Video Lesson

Lesson Objectives

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Describe the concept of resource degradation/depletion,
• Explain the causes of resource degradation and depletion,
• Describe the impacts (consequences) of resource depletion, and
• Explain the resource conservation measures.

Brainstorming Questions

What are the causes and consequences of land resource degradation?

Keywords

• Proximate cause
• Resource degradation
• Resource management
• Underlying causes

Concepts of resource degradation and their causes

Dear Online Learner! Resource degradation is the overall loss (decline) of the quality and quantity of land resources such as soils, water, and biological mass. It is often initiated by human activity and sometimes by natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, land-sliding, and flooding.

The sources of land resource degradation can be categorized as underlying and proximate causes.

Table 3.1 Causes and consequences of resource degradation

Consequences and controlling measures of resource degradation

Dear Online Learner! Rapid population growth and technological advances over the past 50 years have initiated worldwide land-use changes.

The depletion and degradation of natural resources can be checked through land management practices.

The practices include:

• Afforestation: planting of trees on barren lands that were not under forest cover before,
• Reforestation: replanting trees in deforested areas, area closures:
• Closing deforested areas from livestock contact to restore the previous status,
• Terracing: constructing bench terraces on steep lands to reduce the force of running water,
• A check dam is a small or temporary dam or structure constructed across a waterway, and important to conserve gullied areas.
• Mulching refers to the covering of soil with plant residue to let the soil regain nutrients
•  Shelterbelts: is the planting of trees along a line to break the speed of the blowing wind,
• Diversion canals: to divert upcoming floods on farmlands, trenches:
• Drainage channels (ditches): to remove excess water from depressed areas,
• Legume-rotation: to replenish soil fertility,
• Addition of animal manure: to replace lost nutrients,
• Inter-cropping: to augment soil fertility,
• Proper irrigation: to minimize soil salinity,
• Using green-manure: to uphold soil fertility