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Environmental Damage in Deserts

Deserts are arid regions that experience low rainfall. The climate is harsh, and the soil is saline and dry; to survive in these inhospitable conditions, plants and animals have developed special adaptations. Despite their seeming resiliency, however, these species and the desert biomes they inhabit can sometimes prove vulnerable to environmental damage, especially to habitat destruction.

  1. Habitat Destruction

    • Paving over desert to make more room for fast-expanding cities and urban areas eliminates desert habitat. Species that live in these impacted areas may be destroyed or left homeless by development. As noted in a 2009 "Los Angeles Times" article, for example, recent plans to build a solar power plant in the Mojave Desert encountered opposition from environmentalists concerned about the possible damage to wildlife and plant species that could be caused by habitat destruction.

    Vehicle Use

    • Slow-moving animals such as snakes and desert tortoises may be killed when they try to cross roads and highways. In areas where recreational off-road vehicle use is popular, these animals may be killed out in the desert as well, and off-road driving can also destroy or damage fragile habitats. Installing barrier fencing can help prevent animals from crossing roads and thereby becoming victims.

    Hunting

    • Many species of snakes and other reptiles are valued for their skin and are sometimes poached, hunted or even collected by people hoping to keep them as pets. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, for example, the desert tortoise is currently a threatened species---not only because of habitat destruction but because of poaching as well.

    Climate Change

    • Many scientists believe increased carbon dioxide levels could lead to a rise in global temperatures and thereby change regional climate patterns. As noted on the National Geographic website, if these changes occur, they could reduce the already-scarce precipitation many deserts receive and increase their area or make them even more inhospitable to wildlife. Changes in temperature could also lead to an increase in the number of wildfires.

    Overgrazing and Agriculture

    • When cattle graze on sparsely vegetated land, they can quickly overgraze it and leave it barren, destroying rare desert plant species and the animals that depend on them. According to the National Geographic website, extracting scarce water to sustain agriculture can lead to higher salt levels in the desert soil to the point where it may become completely unable to sustain life.

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