©Danilo Lima, Agripalm Ambiental
The RRC database contains a wide variety of resources and publications related to ecological restoration, and we are actively working to expand this collection. It is our aim to serve as the principal clearinghouse for information and tools to support the work of researchers, practitioners, land managers, educators, students, and anyone else interested in restoration. Use the filter tool below to search the database by title, author, resource type, keyword, or any combination of these factors.
Although SER does review all entries in the database for relevance and quality, these resources have not been rigorously reviewed or extensively vetted in every case, and SER therefore makes no claim as to their accuracy or accordance with generally accepted principles in the field. The database is provided as a resource for visitors to the SER website, and it is ultimately left to the individual user to make their own determinations about the quality and veracity of a given publication or resource.
If there is a resource we missed, please let us know! We are interested in current books, articles, technical documents, videos, and other resources that are directly relevant to ecological restoration science, practice or policy, as well as resources treating the social, cultural and economic dimensions of restoration.
Proposed Fluvial Island Classification Scheme and its Use for River Restoration
Abstract:Fluvial islands are present in nearly all natural and regulated rivers. They are important from hydrological, biological, geopolitical and socio-economic points of view. As ubiquitous as islands are, consideration of islands is relatively absent in most river restoration concepts. The natural river processes that allow for island formation can easily be integrated into typical river classifications. To begin, an island classification scheme is proposed that can become a tool for improved river classifications and restoration projects. In developing an island classification scheme, the objectives are similar to those of previous river classification methods. By observing island characteristics, inductive generalizations may be made about the river’s hydrologic and ecologic potential. In river hierarchies, the distinguishing variables used to describe streams were characteristics that could easily be discerned from their appearances, i.e. field-determinable features. A similar approach is sought for island classification.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Prospects for Canada’s Protected Areas in an Era of Rapid Climate Change
Abstract:This paper examines a number of climate-related issues that now confront agencies and organizations responsible for the protection of natural heritage areas, including the roles of protected areas, representation targets, ecological integrity, protected area design, management techniques, research and monitoring needs, and agency capacity to respond. Potential avenues for adaptation are proposed in light of these issues. The development and implementation of a cross-jurisdictional landscape-scale strategic conservation framework focused on protecting, connecting, and restoring ecosystems will be fundamental to enhancing ecological resilience to climate change. We conclude that even though climate change presents unprecedented and significant challenges, the protected area contribution to ecosystem function and human health and well-being will remain an essential and worthwhile investment in the 21st century.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Rapid Restoration of a Species-rich Ecosystem Assessed from Soil and Vegetation Indicators: The Case of Calcareous Grasslands Restored from Forest Stands
Abstract:Calcareous grasslands have long been recognized as biodiversity hotspots in Europe. However, in recent decades these ecosystems have seen rapid decline. In Belgium, more than 100 ha of calcareous grasslands have been restored from oak coppices and pine forests since the 1990s. The aim of the present study was to provide a quantitative assessment of the success of these restoration efforts, using two sets of indicators: one related to soil conditions, the other related to vascular plant communities. Soil conditions were evaluated by comparing soil samples from pre-restoration forest stands, restored grasslands (3-age classes: 2–4 years; 5–8 years, and 10– 15 years) and reference grasslands.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Realizing the Potential of Ecosystem Services: A Framework for Relating Ecological Changes to Economic Benefits
Abstract:Here, we describe a step-by-step framework for producing ecological models and metrics that can effectively serve an economic-benefits assessment of a proposed change in policy or management. A focus of the framework is developing comparable units of ecosystem goods and services to support decision-making, even if outcomes cannot be monetized. Because the challenges to translating ecological changes to outcomes appropriate for economic analyses are many, we discuss examples that demonstrate practical methods and approaches to overcoming data limitations.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Reconnecting Plants and Pollinators: Challenges in the Restoration of Pollination Mutualisms
Abstract:Ecological restoration of plant–pollinator interactions has received surprisingly little attention, despite animal-mediated pollination underpinning reproduction of the majority of higher plants. Here, we offer a conceptual and practical framework for the ecological restoration of pollination mutualisms. Through the use of targeted restoration plantings to attract and sustain pollinators and increased knowledge of the ecological requirements of pollinators, we propose that pollination could be successfully restored in degraded ecosystems. The challenge for pollination biologists is to integrate their findings with those of plant restoration ecologists to ensure sustainable pollination in restored ecosystems.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Reed Community Restoration Projects with Citizen Participation: An Example of the Practical Use of Satoyama Landscape Resources in Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Abstract:The area today faces two major challenges: first, how to use local natural resources in a sustainable way to avoid further neglect or destruction of Satoyama landscapes; and second, how to reorganize the management of Satoyama forest and lakeshore resources. The results of our investigation showed how solutions to the above issues were found in the context of lakeshore projects aimed at restoring reed (Phragmites communis) communities, which are important component of the Lake Biwa Satoyama landscape. Since 2002, four such projects have been successfully undertaken through the efficient use of local forest resources, mainly wood and bamboo, in wave dissipation structures and jetties which facilitate the expansion of reed communities. Management was reorganized and now consists of stakeholders which include the original Satoyama management communities, governmental bodies, resident and nonresident citizens, and nongovernmental and nonprofit organizations. The projects are a unique attempt to revive Satoyama watershed landscapes, and may serve as models in other watershed areas.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Reestablishing a Keystone Species in an Arid Coastal Environment: Saltbush (Salsola nollothensis) in Namibia
Abstract:Beach hummocks are important ecological components of coastal ecosystems. Although hummocks are naturally adapted to harsh conditions, reestablishing them in arid areas poses great challenges. During a collaborative project, researchers from Namdeb Diamond Corporation and the Millennium Seed Bank Partnership investigated practical methods to reestablish saltbush (Salsola nollothensis) beach hummocks to restore areas disturbed by alluvial diamond mining. With focus on simple methods that can be implemented over large areas, collecting seed-containing debris, placing windbreaks, and seeding these with debris are some of the means currently investigated.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Reframing the Debate over Assisted Colonization
Abstract:Assisted colonization – also known as managed relocation or assisted migration – is one way of facilitating range shifts for species that are restricted in their ability to move in response to climate or other environmental changes. Over the past decade, a healthy debate has evolved in the scientific community over the costs and benefits of assisted colonization as a climate- adaptation strategy. This discussion has focused largely on the specific risks and benefits of intentionally moving species, and has led to the development of multiple frameworks and numerous recommendations for weighing and evaluating these factors. Here, we argue that this debate is, in part, misguided, and that a more productive discussion would result if the issue were reframed in light of (1) the goals of assisted colonization, (2) the realities of projected climate impacts, and (3) the use of complementary adaptation strategies, such as enhancing landscape connectivity.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Rehabilitation of Forest-Savannas in Ghana: The Impacts of Land Use, Shade, and Invasive Species on Tree Recruitment
Abstract:This article examines the potential for the natural recruitment of trees from the soil seed bank following various types of agricultural land uses and conditions associated with them in the Suhum–Kraboa–Coaltar district of the Eastern Region. Seedling recruitment data from soil seed banks are interrogated with Repeated Measures Analyses of Variance, and these data show that, first, tree life forms are not significantly greater than other life forms, and that in fact tree life forms are the minority in the conditions of the examined agricultural land uses. Second, the analyses indicate that the natural recruitment of tree seedlings for tree rehabilitation confronts enormous competition from non-tree species. The herb/shrub species, Chromolaena odorata is identified as a primary factor for the difficulties of tree recruitment. Drawing on these findings and the detailed narratives of farmers, the article submits that the challenge for the natural recruitment of trees in the study region is for farmers to adopt land management practices that significantly increase the numbers of tree species while reducing the competition from non-tree species, such as C. odorata.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Remembering Our Roots: A Possible Connection between Loss of Ecological Memory, Alien Invasions and Ecological Restoration
Abstract:The loss of ecological memory for the natural stability domain of a site reduces ecosystem resilience and enables alien invasive species to become established more easily. These invasives may eventually create a new ecosystem with its own ecological memory and resilience. These new ecosystems are described here as novel ecosystems and are placed in the context of adaptive cycles. Ecological restoration of urban ecosystems requires removing the ecological legacy of invasive alien species. To be successful, invasive species control must address both internal within patch memory of invasives and external between patch memory.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Research on Slope Wetland Restoration Technology
Abstract:Both slope restoration technologies, stakes-end protection and rock slope protection, were applied to the wetland slope restoration in Xi Zhuo Jia Ying, Yanqing County, Beijing. Two kinds of stakes-end protection forms were utilized during the slope restoration processes. The single row stake protection with a total length of 95.4 m was mainly vegetated by Shrubs including willow, amorpha and mulberry, while the double stakes with a horizontal distance of one meter between two stakes were mainly vegetated by amorpha fruticosa and bidens. There were three pilot demonstration sites with a total length of 40.2 m were applied. The second demonstration site was divided into two separated components. Average sizes of stones for the three slope sites were respectively designed as 40 cm _ 25 cm _ 30 cm, 45 cm _ 20 cm _ 25 cm and 55 cm _ 35 cm _ 35 cm, 50 cm _ 35 cm _ 40 cm. Matrix for the first two slopes was mainly dominated by amorpha, bidens and cattail with the third slope open to rocks.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Resilience, Restoration, and Riparian Ecosystems: Case Study of a Dryland, Urban River
