Desertification is often misunderstood as involving only the encroachment of existing deserts, but a large share of dryland degradation actually occurs on land that was never a desert at all, following removal of vegetation cover through overgrazing, unsustainable agriculture and deforestation, which strips topsoil of the root systems that once held it against wind and water erosion. Once critical thresholds of vegetation loss are crossed, the resulting soil degradation can become very difficult, and in some cases practically impossible within a human timeframe, to reverse. Declining forest cover has been linked not only to desertification but also to disrupted local rainfall patterns and a loss of habitat for wildlife dependent on forest ecosystems.

With reference to the above passage, which of the following inferences is/are correct?

1. Desertification can occur on land that was never originally a desert.

2. Soil degradation, once severe enough, can be practically irreversible within a human timeframe.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.