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Soil and Water Resources Management for Combating Desertification in Drylands Under Climate Change
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Desertification, land degradation, and climate change are among the most pressing environmental challenges of the 21st century, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where ecosystems are inherently fragile and highly sensitive to climatic variability and anthropogenic pressures. Drylands cover a substantial proportion of the Earth’s terrestrial surface and support the livelihoods of more than two billion people worldwide. However, increasing temperatures, prolonged droughts, unsustainable land use practices, soil erosion, salinization, groundwater depletion, and biodiversity loss are accelerating ecosystem degradation and undermining food and water security.
Scientific research over the past decades has demonstrated that land degradation is closely linked to climate dynamics, hydrological processes, soil functionality, and socio-economic drivers. Integrated land and water resource management, climate-smart agricultural practices, ecosystem restoration, and innovative monitoring tools (e.g., remote sensing, GIS, and environmental modeling) are increasingly recognized as essential components for enhancing resilience in drylands. Furthermore, achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) under the framework of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification requires interdisciplinary approaches that bridge biophysical sciences, socio-economic analysis, governance frameworks, and technological innovation.
In this context, advancing knowledge on sustainable soil and water management, environmental monitoring, and nexus-based approaches (water–energy–food ecosystem) is critical for mitigating degradation processes and supporting climate adaptation strategies. The urgency of these issues underscores the importance of providing a scientific platform that consolidates cutting-edge research and fosters dialogue across disciplines and regions.
This Special Issue aims to present high-quality, peer-reviewed research addressing Soil and Water Resources Management for Combating Desertification in Drylands Under Climate Change. It seeks to compile original research articles, reviews, case studies, and methodological advances that explore the following:
- Climate vulnerability and adaptation strategies in arid and semi-arid environments;
- Sustainable soil conservation and land rehabilitation techniques;
- Integrated water resource management and innovative water-saving technologies;
- Environmental monitoring, remote sensing, and geospatial tools for land degradation assessment;
- WEFE nexus approaches and cross-sectoral sustainability solutions;
- Policy frameworks, governance mechanisms, and socio-economic dimensions of land management.
The thematic focus of this Special Issue strongly aligns with the scope of Land (MDPI), which emphasizes land system science, land-use change, sustainable land management, ecosystem services, environmental planning, and the socio-ecological dimensions of land resources. By addressing both biophysical processes and human–environment interactions, this Special Issue contributes to a comprehensive understanding of land degradation dynamics and sustainable development pathways in drylands.
Through interdisciplinary and transboundary perspectives, the Special Issue aims to advance scientific knowledge, inform policy, and support evidence-based decision-making to enhance resilience, safeguard ecosystem services, and promote sustainable land stewardship in the face of climate change.
This Special Issue will welcome manuscripts that link to the following themes:
- Climate Change: Focuses on vulnerability, adaptation strategies, and the impacts of climate extremes on human and ecological communities.
- Soil and Water Conservation: Explores techniques for restoring soil fertility, erosion control, efficient irrigation, and land rehabilitation.
- Environmental Monitoring: Highlights the use of geospatial technologies, remote sensing, and modeling tools to track degradation.
- WEFE Nexus: Addresses the vital interconnections between water, energy, food, and ecosystems in arid environments.
We look forward to receiving your original research articles and reviews.
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Ouessar
Prof. Dr. Elena Bresci
Prof. Dr. Rabi H. Mohtar
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this
Keywords
- desertification
- land degradation
- soil and water resource management
- climate change adaptation
- WEFE nexus
- environmental monitoring
- dryland ecosystems
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Published Papers
This special issue is now open for submission.