Land degradation, the long-term decline in ecosystem function and productivity, is estimated to be occurring on 24% of land worldwide, with cropland overrepresented.
lˈænd dᵻɡɹɐdˈeɪʃən, ðə lˈɔŋtˈɜːm dᵻklˈaɪn ɪn ˈiːkoʊsˌɪstəm fˈʌŋkʃən ænd pɹˌɑːdəktˈɪvᵻɾi, ɪz ˈɛstᵻmˌeɪɾᵻd təbi əkˈɜːɹɪŋ ˌɔn twˈɛnti fˈoːɹ pɚsˈɛnt ʌv lˈænd wˈɜːldwaɪd, wɪð kɹˈɑːplənd ˌoʊvɚɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntᵻd.