Ecosystems in arid and semi-arid regions of the world are frequently affected by periods of extended drought and resource over-exploitation. Dryland ecosystems are particularly sensitive to climate change in terms of plant species associations, plant distribution along environmental gradients, ecosystem functioning, and ecological and economic productivity. Environmental change in these areas may require that new management strategies and field approaches be developed to protect these vulnerable ecosystems. A devoted account of dryland ecosystems and their response to changing environmental conditions can help develop new management strategies and inform policy.

To facilitate the study of arid and semi-arid ecosystems and provide recent research findings in the area, we propose that the special issue address the following:

• characterizations of vegetation growth patterns and productivity along dryness gradients in China and in other areas of the world,
• assessments of dryland ecosystems with combating global warming and in contributing to the uptake and storage of greenhouse gases,
• systematic studies of desertification and related land degradation processes,
• assessments of resiliency and hydrological responses of dryland ecosystems to climate change, and
• identification and substantiation of scientifically based management strategies suitable for arid and semi-arid regions of China and other areas of the world.