desertifying
Turning to wasteland
Desertifying describes land that is becoming desert—losing vegetation, moisture, and fertility through climate change, overgrazing, or poor agricultural practices.
The process transforms formerly productive terrain into arid wasteland: Satellite images show the region is rapidly desertifying.
The noun form is desertification.
Extremely dry or thirsty
- aridDevoid of water
- desiccatedThoroughly dehydrated
- barrenUnable to produce
- waterlessWithout any liquid
dusty · cracked · sunbaked · sand · dunes · wasteland · desolation · scorching
Loss of topsoil
- overgrazingExcessive pasture consumption
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
- nutrient depletionLoss of essential substances
- compactionReducing volume through pressure
salinization · land clearing · slash-and-burn · monoculture · wind erosion · gullying · sedimentation · degraded
When fields yield nothing
- famineSevere food shortage
- food insecurityUncertain access to adequate meals
- grain shortageInsufficient harvested crop supply
- subsistence farmingGrowing food for household
fallowing · abandoned farms · rural exodus · starvation · water scarcity · dust bowl
Elimination of living spaces
- biodiversity lossReduction in species variety
- ecosystem collapseTotal breakdown of environmental systems
- extinction riskLikelihood of permanent disappearance
- carrying capacityPopulation an environment sustains
Rising planetary temperatures
- greenhouse gasesEmissions that trap heat
- climate crisisDestabilizing atmospheric heating
- carbon emissionsReleased greenhouse gases
- temperature riseIncrease in heat level
drought cycles · feedback loops · anthropogenic · heat waves · climate shift · warming · Sahel · climate refugees
parched
Extremely dry or thirsty
- aridDevoid of water
- desiccatedThoroughly dehydrated
- barrenUnable to produce
waterless · dusty · cracked · sunbaked · sand · dunes · wasteland · desolation · scorching · evaporation
soil erosion
Loss of topsoil
- overgrazingExcessive pasture consumption
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
- nutrient depletionLoss of essential substances
compaction · salinization · land clearing · slash-and-burn · monoculture · wind erosion · gullying · sedimentation · degraded · exhausted
crop failure
When fields yield nothing
- famineSevere food shortage
- food insecurityUncertain access to adequate meals
- grain shortageInsufficient harvested crop supply
subsistence farming · fallowing · abandoned farms · rural exodus · starvation · water scarcity · dust bowl
habitat loss
Elimination of living spaces
- biodiversity lossReduction in species variety
- ecosystem collapseTotal breakdown of environmental systems
- extinction riskLikelihood of permanent disappearance
global warming
Rising planetary temperatures
- greenhouse gasesEmissions that trap heat
- climate crisisDestabilizing atmospheric heating
- carbon emissionsReleased greenhouse gases
temperature rise · drought cycles · feedback loops · anthropogenic · heat waves · climate shift · warming · Sahel · climate refugees
desertifyinggreening
Environmental improvement process
reforesting · revegetating · regreening · flourishing · afforesting
desertifyingirrigating
Artificially supplying water to land
waterlogging · flooding · saturating · hydrating · humidifying
desert, deserts, deserter, deserting, deserters, desertification, desertify, desertified, desertifies