Team:Imperial College London/Project/Background
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text[0] = "Hover over the map to read about the impact of desertification in different areas."; | text[0] = "Hover over the map to read about the impact of desertification in different areas."; | ||
- | text[1] = "Africa is the region most affected by desertification. Two thirds of the continent is covered by drylands which are used extensively for agricultural production. Over-cultivation has led to large scale degradation, exacerbated by frequent drought, leading to extreme food scarcity for over 650 million people who are dependent on the affected land. If the degradation trend continues, it is estimated that two thirds of Africa’s arable land may be lost by 2025 | + | text[1] = "Africa is the region most affected by desertification. Two thirds of the continent is covered by drylands which are used extensively for agricultural production. Over-cultivation has led to large scale degradation, exacerbated by frequent drought, leading to extreme food scarcity for over 650 million people who are dependent on the affected land. If the degradation trend continues, it is estimated that two thirds of Africa’s arable land may be lost by 2025. In an effort to combat desertification, 11 countries along the southern border of the Sahara are involved in the Great Green Wall project. With the help of international aid, the objective is to cover 8,000 km<sup>2</sup> of dryland with vegetation as a protective barrier."; |
text[2] = "North America experienced one of the most extreme effects of desertification during the 1930s. The famous dust bowls of the Great Plains were brought on by over-cultivation of land and severe drought, causing degraded soil to be swept up by strong winds. Today, about three quarters of North America’s drylands are affected by desertification. Counter-measures include synthetic materials to protect dryland, trenches to collect water, and windbreak structures."; | text[2] = "North America experienced one of the most extreme effects of desertification during the 1930s. The famous dust bowls of the Great Plains were brought on by over-cultivation of land and severe drought, causing degraded soil to be swept up by strong winds. Today, about three quarters of North America’s drylands are affected by desertification. Counter-measures include synthetic materials to protect dryland, trenches to collect water, and windbreak structures."; | ||
text[3] = "China is one of the largest dryland areas in the world, nearly a quarter of which is at risk of desertification. The problem has been fed by large-scale industrialisation with the overuse of land and water resources, as well as prolonged drought. Since 1978 the Great Green Wall project has been underway in the Kubuqi desert to protect cities from dust storms. The trees (Xinjiang poplars and willow species) are planted as saplings protected with wooden frames so they can take root before being blown away. These plants form fibrous roots that help hold down the sand. Although this project has slowed the desertification process in China, desertification remains a pressing problem."; | text[3] = "China is one of the largest dryland areas in the world, nearly a quarter of which is at risk of desertification. The problem has been fed by large-scale industrialisation with the overuse of land and water resources, as well as prolonged drought. Since 1978 the Great Green Wall project has been underway in the Kubuqi desert to protect cities from dust storms. The trees (Xinjiang poplars and willow species) are planted as saplings protected with wooden frames so they can take root before being blown away. These plants form fibrous roots that help hold down the sand. Although this project has slowed the desertification process in China, desertification remains a pressing problem."; | ||
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<h1>Desertification</h1> | <h1>Desertification</h1> | ||
- | <p><b> | + | <p><b>Soil erosion and desertification are world-wide problems. They lead to loss of arable land, economic hardship and environmental degradation. Our project focuses on tackling these serious problems by engineering bacteria to enhance plant root growth. We are planning to implement our bacteria into a seed coat to aid re-vegetation of land at risk of erosion. Trees and plants help hold down the soil and prevent soil erosion which leads to desertification </p> |
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+ | <p>Desertification is the degradation of drylands which include arid, semi-arid and sub-humid areas. Drylands make up roughly 40 percent of the Earth’s land and are home to some two billion people, most of which live in developing countries. Dryland soil sustains a fragile ecosystem adapted to infrequent precipitation and dramatic temperature changes. Over-exploitation of dryland for cultivation and feedstock purposes renders the soil unproductive, forcing migration of communities in search of fertile land, leaving the unproductive land bare and vulnerable to erosive forces. A lack of food supply in many developing countries forces constant cultivation of land for short-term gain as well as deforestation to provide arable land.</p> | ||
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<h1>Case studies</h1> | <h1>Case studies</h1> | ||
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<h2>Downstream Effects</h2> | <h2>Downstream Effects</h2> | ||
- | <p>Soil affects the climate and biodiversity and often leads to irreversible desertification ( | + | <p>Soil erosion affects the climate and biodiversity and often leads to irreversible desertification (Figure 1). Roots increase the stability of soil and prevent erosion<sup>[7]</sup>. In addition, trees provide cover and protect nearby fauna and flora. In areas prone to soil erosion, this is especially important as rainfall tends to be rare but when it does occur, it is often very intense and easily leads to topsoil being washed away.</p> |
