification is the degradation of drylands. It involves the loss of biological or economic productivity and complexity in croplands, pastures, and woodlands. http://www.gdrc.org/uem/Trialogue/whatis-desert.html

What is ... Desertification Desertification is the degradation of drylands. It involves the loss of biological or economic productivity and complexity in croplands, pastures, and woodlands. It is due mainly to climate variability and unsustainable human activities. The most commonly cited forms of unsustainable land use are overcultivation, overgrazing, deforestation, and poor irrigation practices. Seventy percent of the world's drylands (excluding hyper-arid deserts), or some 3,600 million hectares, are degraded. While drought is often associated with land degradation, it is a natural phenomenon that occurs when rainfall is significantly below normal recorded levels for a long time. Drylands respond quickly to climatic fluctuations. By definition, drylands have limited freshwater supplies. Precipitation can vary greatly during the year. In addition to this seasonal variability, wide fluctuations occur over years and decades, frequently leading to drought. Over the ages, dryland ecology has become attuned to this variability in moisture; plants and animals can respond to it rapidly. For example, satellite imagery has shown that the vegetation boundary south of the Sahara can move by up to 200 km when a wet year is followed by a dry one, and vice versa. People must also adjust to these natural fluctuations.

44. Lecture 12 - Man-Induced Desertification? UN UNIVERSITY LECTURES 12 ManInduced desertification? Monique Mainguet Director, Laboratoire de G ographie Zonale pour le D veloppement, Universit de Reims Champagne http://www.unu.edu/unupress/lecture12.html

UN UNIVERSITY LECTURES: Man-Induced Desertification? Monique Mainguet Director, Laboratoire de Géographie Zonale pour le Développement, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France Klaus Mersmann Engineer, Laboratoire de Géographie Zonale pour le Développement, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France Marjolein Visser Engineer, Département de production végétale, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques et Biologiques Appliquées, Ghent, Belgium Based on a Presentation Made by Professor Monique Mainguet at the United Nations University on 7 November 1995, Tokyo, Japan Introduction Over the past two decades there has been an increase in the number of definitions of the word desertification. The following four main themes can be selected: 1. desertification can be considered as a set of biological, chemical and physical processes which converge to create desert-like conditions (Rozanov 1990); 2. desertification is a social problem, involving people at all stages, as a cause and as victims, also one of lower agricultural return and increasing poverty (Spooner 1987, 1989); 3. desertification occurs at the moment when land becomes irreversibly sterile in human time terms and with regard to reasonable economic limitations (Mainguet 1994);

45. Internet Resources For The Convention To Combat Desertification Information about intergovernmental organizations, national/regional activities,non-governmental organizations in the field of desertification. Also related reports/news/information sources. http://www.iisd.ca/desert/desertsites.html

46. MEDALUS - Mediterranean Desertification And Land Use Information about this international project, funded by the European Union, to investigate the effects of desertification on land use in Mediterranean Europe. http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/projects/medalus/

Climatic Research Unit Research and Projects MEDALUS at CRU Mediterranean Desertification and Land Use MEDALUS is an international research project to investigate the effects of desertification on land use in Mediterranean Europe. It is funded by the Commission of the European Communities Directorate-General XII for Science, Research and Development under its Environment Programme The Climatic Research Unit is a participant. The role of the Climatic Research Unit: Scenarios for impact assessment Data provision Personnel: Person E-mail address Dr. Jean Palutikof j.palutikof@uea.ac.uk Ms. Clare Goodess c.goodess@uea.ac.uk ... s.j.watkins@uea.ac.uk Dr. Maureen Agnew m.agnew@uea.ac.uk Publications: Publications by CRU staff based on MEDALUS research Last updated: March 1998

47. Desertification  Warren Batterbury Key words desertification, Africa, dry lands, deserts, drought, land degradation, Sahel, Dust Bowl, UNCED, international agreements . Abstract http://www.simonbatterbury.net/pubs/desertificationarticle.htm

Shorter version published as: A.Warren . 2001. Desertification. in N. Smelser Baltes (eds.) International Encyclopædia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences . Elsevier Press. Pp. 3526-3529. Desertification Dr Simon Batterbury , SAGES, Univ. Melbourne Professor Andrew Warren Department of Geography University College London Key words: desertification, Africa, dry lands, deserts, drought, land degradation, Sahel , Dust Bowl, UNCED, international agreements Abstract Desertification is difficult to define in measurable terms, and many of the assertions made in its name have proved alarmist. In large measure, the problems arise because environmental damage is judged differently by different cultures at different times. For this reason, evidence for overgrazing, desert advance, climatic change, the fragility of dry ecosystems, and the effects of increasing population have all been elusive. Nonetheless, the term has an interesting history, dating from fear about the spread of the desert in the US midwest and in West Africa, which dates from the early years of the 20th century.

