Deserts and Parks

World Wide deserts Exist between 15 and 30 N and S Only Europe lacks warm deserts. Estimates predict that the world should have 1/3 deserts Reality= 42%desert.

Desertification The change in semi-arid and dry shrub lands (marginal) to deserts as a process of climate and human activities. Human practices… To much farming To much grazing Poisoning of soil To much pesticide use “ “Nitrates Over Irrigation-salts are left Lowering of water table

Continent with greatest desertification Africa Changing of natural weather patterns A product of a warming climate.

Solutions Change in agricultural practices Genetic revolution Looking at the whole ecosystem Genetic revolution Creating low water and salt species

National Parks Based on conservation biology. The science of keeping the diversity in natural environments.

World wide Philosophy 120 countries have national parks. There are 1100 parks world wide. The first USA 1912 There are 54 of them in the USA Most in the west The closest to us is the (Shenandoah National Park)