Final answer:
Desertification directly leads to the loss of wildlife due to the degradation of their habitats. It can also cause increased temperatures and may indirectly contribute to problems like invasive species and decreased air quality.
Step-by-step explanation:
Desertification leads to a variety of environmental impacts, but the one that directly results from the process is Loss of wildlife. Desertification, often driven by human activities such as slash-and-burn agriculture or overgrazing, strips the land of its fertile topsoil, making it inhospitable for many forms of life. As the vegetation is lost, the habitat for wildlife rapidly degrades, leading to a decrease in biodiversity.
Further negative outcomes include increased temperatures due to the loss of vegetation cover that normally helps to regulate the local climate. With the spread of desert conditions, the land becomes unable to support many forms of life, resulting in significant disruption to the ecosystem. This ecological shift often forces species to migrate or face extinction, drastically altering the natural balance. Although not directly mentioned, invasive species can take advantage of the disturbed conditions, but they are not a primary result of desertification itself. Similarly, decreased air quality can be a secondary effect as dust storms become more prevalent and vegetation that once filtered the air is lost.
In sum, desertification transforms once fertile lands into deserts, causing significant environmental and socioeconomic challenges, including the loss of wildlife, changes in climate patterns, and displacement of human populations relying on the land for their livelihoods.