PL2102 Resource and Environmental Analysis: Desertification

Luthfi Muhamad Iqbal (15412011) Devina Khoirunnisa (15412087)

However, it’s about the condition when the fertile soil Turn drying because the lack of water by the climate change or human activities factor.

Start when land vegetation coverage cleared both by nature or human means. Therefore, the rainwater run-off through the top-soil surface, bring the fertile soil with the erosion flow.

Water absorbtion doesnt occur, the soil drying, Finally, the new desert created.

Desertification is caused by two major factor, those are: Unsustainable Agriculture and Climate Change

Unsustainable agricultural practices like livestock overgrazing, monoculture crops and forest clearing for land conversion highly contributing to make the soil quality degraded.

Drought and lack of precipitation caused by seasonal pattern changes and forest fire caused by heatwave also contributing to land degradation process.

In global scope desertification rate continue to growth year by year. 75 billion tons fertile soil degraded anually. Invulnerable tropical region like Indonesia, face the similar threat.

For specifict cases: Lesser Sunda Island and Central Celebes

Palu valley is the most arid land in Indonesian, the precipitation rate is below 100 milimeter per month. This phenomenon is caused by the shadow rain effects and support desertification process.

Lesser Sunda Island climate influenced by continental dry air mass (monsoonal heatwave) from Australia, it is responsible to create arid and semi-arid climate there. But by climate change and ENSO phenomenon (El Nino Southern Oscillation), the condition getting worse.

The impacts of desertification are: - Biodiversity loss (migration and extinction) - Economic loss (land productivity lowered) - Fertile soil erosion and surface water runoff - Ecological carrying capacity decreasing

The work that should we do in order to combat drought and desertification are: - Reforestating/Aforestating by local species - Create the wind barrier by shrub or tree to avoid top soil erosion by wind - Sustainable agriculture practices - Apply sustainable lifestyle combined with local wisdom

Adidarma, Maysandi. 2012. Manajemen Bencana. Tersedia di http://maysandi.blogspot.com/2012/04/manaj emen-bencanamanajemen-bencana.html(3 oktober 2013) -------. 2012. National Action Programme (NAP) for Combating Land Degradation and Desertification in Indonesia. Republic of Indonesia