Dominic McAfee, Lachlan D. McLeod, Sandy Carruthers, Sean D. Connell
Functionally extinct ecosystems, those that have been locally eradicated save for remnant individuals, are unlikely to naturally recover over meaningful human time frames. However, ecosystem restoration provides opportunities to reverse functional extinction by rapidly addressing the physical and/or biological barriers that prevent natural recovery. Here, we assess the restoration progress of a native Flat oyster (Ostrea angasi) reef ecosystem in South Australia that was eradicated from the Australian mainland approximately 100 years ago. In the absence of any reference Flat oyster ecosystems in the region, restoration progress was assessed relative to ecological targets informed by a combination of local rocky reef ecosystems and an interim Flat oyster reference model informed by Australia's sole remaining O. angasi reef, in Tasmania. Two and half a years after the restoration was initiated via the construction of 14 boulder reefs, we observed densities of restored native adult O. angasi (192 ± 19 m−2; mean ± 1 SE) that exceeded oyster densities observed on the sole remaining natural reef. Communities of macroinvertebrates on the reef restoration represented approximately 60% of the biodiversity observed on healthy rocky reef reference systems, while ecological functions (e.g. filter feeding) are demonstrably increasing. The rate of recovery of this benthic ecosystem, from functionally extinct to a restored Flat oyster reef ecosystem within several years, demonstrates the latent resilience of degraded oyster communities and the capacity for effective marine restorations to achieve rapid ecological recoveries.
功能性灭绝的生态系统，即除残存个体外已被局部消灭的生态系统，不太可能在人类有意义的时间框架内自然恢复。然而，生态系统恢复通过快速解决阻碍自然恢复的物理和/或生物障碍，为扭转功能性灭绝提供了机会。在这里，我们评估了南澳大利亚的原生平牡蛎（Ostrea angasi）珊瑚礁生态系统的恢复进展。由于该地区没有任何可供参考的平牡蛎生态系统，因此我们根据当地岩礁生态系统和澳大利亚仅存的塔斯马尼亚州 O. angasi 珊瑚礁的临时平牡蛎参考模型，结合生态目标对恢复进展进行了评估。在通过建造 14 块巨石礁进行恢复两年半后，我们观察到恢复后的本地成年 O. angasi 密度（192 ± 19 m-2；平均值 ± 1 SE）超过了在仅存的天然礁石上观察到的牡蛎密度。修复礁上的大型无脊椎动物群落约占健康岩礁参考系统生物多样性的 60%，同时生态功能（如滤食）明显增加。这个底栖生态系统的恢复速度--在数年内从功能灭绝到恢复平坦的牡蛎礁生态系统--表明了退化牡蛎群落的潜在恢复力，以及有效的海洋修复实现快速生态恢复的能力。
{"title":"Reversing functional extinction: successful restoration of eradicated oyster reefs","authors":"Dominic McAfee, Lachlan D. McLeod, Sandy Carruthers, Sean D. Connell","doi":"10.1111/rec.14169","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.14169","url":null,"abstract":"Functionally extinct ecosystems, those that have been locally eradicated save for remnant individuals, are unlikely to naturally recover over meaningful human time frames. However, ecosystem restoration provides opportunities to reverse functional extinction by rapidly addressing the physical and/or biological barriers that prevent natural recovery. Here, we assess the restoration progress of a native Flat oyster (<jats:italic>Ostrea angasi</jats:italic>) reef ecosystem in South Australia that was eradicated from the Australian mainland approximately 100 years ago. In the absence of any reference Flat oyster ecosystems in the region, restoration progress was assessed relative to ecological targets informed by a combination of local rocky reef ecosystems and an interim Flat oyster reference model informed by Australia's sole remaining <jats:italic>O. angasi</jats:italic> reef, in Tasmania. Two and half a years after the restoration was initiated via the construction of 14 boulder reefs, we observed densities of restored native adult <jats:italic>O. angasi</jats:italic> (192 ± 19 m<jats:sup>−2</jats:sup>; mean ± 1 SE) that exceeded oyster densities observed on the sole remaining natural reef. Communities of macroinvertebrates on the reef restoration represented approximately 60% of the biodiversity observed on healthy rocky reef reference systems, while ecological functions (e.g. filter feeding) are demonstrably increasing. The rate of recovery of this benthic ecosystem, from functionally extinct to a restored Flat oyster reef ecosystem within several years, demonstrates the latent resilience of degraded oyster communities and the capacity for effective marine restorations to achieve rapid ecological recoveries.","PeriodicalId":54487,"journal":{"name":"Restoration Ecology","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140929201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jorge Castro, Domingo Alcaraz‐Segura, Jennifer L. Baltzer, Lot Amorós, Fernando Morales‐Rueda, Siham Tabik
