THE ROLE OF NATURAL AND HUMAN FACTORS IN THE DEGRADATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN CENTRAL, EASTERN, AND NORTHERN SAUDI ARABIA (DESERTIFICATION, AL-QASSIM, PASTURE, WATER RESOURCES, HUNTING, ISLAM)

The roles of natural and human factors in the arid lands have long been a matter of concern to many researchers. This study tries to find out the causes of degradation of natural environments in the central, eastern, and northern parts of Saudi Arabia. The decrease in rainfall leads to increasing aridity and, thus paves the way for greater deterioration of the environment as the carrying capacity of the arid lands decreases. This study determines that human activities have had adverse effects on the arid lands of Saudi Arabia. Causes of degradation of environment in the study area include: (1) drought; (2) agricultural malpractice and soil degradation; (3) use of wood for fuel; (4) water wastage; (5) wind-blown sand; (6) pressure of locusts; (7) hunting; (8) societal instability; (9) oil rush and population pressure; (10) management of the environment; and (11) overgrazing of pastures.;Two problems are presented. The first problem is concerned with pasture conditions in the study area. Pastures of the Arabian desert started to show steady deterioration as early as 1932 due to a radical change in life style of the desert dwellers. The factors thought to be responsible for pasture deterioration are: (1) drought; (2) governmental subsidies; (3) Bedouins' mobility and overgrazing; (4) dry farming; (5) tree cutting and wood collecting; (6) migration of neighboring herds; (7) clearing of herbs and grasses; (8) elimination or weakening of the hema system; and (9) TransArabia Oil Pipline (TAPLINE) and its effects. The attitudes of Bedouins were evaluated through a questionnaire.;The second problem deals with the future of agriculture in Al-Qassim. An extensive, mechanized agriculture has been developed that is consuming a great deal of fossil groundwater. The data shows a 10-meter/year piezometric surface drawdown. The future of agriculture in Al-Qassim is closely tied to the availability of this fossil water because the natural recharge in today's arid climate of Saudi Arabia is minimal. Agriculture in this area will fail should the 300-meter limit of economical drawdown of water be reached.;An analysis of people's attitudes towards their environment in relation to their beliefs finds that the attitude of people towards the idea of conservation is not as positive as the attitude of Islam.