Human Impact
Tourism activities such as camel trekking tours are human impacts on the desert, but not necessarily a negative impact. However, humans have contributed many ways that are detrimental to the desert. Surprisingly, the Sahara Desert once was a paradise of lush vegetation, diverse animals and insects species, but human activity and the abuse of the land and fauna diminished the diversity of the Sahara desert.
As usual, one of the biggest threats to deserts is development. Agriculture has a huge impact on the desert's environment. For agricultural purposes, water is taken from underground aquifers. Many of these contain fossil water; that is, water that is not being replaced from the surface. Even in aquifers that are being recharged, the withdrawal for agriculture may exceed the recharge rate, thus the aquifers are being "mined" of their water in an unsustainable way. Other irrigation systems may get their water from aqueducts carrying the water from dams. In either case, the desert lands are particularly vulnerable to salinization.
Not to mention, Global warming is also a potential threat; it's hard to imagine that a slightly warmer desert would be any worse than some of the hot deserts now. However, even small changes in temperature or precipitation may have extensive impacts on desert communities. In some cases, global warming is predicted to increase the area of deserts, but it is not clear if desert plants and animals will be able to take advantage of this. Also, it should be noted that human activities such as firewood gathering and grazing are converting fragile grasslands into deserts, a process called desertification. Deforestation for grazing of animals makes winds to blow the fertile soil away, thereby extending the boundaries of the desert.
Advancements of industries and agricultures
Digging for water will deplete the water, no longer making the soil fertile.
Irrigation systemsConstructions of dams
Man-made fire
As usual, one of the biggest threats to deserts is development. Agriculture has a huge impact on the desert's environment. For agricultural purposes, water is taken from underground aquifers. Many of these contain fossil water; that is, water that is not being replaced from the surface. Even in aquifers that are being recharged, the withdrawal for agriculture may exceed the recharge rate, thus the aquifers are being "mined" of their water in an unsustainable way. Other irrigation systems may get their water from aqueducts carrying the water from dams. In either case, the desert lands are particularly vulnerable to salinization.
Not to mention, Global warming is also a potential threat; it's hard to imagine that a slightly warmer desert would be any worse than some of the hot deserts now. However, even small changes in temperature or precipitation may have extensive impacts on desert communities. In some cases, global warming is predicted to increase the area of deserts, but it is not clear if desert plants and animals will be able to take advantage of this. Also, it should be noted that human activities such as firewood gathering and grazing are converting fragile grasslands into deserts, a process called desertification. Deforestation for grazing of animals makes winds to blow the fertile soil away, thereby extending the boundaries of the desert.
Advancements of industries and agricultures
Digging for water will deplete the water, no longer making the soil fertile.
Irrigation systemsConstructions of dams
Man-made fire
