desertification

[ dih-zur-tuh-fi-key-shuhn ]

noun

, Ecology.

1. the processes by which an area becomes a desert.
2. the rapid depletion of plant life and the loss of topsoil at desert boundaries and in semiarid regions, caused mostly by a combination of drought and such human practices as deforestation and unsustainable agriculture, the effects of which are exacerbated by climate change.

desertification

/ dɪˌzɜːtɪfɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. a process by which fertile land turns into barren land or desert

desertification

/ dĭ-zûr′tə-fĭ-kā′shən /

1. The transformation of land once suitable for agriculture into desert. Desertification can result from climate change or from human practices such as deforestation and overgrazing.

Word History and Origins

Origin of desertification¹

First recorded in 1970–75; desert ¹ + -i- + -fication

Example Sentences

Deforestation and flooding in Bangladesh, the collapse of Black Sea fisheries, the desertification of sub-Saharan Africa and “a nearly endless list” of other issues, he said, would drive human migration.

From Salon

Prof Maathai championed the view that women, especially in rural areas, could improve the environment by planting trees to provide a fuel source and to slow deforestation and desertification.

From BBC

The government is set to announce measures to avoid desertification by promoting better management of soil and other natural resources in the region.

From Seattle Times

New research shows how the world's oases have grown and shrunk over the past 25 years as water availability patterns changed and desertification encroaches on these wet refuges.

From Science Daily

The country is responsible for a tiny fraction of world-wide emissions, yet Chile is particularly vulnerable to drought and desertification.

From Salon

Related Words

• erosion
• logging