Preface

This book, Community and Global Ecology of Deserts, gives an interesting overview of the frontiers of desert ecological research.

Our book consists of five chapters: the first about the global aspects and scientific impor‐ tance of desert ecological research, the second about a case study in connection with deserti‐ fication dynamics and ecosystem services, the third about special zoological research about an arthropoda species, the fourth about ecological and environmental assessment of desert wetland complex, and the fifth about a very special plant-ecological impact of sand electrifi‐ cation. Each chapter is unique and interesting.

I am sure that this book will be very useful for everybody – researchers, teachers, students or others interested in the field - who would like to gain insight into modern desert ecologi‐ cal research.

> **Levente Hufnagel, PhD habil** Szent István University Gödöllő, Hungary

**Chapter 1**

**Provisional chapter**

**Introductory Chapter: Global Aspects and Scientific**

**Introductory Chapter: Global Aspects and Scientific** 

If ecologists or environmental scientists are talking about desert ecological research, then almost everyone is thinking about specific desert flora [1–5], fauna [6, 7], or desertification itself as a consequence of climate change [8, 9], or sand dunes-triggered disasters [10]. In fact, the importance of ecological research in deserts is far more general and wider. For deeper understanding of this importance need to overview the definition of deserts from different

Efficient functioning of the Earth's ecosystems is based on the autotrophic plant life, which can make use of the radiation energy of the Sun directly. This plant life needs, besides the light of the Sun, simultaneous availability of minerals in the lithosphere, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and liquid water in the hydrosphere. Thus, biosphere appears on the interface of these three spheres. Where these four factors are available in the most efficiently usable form, tropical rainforests can be found. Every other habitat is more or less a "struggle zone" for plants because some of the four above mentioned factors limit the biosphere. Based on the degree of environmental limitations, ecosystems can be arranged along a scale. Desert ecosystems can be found on the opposite endpoint of this scale compared to

viewpoints, the real areas of deserts, and some basic production biological data.

**2. Definition of deserts, semi-deserts, and habitats prone to** 

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.78368

**Importance of Desert Ecological Research**

**Importance of Desert Ecological Research**

Levente Hufnagel, Ferenc Mics,

and Réka Homoródi

**1. Introduction**

**desertification**

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.78368

Melinda Pálinkás and Réka Homoródi

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Levente Hufnagel, Ferenc Mics, Melinda Pálinkás

#### **Introductory Chapter: Global Aspects and Scientific Importance of Desert Ecological Research Introductory Chapter: Global Aspects and Scientific Importance of Desert Ecological Research**

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.78368

Levente Hufnagel, Ferenc Mics, Melinda Pálinkás and Réka Homoródi Levente Hufnagel, Ferenc Mics, Melinda Pálinkás and Réka Homoródi

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.78368
