Overgrazing can lead to desertification because it removes or damages the vegetation that protects the land and keeps it moist and fertile.
Here are some ways overgrazing can lead to desertification:
Soil erosion
When animals eat the small plants and their roots, there is nothing left to hold the soil. This leads to soil erosion, where the upper layer of soil is washed away.
Loss of vegetation
When herds of animals eat all the grass on a piece of land, the soil underneath is left vulnerable and unable to grow back quickly enough.
Erosion by wind and water
Trampling by cattle decreases soil porosity. The exposed hardened soil undergoes erosion by wind and water.
Other human activities that can lead to desertification include:
Deforestation
Over cultivation
Using too much water or using water inefficiently