Abstract:The Salt River in Phoenix, Arizona has been impounded, dewatered, channelized, but also re- watered with urban effluent and storm drain runoff. To determine whether riparian vegetation is resilient to these various perturbations, paired comparisons were made in the vegetation and seed bank between a non-diverted reference reach, a diverted reach, and a re-watered urban reach. In the diverted reach, composition had shifted to that of a stress tolerant xeroriparian shrubland with low diversity in both the seed bank and extant vegetation. Most surprisingly, few differences were observed in the composition and structure of the vegetation and soil seed banks between the reference reach and the urban reach, particularly in the wet patches, suggesting that hydric riparian plant communities have the capacity to adapt to these modified conditions. These results provide support for a process-oriented approach to restoration on the Salt River and other urban dryland rivers using patches of persisting vegetation as models for achievable restoration targets.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Restoration of Degraded Semi-Arid Communal Grazing Land Vegetation Using the Exclosure Model
Abstract:Degradation of communal grazing land vegetation is a widespread problem throughout Sub- Saharan Africa and its restoration is a challenge for the management of many semi-arid areas. This study assessed the effectiveness of different age (young versus old) exclosures on species composition and diversity, biomass production and woody structure in northern Ethiopia. The species composition and diversity of herbaceous and woody plants was higher in the exclosures than in the grazed areas. The mean aboveground biomass measured inside the exclosures was more than twice that of the adjacent grazed areas and more biomass was produced from the young than the old exclosures. The study showed that degraded semi-arid vegetation is able to recover in a relatively short time when protected. Extended protection, however, reduces herbaceous species diversity and biomass. Therefore, it is suggested that a slight shift in management where exclosures protected for longer periods may be moderately used by livestock.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Restoration of Dry Tropical Forests in Central America: A Review of Pattern and Process
Abstract:Much information on restoration and management exists for wet tropical forests of Central America but comparatively little work has been done in the dry forests of this region. Such information is critical for reforestation efforts that are now occurring throughout Central America. This paper describes processes of degradation due to land use and provides a conceptual framework for the restoration of dry tropical forest. Most of this forest type was initially harvested for timber and then cleared for cattle in the last century (1930–1970). Only 1.7% remains largely restricted to infertile soils and remote areas on the Pacific coastal side of Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico. These cleared areas are again in a state of transition due to a combination of decreasing land productivity, and land speculation for tourism development. Some farms have been sold to new landowners who are interested in reforesting to increase biodiversity and forest cover. Attempts have therefore been made to reforest by protecting the land from fire and cattle, by supplementing natural regrowth with enrichment planting, or through use of tree plantations.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Restoration of Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity: Conflicts and Opportunities
Abstract:Ecological restoration is becoming regarded as a major strategy for increasing the provision of ecosystem services as well as reversing biodiversity losses. Here, we show that restoration projects can be effective in enhancing both, but that conflicts can arise, especially if single services are targeted in isolation. Furthermore, recovery of biodiversity and services can be slow and incomplete. Despite this uncertainty, new methods of ecosystem service valuation are suggesting that the economic benefits of restoration can outweigh costs. Payment for Ecosystem Service schemes could therefore provide incentives for restoration, but require development to ensure biodiversity and multiple services are enhanced and the needs of different stakeholders are met. Such approaches must be implemented widely if new global restoration targets are to be achieved.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Restoration of Isolated and Small Coastal Sand Dunes on the Rocky Coast of Northern Spain
Abstract:This study shows the results of a program that monitored the process of natural colonization of plant species in the restored dune over a period of seven years, until the loss of the dune by the action of storms in 2008. The results show that the vegetation dynamics in the restored dune followed a process of primary succession, with a progressive increase in species number, coverage and heterogeneity. The establishment of species was driven by the strong environmental gradient present perpendicular to the coastline. The results indicate that natural colonization in this coastal sector is now possible due to the large number of dune species present, and in spite of the isolation of the restored dune system and the loss and fragmentation of the dune habitats in the region.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Restoration of Nontarget Species: Bee Communities and Pollination Function in Riparian Forests