- | <p>Roots are also important carbon sinks. Increasing root biomass is therefore very likely to improve the carbon budget of the plants we are seeding (Dr Alexandru Milcu, oral communication).</p> | + | <p>Roots are also important carbon sinks. Increasing root biomass is therefore very likely to improve the carbon budget of the plants we are seeding (<a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Imperial_College_London/Human_Ecology">Dr Alexandru Milcu, oral communication</a>).</p> |
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+ | <img class="magnify borderMagnify" data-magnifyto="1000" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2011/c/ca/ICL_Milleniumecosystemsfig2.PNG" width="650px"/> | ||
+ | <p><i>Figure 1: The interplay between desertification, climate change, and biodiversity loss. Image taken from the Millenium Ecosystems Assessment - Desertification synthesis<sup>[1]</sup>.</i></p> | ||
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- | <h2>References:</h2> | + | <br/> |
- | <p>[1] Millenium | + | <h2>References and Bibliography:</h2> |
- | [2] Pickup | + | <p>[1] Millenium ecosystem assessment (2005) <i>Ecosystems and human well-being: Desertification synthesis</i>. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC. (Online) Available from: http://www.maweb.org/documents/document.355.aspx.pdf</p> |
+ | <p>[2] Pickup G (1998) Desertification and climate change - the Australian perspective. <i>Climate Research</i> <b>11:</b> 51-63.</p> | ||
+ | <p>[3] UNCCD (2011) Desertification: a visual synthesis. (Online) Available from: http://www.unccd.int/knowledge/docs/Desertification-EN.pdf (Accessed on 12 August, 2011).</p> | ||
+ | <p>[4] Science Daily (2007). Severity of desertification on world stage. (Online) Available from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070619180431.htm. </p> | ||
+ | <p>[5] The Encyclopedia of the Earth (2010). Desertification. (Online) Available from: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Desertification?topic=49461</p> | ||
+ | <p>[6] Food and agriculture organisation of the United Nations. Desertification. (Online) Available from: http://www.fao.org/desertification/default.asp?lang=en </p> | ||
+ | <p>[7] Gyssels G and Poesen J (2003) The importance of plant root characteristics in controlling concentrated flow erosion rates. <i>Earth Surface Processes and Landforms</i> <b>28:</b> 371-384. | ||
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Latest revision as of 09:47, 25 October 2011
Desertification
Soil erosion and desertification are world-wide problems. They lead to loss of arable land, economic hardship and environmental degradation. Our project focuses on tackling these serious problems by engineering bacteria to enhance plant root growth. We are planning to implement our bacteria into a seed coat to aid re-vegetation of land at risk of erosion. Trees and plants help hold down the soil and prevent soil erosion which leads to desertification
Desertification is the degradation of drylands which include arid, semi-arid and sub-humid areas. Drylands make up roughly 40 percent of the Earth’s land and are home to some two billion people, most of which live in developing countries. Dryland soil sustains a fragile ecosystem adapted to infrequent precipitation and dramatic temperature changes. Over-exploitation of dryland for cultivation and feedstock purposes renders the soil unproductive, forcing migration of communities in search of fertile land, leaving the unproductive land bare and vulnerable to erosive forces. A lack of food supply in many developing countries forces constant cultivation of land for short-term gain as well as deforestation to provide arable land.
Case studies
Downstream Effects
Soil erosion affects the climate and biodiversity and often leads to irreversible desertification (Figure 1). Roots increase the stability of soil and prevent erosion[7]. In addition, trees provide cover and protect nearby fauna and flora. In areas prone to soil erosion, this is especially important as rainfall tends to be rare but when it does occur, it is often very intense and easily leads to topsoil being washed away.
Roots are also important carbon sinks. Increasing root biomass is therefore very likely to improve the carbon budget of the plants we are seeding (Dr Alexandru Milcu, oral communication).
Figure 1: The interplay between desertification, climate change, and biodiversity loss. Image taken from the Millenium Ecosystems Assessment - Desertification synthesis[1].
References and Bibliography:
[1] Millenium ecosystem assessment (2005) Ecosystems and human well-being: Desertification synthesis. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC. (Online) Available from: http://www.maweb.org/documents/document.355.aspx.pdf
[2] Pickup G (1998) Desertification and climate change - the Australian perspective. Climate Research 11: 51-63.
[3] UNCCD (2011) Desertification: a visual synthesis. (Online) Available from: http://www.unccd.int/knowledge/docs/Desertification-EN.pdf (Accessed on 12 August, 2011).
[4] Science Daily (2007). Severity of desertification on world stage. (Online) Available from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070619180431.htm.
[5] The Encyclopedia of the Earth (2010). Desertification. (Online) Available from: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Desertification?topic=49461
[6] Food and agriculture organisation of the United Nations. Desertification. (Online) Available from: http://www.fao.org/desertification/default.asp?lang=en
[7] Gyssels G and Poesen J (2003) The importance of plant root characteristics in controlling concentrated flow erosion rates. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 28: 371-384.