Biogeochemical processes and their effects on the ecosystem functioning in arid and semi-arid areas are unique. As they are strongly tied to the water cycle, and to a large extent are believed to be triggered and enhanced by water, a scarce resource in drylands, their importance in such ecosystems is often overlooked. Nevertheless, there is an increasing volume of evidence showing the importance of biogeochemical processes (e.g., soil respiration, plant transpiration and photosynthesis, and nutrition elements as carbon, N, P, and S) in arid and semi-arid ecosystems.
This session addresses biogeochemical and ecohydrological processes in arid, semi-arid, and drought-prone environments, where much is yet to be discovered. Contributions are welcome on studies in arid and semi-arid ecosystems concerning (a) soil-vegetation-atmosphere interactions and biogeochemical and eco-hydrological controls on water, (2) nutrients availability in soils and plants in both natural and anthropogenic impacted (e.g., land use changes and land degradation) environments.