Aerial seeding with drones has great potential in forest restoration but faces enormous challenges to be efficient and scalable. Current protocols use blanket seeding throughout the area to be restored, meaning a high demand for seed since many seeds arrive in sites unsuitable for establishment. High precision seeding directed to safe microsites at submeter scale could reduce seed use per hectare, reducing economic and ecological costs, while increasing establishment success. Here, we propose an alternative, precision approach to make drone seeding more successful and efficient. This requires (1) submeter‐scale selection of target microsites for seeding founded in ecological knowledge; (2) high‐resolution remote sensing imagery to train artificial intelligence (AI) systems in target microsite recognition; and (3) process automation by transferring target microsite coordinates from the AI system to the drone. This will reduce seed inputs per unit area, seedling establishment failure risks, and drone operation costs.
{"title":"Automated precise seeding with drones and artificial intelligence: a workflow","authors":"Jorge Castro, Domingo Alcaraz‐Segura, Jennifer L. Baltzer, Lot Amorós, Fernando Morales‐Rueda, Siham Tabik","doi":"10.1111/rec.14164","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.14164","url":null,"abstract":"Aerial seeding with drones has great potential in forest restoration but faces enormous challenges to be efficient and scalable. Current protocols use blanket seeding throughout the area to be restored, meaning a high demand for seed since many seeds arrive in sites unsuitable for establishment. High precision seeding directed to safe microsites at submeter scale could reduce seed use per hectare, reducing economic and ecological costs, while increasing establishment success. Here, we propose an alternative, precision approach to make drone seeding more successful and efficient. This requires (1) submeter‐scale selection of target microsites for seeding founded in ecological knowledge; (2) high‐resolution remote sensing imagery to train artificial intelligence (AI) systems in target microsite recognition; and (3) process automation by transferring target microsite coordinates from the AI system to the drone. This will reduce seed inputs per unit area, seedling establishment failure risks, and drone operation costs.","PeriodicalId":54487,"journal":{"name":"Restoration Ecology","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140828645","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gianluca Mancini, Daniele Ventura, Edoardo Casoli, Fabrizio Michelangeli, Giuseppe Panarello, Andrea Belluscio, Giandomenico Ardizzone
Seagrasses provide key ecological services in coastal marine and estuarine environments. Human activities and environmental changes affect seagrasses compromising their structure and functioning. In this context, seagrass restoration has become a worldwide priority to halt and reverse degradation and to recover ecosystem functionality and associated services. Here, we investigate the sexual reproduction of Posidonia oceanica by describing the flowering and fruiting process. Furthermore, we compare the structural (survival and shoot density) and functional (daily leaf production, DLP) descriptors of seedlings with those derived from a P. oceanica transplantation performed through cuttings to assess their feasibility as an integrative source of vegetal material for restoration purposes. Despite many initial flowers and fruits, a small number of mature fruits are produced, confirming the low reproductive success of the phanerogam. A comparison of structural and functional features showed that seedlings and cuttings showed similar survival and shoot density rates after more than 2 years. In addition, DLP showed that seedlings increased in leaf length over the study period, reaching a similar value registered by cuttings. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of using seedlings in restoration efforts. It also emphasizes the importance of exploring P. oceanica reproductive ecology to better understand temporal and spatial variations in flowering, as well as fruiting success, at local and basin scales.
