How can overgrazing lead to soil erosion and desertification?

Overgrazing is a primary driver of desertification, a process that reduces the biological productivity of drylands. This degradation occurs through two main channels: damage to vegetation and damage to soil.123

Impact on Vegetation

Livestock often consume plants down to the ground, which inhibits growth by reducing the tissues necessary for photosynthesis. Furthermore, grazing animals can alter plant community composition by favoring inedible species, such as cacti or shrubs, which may prevent native grasses from recolonizing the area.12

Impact on Soil and Erosion

The damage to soil is particularly critical and often begins with the physical activities of livestock:
* Trampling: Animals walking to and from water sources destroy plant roots that bind the soil together. This also compacts the earth, hindering future root development and reducing water infiltration.12
* Erosion: Once vegetation is removed and soil is compacted, rainfall creates rivulets along animal paths, washing away unprotected topsoil. In arid regions, the lack of cover leaves soil vulnerable to wind erosion, which can lift and transport loose particles, eventually leading to the formation of desert pavements.142