Restoration Ecology

Question 1

Restoration

Ecology

Answer 1

The process of 
assisting the recovery of 
an ecosystem that has 
been degraded, damaged, 
or destroye”

Question 2

Creating new

ecosystems.

Answer 2

populations

!   communities

!   ecosystems

Question 3

Reference Site

Answer 3

-Provides 
restoration 
reference
-Allows 
quantitative 
evaluations of 
success
-Monitor for 
extended 
duration

Question 4

Levels of restoration -

Answer 4

1. No action.
2. Rehabilitation.
3. Complete restoration.
4. Partial restoration.

Question 5

NO action.

Answer 5

Restoration is
deemed too
expensive.

!   Previous attempts
have failed.

!   System will recover
on its own.

!   “passive restoration”

Question 6

2. Rehabilitation

Answer 6

BROWN FIELD
!   Used on degraded
areas.

!   Restore ecological
function.

!   Even if it differs from
original.

!   Degraded forest to
agricultural field.

Question 7

3. Partial restoration
   (ecological services
   restoration)

Answer 7

Restore portion of system
function.

!   e.g. replace degraded forest
with tree plantation.

!   Replace row crop with
grassland.

Question 8

4. Complete restoration

Answer 8

Restore to native state.

!   Restore to reference state

Question 9

Restoration Challenges

Answer 9

!   1) Changing natural systems
!   2) Limits of knowledge about natural systems

!   3) Lack of documentation and experimentation

!   4) Limitations and dangers of mitigation

!   5) Situational nature of restorations

!   6) Conflicts among users

!   7) Shortage of resources

Question 10

Restoration Ecology -

Caveats

Answer 10

1. Although restoration can enhance conservation
   efforts, restoration is always a poor second to the
   preservation of original habitats.

!   2. The use of ex situ restoration (mitigation) as an
equal replacement for habitat and population
destruction or degradation (`take’) is at best often
unsupported by hard evidence, and is at worst an
irresponsible degradative force in its own right.

Question 11

From Ecosystem
Perspective -
ecosystem
components:

Answer 11

Elements

Processes

Question 12

Restoration Approaches

Answer 12

Restore elements.
!   Restore
processes.

!   Restore processes
and hope
elements will
return.

!   Restore elements
and hope
processes will
return.

Question 13

Restoration of Elements -

Ecosystem level

Answer 13

1) Enlarging
preserves and
creating buffers

!   2) Restoring
remnants

Question 14

Disturbance regimes

Answer 14

!   1. Fire

!   2. Flooding

!   3. Grazing

!   4. Wind-throw

!   5. Other?

!   tsunami

!   hurricane

!   6. Anthropogenic?

Question 15

Restoration Challenges

Answer 15

Restoration goals
and objectives may
differ among
parties.

!   Restoration
projects involve
multiple fields with
different goals.

!   Landscape
architects.

!   Civil engineers.

!   Biological
engineering.
Material support