48. Desertification Summary | BookRags.com desertification. desertification summary with 4 pages of encyclopedia entries, research information, and more. http://www.bookrags.com/research/desertification-plsc-02/

49. Desertification: Facts, Discussion Forum, And Encyclopedia Article A Humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and cool winters. This climate type covers a broad category of climates, and the term http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Desertification

Home Discussion Topics Dictionary ... Login Desertification Desertification Topic Home Discussion Definition Overview Desertification is the degradation of land in arid and dry sub-humid Humid subtropical climate A Humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and cool winters. This climate type covers a broad category of climates, and the term "subtropical" may be a misnomer for the winter climate.... areas due to various factors: including climatic Climate Climates encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elements in a given region over long periods of time... variations and human activities. Desertification results chiefly from man-made activities : it is principally caused by overgrazing Overgrazing Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals... overdrafting Overdrafting Overdrafting is the process of extracting groundwater beyond the safe yield or equilibrium yield of the aquifer.Since every groundwater basin recharges at a different rate depending upon precipitation, vegetative cover and soil conservation practises, the quantity of groundwater that can be safely...

50. Oasis Home Page - Global Agricultural Research-for-development Against Desertifi Provides information on the research on dryland degradation and desertification being undertaken by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) in support of the United Nations Convention to Combat desertification (UNCCD). http://www.oasisglobal.net

Site Map Contact Us Search While browsing our site please chill out with a great supporter to our cause the best casino bonus guide - the safe and secure gaming portal. Global agricultural research-for-development against desertification Symposium/ Workshop - Outcomes Oasis Oasis brings together the research-for-development efforts of the Future Harvest Centers of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) in support of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Strategy Activities Achievements Partnerships ... What is desertification ? Definitions are difficult, but the problem is real and urgent How agricultural research contributes? Knowledge triggers enormous change Research findings that may surprise you All is not what it seems Why invest in the drylands? The benefits of action, the costs of inaction Dryland success stories Countering the doom and gloom Desertification and the CGIAR Conditions of Use

51. Desertification - WordReference.com Dictionary Of English desertification WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. All Free. http://www.wordreference.com/definition/desertification

52. DESERTIFICATION OF ARID LANDS Reproduced, with permission, from Dregne, H. E. 1986. desertification of arid lands. In Physics of desertification, ed. F. ElBaz and M. H. A. Hassan. http://ciesin.org/docs/002-193/002-193.html

Reproduced, with permission, from: Dregne, H. E. 1986. Desertification of arid lands. In Physics of desertification, ed. F. El-Baz and M. H. A. Hassan. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Martinus, Nijhoff. DESERTIFICATION OF ARID LANDS By H. E. Dregne ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION Desertification of the arid lands of the world has been proceedingsometimes rapidly, sometimes slowlyfor more than a thousand years. It has caused untold misery among those most directly affected, yet environmental destruction continues. Until recently, few if any lessons seemed to have been learned from the past, in part because the problem was an insidious one that went unrecognized in its early stages or was seen as a local one affecting only a small population, and in part because new land was always available to start over again. As long as remedial action could be deferred by moving on to new frontiers, land conservation had little appeal. It was not until the 20th centurywhen easy land expansion came to an endthat governments and people finally realized that continued careless degradation of natural resources threatened their future. INTERNATIONAL DIRECTIONS The decade of the 1950's witnessed the first worldwide effort to call attention to the problems and potentials of arid regions. It started when the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched its Major Project on Scientific Research on Arid Lands in 1951. That project led to publication of a newsletter, the provision for funds for establishing and strengthening arid land research institutes, organization of conferences and symposia, and publication of a series of research reviews and special reports on a wide range of topics. The Major Project was terminated in 1962 and the arid land program was merged with the broader UNESCO natural resource program.

53. Drought Monitoring And Crop Yield Forecasting Maps providing monthly updated, near real time, distributed information on rainfall, actual evapotranspiration, radiation, drought and desertification indices, and crop yield forecasts for Africa and Europe. Includes methodology discussions and links to similar resources. http://www.earlywarning.nl/

Quantification of drought, crop growth and the estimation of irrigation needs for Africa and Europe, based on images from the METEOSAT geostationary satellite. On a monthly basis, EARS ltd. (environmental analysis and remote sensing) updates this early warning site. Our early warning system is the first in the world to provide objective, economic, spatially continuous and timely information on the energy and water balance of the earth surface. The most outstanding primary product is the actual evapotranspiration, which is an important input variable in hydrological runoff models. Other important data products and services are the soil moisture index, climatic moisture index (a UNCCD measure), rainfall mapping, drought and desertification monitoring, crop growth conditions and crop yield forecasting. contact us at ears@ears.nl Because your browser does not support frames you can't view our site.

