Publisher's Synopsis
Dryland ecosystems support a surprising amount of biodiversity; desertification, however, is a significant land degradation problem in the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions of the world. The situation is likely to worsen with high population growth rates and accompanying land-use conflicts. The contributions to this publication, an international scientific conference held under the leadership of UNESCO, address these issues and offer practical solutions for combating desertification along with conserving and sustainably managing dryland ecosystems. This volume documents how improved understanding of drylands provides insight into the health and future prospects of these ecosystems that should help ensure that dryland communities enjoy a sustainable future.--Publisher's description.
