Arid Environment
Lack of water prevents a desert from supporting much plant and animal life, although some species thrive in this environment. Burgeoning human populations on the edges of the desert strain the water supply, which affects the already sparse flora and fauna.
Desertification
Desertification is the process in which once usable land becomes inhospitable and loses its ability to sustain life, essentially becoming unusable. Desertification is growing due to misuse of land resources, such as over-farming and over-grazing.
Human Activity
Though droughts trigger desertification, human activity is the largest cause, reports the United Nations. Over-cultivation, poorly drained irrigation systems, mismanagement of available water, digging for fossil fuels and introduction of invasive species are only some of the environmental problems in desert biomes created by humans.