54. Land Resource Stresses And Desertification In Africa | NRCS Soils Land Resource Stresses and desertification in Africa. P.F. REICH, S.T. NUMBEM, R.A. ALMARAZ and H. ESWARAN. Published in P.F. Reich, S.T. Numbem, R.A. Almaraz and H. Eswaran http://soils.usda.gov/use/worldsoils/papers/desertification-africa.html

Soils Home About Us Soil Survey Soil Use ... Contact Us Search Soils All NRCS Sites for Soil Use Hydric Soils Soil Quality State of the Land ... Centers and Institutes Land Resource Stresses and Desertification in Africa P.F. REICH, S.T. NUMBEM, R.A. ALMARAZ and H. ESWARAN Published in: P.F. Reich, S.T. Numbem, R.A. Almaraz and H. Eswaran. 2001. Land resource stresses and desertification in Africa. In:Bridges, E.M., I.D. Hannam, L.R. Oldeman, F.W.T. Pening de Vries, S.J. Scherr, and S. Sompatpanit (eds.). Responses to Land Degradation. Proc. 2nd. International Conference on Land Degradation and Desertification, Khon Kaen, Thailand. Oxford Press, New Delhi, India. Vulnerability to desertification in Africa is assessed using the information on soils, climate, and the previously evaluated land resource stresses. Desertification is, "land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities". Excluded in the definition are areas that have a hyper-arid or a humid climate. The GIS Desertification Vulnerability map was coupled to an interpolated population density map to obtain estimates of the number of persons affected by desertification. Desertification processes affect about 46% of Africa. The significance of this large area becomes evident when one considers that about 43% of the continent is characterized as extreme deserts (the desert margins represent the areas with very high vulnerability). Only about 11% of the land mass is humid and by definition is excluded from desertification processes. There are about 2.5 million km

55. Desertification And How We Can Prevent It What Is desertification? desertification is a process in which more of our land is becoming desert. It is not becoming a major problem because the http://desertificationb.tripod.com/id1.html

56. Bright Edges Of The World Smithsonian Institution electronic exhibit about deserts and other arid and sub-humid environments, emphasizing desertification and other degradation and its consequences. http://www.nasm.si.edu/ceps/drylands/

Welcome to an electronic exhibit about the world's drylands. Drylands include arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas all over the world. The aim of this exhibit is to show the importance these environments have in the lives of people everywhere, and the threats they face. Please choose a section of the exhibit below.

57. Medaction Describes a decision support system for land management in Italy and Portugal. Features project description, bibliography and contact details. http://www.ncl.ac.uk/medaction/

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58. Defining Desertification : Feature Articles A string of dry years shriveled vegetation in Africa's Sahel, causing some to fear that the Sahara Desert was shifting south. Satellite data spanning more than twenty years now http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/Desertification/desertification2.html

59. ENB: UNCCD COP-2, Dakar, Senegal Page includes summaries of daily discusses, which featured concerned nations from around the world. Past event took place in Dakar, Senegal. http://www.iisd.ca/desert/cop2/

UNCCD COP-2 THE SECOND MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE U.N. CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION Hotel Meridien President, Dakar, Senegal 30 November - 11 December 1998 BRIEFING - 12 December DAILY COVERAGE On outstanding recommendations from the Committee on Science and Technology, CST Chair Jabbari noted that the draft decision was a result of intense consultations and reflects the consensus reached. He said that theme chosen for COP-3 is "early warning systems in their broadest sense," which includes water management and protection. The COP adopted the decision. Chair Jabarri also informed the Plenary of the experts recommended to constitute an ad hoc group on traditional knowledge. The list was adopted. Please note: the summary issue of the ENB's coverage of the CCD COP-2, including coverage of the final day and analysis of the conference, will be available on Monday, 14 December. Version française: BNT 14 DECEMBER 1998 Summary issue HTML TEXT PDF 11 DECEMBER 1998 HTML TEXT PDF 10 DECEMBER 1998 HTML TEXT PDF 9 DECEMBER 1998 HTML TEXT PDF 8 DECEMBER 1998 HTML TEXT PDF 7 DECEMBER 1998

60. UNCCD - United Nations Convention To Combat Desertification Combating desertification in Africa. desertification has its greatest impact in Africa. Two thirds of the continent is desert or drylands. There are extensive agricultural http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/factsheets/showFS.php?number=11

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