Authors:
Padilla, F.M., R. Ortega, J. Sa_nchez and F.I. Pugnaire
Publication Date:
2009
Abstract/Summary:
Restoration is playing an increasingly important role in ecology as natural habitats become scarcer and chances to restore ecosystems damaged by human activities are more common. However, restoration of degraded Mediterranean arid ecosystems is hampered by drought and poor soils, which cause many establishment failures. To compare how species belonging to different successional stages establish in a very stressful site, we carried out a field experiment with 14 tree and shrub species differing in functional traits. We suggest a new approach for the restoration for arid shrublands in which species are carefully selected based on traits that best suit the environmental conditions.
Resource Type:
Peer-reviewed Article
Source:
Basic and Applied Ecology
Link:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1439179109000292