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In the context of desertification, what role does increased agriculture play?
  • a)
    It decreases soil erosion
  • b)
    It disrupts natural ecosystems and increases aridity
  • c)
    It enhances water retention in soil
  • d)
    It has no significant impact on desertification
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
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In the context of desertification, what role does increased agricultur...
Expansion of agriculture, especially in arid regions, leads to disruption of natural ecosystems and increases aridity, facilitating desertification.
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In the context of desertification, what role does increased agricultur...
Increased Agriculture and Desertification
In the context of desertification, increased agriculture significantly impacts the environment, primarily by disrupting natural ecosystems and increasing aridity. Here's how:
Land Use Changes
- Expansion of agricultural land often leads to the conversion of forests and grasslands into croplands.
- This transformation reduces biodiversity and alters the natural habitat, which is essential for maintaining ecological balance.
Soil Degradation
- Intensive farming practices can lead to soil compaction and loss of soil structure.
- The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides can deplete essential nutrients, further degrading soil quality and its ability to retain moisture.
Water Resources Strain
- Agriculture consumes a significant amount of water, often leading to the depletion of local water sources.
- Over-irrigation can result in salinization, making the soil less fertile and contributing to arid conditions.
Increased Erosion
- The removal of vegetation for agricultural purposes exposes the soil to wind and water erosion.
- This can lead to the loss of the fertile topsoil, making areas more susceptible to desertification.
Climate Impact
- Agricultural activities can contribute to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions.
- Changes in land cover and land use can alter local climates, potentially increasing aridity and reinforcing desertification processes.
In summary, while agriculture is essential for food production, its expansion often disrupts natural ecosystems, leading to increased aridity and contributing to the desertification process. Sustainable agricultural practices are crucial to mitigate these effects.
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Ecosystems provide people with a variety of goods and services; food, clean water, clean air, flood control, soil stabilization, pollination, climate regulation, spiritual fulfilment and aesthetic enjoyment, to name just a few. Most of these benefits either are irreplaceable or the technology necessary to replace them is prohibitively expensive. For example, potable fresh water can be provided by desalinating sea-water, but only at great cost. The rapidly expanding human population has greatly modified the Earths ecosystems to meet their increased requirements of some of the goods and services, particularly food, fresh water, timber, fibre and fuel. These modifications have contributed substantially to human well being and economic development. The benefits have notbeen equally distributed. Some people have actually been harmed by these changes. Moreover, short-term increases in some ecosystem goods and services have come at the cost of the long-term degradation of others. For example, efforts to increase the production of food and fibre have decreased the ability of some ecosystems to provide clean water, regulate flooding and support biodiversity.Q. The passage mentions that some people have actually been harmed by these changes. What does it imply?1. The rapid expansion of population has adversely affected some people. 2. Sufficient efforts have not been made to increase the production of food and fibre.3. In the short term some people may be harmed, but in the long term everyone will benefit from modifications In the Earths ecosystems.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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In the context of desertification, what role does increased agriculture play?a)It decreases soil erosionb)It disrupts natural ecosystems and increases aridityc)It enhances water retention in soild)It has no significant impact on desertificationCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
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