{"title":"Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, 1813 seedlings as a potential integrative tool for restoring damaged meadows","authors":"Gianluca Mancini, Daniele Ventura, Edoardo Casoli, Fabrizio Michelangeli, Giuseppe Panarello, Andrea Belluscio, Giandomenico Ardizzone","doi":"10.1111/rec.14156","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.14156","url":null,"abstract":"Seagrasses provide key ecological services in coastal marine and estuarine environments. Human activities and environmental changes affect seagrasses compromising their structure and functioning. In this context, seagrass restoration has become a worldwide priority to halt and reverse degradation and to recover ecosystem functionality and associated services. Here, we investigate the sexual reproduction of <jats:italic>Posidonia oceanica</jats:italic> by describing the flowering and fruiting process. Furthermore, we compare the structural (survival and shoot density) and functional (daily leaf production, DLP) descriptors of seedlings with those derived from a <jats:italic>P. oceanica</jats:italic> transplantation performed through cuttings to assess their feasibility as an integrative source of vegetal material for restoration purposes. Despite many initial flowers and fruits, a small number of mature fruits are produced, confirming the low reproductive success of the phanerogam. A comparison of structural and functional features showed that seedlings and cuttings showed similar survival and shoot density rates after more than 2 years. In addition, DLP showed that seedlings increased in leaf length over the study period, reaching a similar value registered by cuttings. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of using seedlings in restoration efforts. It also emphasizes the importance of exploring <jats:italic>P. oceanica</jats:italic> reproductive ecology to better understand temporal and spatial variations in flowering, as well as fruiting success, at local and basin scales.","PeriodicalId":54487,"journal":{"name":"Restoration Ecology","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140828847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Juan R. Esquivel‐Muelbert, Heidi K. Alleway, Melanie J. Bishop
In the United Nations' decade on ecosystem restoration, humans are joining forces to develop innovative strategies to rebuild marine life. The use of aquaculture to restore or preserve aquatic habitats is emerging, with promising solutions for the restoration of endangered shellfish reefs. Here, we highlight some of the challenges and opportunities for positive aquaculture–restoration interactions and present a perspective on the systematic cultivation of shellfish reefs. We draw on historical oyster aquaculture practices, such as bottom farming, to argue that shellfish reef aquaculture may be a path to accelerate ecosystem recovery and persistence in the face of a changing environment.
{"title":"Shellfish reef aquaculture: a perspective on the systematic cultivation of endangered biogenic habitats","authors":"Juan R. Esquivel‐Muelbert, Heidi K. Alleway, Melanie J. Bishop","doi":"10.1111/rec.14166","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.14166","url":null,"abstract":"In the United Nations' decade on ecosystem restoration, humans are joining forces to develop innovative strategies to rebuild marine life. The use of aquaculture to restore or preserve aquatic habitats is emerging, with promising solutions for the restoration of endangered shellfish reefs. Here, we highlight some of the challenges and opportunities for positive aquaculture–restoration interactions and present a perspective on the systematic cultivation of shellfish reefs. We draw on historical oyster aquaculture practices, such as bottom farming, to argue that shellfish reef aquaculture may be a path to accelerate ecosystem recovery and persistence in the face of a changing environment.","PeriodicalId":54487,"journal":{"name":"Restoration Ecology","volume":"89 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140828647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lorenz R. Schimetka, Patricia G. C. Ruggiero, Raquel L. Carvalho, Jelle Behagel, Jean Paul Metzger, Nathália Nascimento, Rafael B. Chaves, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Ricardo R. Rodrigues, Pedro M. Krainovic
The achievement of international forest restoration goals requires economically viable land‐use options. The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is a priority area for ecosystem restoration, as it is widely deforested to make place for intensive agriculture and one of the most threatened biodiversity hotspots in the world. We systematically reviewed existing scientific literature on the biome to highlight the evidence on economic benefits and costs of forest restoration. A total of 15 publications were identified that quantify costs and/or economic benefits of forest restoration. We observed that most studies (12) were published after 2018 and that research on the topic was biogeographically biased as 12 publications referred to study sites in Brazil's Southeast Region. Given its beneficial natural conditions, the Atlantic Forest is predestined for a wide range of restoration‐related opportunities, yet economic benefits of restoration are underexplored (seven studies). Moreover, benefits from a multifunctional use of restored forests are almost absent in the literature with only three studies presenting primary data. Elaboration of restoration costs is also limited to 10 studies that focus predominantly on active restoration. Thus, we argue that the economic costs and benefits of forest restoration are not well understood. Clarity thereon is, however, critical for policy formulation and to mobilize private investments. We therefore call for studies to fill in the knowledge gap on restoration economics in the Atlantic Forest biome, and to study restoration economics in other biomes as well.
