The future of drylands
Subtitle: international scientific conference on desertification and drylands research, Tunis, Tunisia, 19-21 June 2006
By: Cathy Lee, Thomas Schaaf, editors.
Contributors: Lee, Cathy.; Schaaf, Thomas.; Unesco.
Series: Man and the biosphere series; Man and biosphere series
Publisher: Springer; UNESCO
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Dordrecht, Netherlands; Paris
Language: eng
Number of pages: 855
ISBN-13: 9781402069697; 9789231040528; 9781402069703
Subjects: Arid regions -- Congresses; Desertification -- Congresses; Deserts -- Congresses; Desertification -- Control -- Congresses; Sustainable development -- Congresses; Arid regions -- Research -- Congresses; Desertification -- Research -- Congresses
Genres: Congresses
Other titles: Drylands; International scientific conference on desertification and drylands research; Desertification and drylands research
Description: "Drylands have been cradles to some of the worlds greatest civilizations, and contemporary dryland communities feature rich and unique cultures. 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. Deterioration of soil and plant cover has adversely affected 70% of the world's drylands as a result of extended droughts as well as mismanagement of range and cultivated lands. The situation is likely to worsen with high population growth rates and accompanying land-use conflicts." "The contributions to The Future of Drylands - 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. Major themes include the conservation of dryland biological and cultural diversity and the human dryland interface. This volume documents how our improved understanding of drylands provides insight into the health and future prospects of these precious ecosystems that should help ensure that dryland communities enjoy a sustainable future."--Jacket.
Notes: "Under the leadership of UNESCO, the international scientific conference on the Future of Drylands was held in Tunis, Tunisia from 19 to 21 June 2006"--P. vii.

Includes bibliographical references.
Table of contents: title: Opening session; title: Conservation of biodiversity, cultural and natural heritage in drylands; title: Dryland hydrology and watershed management; title: Monitoring and forecasting of dryland ecosystem dynamics; title: Sustainable land use and agriculture; title: Disaster and risk management in drylands; title: Policy, governance and socio-economic dynamics in changing drylands; title: Viable dryland livelihood and policy options; title: Education and knowledge sharing in drylands; title: Closing session.