Editorial: Soils and vegetation in desert and arid regions: Soil system processes, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and restoration

A fundamental characteristic of desert ecosystems is continuous adaptations to arid environments and other related stresses, from the organismal level to the landscape scale. However, Desert ecosystems are home to unique flora and fauna that are adapted to extreme arid climatic conditions. Although such ecosystems are resilient in nature, changing climate, rising temperature and CO2, low rainfall, poses great stress on the ecosystem structure and function. The species are subjected to vulnerability and extinction due to various anthropogenic factors. Furthermore, the soils of arid regions are generally sandy with extremely low organic matter, having very low nutrients and microbial activity. The ultimate challenge for conservation of the desert ecosystem is meeting the current demand, especially with the increasing human population and requirement for land and food security. Arid regions are resource- limited regions and are considered one of the most difficult environments to survive and succeed on this planet, incorporating huge challenges to maintain vegetation development and productivity. An outstanding question is to what extent does soil biodiversity play an integral role as a determinant of plant diversity and productivity, and how does this influence ecosystem function? Resolving these challenges, we seek to address this gap and for further understanding of how improved knowledge of plant-soil biological processes in arid regions supports our capacity to understand the ecological processes for successful restoration and revegetation of arid ecosystem.