Structure, Functions, and Interactions of Dryland Ecosystems

Abstract

Understanding the interactions between the structures and functions underlying regime shifts in dryland social-ecological systems (SESs) and how they respond to climate change is critical for predicting and managing the future of these ecosystems. Due to the high spatiotemporal variability and sensitivity of drylands ecosystem to natural and anthropogenic disturbances, it is challenging to predict the state shifts of dryland SESs. This theme delves into the mechanisms and geographical heterogeneity of resilience and the maintenance of the stability of dryland SESs that involve threshold behaviors. We emphasized the importance of considering both biotic and abiotic factors to identify the factors that drive the evolution of ecosystem structures and functions in drylands. The research frontier involves understanding how ecohydrological and socioeconomic processes drive the evolution of dryland SESs in a geographically diverse and scale-dependent context, developing comprehensive indicators, models, and multivariable approaches, and the development of effective management strategies that can maintain the sustainability of dryland SESs in the face of ongoing global environmental changes.