Editorial: Cold Arid Landscapes Ecological, Biological and Economic Significance

Anita Pandey; Praveen Kumar

doi:10.56093/aaz.v65i2.180630

Authors

Anita Pandey Editor-Annals of Arid Zone
Praveen Kumar Editor-in-Chief, Annals of Arid Zone

https://doi.org/10.56093/aaz.v65i2.180630

Keywords:

Editorial , Annals of Arid Zone, Volume 65 issue 2, year 2026

Abstract

Cold arid landscapes, including the Trans-Himalaya, Tibetan Plateau, Arctic tundra, and Antarctic Dry Valleys, are among the world's most fragile and climate-sensitive ecosystems. Characterized by extreme temperatures, limited precipitation, sparse vegetation, and slow ecological processes, these regions support unique biodiversity and traditional livelihood systems such as pastoralism and oasis agriculture. Despite their ecological and socio-economic importance, cold arid regions remain inadequately represented in global research and policy frameworks. The present issue 65-2 emphasizes six major dimensions of cold arid ecosystems: ecosystem services and nature-based solutions; hydrology, climate change, and water security; biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilization of plant resources; microbial diversity and biotechnological potential; ecological processes and soil restoration; and pastoralism, traditional knowledge, and livelihood opportunities. The contributions collectively demonstrate that cold deserts are dynamic socio-ecological systems and repositories of unique biological resources, microbial wealth, and indigenous knowledge with immense potential for climate resilience and sustainable development. The articles underscore the need for interdisciplinary research, ecosystem-based management, and scientifically informed interventions to address emerging challenges associated with climate change, biodiversity conservation, and socio-economic transformation. Overall, this issue presents an integrated perspective on the ecological, biological, and economic significance of cold arid regions and identifies future pathways for their conservation, resilience, and sustainable development.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Anita Pandey, Editor-Annals of Arid Zone

Professor, Department of Biotechnology, Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun- 248 002, India; Former Scientist ‘G’ & Head, Centre for Environmental Assessment & Climate Change, GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Almora-263 643, India
Praveen Kumar, Editor-in-Chief, Annals of Arid Zone

Former Head, Division of Integrated Farming System, ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur-342003, (Rajasthan, India)

References

Agnihotri, V. 2025. Quality, integrity and safety of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) and wild edibles from Indian Himalayan Arid Regions. Annals of Arid Zone 64(4): 493-497. https://doi.org/10.56093/aaz.vi.170420

Bhatt, R.K., Raghuvanshi, M.S. and Kalia, R.K. 2015. Achieving sustainable livelihood in cold arid regions of India through multienterprise options. Annals of Arid Zone 54(3&4): 1-12.

Changqing, S., Lihua, Y. and Xiaofan, Y. 2017. Ecological-hydrological processes in arid environment: Past, present and future. Journal of Geographical Sciences 27(12): 1577-1594. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-017-1453-x

Gaur, M.K., Goyal, R.K. and Chaudhary, V. 2025. Land use dynamics and challenges in Leh district: A temporal analysis of recent three decades. Annals of Arid Zone 64(4): 555-565. https://doi.org/10.56093/aaz.v64i4.168830

Khan, Y.D.I., Purohit, S., Jibrin, J.M. and Gholkar, M.D. (Editors). 2025. Land Restoration Through Ecosystem-Based Approach (Disaster Resilience and Green Growth). Springer Nature, Singapore.

Liu, Y., Wang, J., Ding, J., Li, J., Cui, F., Shi, L., Keyu, C. and Yang, Y. 2025. Exploring climate-ecological driving mechanisms of vegetation change in Central Asia: A hierarchical assessment framework based on trend tests, multiple regression, and structural equation modeling. Geomatics, Natural Hazards and Risk 17(1): 2608920. https://doi.org/10.1080/19475705.2025.2608920

Mishra, A., Singh, L. and Singh, D. 2023. Unboxing the black box—one step forward to understand the soil microbiome: A systematic review. Microbial Ecology 85: 669-683. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-022-01962-5

Ngaba, M.J.Y., Uwiragiye, Y., Hu, B., Zhou, J., Dannenmann, M., Calanca, P., Bol, R., de Vries, W., Kuzyakov, Y. and Rennenberg, H. 2024. Effects of environmental changes on soil respiration in arid, cold, temperate, and tropical zones. Science of the Total Environment 952: 175943. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175943

Purohit, A.N. 2021. Environmental challenges and developmental requirements in mountains during the 21st Century. Journal of Mountain Research 16(1): 1-7. https://doi.org/10.51220/jmr.v16i1.1

Sharma, E. and Chettri, N. 2021. Biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services in the Hindu Kush Himalaya. Journal of Graphic Era University 9(1): 1-18. https://doi.org/10.13052/jgeu0975-1416.911

Sheergojri, I.A., Ahmad, J. and Rashid, I. 2026. Pastoral resilience under threat: Impacts of climate change, invasive plant species, and traditional ecological knowledge erosion in the Kashmir Himalayas. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 79: 101620. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2026.101620

Tewari, V.P. and Kapoor, K.S. 2013. Western Himalayan cold deserts: Biodiversity, eco-restoration, ecological concerns and securities. Annals of Arid Zone 52(3&4): 223-230.