Rural Flashcards
Physical causes of RLD
• Regions such as Sahel have unpredictable climates - they can experience flash floods and drought conditions.
• With little rain, plants can’t grow so there are no roots to hold the soil together.
• Water shortages caused by major drought can lead to a drop in the water table meaning many plants die as their roots cannot reach the water.
• The soil dries out and is washed or blown away easily.
• This leads to desertification as roots can no longer anchor the soil which in turn is easily blown away.
• Flash floods also wash away the exposed top
Human causes of RLD
• In many regions of Africa the birth rate is high in there is significant population growth. This has placed increase pressure on countries to increase food production.
apac
ral
use
with
nag
with
with
tower
ad
11
r
• In some countries like Burkina Faso and Mali, the population growth is twice the rate of increase in food production.
• Increased population had led farmers to use more of the land for arable farming, but this is not viable for sustained crop production and increases the rate of desertification.
• The concentration of livestock in these areas results in vegetation being stripped down to its roots leaving the soil exposed.
• The increased need for timber in construction and for firewood has led to widespread deforestation.
• Deforestation removes the binding effect of tree roots and prevents trees from reducing wind speed.
• The shortage of firewood means families have to use more animal dung and crop residue for their domestic energy requirements. In the long term this results in lower crop yields.
Many farmers moved away from traditional farming techniques and grew cash crops, such as cotton and rice.
Monoculture has led to the soil becoming infertile in some areas.
• The increased demand for food results in farming on marginal land and also farmers decreasing the fallow period.
This means the land does not have time to recover or regenerate.
• Frequent water shortages lead to the need for more wells, lowering the water table further.
• Overgrazing destroys the vegetation cover, leading to soil erosion and poor irrigation methods lead to evaporation of stagnant water, leaving a salty infertile crust
Social impact of RLD
Land degradation can lead to crop failures and the death of livestock which can cause an increase in malnutrition and starvation.
• Poverty, hunger and lack of work in rural areas forces many people - young men in particular- to move to cities and towns to find work. This puts pressure on already limited urban resources and leads to the growth of shanty towns.
• Crop failures/death of livestock, reducing food supply, have led to serious malnutrition and famine in Sudan, Ethiopia and much of Sahel.
• Economically, many farmers have lost their income as a result of poor crop yields meaning they can no longer afford to pay for their basic needs, such as schooling.
• The loss of traditional farming techniques and farmers turn to western methods and cash crops such as cotton and rice, making the land infertile.
• Mass migration can also lead to conflict between ethnic groups as people move, for example Darfur leading to the growth of large refugee camps.
• Mass migration can lead to conflict between countries as people are forced to move and re-settle, placing pressure on the resources of the receiving country.
• Widespread poverty leads to an increased reliance on overseas aid to gain access to food and water and debt repayments on international loans are high.
• The collapse of the nomadic way of life due to the lack of grazing and water forces many nomads to settle in villages increasing pressure/tension in these areas
environmental impact
The soil structure deteriorates as the wind blows it away, causing the advance of the Sahara Desert through the process of desertification.
• Desertification has become so severe that it has led to the southward expansion of the Sahara Desert into the Sahel.
• In the last 50 years, 65 million hectares of the Sahel have turned into desert.
• Loss of fertile topsoil leading to the inability of the land to support vegetation
Management strategies
• Reduce herd sizes and control grazing to protect root systems and vegetation
Planting new trees helps to bind the soil and hold it in place.
Afforestation helps reduce wind erosion so less topsoil is blown away
Trees provides shade, windbreaks, nutrients and fuel for families.
- More efficient farming methods
• Increased crop rotation by farmers helps soil to recover.
• Planting drought resistant shrubs and grasses to help bind the soil and prevent further soil erosion.
• Terraces can be created by digging a drainage channel and throwing soil uphill to make a ridge to increase infiltration.
• Diguettes or ‘Magic Stones’ are lines of stones placed along the contours of gently sloping land to trap rain water as well as soil and prevent surface runoff during the ITCZ.
By preserving the most fertile top-soil, stone lines have increased yields by 40% in some areas.
• Micro basins (or planting pits) are hollows dug to retain moisture and nutrients. This ensures year round plant coverage which increases infiltration and reduced run-off.
• Crop trenches - crops such as maize are grown between the trenches increasing crop yield, which reduces the need to cultivate more marginal farmland
Land use conflicts
• There may be conflict between tourists, farmers, the National Park authorities and local businesses.
• Conflict between tourists and National Park Authorities may arise through unlawful camping, camp fires and partying, noisy water sports (water skiing, powerboats) and litter.
Footpath erosion in popular walking areas can erode or damage paths resulting in visual pollution in spectacular landscapes.
There may be conflict between tourists and farmers walkers leaving gates open causing animals to escape, dogs chasing sheep, damage to farmland and buildings, noise disturbing animals.
• Litter if eaten by wildlife or livestock can harm or kill.
• Tourists activities can affect the farmer’s livelihood, so tourists may face restrictions in places to walk and explore placed upon them by farmers.
• Tourism creates income for local hotels, campsites, shops and places to eat and so it generates employment and wealth in the region.
• Although tourism supports the local economy, in the Trossachs during summer there are significant increases in traffic congestion on narrow rural roads leading to air and noise pollution, reducing the quality of life for local people.
• Tourists park on grass verges leading to erosion.
• Tourists wander off footpaths widening them and stone walls can be damaged by people climbing over them affecting farming activity.
• Speedboats on the loch can erode beaches and oil from engines can harm aquatic life.
• Tourist activity can lead to visual pollution in spectacular landscapes, eg unlawful camping.
• Tourists buying second homes pushes prices up for locals and can lead to rural depopulation, which can reduce demand for local services which may close.
land use management
Signs for walkers, eg, Keep Gates Closed, No Camping Here, etc
Employing park rangers who can issue fines to people caught littering in the national Park (although it is hard to catch people).
Introducing separate ‘zones’ around the loch so tourist activities are split into different sections
• One-way systems for cars and limited waiting times.
• Stone paths to stop footpath erosion (although at a cost to the farmer).
Farmers can install spring loaded gates which close automatically (although at a cost to the farmer).
• Speed limits on the loch to reduce beach erosion and oil pollution.
•
Increased rail and bus services to reduce car use (although limited effectiveness since people prefer the convenience of their cars).
• Removing litter bins in remote areas where it is difficult to empty them (leading to overflowing bins), encourages people to take their litter home.
• Using farmers’ fields as temporary car parks reduces on- street parking and can bring in another form of income for the farmer (although they are unsightly can lead to visual pollution).
• Planting trees around unsightly developments can shield them (although this is a long term solution).
• National Park Rangers offer talks, guides, provide leaflets and operate visitors centres to educate the public about the area.
• New building developments using local materials which blend in with the landscape (although this may be at increased cost to the developers).
• By laws introduced to stop wild fires and camping in certain areas at specific times of the year
