Global Deserts OutlookExequiel Ezcurra The Global Deserts Outlook presents a panorama of the environmental status of the world's deserts: their location and extent, uniqueness and vulnerability, biodiversity and natural resources. The report provides a balanced picture of deserts as ecosystems which form a special part of the world's natural and cultural heritage, and not simply as land that is the end result of the process of desertification. Few places on earth contain a richer collection of natural adaptations to the environment. Readers are challenged to consider the development potential of deserts and their conservation needs, to explore what would be the most appropriate and sustainable livelihoods for people living in desert areas. Deserts do not have much water, but they do have other natural resources. The knowledge and technology exist to manage these resources sustainably; the challenge lies with determining and implementing appropriate actions for desirable long-term outcomes |
Contents
People and Deserts | 27 |
Deserts and the Planet Linkages between Deserts and NonDeserts | 49 |
State and Trends of the Worlds Deserts | 73 |
Challenges and Opportunities Change Development and Conservation | 89 |
Desert Outlook and Options for Action | 111 |
Appendix 1 | 141 |
Collaborating Centres | 147 |
Common terms and phrases
abundance adaptations Africa agriculture animals Arabian Aral Sea Argentina arid Atacama atmosphere basin biodiversity biological biome birds Box author California camels carbon cent Chihuahuan Desert climate change coast coastal desert conservation crops cross-desert cultural dams desert areas desert biome desert ecosystems desert environment desert margins desert plants desertification diversity drought drylands dunes dust Ecology economic ecoregions energy environmental ephemeral erosion Ezcurra Figure global climate Gobi grazing groundwater growth habitats human impact increase IPCC irrigation Lake land degradation landscapes livelihoods livestock migration Millennium Ecosystem Assessment million montane mountains Namib Desert Namibia natural Nellemann nomads non-desert North northern oases population potential precipitation production protection rainfall regions Research rivers Safriel Sahara salinization salt sand scenarios shrublands shrubs soil solar Sonoran Desert Source southern species square kilometres surface sustainable temperature terrestrial ecoregions tourism UNEP University urban vegetation cover warming wetlands Windhoek world's deserts