{"title":"Costs and benefits of restoration are still poorly quantified: evidence from a systematic literature review on the Brazilian Atlantic Forest","authors":"Lorenz R. Schimetka, Patricia G. C. Ruggiero, Raquel L. Carvalho, Jelle Behagel, Jean Paul Metzger, Nathália Nascimento, Rafael B. Chaves, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Ricardo R. Rodrigues, Pedro M. Krainovic","doi":"10.1111/rec.14161","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.14161","url":null,"abstract":"The achievement of international forest restoration goals requires economically viable land‐use options. The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is a priority area for ecosystem restoration, as it is widely deforested to make place for intensive agriculture and one of the most threatened biodiversity hotspots in the world. We systematically reviewed existing scientific literature on the biome to highlight the evidence on economic benefits and costs of forest restoration. A total of 15 publications were identified that quantify costs and/or economic benefits of forest restoration. We observed that most studies (12) were published after 2018 and that research on the topic was biogeographically biased as 12 publications referred to study sites in Brazil's Southeast Region. Given its beneficial natural conditions, the Atlantic Forest is predestined for a wide range of restoration‐related opportunities, yet economic benefits of restoration are underexplored (seven studies). Moreover, benefits from a multifunctional use of restored forests are almost absent in the literature with only three studies presenting primary data. Elaboration of restoration costs is also limited to 10 studies that focus predominantly on active restoration. Thus, we argue that the economic costs and benefits of forest restoration are not well understood. Clarity thereon is, however, critical for policy formulation and to mobilize private investments. We therefore call for studies to fill in the knowledge gap on restoration economics in the Atlantic Forest biome, and to study restoration economics in other biomes as well.","PeriodicalId":54487,"journal":{"name":"Restoration Ecology","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140828821","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anna R. Landim, Paulo R. Guimarães, Fernando A. S. Fernandez, André T. C Dias
Species reintroduction is a management strategy to restore ecosystem functioning through the reestablishment of ecological interactions and related ecological processes, like pollination and seed dispersal. Selecting the best species to achieve this goal remains challenging. We present a trait‐based framework to estimate the effects of species reintroductions on seed dispersal and pollination. Our framework assesses the potential contribution of a consumer species (e.g. seed disperser) by considering both the originality of its interactions and the availability of resources it consumes. Originality refers to the degree of uniqueness versus redundancy of a species' interactions compared with the interactions of the current consumer community. Resource availability, defined by the distribution of trait values in the resource community that enable interactions (like fruit size), determines the potential magnitude of a species' effect. The framework also allows assigning different weights to unique interactions, thereby facilitating decisions on whether to prioritize species that potentially add unique interactions if selected for reintroduction. Using our framework, we compared the potential effects of two reintroduced frugivores (agoutis and howler monkeys) on seed dispersal in an Atlantic Forest site. While both species have similar potential effects when not accounting for interaction originality, howlers interact with more common fruit's trait values, whereas agoutis have more unique interactions and with a broader variety of trait values. We also provide ways of generalizing our approach to include other factors, e.g. species abundances, to assess the consequences of other scenarios affecting community composition, such as species extinctions and invasions.
