The International Arid Lands Consortium (IALC) was established in 1990 to promote research, education, and training activities related to the development, management, and restoration or reclamation of arid and semiarid lands worldwide. The IALC, a leading international organization, supports ecological sustainability and development of arid and semiarid lands. Building on a decade of experience, IALC continues to increase the knowledge-base for managers by funding research, development, and demonstration projects, and special initiatives. The results from the scientific and technical projects enhance management and stewardship of arid and semiarid ecosystems for sustainable use, while maintaining the integrity of the ecological processes. The publication presents a review of the accomplishments and contributions of IALC's science and technical programs through a synopsis of the projects and initiatives. We group the projects and initiatives into soil and water resources development and conservation, land use and reclamation, processes enhancing the management of ecological systems, and inventorying and measurements techniques and monitoring.

Ecological restoration is a rapidly evolving discipline that is engaged with developing both methodologies and strategies for repairing damaged and polluted ecosystems and environments. During the last decade the rapid pace of climate change coupled with continuing habitat destruction and the spread of non-native species to new habitats has forced restoration ecologists to re-evaluate their goals and the methods they use. This comprehensive handbook brings together an internationally respected group of established and rising experts in the field. The book begins with a description of current practices and the state of knowledge in particular areas of restoration, and then identifies new directions that will help the field achieve increasing levels of future success. Part I provides basic background about ecological and environmental restoration. Part II systematically reviews restoration in key ecosystem types located throughout the world. In Part III, management and policy issues are examined in detail, offering the first comprehensive treatment of policy relevance in the field, while Part IV looks to the future. Ultimately, good ecological restoration depends upon a combination of good science, policy, planning and outreach – all issues that are addressed in this unrivalled volume.

We must enhance the effectiveness ofland stewardship and management of the world's natural resources to meet a growing global population's need for conservation, sustainable development, and use of land, water, and other natural resources. Ecosystem-based, mul tiple-use land stewardship is necessary when considering the present and future uses ofland, water, and other natural resources on an operationally efficient scale. We need holistically planned and carefully implemented watershed management practices, projects, and pro grams to accommodate the increasing demand for commodities and amenities, clear water, open space, and uncluttered landscapes. An international conference in Tucson, Arizona, from March 13 to 16, 2000, examined these needs and increased people's awareness of the contributions that ecosystem-based, multiple-use watershed management can make to future land stewardship. The conference was sponsored by the School of Renewable Natural Resources, University of Arizona; the College of Agriculture, University of Arizona; the Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service; the Research Center for Conservation of Water Resources and Disaster Pre vention, National Chung-Hsing University, Taiwan; the Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota; the Center for Integrated Natural Resources and Agriculture Man agement, University of Minnesota; the Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas del Noreste, Mexico; the International Arid Lands Consortium; the USDA Natural Resources Conserva tion Service; the Bureau of Land Management of the Department of the Interior; the Salt River Project, Phoenix, Arizona; the Southern Arizona Chapter, Southwestern Section of the Society of American Foresters; and IUFRO Working Party 8. 04. 04, Erosion Control by Watershed Management.

Nearly one-third of the land area on our planet is classified as arid or desert. Therefore, an understanding of the dynamics of such arid ecosystems is essential to managing those systems in a way that sustains human populations. This second edition of Ecology of Desert Systems provides a clear, extensive guide to the complex interactions involved in these areas. This book details the relationships between abiotic and biotic environments of desert ecosystems, demonstrating to readers how these interactions drive ecological processes. These include plant growth and animal reproductive success, the spatial and temporal distribution of vegetation and animals, and the influence of invasive species and anthropogenic climate change specific to arid systems. Drawing on the extensive experience of its expert authors, Ecology of Desert Systems is an essential guide to arid ecosystems for students looking for an overview of the field, researchers keen to learn how their work fits in to the overall picture, and those involved with environmental management of desert areas. - Highlights the complexity of global desert systems in a clear, concise way - Reviews the most current issues facing researchers in the field, including the spread of invasive species due to globalized trade, the impact of industrial mining, and climate change - Updated and extended to include information on invasive species management, industrial mining impacts, and the current and future role of climate change in desert systems