Desertification is the ultimate stage in the process of unnatural land degradation, when the fertility of its soil has been completely and irreversibly destroyed.

In arid regions, the cycling of water and energy takes on special characteristics because of low and intermitent rainfall together with abundant solar energy from cloudless skies.

Desertification fact

Vegetation is sparse, provides less groundcover and returns less organic matter to the topsoil. During occasional intense rainfall, runoff occurs, and water at the surface tends rapidly to be lost through evaporation. In the long intervening dry spells, the soil is parched and heated by the powerful sun.