{"title":"A framework for the restoration of seed dispersal and pollination","authors":"Anna R. Landim, Paulo R. Guimarães, Fernando A. S. Fernandez, André T. C Dias","doi":"10.1111/rec.14151","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.14151","url":null,"abstract":"Species reintroduction is a management strategy to restore ecosystem functioning through the reestablishment of ecological interactions and related ecological processes, like pollination and seed dispersal. Selecting the best species to achieve this goal remains challenging. We present a trait‐based framework to estimate the effects of species reintroductions on seed dispersal and pollination. Our framework assesses the potential contribution of a consumer species (e.g. seed disperser) by considering both the originality of its interactions and the availability of resources it consumes. Originality refers to the degree of uniqueness versus redundancy of a species' interactions compared with the interactions of the current consumer community. Resource availability, defined by the distribution of trait values in the resource community that enable interactions (like fruit size), determines the potential magnitude of a species' effect. The framework also allows assigning different weights to unique interactions, thereby facilitating decisions on whether to prioritize species that potentially add unique interactions if selected for reintroduction. Using our framework, we compared the potential effects of two reintroduced frugivores (agoutis and howler monkeys) on seed dispersal in an Atlantic Forest site. While both species have similar potential effects when not accounting for interaction originality, howlers interact with more common fruit's trait values, whereas agoutis have more unique interactions and with a broader variety of trait values. We also provide ways of generalizing our approach to include other factors, e.g. species abundances, to assess the consequences of other scenarios affecting community composition, such as species extinctions and invasions.","PeriodicalId":54487,"journal":{"name":"Restoration Ecology","volume":"2020 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140828725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Volunteering is a central means by which communities become engaged in ecological restoration projects and understanding what motivates volunteers is a core preoccupation of researchers because it may help recruit more people. This study addresses the question: what are the motivations and barriers to participation in ecological restoration projects? The systematic literature map method was used to answer this question. The results revealed a typology of motivations that consists of 15 categories. A co‐occurrence network analysis of those categories revealed five core motivations that co‐occur most in the literature: having a positive environmental impact, acquiring and sharing knowledge, caring for the environment, social interactions and community, and human health and well‐being. Barriers to volunteering and the demographics of volunteers were also mapped in the literature, as they appeared frequently alongside motivations. The five core motivations represent a set of widely studied and well‐understood motivations which can inform the design of volunteer programs. The literature indexed by the systematic map can form the basis of further systematic reviews and meta‐analyses. This study highlights three major areas for future research: extrinsic motivations, demographics of volunteers who participate in ecological restoration, and project organization as a motivation.
{"title":"Motivations for volunteers to participate in ecological restoration: a systematic map","authors":"Tim Alamenciak, Stephen D. Murphy","doi":"10.1111/rec.14155","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.14155","url":null,"abstract":"Volunteering is a central means by which communities become engaged in ecological restoration projects and understanding what motivates volunteers is a core preoccupation of researchers because it may help recruit more people. This study addresses the question: what are the motivations and barriers to participation in ecological restoration projects? The systematic literature map method was used to answer this question. The results revealed a typology of motivations that consists of 15 categories. A co‐occurrence network analysis of those categories revealed five core motivations that co‐occur most in the literature: having a positive environmental impact, acquiring and sharing knowledge, caring for the environment, social interactions and community, and human health and well‐being. Barriers to volunteering and the demographics of volunteers were also mapped in the literature, as they appeared frequently alongside motivations. The five core motivations represent a set of widely studied and well‐understood motivations which can inform the design of volunteer programs. The literature indexed by the systematic map can form the basis of further systematic reviews and meta‐analyses. This study highlights three major areas for future research: extrinsic motivations, demographics of volunteers who participate in ecological restoration, and project organization as a motivation.","PeriodicalId":54487,"journal":{"name":"Restoration Ecology","volume":"118 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140624456","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
An Cliquet, Alexandra Aragão, Matilde Meertens, Hendrik Schoukens, Kris Decleer
In 2022, the European Commission proposed an EU Nature Restoration Law (Proposal). This was a groundbreaking proposal and would be the first comprehensive piece of binding international legislation that holds legally binding targets and deadlines for landscape‐wide restoration. Although the Proposal initially received very positive reactions from a variety of stakeholders, including scientists, organizations, and companies, certain lobby groups—mainly from the primary sectors (agriculture, forestry, and fisheries)—led a strong campaign against the Proposal, often based on unfounded arguments and short‐term considerations. After several nail‐biting voting rounds, a political compromise on an amended text was finally reached and awaits final approval. The Compromise still provides an appropriate legal basis for upscaling restoration within the EU through clear targets on restoration for different ecosystems and implementation obligations for Member States. However, we argue that, since the Compromise weakens the Proposal on some vital points regarding the operationalization of restoration at the national level, it remains uncertain whether the final law will produce the tangible effects that are necessary in the coming years.
