GYPWORLD: A Global initiative to understand gypsum ecosystem ecology: Book of abstracts and modelling course guide

Gypsum is a type of habitat widely spread throughout the world, especially in arid climates (Somalia, Australia, Middle East, USA, circum-Mediterranean region, etc.). The vegetation present on this type of habitat has long attracted the attention of specialists in the study of flora adapted to special substrates, since gypsum represents an important barrier to the growth of most plants. These ecosystems are little known in comparison to other habitats present on special substrates, even though representing natural laboratories of evolution and ecology. In this context, the Gypworld project has been developed, as a global initiative to understand the ecology of gypsum ecosystems, comes under the European Horizon 2020 research program, and which brings together researchers specialists in the study of gypsum ecosystems, from five continents. Under the umbrella of this project, different scientific meetings have been taking place, being the one held in Almeria, the third of the four that will take place, with the name of 3rd Gypworld Workshop. Thus, this monograph presents the most recent advances in the research of these special ecosystems.