title: Structure and functioning of dryland ecosystems in a changing world.
abstract: Understanding how drylands respond to ongoing environmental change is extremely important for global sustainability. Here we review how biotic attributes, climate, grazing pressure, land cover change and nitrogen deposition affect the functioning of drylands at multiple spatial scales. Our synthesis highlights the importance of biotic attributes (e.g. species richness) in maintaining fundamental ecosystem processes such as primary productivity, illustrate how N deposition and grazing pressure are impacting ecosystem functioning in drylands worldwide, and highlight the importance of the traits of woody species as drivers of their expansion in former grasslands. We also emphasize the role of attributes such as species richness and abundance in controlling the responses of ecosystem functioning to climate change. This knowledge is essential to guide conservation and restoration efforts in drylands, as biotic attributes can be actively managed at the local scale to increase ecosystem resilience to global change.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Calle Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Maestre
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Eldridge
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Alternbengrain 21, 3013 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soliveres
authors.affiliation: Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, CC 065, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 05, France.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kéfi
authors.affiliation: Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, 2751, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delgado-Baquerizo
authors.affiliation: School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, 200 East Pine Knoll Drive, AZ 86011, Flagstaff, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bowker
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Calle Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: García-Palacios
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Suelos, CIRN, INTA, Nicolas Repetto y de los Reseros Sin Número, 1686 Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gaitán
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Carretera de Utrera kilómetro 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gallardo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Desertificación y Geoecología. Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, CSIC, Almería, Spain.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lázaro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Calle Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berdugo
keywords: abiotic factors; biodiversity; biotic attributes; climate; drought; land use change