{"title":"The negotiation process of the EU Nature Restoration Law Proposal: bringing nature back in Europe against the backdrop of political turmoil?","authors":"An Cliquet, Alexandra Aragão, Matilde Meertens, Hendrik Schoukens, Kris Decleer","doi":"10.1111/rec.14158","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.14158","url":null,"abstract":"In 2022, the European Commission proposed an EU Nature Restoration Law (Proposal). This was a groundbreaking proposal and would be the first comprehensive piece of binding international legislation that holds legally binding targets and deadlines for landscape‐wide restoration. Although the Proposal initially received very positive reactions from a variety of stakeholders, including scientists, organizations, and companies, certain lobby groups—mainly from the primary sectors (agriculture, forestry, and fisheries)—led a strong campaign against the Proposal, often based on unfounded arguments and short‐term considerations. After several nail‐biting voting rounds, a political compromise on an amended text was finally reached and awaits final approval. The Compromise still provides an appropriate legal basis for upscaling restoration within the EU through clear targets on restoration for different ecosystems and implementation obligations for Member States. However, we argue that, since the Compromise weakens the Proposal on some vital points regarding the operationalization of restoration at the national level, it remains uncertain whether the final law will produce the tangible effects that are necessary in the coming years.","PeriodicalId":54487,"journal":{"name":"Restoration Ecology","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140624295","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Long‐term studies are needed to monitor recovery following restoration, as it may take decades or even centuries, particularly in the case of Mediterranean dry grasslands, for communities to reach their former equilibrium before the degradation occurred. A multi‐component approach is also needed to evaluate restoration success and better understand the complex impacts of former restoration projects on present‐day ecological interactions and ecosystem functions. The objective of this study was to address the restoration of a Mediterranean grassland in southern France, 20 years after implementation. Particularly, we examine the long‐term impact on soil, vegetation, and arthropods of the reintroduction of a dominant grass species (Brachypodium retusum) and the restoration of the natural stone cover on a degraded former cultivated field. Soil analyses revealed that reestablishing stone cover only slightly acidified the soil, while B. retusum presence enhanced soil fertility. Brachypodium retusum also decreased the nutritional value of forage and increased plant biomass and litter. Plant composition shifted with treatments: B. retusum and stone cover favored xeromesophilous species, while B. retusum alone encouraged less palatable species. The soil seed bank composition and abundance were positively influenced by stone cover but negatively impacted by B. retusum reintroduction. Negative outcomes on some arthropods and mesofauna were measured in treatments with both B. retusum and stones, except for Acari, which were positively impacted by the presence of stones. The findings emphasize that B. retusum is an ecological engineer with complex effects on the different ecosystem components.
