Physiological and ecological responses of plants and plant communities in dryland environments

Excerpt

Ecosystem degradation due to the desertification of drylands has a negative effect on the environmental conditions and lives of the residents. Therefore, it is crucial to prevent the enlargement of desertified land and to rehabilitate the ecosystem through the conservation of native plants and revegetation using native plants. To prevent the spread of desertification and to restore ecosystems, it is necessary to understand the physical and chemical conditions of the location and accurately assess the carrying capacity of the land. In particular, it is important to assess the amount of water resources available and accurately understand the water use characteristics of the vegetation used for restoration. Although native species often have a variety of physiological and ecological characteristics adapted to harsh environmental conditions, newly introduced species from other regions may have lower water use efficiency or higher water consumption than native species. Revegetation using species that have deep roots, use groundwater, and have active transpiration, for example, may often consume large amounts of water (Wilske et al. 2009), and may eventually result unsuccessful rehabilitation. …