Name:______Date:______Class:______
THE SAD, SAD STORY OF DESERTIFICATION… how deforestation leads to desertification.
Once upon a time there was a land As the population grew, more and Herds of cattle ate the grasses. Sometimes there wasn’t enough
with trees and grasses. more land was cleared for over-cultivation Often the cattle ate the roots too. rain so the people had to
of crops (farming!) and building cities (overgrazing) use more irrigation for their crops
(populationgrowth). and this washed away the soil.
To make matters worse, Africa Because there were few plants to There was no top soil so plants Erosion became worse because there
often has severe droughts. The hold the soil in place, wind blew the could not grow. were noplants… and there were
lack of water killed more plants soil away and rain washed it away. no plants because there was poor soil…
and left the soil unprotected. [This is called erosion] and the land that once had trees and
grasses… became DESERT.
CAUSES OF DESERTIFICATION:
1. ______2. ______3. ______4. ______5. ______
Name:______Date:______Class:______
THE SAD, SAD STORY OF DESERTIFICATION… how deforestation leads to desertification.
Once upon a time there was a land As the population grew, more and Herds of cattle ate the grasses. Sometimes there wasn’t enough
with trees and grasses. more land was cleared for over-cultivation Often the cattle ate the roots too. rain so the people had to
of crops (farming!) and building cities (overgrazing) use more irrigation for their crops
(populationgrowth). and this washed away the soil.
To make matters worse, Africa Because there were few plants to There was no top soil so plants Erosion became worse because there
often has severe droughts. The hold the soil in place, wind blew the could not grow. were no plants… and there were
lack of water killed more plants soil away and rain washed it away. no plants because there was poor soil…
and left the soil unprotected. [This is called erosion] and the land that once had trees and
grasses… became DESERT.
CAUSES OF DESERTIFICATION:
1. ______2. ______3. ______4. ______5. ______
1. How will desertification affect the food supply?
2. How will the change in the food supply affect the population?
a.
b.
3. How will the change in the food supply and population affect the economy?
4. How does desertification damage the environment?
DESERTIFICATION LEADS TO MORE DESERTIFICATION
1. How will desertification affect the food supply?
2. How will the change in the food supply affect the population?
a.
b.
3. How will the change in the food supply and population affect the economy?
4. How does desertification damage the environment?
DESERTIFICATION LEADS TO MORE DESERTIFICATION