耦合气候-生态-社会的复杂性使得了解它们之间相互作用的性质是一个重大挑战，因而也难于发展应对全球变化的对策。在东亚干旱与半干旱区（DEA），人口超过十亿人，充分了解旱地生态系统如何应对气候变化和人类活动是关键需求之一。陈吉泉编著的《社会(气候交互变化中的东亚干旱与半干旱区生态系统研究英文版)(精)》全面、系统地总结了在东亚干旱和半干旱区的生态系统研究成果，有助于理解气候-生态系统-社会之间的复杂关系，帮助人们应对气候变化带来的影响，为研究其他区域的生态系统对气候变化的响应提供了范例。

Part I State and Changes in Dryland East Asia

1 State and Change of Dryland East Asia （DEA）

 1.1 Geography, Demography and Economics in DEA

 1.2 Climate and Land-Use Changes

 1.3 Ecosystem Production and Evapotranspiration

 1.4 Scientific and Societal Challenges for Adaptations in DEA

 References

2 Dryland East Asia in Hemispheric Context

 2.1 Study Regions

 2.2 Change Analysis of Vegetated Land Surface

 2.3 Retrospective Trend Analysis Reveals Areas of Significant Change

 2.4 Vegetation Change in Three Epochs

 2.5 Land Cover Variation and Change

 2.6 Precipitation Variation and Change

 2.7 Conclusion

 References

3 NEESPI and MAIRS Programs in Dryland East Asia

 3.1 Introduction

 3.2 Contrast and Comparison

  3.2.1 The Programs

  3.2.2 Research Approaches

  3.2.3 Organization Structure

  3.2.4 Major Research Activities

 3.3 Major Findings and Achievements

  3.3.1 Understanding Climate Change

  3.3.2 Understanding Societal Consequences

  3.3.3 Understanding Ecosystem Impacts

  3.3.4 Institutional Responses to Environmental Change

  3.3.5 Understanding Challenges

 3.4 Conclusions

 References

4 Land Use and Land Cover Change in Dryland East Asia

 4.1 Introduction

 4.2 Global Land Use Changes through Centuries

 4.3 Long-Term Changes in Cropland and Pastureland in DEA

 4.4 Recent Changes in Asian Drylands

  4.4.1 Rangeland Degradation and Desertification and Increased Cropland

  4.4.2 Grassland Recovery

  4.4.3 Reforestation/Afforestation

 4.5 Sahel Land Use Change

 References

5 Urban Expansion and Environment Change in Dryland East Asia

 5.1 Introduction

 5.2 Study Area. Data, and Methodology

  5.2.1 Study Area

  5.2.2 Data and Methodology

 5.3 Findings

  5.3.1 Urban Expansion

  5.3.2 Environment Impact

 5.4 Case of Urumqi

  5.4.1 Spatio-Temporal Change in Urumqi

  5.4.2 Environment Challenges of Uriimqi

 5.5 Discussion

  5.5.1 Characteristics of Urbanization in Arid Regions

  5.5.2 Socio-Economic Factors Driving Urbanization

 5.6 Conclusions

 References

6 Ecosystem Carbon Cycle under Changing Atmosphere, Climate and Land Use in Dryland East Asia

 6.1 Introduction

 6.2 Simulated Ecosystem Carbon Patterns in DEA

 6.3 Responses of Ecosystem Carbon Cycling to Atmospheric Change

  6.3.1 C02 Enrichment

  6.3.2 Nitrogen Deposition and Its Impact on DEA Ecosystems

 6.4 Responses of Ecosystem Carbon Cycling to Climate Change

  6.4.1 Responses to Precipitation Changes

  6.4.2 Responses to Temperature Changes

 6.5 Responses of Ecosystem Carbon Cycling to Land Use and Land Cover Changes

 6.6 Interactions among Environmental Changes

  6.6.1 Limitation of Nitrogen Availability on C02 Impacts

……

Part II Consequences

Part Ⅲ Solutions/Adaptations

Index