{"title":"Restoring stone and dominant grass species cover in a Mediterranean grassland: 20‐year effects on soil, vegetation, and arthropod communities","authors":"Léa Saby, Elise Buisson, Olivier Blight, Christel Vidaller, Thierry Dutoit","doi":"10.1111/rec.14153","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.14153","url":null,"abstract":"Long‐term studies are needed to monitor recovery following restoration, as it may take decades or even centuries, particularly in the case of Mediterranean dry grasslands, for communities to reach their former equilibrium before the degradation occurred. A multi‐component approach is also needed to evaluate restoration success and better understand the complex impacts of former restoration projects on present‐day ecological interactions and ecosystem functions. The objective of this study was to address the restoration of a Mediterranean grassland in southern France, 20 years after implementation. Particularly, we examine the long‐term impact on soil, vegetation, and arthropods of the reintroduction of a dominant grass species (<jats:italic>Brachypodium retusum</jats:italic>) and the restoration of the natural stone cover on a degraded former cultivated field. Soil analyses revealed that reestablishing stone cover only slightly acidified the soil, while <jats:italic>B. retusum</jats:italic> presence enhanced soil fertility. <jats:italic>Brachypodium retusum</jats:italic> also decreased the nutritional value of forage and increased plant biomass and litter. Plant composition shifted with treatments: <jats:italic>B. retusum</jats:italic> and stone cover favored xeromesophilous species, while <jats:italic>B. retusum</jats:italic> alone encouraged less palatable species. The soil seed bank composition and abundance were positively influenced by stone cover but negatively impacted by <jats:italic>B. retusum</jats:italic> reintroduction. Negative outcomes on some arthropods and mesofauna were measured in treatments with both <jats:italic>B. retusum</jats:italic> and stones, except for Acari, which were positively impacted by the presence of stones. The findings emphasize that <jats:italic>B. retusum</jats:italic> is an ecological engineer with complex effects on the different ecosystem components.","PeriodicalId":54487,"journal":{"name":"Restoration Ecology","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140624394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) can thrive under environmental conditions that are stressful for vascular plants such as high temperatures and/or extremely low moisture availability. In these settings, and in the absence of disturbance, cover of biocrusts commonly exceeds cover of vascular plants. Arid landscapes are also typically slow to recover from disturbance and prone to altered vegetation and invasion by exotic species. In the sagebrush ecosystems, cover of annual, exotic, invasive grasses are lower where cover of biocrusts and vascular plants are greater, suggesting that biocrusts play a role in helping arid sites avoid conversion to dominance by invasive grasses. The conceptual framework for assessing ecological resistance and resilience (R&R) is used across the region to estimate the risk of invasion by annual grasses and the likelihood of recovery of native plants following disturbance. However, this framework does not currently account for biocrusts. We used data collected by the Bureau of Land Management Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring program to relate biocrusts, specifically the presence of lichens and mosses, to the R&R framework. Lichens frequently occur on warm, dry sites, classified as lower R&R. Mosses frequently occur on sites classified as moderate or moderately low R&R. Without management practices that favor biocrusts in low‐moderate R&R, these areas may be more vulnerable to transitioning from being dominated by shrubs to annual grasses. Under climate change scenarios, the area occupied by lower R&R sites is likely to increase, suggesting that the role of biocrusts in maintaining site resistance to invasion may also increase.
{"title":"Biological soil crusts are more prevalent in warmer and drier environments within the Great Basin ecoregion: implications for managing annual grass invasion","authors":"Lea A. Condon, John B. Bradford, Peter S. Coates","doi":"10.1111/rec.14150","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.14150","url":null,"abstract":"Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) can thrive under environmental conditions that are stressful for vascular plants such as high temperatures and/or extremely low moisture availability. In these settings, and in the absence of disturbance, cover of biocrusts commonly exceeds cover of vascular plants. Arid landscapes are also typically slow to recover from disturbance and prone to altered vegetation and invasion by exotic species. In the sagebrush ecosystems, cover of annual, exotic, invasive grasses are lower where cover of biocrusts and vascular plants are greater, suggesting that biocrusts play a role in helping arid sites avoid conversion to dominance by invasive grasses. The conceptual framework for assessing ecological resistance and resilience (R&R) is used across the region to estimate the risk of invasion by annual grasses and the likelihood of recovery of native plants following disturbance. However, this framework does not currently account for biocrusts. We used data collected by the Bureau of Land Management Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring program to relate biocrusts, specifically the presence of lichens and mosses, to the R&R framework. Lichens frequently occur on warm, dry sites, classified as lower R&R. Mosses frequently occur on sites classified as moderate or moderately low R&R. Without management practices that favor biocrusts in low‐moderate R&R, these areas may be more vulnerable to transitioning from being dominated by shrubs to annual grasses. Under climate change scenarios, the area occupied by lower R&R sites is likely to increase, suggesting that the role of biocrusts in maintaining site resistance to invasion may also increase.","PeriodicalId":54487,"journal":{"name":"Restoration Ecology","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2024-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140629654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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