British Sign Language Glossaries of Curriculum Terms

BSL Environmental Science Glossary - Land Degradation definition

Description: Land degradation can happen in one of two ways: either naturally, or as a result of human activity (ie, man-made). Man-made causes of land degradation include things like cutting down forests; excavation; mining; farming, where land is repeatedly used for the same crops, or livestock which leads to overgrazing; industrialisation can result in chemicals from factories seeping into the soil and polluting it; repeated ploughing and overwatering of crops - all of these things can lead to soil degradation, which means that plants won't grow. Land degradation can, over time, affect the local population who then move elsewhere; the same is true for animals and insects because the land can no longer support them. A consequence of these actions is that the land continues to deteriorate.

Natural processes and events can also lead to land degradation. For example: prolonged exposure to wind can remove topsoil, which plants need if they are to grow; excessive rainfall and flooding can waterlog the soil, which means plants and animals can't survive; heatwaves and scorching heat affect plant and animal life; once what was a rich and beautiful green habitat can be transformed into a desert. All of the above are examples of land degradation.