Final answer:
Rangeland degradation is primarily caused by deforestation and unsustainable agricultural practices such as overgrazing, leading to soil erosion and the loss of biodiversity. Habitat destruction through land conversion for agriculture and ranching, as well as ecological disturbances from changes in fire regimes and climate change, play additional roles in degrading rangelands.
Step-by-step explanation:
The degradation of rangeland can be attributed to a variety of factors. One major cause is the result of deforestation and unsustainable agricultural practices, such as overgrazing by livestock. This can lead to soil erosion, loss of organic matter, disruption of natural nutrient cycles, and soil salinity, therefore impairing the land's capacity to support diverse ecosystems.
Additionally, the conversion of land for agricultural use, including cattle ranching, has led to habitat destruction, where significant rangeland ecosystems have been reduced or eliminated. This not only releases greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane, exacerbating global warming, but also diminishes the biodiversity and the ecological balance of the area.
Other factors contributing to rangeland degradation include the overarching impacts of habitat fragmentation, altered fire regimes, climate change, and the rise of groundwater levels in certain regions that bring salts to the surface, further reducing the productivity and health of the soil.