Lesson 3.1.2.4

3.1.2.4 Desertification Quiz: AQA Geography, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.1.2.4, Desertification: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Geography (7037), Unit 1: Physical geography, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which definition best describes desertification?

    • The drying of a lake caused by reduced glacial meltwater supply from the mountains alone
    • The formation of new deserts through volcanic eruption that buries the surrounding land
    • The natural spread of sand dunes across grassland during a single season of strong winds
    • Land degradation in drylands resulting from climatic variation and human activities

  2. Which human activity is a major cause of desertification?

    • Planting shelter belts to reduce wind speed across fields and protect the soil surface
    • Building check dams to slow runoff in gullies and trap sediment behind the structure
    • Terracing hillsides to conserve soil moisture and reduce the loss of topsoil on slopes
    • Overgrazing, which removes vegetation cover and compacts the soil

  3. Which natural factor contributes to desertification through reduced precipitation?

    • Greater snowfall in desert mountain ranges that feeds rivers flowing into the desert
    • Stronger monsoon winds bringing extra moisture to the desert margins each summer
    • Increased annual rainfall in semi-arid regions that raises soil moisture and plant growth
    • Prolonged drought associated with climate variability

  4. Which impact of desertification is most directly felt by ecosystems?

    • Greater soil organic matter and water retention as the land is cultivated more intensively
    • Loss of vegetation and biodiversity as soils lose moisture and nutrients
    • An increase in forest cover and wetland area as the land becomes more fertile over time
    • Rising groundwater levels across the entire region as infiltration improves on bare ground

  5. Which statement describes how the extent of hot deserts has changed over the last 10,000 years?

    • The extent of hot deserts has fluctuated with climate change, with some expansion and contraction in response to changing rainfall
    • Hot deserts have disappeared entirely since the last glacial period, replaced by forest across the world
    • Hot deserts have covered the whole of the tropics continuously since the end of the last glacial period
    • Hot deserts have remained exactly the same size throughout the whole period with no change at all

  6. Which factor makes some areas more at risk of desertification than others?

    • Areas with deep soils and abundant year-round rainfall that supports dense crops and pasture
    • Areas with extensive permanent wetlands and dense forest that hold water through the dry season
    • Areas with thick ice cover and little human settlement, where land use is very limited
    • Marginal dryland with fragile soils and high population pressure on limited water supplies

  7. Which mitigation approach is most suited to reducing desertification at a local scale?

    • Restoring vegetation cover and adopting sustainable grazing and water management
    • Clearing remaining shrub cover to increase the area available for grazing livestock each season
    • Drilling deeper wells without monitoring groundwater levels, so that extraction can expand freely
    • Ploughing marginal land repeatedly for cropping, which breaks up the surface each year

  8. What is the main impact of desertification on local populations?

    • Guaranteed food production regardless of land condition because farming becomes more intensive
    • Reduced food and water security, leading to livelihood stress and possible migration
    • Increased availability of fertile farmland for all households as the soils become more productive
    • Improved access to water as soils become more absorbent and recharge the local wells

  9. Which combination of factors is usually described as the causes of desertification?

    • Only volcanic activity and tectonic uplift, which change the height of the land surface
    • Climate change and human impacts such as overcultivation, overgrazing and deforestation
    • Only increased sea-level rise and coastal flooding, which inundate the margins of the desert
    • Only the presence of permafrost and ice wedges, which crack the ground in cold climates

  10. Which predicted impact of future climate change could increase desertification risk in dryland areas?

    • Greater cloud cover that eliminates evaporation from the soil and vegetation entirely
    • A rise in groundwater that waterlogs all drylands, preventing the soil from drying out
    • Increased rainfall intensity with no change in soil moisture, as the extra water runs straight off
    • Reduced rainfall and more frequent droughts in already dry regions

  11. Which factor best explains why desertification can be self-reinforcing?

    • Loss of vegetation increases infiltration and stores more soil water, which then supports more plant growth
    • Loss of vegetation reduces wind speed at the surface, which in turn reduces erosion of the soil
    • Loss of vegetation adds nutrients to the soil through decomposition, which encourages further plant growth
    • Loss of vegetation increases soil erosion and reduces water retention, further limiting plant growth

  12. Which alternative future is most consistent with managing desertification risk in a local population?

    • Abandoning all land management and relying entirely on imported food supplies from other countries
    • Adaptation through water harvesting, drought-resistant crops and diversified livelihoods
    • Clearing all remaining vegetation to increase surface albedo and so cool the local climate
    • Expanding unsustainable irrigation from a shrinking aquifer to increase crop output each year

  13. Which indicator would be most useful in assessing the distribution of areas at risk from desertification?

    • Average annual sunshine hours only, which describe the energy input rather than the water balance
    • Aridity index combined with land degradation and population density data
    • The number of hotels in a desert region, which indicates how many tourists visit each year
    • The colour of satellite images taken in winter only, when the vegetation is dormant

  14. Why is desertification difficult to reverse once it becomes severe?

    • Soil organic matter and vegetation take a long time to recover, and degraded soils have reduced infiltration and fertility
    • Desertification reverses itself within a single rainy season once the rain returns to the region
    • Severe desertification has no effect on soil fertility, so the land can be farmed as before
    • Vegetation regrows immediately once grazing stops, restoring the land to its earlier condition

  15. Which evidence best supports a claim that desertification is caused partly by human activity rather than climate alone?

    • Degradation occurring in areas with similar rainfall but different land management
    • Degradation occurring only in years with exceptionally high rainfall that washes away the topsoil
    • Degradation occurring equally in all land-use types, regardless of how the land is managed
    • Degradation occurring only on mountain summits, which are far from any human settlement

  16. Which impact on ecosystems is most closely linked to desertification?

    • A growth in tropical forest cover as the rainfall pattern moves towards the equator
    • An increase in wetland species across the entire region as the water table rises over time
    • A rise in the number of aquatic habitats as more ponds form in the depressions of the land
    • A shift in species composition towards drought-tolerant plants and a loss of habitat diversity

  17. Which statement describes the role of climate change in desertification?

    • Changing rainfall and temperature patterns can increase drought frequency and reduce vegetation in drylands
    • Climate change has no effect on drylands because they are controlled entirely by human land use
    • Climate change always increases rainfall in drylands, which prevents desertification from occurring
    • Climate change only affects polar regions, so drylands are never affected by it in any way

  18. Which mitigation response is commonly used to reduce wind erosion in dryland areas?

    • Planting windbreaks or shelter belts that reduce wind speed at the surface
    • Burning crop residues to clear the land quickly before each new planting season begins
    • Ploughing the soil deeply each year to loosen the surface in preparation for crops
    • Removing vegetation so that the wind can pass freely over the soil surface without obstruction

  19. What is a major impact of desertification on food production?

    • Declining crop and livestock yields as soil fertility and water availability fall
    • Increased yields because drier soils produce sweeter crops with a higher sugar content
    • Higher food production from waterlogged soils that retain nutrients for longer periods
    • No change in food production because farmers simply move to new land each season

  20. Why are dryland populations especially exposed to desertification impacts?

    • They rely closely on local rainfall, soil and vegetation for food, water and income
    • They are protected from land change by strong national legislation in every case
    • They live in areas where rainfall is abundant and reliable from one year to the next
    • They have few links to the land and earn most of their income from distant urban jobs

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