Desert Biome Environmental Problems

Biomes are regions of the planet differentiated by their climate and the animals and vegetation they support, according to the World Wildlife Foundation. Desert biomes have very low precipitation and — similar to other biomes on the planet — unique environmental issues.

Lack of water prevents a desert from supporting much plant and animal life, although some species thrive in this environment. Burgeoning human populations on the edges of the desert strain the water supply, which affects the already sparse flora and fauna.

Desertification is the process in which once usable land becomes inhospitable and loses its ability to sustain life, essentially becoming unusable. Desertification is growing due to misuse of land resources, such as over-farming and over-grazing.

Though droughts trigger desertification, human activity is the largest cause, reports the United Nations. Over-cultivation, poorly drained irrigation systems, mismanagement of available water, digging for fossil fuels and introduction of invasive species are only some of the environmental problems in desert biomes created by humans.