Lecture 14: Ecological Restoration Flashcards
Ecological Restoration
the practice of restoring the species and ecosystems that occupied a site at some point in the past but were degraded, damaged, or destroyed.
- Wetland Replication
- Mine Site Reclamation
- Range Management
- Tree Planting
Ecological Succession
the gradual process of change in species composition, community structure, soil chemistry, and microclimate characteristics that occurs following natural or anthropogenic disturbance.
Reference Sites
natural “control” sites that provide a framework for setting restoration goals and measuring success.
- intact sites nearby
- seen in old photos
Ecological Restoration Categories
- No Action
- Rehabilitation
- Partial Restoration
- Complete Restoration
No Action
too expensive, or ecosystem will likely recover on its own
Rehabilitation
replacing a degraded ecosystem with another productive site.
-replacing a degraded forest with productive pasture
Partial Restoration
replacing some ecosystem functions and original, dominant species
-tree planting in degraded forest
Complete Restoration
restoring the original species composition and structure
Case Study: Guanacaste Tropical Dry Forest, Costa Rica
- dry forest cleared for cattle
- highly invasive african grass Jaragua was planted as forage
- recovery: native tree planting, fire control
Case Study: Maiden Island Mangrove and Reef, Antigua
- reef and mangroves destroyed from construction and fishing
- recovery: reef balls, mangrove planting
Case Study: Duffy’s Marsh Restoration Marquette County
- wetland previously drained for agriculture
- largest wetland restoration in WI
- dredging
- soil restoration: adding layers of dead plant material