Abstract:Nontarget species such as pollinators may be of great importance to the restoration process and the long-term functioning of restored habitats, but little is known about how such groups respond to habitat restoration. I surveyed bee communities at five equal-aged restored sites, paired with five reference sites (riparian remnants) along the Sacramento River, California, United States. Patterns of visitation to native plant species suggest that pollination function is restored along with pollinator abundance and richness; however, function may be less robust in restored habitats. An examination of interaction networks between bees and plant species found at both restored and remnant riparian sites showed less redundancy of pollinators visiting some plants at restored habitats.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Restoration of Pasture to Forest in Brazil’s Mata Atlantica: The Roles of Herbivory, Seedling Defenses, and Plot Design in Reforestation
Abstract:In this study, seedling growth and herbivory were monitored during the first 4 years of plot development in a large-scale reforestation experiment in Brazil’s Atlantic Rainforest (Mata Atlantica). Seedlings were planted in a factorial design testing two levels of density, three levels of diversity, and the presence or absence of pioneer species at the Reserva Natural Vale in the Brazilian state of Espi_rito Santo. Overall, to limit insect damage and promote seedling success, plant defense characteristics and ecological interactions should be carefully considered in reforestation projects.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Restoration Seed Banks—A Matter of Scale
Abstract:With nearly two-thirds of the world’s ecosystems degraded, the October 2010 meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP-10) highlighted ecological restoration as a significant opportunity for achieving global conservation goals. The restoration of nature, natural assets, and biodiversity is now a global business worth at least $1.6 trillion annually and likely to grow substantially. Although seed banks have emerged as a tool to protect wild plant species, off-site (ex situ) conservation measures at seed banks must be complementary to “on the ground” management at the conservation site. For example, whereas global targets are for restoration or management of at least 15% of each ecological region or vegetation type, recognition of the mechanisms required to achieve these goals is largely absent from policies.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Restore and Sequester: Estimating Biomass in Native Australian Woodland Ecosystems for their Carbon-funded Restoration
Abstract:This study contributes the predictive equations required to accurately quantify the carbon sequestered in native woodland ecosystems in the low rainfall region of south-western Australia.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Restore, Repair or Reinvent: Options for Sustainable Landscapes in a Changing Climate
Abstract:We define three restoration pathways based largely on existing land use and the degree of modification: restoration for areas of natural ecosystems; repair for production landscapes; and reinvention for urban areas. Challenges and research priorities include understanding: the effects of mean climate change and climate extremes on species distribution and ecosystem composition; how restoration can be used for carbon sequestration; the effects of proximate and endogenous drivers on landscape change; how to better bio-design landscapes for multiple functions; integration of different scales of restoration planning and design; and the establishment of long-term monitoring and adaptive management.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Restoring Abandoned Pasture Land with Native Tree Species in Costa Rica: Effects of Exotic Grass Competition and Light
Abstract:Understanding the early establishment requirements and performance of tropical tree seedlings is essential to ensuring the success of restoration plantings. This study was designed to characterize growth and light requirements of six common neotropical tree species Pseudosamanea guachapele (Fabaceae), Tabebuia impetiginosa (Bignoniaceae), Ceiba pentandra (Bombacaceae), Pachira quinata (Bombacaceae), Dalbergia retusa (Fabaceae), and Tabebuia rosea (Bignoniaceae) in an abandoned pasture under contrasting light environments and grass competition. Field studies were conducted in the pastures of the Santa Ana Conservation Center in Costa Rica. As an initial step for restoring abandoned pasture lands we recommend using all these species in direct and moderate light conditions. Incorporating all species will create a more heterogeneous environment. Choosing light demanding species that can tolerate grass competition may help ensure success in the early stage of restoration.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Restoring Forests and Associated Ecosystem Services on Appalachian Coal Surface Mines
Abstract:Although forested ecosystems are valued by society for both marketable products and ecosystem services, forests have not been restored on most Appalachian mined lands because traditional reclamation practices, encouraged by regulatory policies, created conditions poorly suited for reforestation. Reclamation scientists have studied productive forests growing on older mine sites, established forest vegetation experimentally on recent mines, and identified mine reclamation practices that encourage forest vegetation re-establishment. Based on these findings, they developed a Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) that can be employed by coal mining firms to restore forest vegetation. Scientists and mine regulators, working collaboratively, have communicated the FRA to the coal industry and to regulatory enforcement personnel.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Restoring Remote Ecosystems
Abstract:Significant and often indirect impacts on alpine ecosystems, the primary ecosystem under consideration in this article, threaten historical-reference conditions and the viability of some species. The impetus for restoration is similar to projects involving more direct and proximate impacts, but the issues are more complicated in remote ecosystems. Restoration efforts in remote ecosystems might do more harm than good, and the effort required for effective restoration might be greater than easily justified given the shortfall of resources for restoring more heavily impacted ecosystems.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Rewilding – A New Paradigm for Nature Conservation in Scotland?
