OPENAIRE OpenAire Research@WUR Sygma Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (BASE) UnpayWall NERC Open Research Archive IRIS - Università degli Studi di Verona Crossref Microsoft Academic Graph Europe PubMed Central PubMed Central European Union Open Data Portal https://iris.univr.it/bitstream/11562/1001390/1/Soil%20resources%20and%20element%20stocks%20in%20drylands%20to%20face%20global%20issues.pdf https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-32229-0.pdf https://doi.org/11369/372709 Scientific Reports Open Access 2018-09-07 2019-10-07 Abstract<p>Drylands (hyperarid, arid, semiarid, and dry subhumid ecosystems) cover almost half of Earth￢ﾀﾙs land surface and are highly vulnerable to environmental pressures. Here we provide an inventory of soil properties including carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) stocks within the current boundaries of drylands, aimed at serving as a benchmark in the face of future challenges including increased population, food security, desertification, and climate change. Aridity limits plant production and results in poorly developed soils, with coarse texture, low C:N and C:P, scarce organic matter, and high vulnerability to erosion. Dryland soils store 646 Pg of organic C to 2￢ﾀﾉm, the equivalent of 32% of the global soil organic C pool. The magnitude of the historic loss of C from dryland soils due to human land use and cover change and their typically low C:N and C:P suggest high potential to build up soil organic matter, but coarse soil textures may limit protection and stabilization processes. Restoring, preserving, and increasing soil organic matter in drylands may help slow down rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide by sequestering C, and is strongly needed to enhance food security and reduce the risk of land degradation and desertification.</p 2. Zero hunger 0301 basic medicine Conservation of Natural Resources 0303 health sciences Multidisciplinary Nitrogen Climate Climate Change Phosphorus 15. Life on land Article Carbon Food Supply Soil 03 medical and health sciences element cycles 13. Climate action carbon cycle Life Science Humans Desert Climate Ecosystem geochemistry César Plaza, Claudio Zaccone, Kasia Sawicka, Ana M. Méndez, Ana Tarquis, Gabriel Gascó, Gerard B. M. Heuvelink, Edward A. G. Schuur, Fernando T. Maestre, 2018-09-13 journalpaper Abstract<p>Drylands (hyperarid, arid, semiarid, and dry subhumid ecosystems) cover almost half of Earth￢ﾀﾙs land surface and are highly vulnerable to environmental pressures. Here we provide an inventory of soil properties including carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) stocks within the current boundaries of drylands, aimed at serving as a benchmark in the face of future challenges including increased population, food security, desertification, and climate change. Aridity limits plant production and results in poorly developed soils, with coarse texture, low C:N and C:P, scarce organic matter, and high vulnerability to erosion. Dryland soils store 646 Pg of organic C to 2￢ﾀﾉm, the equivalent of 32% of the global soil organic C pool. The magnitude of the historic loss of C from dryland soils due to human land use and cover change and their typically low C:N and C:P suggest high potential to build up soil organic matter, but coarse soil textures may limit protection and stabilization processes. Restoring, preserving, and increasing soil organic matter in drylands may help slow down rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide by sequestering C, and is strongly needed to enhance food security and reduce the risk of land degradation and desertification.</p Soil resources and element stocks in drylands to face global issues 11369/372709 654132