About this Research Topic

Background

Desert ecosystems possess a significant number of natural resources, with numerous native and endemic plant species. However, these ecosystems are being degraded and soil system processes disrupted, mostly due to the impacts from climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances. Degradation of ecosystems and loss of biodiversity are considered great challenges, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. The soils of arid regions are generally sandy with extremely low organic matter, having very low nutrients and microbial activity. Land degradation is further enhanced by the inherent fragility of soils, sand movements due to wind erosion, and loss of native vegetation cover. Arid regions are considered one of the toughest regions to survive and thrive on this planet, encompassing huge challenges to maintain vegetation development and productivity. Therefore, improved knowledge of plant-soil biological processes in arid regions underpins our capacity to better understand the ecological processes for successful restoration and revegetation of arid ecosystem.

The leading characteristics of degradation of arid region ecosystems include a reduction in vegetation productivity, loss of species diversity, diminishing soil functions and increase in soil erosion, sand movements, loss of water, and reduction of soil organic matter. The interactions of plants, soil, and microorganisms within the rhizosphere profoundly impact the biogeochemical cycling and soil system processes.

An outstanding question is to what extent does soil biodiversity play an integral role as a determinant of plant diversity and productivity, and how does this influence ecosystem functions? Ultimately, the goal is to achieve a resilient and self-sustaining ecosystem with respect to structure, vegetation composition, and function with restored soil health and ecological processes. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to consider reinforcing the recovery processes of degraded ecosystems by restoring the components and soil ecological processes including soil microbial communities of a damaged site or ecosystem to bring the restored sites back to a normal state and assist in the resumption of normal ecological functions.

We welcome articles that describe both fundamental and applied research on desert and arid land soil affected by desertification, soil system processes, plant and soil biodiversity, restoration, and revegetation of degraded arid lands. Research on microbial inoculum applications, soil amendments for the recuperation of soil health is also encouraged.

Below are themes of particular interest with suggested Topic Editors in parentheses:

- Studies on restoration of soil structure, moisture retention capacity in the soil, plant nutrition, soil microbial activity, soil health, biogeochemical cycles, and ecological processes (Drs Quoreshi and Adeleke)
- Response and adaptation of soil biota to environmental changes (Drs Kumar, Qu, and Adeleke)
- Vegetation and soil biodiversity of deserts and arid regions including the structure and composition of desert communities (Drs Atangana and Quoreshi)
- Study of interactions among biotic and abiotic components on desert vegetation (Drs Qu and Kumar)
- Plant-microbes-soil interactions in the rhizosphere and soil system processes (Drs Adeleke and Quoreshi)
- Rhizosphere ecology (Drs Quoreshi, Adeleke, and Kumar)
- Plant-soil ecological function of disturbed terrestrial ecosystems (Drs Atangana and Quoreshi)
- Ecological monitoring of restored ecosystems, including vegetation survival, soil processes, changes in soil structure and nutrients, soil physical and chemical characteristics, environmental conditions, and soil microbiological conditions (Drs Atangana and Quoreshi)

Keywords: desert, soil, soil structure, biodiversity, restoration, rhizosphere functioning, ecological monitoring

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