Ecological Restoration of the Degraded Dryland Ecosystems

The field of ecological restoration addresses the significant degradation of dryland ecosystems caused by anthropogenic pressures such as land-use change, unsustainable resource exploitation, pollution, invasive species, and climate change. Over an estimation of 75% of the Earth's land area is considered degraded, with drylands being disproportionately affected, threatening biodiversity, essential ecosystem services like carbon sequestration, soil fertility, and water regulation, as well as human well-being. Degraded drylands often become significant sources of greenhouse gases, further exacerbating climate change. Reversing this degradation is crucial for reaching global sustainability goals, climate mitigation targets, and ensuring food and water security for the increasing global population. Ecological restoration serves as an essential strategy for restoring dryland ecosystem structure, function, and resilience.

This Research Topic aims to gather innovative research, methodologies, and reviews that push the boundaries of the science and practice of ecological restoration in drylands. The focus is on the restoration of degraded dryland ecosystems, including arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid regions such as deserts, grasslands, savannas, and saline-alkali lands. We are interested in studies that provide insights into degradation processes specific to drylands, identify effective restoration interventions across various dryland biomes and disturbance regimes, and develop frameworks for monitoring and assessing restoration success in these water-limited environments. Our emphasis is on integrating ecological theory and practical applications, addressing socio-economic dimensions, policy implications, and incorporating traditional ecological knowledge relevant to drylands. The objective is to stimulate multidisciplinary dialogue and expedite the development of scalable, cost-effective, and ecologically sound dryland restoration strategies. Solutions that promote biodiversity recovery, ecosystem functionality, and landscape connectivity in drylands, while contributing to climate change adaptation and mitigation, are of particular interest.

To gather further insights within dryland ecological restoration, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Dryland Mechanisms & Assessment: Understanding dryland-specific degradation drivers and developing robust indicators/metrics for assessing degradation levels and restoration progress.
• Dryland Ecological Techniques: Novel and proven methods for restoring biodiversity, soil health, hydrology, and ecosystem processes in drylands such as assisted natural regeneration, drought-tolerant species reintroduction, soil amendments, biological soil crust rehabilitation, and mycorrhizal applications.
• Monitoring & Evaluation in Drylands: Remote sensing, field-based approaches, and modeling tools for tracking restoration trajectories and long-term outcomes under arid or semi-arid conditions.
• Climate & Carbon Nexus in Drylands: Quantifying carbon sequestration potential and the role of dryland restoration in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
• Socio-Ecological Integration for Drylands: Governance models, community engagement, economic incentives, policy frameworks, and equity considerations in dryland restoration planning and implementation.
We encourage a variety of article types, including original research, review articles, perspectives, and case studies focused on drylands.