SER2015
ORAL SESSIONS
O1.1
Carbon dynamics in restored wetlands from croplands - a case study of Emiquon floodplain
restoration, Illinois, USA
H. Chen, S. Popovich, C. Buss, Z. Dolbeare, B. Briddell
Department of Biology, University of Illinois at Springfield, Springfield, United States
Terrestrial ecosystems play important role in carbon (C) cycle. The loss of wetlands for croplands
results in a release of significant amount of C from soil organic matter into atmosphere. Wetland
restoration from croplands has potential for C sequestration. However, restored wetlands emit
methane (CH4), the second most important green-house gas. Emiquon floodplain restoration, the
largest in Illinois of USA, was launched in 2007. The overall goal of this study was to study C
dynamics in the restored wetland from croplands at Emiquon using an inventory approach and eddyflux method. Soil samples were collected along transects in 2009 and 2013. In addition, organic C
(OC) storage of aboveground plants were sampled and estimated in 2009. The inventory
measurements indicated that the soil organic carbon (SOC) storage at Emiquon increased from 33.90
Mg /ha in 2009 to 48.03 Mg/ha in 2013. The aboveground biomass OC storage accounted for 3.69
Mg/ha in 2009. Using the eddy covariance technique, we have measured CO2 and CH4 flux of the
restored wetlands since October, 2013. The preliminary analysis of the flux data showed this restored
wetland is a C sink, although the CH4 flux has offset the C sink. In addition, we have estimated SOC
storage in two Illinois natural Marsh and Sedge Meadow in 2011. The SOC storages in the two natural
wetlands provide good references for C sequestration potential of soil organic matter in restored
wetlands. The SOC storage of natural Marsh and Sedge Meadow was 75.2 Mg/ha and 128.6 Mg/ha,
respectively. This suggests that the restored wetland at Emiquon has potential to sequestrate more C
in future. In conclusion, the restored wetland from croplands at Emiquon was a C sink and has
potential for sequestrating more C over time as well as provides other important ecological services.
O1.2
DNA metabarcoding of fungal populations in restored colliery spoil soils and implications for
carbon sequestration
A.P. Detheridge, J. Scullion, G.W. Griffith
IBERS, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom
Fungi have an important role to play in ecological function and biochemical cycles in soils. We have
used a high throughput (Ion Torrent PGM) DNA sequencing system to assess differences in fungal
populations on diverse colliery spoil restoration sites in Wales, UK under different afteruses. Samples
were taken from restorations ranging from 13 to 30 years old and within these sites from grassland
and mixed woodland. Comparisons were also conducted with semi-natural grassland sites reference
sites
(no ploughing or fertilizer addition for >30 yrs).
Analyses of C stocks on the restored sites indicated high levels and rates of accumulation despite
limited organic C inputs. This combination suggested constraints on decomposition. Therefore the
study investigated links between fungal communities, as the main decomposers of soil C, levels of C
sequestration and soil C cycling.
Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) revealed clear differences between the restored grassland
soils and those planted with trees, and between restored and semi-natural grassland. As expected,
ectomycorrhizal species (Thelephora, Russula etc) were abundant in the restored woodland soils but
absent from grassland areas. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, in contrast were only apparent in
grasslands. The semi-natural grasslands were dominated by basidiomycetes (eg. Hygrocybe spp.
Clavariaceae).
Ergosterol concentration was used to converted relative proportions of fungi to fungal biomass. In
restored soils ergosterol levels indicated markedly lower fungal biomass than in semi-natural soils. In
another notable difference, populations of saprotrophic in absolute terms were lower in the restored
grassland and woodland. Links between biomass of fungal functional groups, C concentration and
composition
(by FT-IR) of C in soils were investigated to determine if changes in fungal composition could explain
the variability of C in the different soils.
