Land Degradation and Desertification: Causes, Mechanism, and Biological Management

Any harmful or undesirable modification or disturbance to land is referred to as “land degradation.” The major causes of land degradation are frequent soil erosion, soil deterioration and the irreversible loss of native vegetation. Anthropogenic activities are currently substantial causes of degradation since humans have altered their environment, both directly and indirectly, to fulfill their demands, which directly influences the land. In India, 3.32 million hectares of land have been degraded from 2003–2005 to 2018–2019. Among various methods of managing land degradation, biological management stands most effective. This chapter provides a detailed description of the causes and mechanisms and the biological management strategies for land degradation and desertification.