About the book

Aridity is the imbalance between the long-term average water supply and the long-term average water demand. Unlike drought, which is defined as a period of abnormally dry air long enough to cause a serious hydrological imbalance, aridity is permanent, not temporary. A region is arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of usable water inhibiting the growth and development of plant and animal life. Environments exposed to arid climates tend to be devoid of vegetation and are called arid or desert. In the more extreme areas, called extreme arid deserts, the average annual precipitation is below 25 mm, under which conditions microorganisms must cope with not only by water scarcity but also by deadly UV radiation, high and low temperatures, high evaporation rates, prolonged drying times, oligotrophic conditions, and high salinity levels. Arid environments cover more than one-third of the world's land area and represent the most common habitat on Earth after the oceans. Aridity poses a threat to the environment, as well as the economy, security, development, food security, and social life around the world. The causes of increased aridity are complex and are thought to be both natural and man-made. Factors such as climate change, population growth, soil erosion, inappropriate irrigation, wrong farming, soil, water, and groundwater contamination, urbanization, deforestation, improper water management, desertification of arid and semi-arid zones appear as causes of drought.

This book is open to a wide range of scientific research, from water management to groundwater management, from land rehabilitation to soil reclamation, which will help prevent and minimize man-made aridity. In addition, many studies related to aridities such as environmental education, environmental awareness, sustainable development, and management policies and plans are also welcome.