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Year 10
AQA

Desertification – causes and strategies

I can explain the causes of desertification and the strategies used to reduce the risk of desertification.

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New
New
Year 10
AQA

Desertification – causes and strategies

I can explain the causes of desertification and the strategies used to reduce the risk of desertification.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Link copied to clipboard

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Desertification is a serious threat in hot desert environments.
  2. There are several causes of desertification including climate change, population growth and removal of fuelwood.
  3. There are several strategies used to reduce the risk of desertification including soil management and tree planting.

Keywords

  • Desertification - the process by which land becomes desert due to climate change, deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture

  • Drought - a long period of time with little or no rainfall, leading to a shortage of water

  • Deforestation - the action of clearing a wide area of trees

  • Mitigation - the action of reducing the severity or seriousness of something

Common misconception

Desertification only occurs in existing deserts.

Desertification can occur in any fertile land that becomes increasingly arid, not just in deserts.


To help you plan your year 10 geography lesson on: Desertification – causes and strategies, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

GIS could be used in this lesson to help students make the link with climate change and changes in seasonality such as the migration of the ITCZ. Utilise Google Earth and search for the desertification of the Sahel 1990-2020 to show these changes.
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Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Hot deserts are found near the...
north and south poles
Correct answer: tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
Pacific and Atlantic Ocean
Q2.
There is very little in hot deserts because of the harsh climate. Few species are specialised enough to survive there.
Correct Answer: biodiversity
Q3.
What is desertification?
the process of turning deserts into fertile land
Correct answer: the spread of desert-like conditions in areas that were previously fertile
the loss of forest areas
Q4.
is the long-term alteration of weather patterns around the world.
Correct Answer: Climate change
Q5.
An ecosystem is a natural environment and includes the flora (plants) and fauna (animals) that live within that environment. The living components of an ecosystem are the __________ components.
Correct answer: biotic
abiotic
biome
Q6.
What is deforestation?
the process by which land becomes desert
Correct answer: the action of clearing a wide area of trees
the long-term alteration of weather patterns

Exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords for this lesson with their definitions.
Correct Answer:desertification,the process by which land becomes desert

the process by which land becomes desert

Correct Answer:drought,a long period of time with little or no rainfall and water shortage

a long period of time with little or no rainfall and water shortage

Correct Answer:deforestation,the action of clearing a wide area of trees

the action of clearing a wide area of trees

Correct Answer:mitigation,the action of reducing the severity or seriousness of something

the action of reducing the severity or seriousness of something

Q2.
Desertification is a widespread environmental threat affecting and communities across the globe.
Correct Answer: biodiversity
Q3.
Order the process of desertification.
1 - Vegetation cover decreases.
2 - Soil is more vulnerable to erosion.
3 - Soil loses nutrients and the ability to support plant growth and plant litter.
4 - Less plant litter means fewer nutrients return to the soil.
5 - Plant regrowth is hindered, leading to desertification.
Q4.
How can desertification be mitigated?
Correct Answer:Rainwater harvesting,collects and stores the limited rainwater for people to use

collects and stores the limited rainwater for people to use

Correct Answer:Terracing,creates stepped fields to slow water movement

creates stepped fields to slow water movement

Correct Answer:Drip irrigation,drips water directly onto the roots of vegetation

drips water directly onto the roots of vegetation

Correct Answer:Afforestation,plants trees to stabilise the soil and reduce erosion

plants trees to stabilise the soil and reduce erosion

Correct Answer:Crop rotation,moves crops and livestock to allow soil recovery

moves crops and livestock to allow soil recovery