Abstract:In Scotland, where many native species have been extirpated in the relatively recent past, rewilding has clear relevance and may provide an overarching set of objectives for current programmes of native woodland restoration and species reintroductions. Nevertheless, rewilding is not widely used as a term or strategy in Scottish conservation. This review considers the development of the concept and its possible application in Scotland, and identifies substantial scope for rewilding, in terms of the restoration and protection of large areas of wild land, and of the reintroduction of native species which have been driven to extinction by human activity. As the environmental, social and economic benefits which are likely to result from a programme of rewilding in Scotland outweigh the potential drawbacks, the adoption of rewilding is recommended as one aim of environmental policy.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Riparian Vegetation Metrics as Tools for Guiding Ecological Restoration in Riverscapes
Abstract:The present work proposes a stepwise methodological procedure over spatial scales, using quantitative descriptors (metrics) of the ecological condition of the riparian vegetation. This evaluation is based on the composition and cover of plant assemblages, species attributes, and spatial patterns, which can reflect the deviation of the structure and condition of the riparian zone from the near-natural state to an impaired situation. Landscape metrics obtained from high spatial resolution imagery are used for the evaluation of the spatial features of the riparian zone, followed by the calculation of a riparian multimetric index, based on field observations. The integration of multi-spatial scale information provided by landscape metrics and biological metrics is essential and recommended for decision support of end-users and to evaluate the success of restoration measures.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
River Restoration Success Depends on the Species Pool of the Immediate Surroundings
Abstract:Previous studies evaluating the success of river restorations have rarely found any consistent effects on benthic invertebrate assemblages. In this study, we analyzed data from 24 river restoration projects in Germany dating back 1 to 12 years and 1231 data sets from adjacent river reaches that lie within 0–5, 5–10, and 10–15 km rings centered on the restored sites. We calculated restoration success and recolonization potential of adjacent river reaches based on stream-type-specific subsets of taxa indicative for good or bad habitat quality. On average, the restorations did not improve the benthic invertebrate community quality. However, we show that restoration success depends on the presence of source populations of desired taxa in the surrounding of restored sites.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
River Restoration Success: A Question of Perception
Abstract:What defines success and failure of river restoration measures is a strongly debated topic in restoration science, but standardized approaches to evaluate either are still not available. The debate is usually centered on measurable parameters, which adhere to scientific objectivity. More subjective aspects, such as landscape aesthetics or recreational value, are usually left out, although they play an important role in the perception and communication of restoration success. In this paper, we show that different perceptions of restoration success exist by analyzing data from 26 river restoration measures in Germany. We addressed both objective parameters, such as hydromorphological changes and changes in fish and benthic invertebrate assemblages, from field investigations, and subjective parameters, such as opinions and perceptions, from water managers via an online survey.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
River Restoration: The Fuzzy Logic of Repairing Reaches to Reverse Catchment Scale Degradation
Abstract:River restoration is an increasingly common approach utilized to reverse past degradation of freshwater ecosystems and to mitigate the anticipated damage to freshwaters from future development and resource-extraction activities. While the practice of river restoration has grown exponentially over the last several decades, there has been little empirical evaluation of whether restoration projects individually or cumulatively achieve the legally mandated goals of improving the structure and function of streams and rivers. New efforts to evaluate river restoration projects that use channel reconfiguration as a methodology for improving stream ecosystem structure and function are finding little evidence for measurable ecological improvement. While designed channels may have less-incised banks and greater sinuousity than the degraded streams they replace, these reach-scale efforts do not appear to be effectively mitigating the physical, hydrological, or chemical alterations that are responsible for the loss of sensitive taxa and the declines in water quality that typically motivate restoration efforts.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011
Rivers, Regulation and Restoration: Land Use History of Floodplains in a Peri-Urban Landscape in Luxembourg, 1777-2000
Abstract:This paper discusses the historical changes to and the uses of floodplain landscapes in Luxembourg from 1770-2000 as a case study of a region with a rural past and a peri-urban present. Based on the historical landscape analysis approach, the study comprises historical evidence of written, cartographic and oral sources collected at a regional (Gutland) and a local (Syr Valley) level. The floodplains investigated were old cultural landscapes, shaped by agriculture, livestock husbandry, river regulation measures, land improvement, milling, navigation, mining and fisheries. Landscape change has been characterised by different periods of intensity, however it was not until the last century that these changes had a large-scale impact, inducing a complete loss of several ecological and socio-economic functions. A historical perspective of local landscape conditions and land use change is needed to maintain landscape identity in a contemporary peri-urban environment, and to base planning and restoration activities on reliable data.
Resource Type:Peer-reviewed ArticlePublication Date: 2011