The authors of Reversal of Desertification The Role of Physical and Chemical Soil Properties claim that when given enough time and livestock are removed from a land a desertified land soil is very likely to regain its lost nutrients thereby enhancing the growth of new grasses that are perennial in nature To support their claim they conducted an observation whereby they analyzed the soil nutrients and water infiltration of a desertified site in southeastern Arizona At the end of the study they found evidence showing that though removal of livestock grazing alone cannot solve the issue of desertification proper management and removal of livestock on dry lands over time can reverse the problem thereby increasing the water infiltration rate in the case of the tested site it was increased by 24 as the trampling of livestock can compress the soil thus reducing the amount of water the soil holds This source answers part of the question of how can the problem of desertification be reversed or solved by carrying out a firsthand observation which included the testing and analyzation of a desertified land in the southeast of Arizona The goal of the authors was to refute the notion that such desertified environment cannot be reversible and provide an observation which will encourage managers of desertified lands by showing them evidence that with sufficient time and elimination of grazing by livestock the necessary soil properties nutrients and the ability of the soil to retain water that encourages growth can be improved