O1.3
Biomass carbon stock in age chronosequences of rubber tree plantations in North East India
B. Brahma, A.J. Nath, A.K. Das
Ecology and Environmental Science, Assam University, Silchar, India
Rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), known for its significant role in economy, now cultivated
commercially worldwide covering an area of ̴ 10 M ha. In South and Southeast Asia, the species has
been increasingly used for restoration of degraded forest landscapes. Since, this is an important
species prioritized for restoration of degraded landscapes, present study was undertaken to
understand how different plantation ages contribute towards biomass accumulation. Present research
was carried out in different rubber plantation ages (5-10yr, 11-20yr, 21-30yr and 31-40yr) in North East
India, planted on degraded forest landscape. To study the aboveground biomass content in different
plantation ages, age specific allometric models were developed by harvesting a total of 67 trees. Age
chronosequences significantly influenced the biomass stock of the plantations. Aboveground biomass
-1
stock (Mg ha ) estimated were 32.01±6.76, 105.05±14.06, 148.89±18.90 and 224.67±26.95 for 5-10,
11-20, 21-30 and 31-40 year old plantations respectively. Present study suggests restoration of
degraded lands using rubber trees is a viable option for carbon sink management. Moreover, the
recent developments at Conference of the Parties 20 thatencourages the aggregation of many small
projects together as one project component under one administrative umbrella, which would be ideal
for rubber forestry to achieve the goal of
(i) carbon offset and
(ii) strengthening the income stream of the farmers under Clean Development Mechanism.
Keywords: Restoration, allometric model, carbon sink, biomass accumulation.
O2.1
Creating high quality habitats for the future
J. Box
Atkins Ltd, Birmingham, United Kingdom
The State of Nature report in 2013 by 25 conservation and research organisations demonstrates the
ongoing losses of biodiversity in the UK. The EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 has a target of halting
the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services by 2020. Recent reviews of the
priority policy options and research needs for nature conservation have identified the importance of
new land use policies for restoring and rebuilding biodiversity including habitat banking, 'no net loss' of
biodiversity, restoring floodplain functionality, peatland restoration and ecologically coherent networks.
A high degree of connectivity between habitats and sites is vital to delivering such policies.
Our toolbox for restoring and rebuilding biodiversity includes habitat restoration, habitat creation and
habitat translocation - all of which are underpinned by habitat management. In making decisions about
creating habitats, much greater use needs to be made of the environmental context of sites, especially
the soil chemistry and soil hydrology, to ensure success in the long term. Case studies from Telford in
Shropshire, England, will be used to illustrate these different methods of creating habitats. A common
set of principles is required to ensure that these three methods create the high quality habitats that will
both rebuild biodiversity and that will deliver no net loss of biodiversity. In the context of creating
habitats in general, and biodiversity offsetting in particular, there are fundamental questions that still
lack credible answers and key issues that still need to be urgently addressed.
O2.2
Assessment of wildlife at Wafra area in Kuwait
H. Al-Khalaifa
Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait,
Kuwait
The management of JO-Wafra had requested Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) to
conduct wildlife baseline assessment studies of the JO-Wafra oilfield and identify potential habitat of
endangered or threatened species that could occur on site. Also, to identify dangerous fauna that can
occur on site and the hazards posed to humans.The wildlife survey commenced in December 2005
and terminated in March 2006, covering the winter and early spring seasons of the country. The field
data collected indicated the differences in the number of individuals and wildlife fauna species within
the fenced and unfenced oilfields. It also showed that the fenced JO-Wafra main is rich and has
diverse wildlife fauna species, an indication of ecological health. No hazardous fauna was recorded
during the survey. The field data collected also showed four types of habitats in the JO-Wafra oilfields.
