Thar Desert- Hot desert LEDC Case Study

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Thar desert- Hot desert LEDC Case Study

Facts:

Rainfall is between 120-240mm per

year

Summer temperatures can reach 53C

Desert has mobile sand dunes

There are clumps of thorn forest

Soil is infertile

Water drains away quickly after

rainfall

Challenges:

Population pressure

- Most densely populated desert in the

world

-Population is still increasing

-More people using land, extracting

water and grazing animals

-This all leads to over cultivation

and over grazing

Water management

-Excessive irrigation means land is

waterlogged

-Water has evaporated, leaving salts

on the ground which have killed plants (Salinisation)

Soil erosion

-Vegetation has been damaged by over

grazing

-Less vegetation means nothing is

holding the soil, so wind can move the sand dunes

Fuel shortages

-The lack of vegetation means that

there isn't enough firewood

-This has led to people burning manure

instead of using it as fertiliser, so there is a lower crop yield

Tourism

-Whilst it brings in extra money and

employment to the area, tourists could damage the ecosystems in the

area by bringing cars etc if they are not properly managed

Economic opportunities in the desert

Subsistence farming

-Most people in the desert are

subsistence farmers

-It means that they only grow enough

to feed themselves

-The Kohils tribe are hunter gatherers

Irrigation and commercial

farming

-In some parts of the desert people

get water from the Gandhi Canal to water their crops

-Commercial farming covers 3,500 km ^2

of land in Jodhpur

-The Gandhi Canal has also provided

drinking water

Mining

-Reserves of gypsum are used to make

cement, pottery and paper whitener

-Also limestone to help make steel

Tourism

-Desert safaris are becoming popular

among wealthy Indians

-Provides jobs for local people as

guides etc

Management (addressing the challenges

in a sustainable way)

1977 Desert Development Programme

started to develop land and conserve water to save the ecosystems

Afforestation

-Many Psosopis trees are being planted

as they make good fire wood, have pods for animal feed, and provide

shelter

-This helps to stabilise the sand

dunes, too

Stabilising sand dunes

-Ariel re-seeding helps to protect

soil and the sand from being moved by the wind

-Vegetation also adds nutrients to the

soil to encourage crop growth

Thar Desert National Park

-3,000km^2 of land

-Endangered animals are protected

Water management

-Traditional water harvesting

structures (Taankas) have been put in homes to store monsoon rain

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