Fostering Desertification Control for Sustainable Development: Soil and Water Conservation Perspectives

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil and Water".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 30

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
Interests: desertification control; dryland agriculture; irrigation and nutrient management; organic amendments; soil health; climate change; desertification control; crop Modeling; soil improvement; irrigation management; oasis agriculture

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Desertification is a global challenge severely affecting human well-being, food security, biodiversity, socioeconomic stability, and sustainable development. It threatens dryland areas, which comprise about 41% of the global land area, supporting 44% of croplands, 50% of livestock, and over two billion people. Climate change, combined with human activities such as population growth, excessive agriculture, overgrazing, unsustainable water use, and extreme weather events, has significantly accelerated desertification worldwide. Addressing this issue is crucial to preventing the degradation of renewable natural resources, including soil, vegetation, and water. In line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 15.3, which aims to combat desertification and achieve a land degradation-neutral world by 2030, this Special Issue will serve as a premier platform for presenting the latest research, and advancements in soil and water conservation for desertification control. Key topics include soil erosion control, sustainable land management, water harvesting, the role of vegetation in desert ecosystems, and the socio-economic aspects of desertification. Additionally, the Special Issue will explore the impacts of climate change on desertification and the potential of emerging technologies in land degradation management. The Special Issue will contribute to current discussions on sustainable progress and offer practical ideas for decision-makers, professionals, and scholars committed to reversing land deterioration and promoting resilience in vulnerable ecosystems.

Dr. Zeeshan Ahmed
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • desertification
  • climate change
  • vegetation restoration
  • food security
  • soil erosion
  • sustainable livelihood
  • water harvesting

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
Back to TopTop