Restoration ecology
Restoration ecology is the scientific discipline focused on returning degraded or modified ecosystems to a state that approximates their original condition. This field has gained importance, particularly as governments increasingly mandate restoration efforts following environmental disturbances caused by activities such as mining or logging. In the United States, federal laws often require ecological restoration after significant land alterations, recognizing the need to address the long-term impacts of human activity on natural landscapes.
Restoration ecology involves various strategies, one of which includes allowing nature to recover naturally through ecological succession. However, this process can be slow and may not always result in the desired ecological outcome, especially in areas impacted by exotic species or soil pollution. Successful restoration requires careful planning, which generally follows five key steps: envisioning the desired outcome, consulting existing research, mitigating current disturbances, rehabilitating physical habitats, and reintroducing native plants and animals.
Globally, numerous restoration projects have demonstrated how diverse ecosystems can be revitalized. For instance, the restoration of North American prairies has often necessitated the removal of nonnative plants and the reestablishment of native species, sometimes supported by periodic prescribed burns. Additionally, policies such as "no net loss" for wetlands highlight the commitment to creating new ecosystems to compensate for those that have been lost. Overall, restoration ecology seeks to repair ecological damage while fostering a deeper understanding of natural processes.
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Restoration ecology
DEFINITION: Science of returning ecosystems that have been modified or degraded by human activity to a state approximating their original condition
It has become increasingly common for governments to require that the parties responsible for disturbances to the natural environment—such as mining or logging companies—work to restore the environment when the disturbance-causing activities are concluded. Such projects are guided by the science of restoration ecology.
In the United States various federal laws require some form of ecological restoration following strip and surface mining, construction, and other activities that alter the natural landscape. In the management of natural areas that have been disturbed to some degree, several options are available. One is to do nothing but protect the property, allowing nature to take its course. In the absence of further disturbances, one would expect the area to undergo the process of ecological succession. Theoretically, an similar to that typical of the region, and including an array of organisms, would be expected to return.
One might ask, therefore, why ecological restoration is mandated. For one thing, succession is often a process requiring long periods of time. As an example, the return of a forest following the destruction of the trees and removal of the soil would require more than one century. Also, ecosystems resulting from succession may be lacking in species typical of the region. This is true when succession is initiated in an area where many exotic (nonnative) species are present or where certain native species have been eliminated. Succession can produce a new ecosystem with a comparable to the original one only if there is a local source of colonizing animals and seeds of native plants. Also, satisfactory recovery by succession is unlikely if the soil has been heavily polluted by heavy metals or other substances as a result of industrial land use.
Once it has been decided that a given ecosystem is to be restored, success requires that a plan be designed and followed. Although the specifics may vary greatly, the managers of all ecological restoration projects should follow five basic steps: Envision the end result, consult relevant literature and solicit the advice of specialists, remove or mitigate any current disturbances to the site, rehabilitate the physical habitat, and restore indigenous plants and animals.
Much can be learned from restoration projects that have been conducted in various parts of the world involving a wide variety of ecosystems. A classic ecological restoration of a prairie was conducted in Wisconsin beginning in the 1930s. Because most North American prairies have been converted to agricultural uses, many opportunities exist for prairie restoration. In such projects, it is often necessary to eliminate exotic plants by mechanical means or by application of herbicides. Native prairie grasses and forbs can be established by transplantation or from seed. It may also be necessary to introduce native fauna from nearby areas. Periodic prescribed burning is often necessary to simulate the natural fires common in prairies.
After decades of loss of wetlands in the United States, the federal government established a policy of “no net loss.” Thus, when a wetland is destroyed by development, a new wetland must be created as compensation. In the creation of a new wetland, the of the new site must be altered before native flora and fauna are introduced.
Bibliography
Chiras, Daniel D. “Principles of Ecology: Self-Sustaining Mechanisms in Ecosystems.” In Environmental Science. 8th ed. Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett, 2010.
Falk, Donald A., Margaret A. Palmer, and Joy B. Zedler, eds. Foundations of Restoration Ecology. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2006.
Fleming, David. "Bringing the Case for Ecological Restoration Home." Virginia Tech News, 22 Sept. 2023, news.vt.edu/articles/2023/09/cals-ecological-restoration-Reid.html. Accessed 23 July 2024.
Martin, Laura J. Wild by Design: The Rise of Ecological Restoration. Harvard University Press, 2022.
Naomi, Elias. "The Tricky Politics of Ecological Restoration." The Nation, 4 July 2024, www.thenation.com/article/environment/the-tricky-politics-of-ecological-restoration/. Accessed 23 July 2024.
Van Andel, Jelte, and James Aronson, eds. Restoration Ecology: The New Frontier. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Science, 2006.