Biodiversity in Drylands: Research, Management and Demonstration Needs

Initiative number: 99D-10
Initiative duration: 1 year
Dates: May 1, 1999 to April 30, 2000

Demonstrators

Moshe Shachak (PD) - Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, Sede Boker 84990 Israel, TEL: 972-(7)-659-6786, FAX: 972-(7)-659-6772, email: shachak@bgumail.bgu.ac.il

Itshack Moshe - Keren Kayemet Le'Israel (JNF), Gilat, POB Negev, Israel 85410, TEL: 972-(7)-692-3070

Sol Brand - Blaustein Institute for Desert Research and School for Environmental Studies, Sede Boke 84990 Israel, TEL: 972-(7)-659-6786, FAX: 972-(7)-659-6772

Proposal Abstract

Drylands are undergoing accelerating changes, mainly due to shifts in land use and climate change initiated by humans. These changes affect the distribution and abundance of species, habitats, and ecosystems, thereby creating a new landscape mosaic. Since biodiversity includes the diversity of organisms in their complex assemblages of interacting communities and ecosystems, drylands are experiencing accelerating changes in biodiversity.

In order to promote integrative and comparative research and management into the biodiversity of drylands, and to facilitate the formation of a network of demonstration centers focusing on dryland biodiversity and its management, the researchers propose to conduct an international workshop

In relation to biodiversity this workshop will

  1. develop a conceptual framework for integration,
  2. pose questions to guide research,
  3. promote development of ecosystem management for biodiversity,
  4. promote the establishment of an international demonstration network for biodiversity management, and
  5. publish a book on Biodiversity in Drylands: Research, Management and Demonstration needs.

The researchers believe that this workshop should serve as a foundation for the establishment of new demonstration stations in drylands and support existing stations on the issue of biodiversity. This issue has a very wide clientele including high school pupils, university students, rangeland managers, conservation, restoration and ecosystem management personnel, as well as academics.

Outcomes

Book

Shachak, M., J. Gosz, S.T.A. Pickett and A. Perevolotsky, eds. 2005. Biodiversity in drylands: Towards a unified framework. Oxford University Press.

Groffman, P., E. Zaady and M. Shachak. 2005. Microbial contribution to biodiversity at organism, landscape and ecosystem scales. In Biodiversity in drylands: Towards a unified framework. Shachak, M., J. Gosz, S.T.A. Pickett and A. Perevolotsky, eds. Oxford University Press.

Perevolotsky, A. M. Shachak and S. Pickett. 2005. Management for biodiversity: Human and landscape effects on dry environments. In Biodiversity in drylands: Towards a unified framework. Shachak, M., J. Gosz, S.T.A. Pickett and A. Perevolotsky, eds. Oxford University Press.

Shachak, M., J. Gosz and S.T.A. Pickett. 2005.. Species diversity and ecosystem processes in water limited systems. In Biodiversity in drylands: Towards a unified framework. Shachak, M., J. Gosz, S.T.A. Pickett and A. Perevolotsky, eds. Oxford University Press.

Wilby, A., B. Boeken and M. Shachak. 2005. Animal influence on the species diversity of arid-land plant communities. In Biodiversity in drylands: Towards a unified framework. Shachak, M., J. Gosz, S.T.A. Pickett and A. Perevolotsky, eds. Oxford University Press.

Funding

Support for this initiative came from the USDA Forest Service.