IntechOpen Restoring Ecosystems and Assessing Drought Risk - Approaches and Practices (Environmental Sciences)

This book, Restoring Ecosystems and Assessing Drought Risk - Approaches and Practices, highlights interdisciplinary research and case-based insights focused on ecosystem restoration and drought risk monitoring. It presents five chapters that span diverse ecological regions and methodological approaches. Chapter 1 examines the long-term ecological and social impacts of plantation forests in the Ethiopian highlands. It emphasizes the role of effective forest management in restoring degraded landscapes, which includes mixed-species plantations and local knowledge integration. Chapter 2 focuses on peri-urban landscapes, emphasizing the importance of local engagement and spatial planning in enhancing agri-ecosystem services. It provides a participatory planning model aimed at integrating ecosystem services into urban development policies. Chapter 3 provides an important case study on emerging soil contaminants and the need for baseline assessments and targeted restoration protocols in floodplain environments affected by industrial and geochemical dynamics. Chapter 4 investigates historical drought trends using key meteorological indices. It demonstrates increasing drought frequency and severity, particularly in southern Portugal, and calls for improved planning and mitigation strategies. Chapter 5 evaluates multiple drought indices to identify the most effective tools for capturing complex drought dynamics in South Africa. It emphasizes the importance of a more comprehensive assessment of drought conditions and recommends enhanced monitoring for adaptive water resource management. The book provides a comprehensive overview of contemporary research and approaches in ecosystem restoration and drought risk assessment. It offers valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, planners, and policy makers working across disciplines to address the twin challenges of ecosystem degradation and climate vulnerability.