Abstract Context Effectively estimating the influences of urban expansion on multiple ecosystem services (ESs) is great importance for improving planning in drylands. However, there are some shortcomings existing models, which lead to uncertainties assessment ESs. Objectives This study sought effectively estimate ESs Methods We combined land use scenario dynamics-urban model and ES models habit...

Any views expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of CIFOR, the authors' institutions or the financial sponsors of this publication. Contents Abbreviations vi Acknowledgements vii Foreword viii 1 Challenges and forest-based opportunities in the drylands of Ethiopia 1 1.1 Drylands of Ethiopia 1 1.2 Challenges facing the drylands of Ethi...

Global warming alters surface water availability (precipitation minus evapotranspiration, P–E) and hence freshwater resources. However, the influence of land–atmosphere feedbacks on future P–E changes underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that soil moisture (SM) strongly impacts changes, especially in drylands, by regulating evapotranspiration atmospheric inflow. Using model...

Dryland ecosystems are highly vulnerable to climatic and land-use changes, while the mechanisms underlying patterns of dryland species richness are still elusive. With distributions of 3637 native vascular plants, 154 mammals, and 425 birds in Xinjiang, China, we tested the water-energy dynamics hypothesis for species richness patterns in Central Asian drylands. Our results supported the water-...

The scope for enhancement of productivity under irrigated conditions is limited due to over-exploitation available resources However, there ample opportunity boosting yield in drylands by adopting suitable crops and cropping systems. agricultural sustainability comparatively hard achieve different constraints like poor soil fertility, lack irrigation facilities moisture stress, small holdings l...

Precipitation pulses are essential for the regeneration of drylands and have been shown to be related to oceanographic anomalies. However, whereas some studies report increased precipitation in drylands in northern Mexico during El Niño years, others report increased drought in the southern drylands. To elucidate the effect of oceanographic/atmospheric anomalies on moisture pulses along the who...

Links between water and carbon (C) cycles in drylands are strongly regulated by biocrusts. These widespread communities the intershrub spaces of able to use non-rainfall inputs (NRWI) (fog, dewfall vapour) become active fix dioxide (CO2), converting biocrusts into main soil C contributors during periods which vegetation remains inactive. In this study, we first evaluated influence biocrust type...