The trouble with putting it back together: Research gaps in dryland restoration

Drylands are difficult to restore. This is increasingly apparent as restoration efforts continue to fail across the Southwest. While a lack of water is considered the primary driver of low restoration success, numerous data indicate additional system components could be at play, such as the unique soil, biogeochemical, and pulse-driven properties of drylands. These processes are often unaddressed in restoration because they are difficult to incorporate and relatively poorly understood. As dryland scientists we can help restoration practitioners incorporate innovative practices relevant to these processes by bringing a restoration perspective to the ecological and process-driven research conducted across the Southwest.