O2.3
Enrichment of habitats for herpetofauna in areas of biotic compensation in the hydroelectric
project El Quimbo, Colombia
G.F. Medina-Rangel1,2, Y.R. López-Perilla1
1
2
Fundación Natura, Bogotá, Colombia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
Tropical dry forests of the upper basin of the Magdalena River in the department of Huila, Colombia, it
was have undergone a long process of degradation and loss resulting from extensive livestock,
agriculture and the removal of vegetation for firewood and construction. Under the Hydroelectric
Project El Quimbo, we have developed the contract Rehabilitation of habitats for wildlife, as one of the
measures of biotic compensation provided for in the environmental license of the project, by contract
CEQ750 between EMGESA and Fundación Natura. The main objective of the project is to improve
habitat for fauna in the 300 Ha of biotic compensation, located in the municipalities of Gigante,
Garzón, Agrado, Paicol y Tesalia, in Huila. Strategies to improve wildlife habitats of amphibians and
reptiles in project areas were raised. Initially it was a characterization of herpetofauna in various
habitats in process of regeneration (shrublands, grasslands and weedy grasses). We recorded 32
species (11 amphibians and 21 reptiles). The presence of endemic or near-endemic species are
highlighted such as amphibians Caecilia occidentales, Elachistoclei pearsei y Leptodactylus
colombiensis. To enhance habitats, strategies such as aggregates and artificial shelters (emparrados,
stockades and water reservoirs) were established, were looking to increase the supply of protection,
breeding sites and feeding areas for species of amphibians and reptiles, furthermore pretend to be
space where they can gradually go arriving species of amphibians and reptiles from more structured
surrounding habitats. Currently, we are conducting the monitoring of strategies to evaluate its
effectiveness on the herpetofauna affected by habitat loss. The project was supported by EMGESA
and Fundacion Natura.
O2.5
Protecting the habitats of priority bird species of the Vistula Valley under the circumstances of
intensive pressure of Warsaw agglomeration
Ł.K. Poławski
Warsaw Property City Management, Warszawa, Poland
The Vistula river is the longest river in Poland. It is partly regulated, while sections of it are left in an
almost natural or close to natural state. In some sections one can observe the dynamic processes of
the formation and erosion of islands and sandbanks. In other sections there are regulating structures,
such as groynes, especially in the Warsaw city. Although we can still observe there big nesting
colonies of waders and nesting sites of such species as common sandpiper, kingfisher or white-white
tailed eagle.
The most important activities in the field of restitution and protection of birds habitat include the
construction of stable islands, sandy shores and artificial floating islands and restoring early plant
growth on the islands, which as result of overgrowth are not suitable for settlement of seagulls and
terns.
The project area includes more than a 50 km length of Special Bird Protection Site in the Middle
Vistula River Valley (PLB140004). It is a section that includes nature reserve areas and also the very
centre of Warsaw. Due to this fact, it is essential to implement actions targeted at minimizing the
unfavourable impacts of human presence, which can threaten animals and natural habitats. Close
neighbourhood of protected Natura 2000 area and Warsaw community demands the rationalization of
the recreational use of the river.
O3.1
Community assembly during secondary succession of tropical dry forests: leaf traits reveal the
drivers of change in resource acquisition strategies
1,2
3
4
1
G. Derroire , J.S. Powers , C.M. Hulshof , J.R. Healey
1
School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography, Bangor University, Bangor, United
Kingdom, 2Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences,
Alnarp, Sweden, 3Depts. of Ecology, Evolution, & Behavior and Plant Biology, University of Minnesota,
4
St. Paul, United States, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, Puerto
Rico
Tropical dry forests (TDF) are one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world. Although their
ecology differs in important ways, they have been less studied than other forests. Understanding the
filtering of tree community assembly during secondary succession in TDF is of great importance: it
aids practitioners and forest managers in determining suitable restoration strategies that alleviate
barriers to forest recovery after deforestation and degradation. Using an approach based on functional
traits rather than on species to understand these processes is particularly valuable. Functional traits
can indeed reveal the strategies of species for resource acquisition and hence help identify the factors
limiting the rate of their establishment at different stages of succession.
Our study aims to
(1) identify the changes in leaf functional diversity during TDF succession and test to what extent it
increases with species diversity,
(2) understand how resource acquisition strategies, from acquisitive to conservative, differ with the
changing biotic and abiotic environment of successional TDF and
(3) identify the main filters of community assembly at different stages of succession, from
environmental filtering leading to the convergence of resource acquisition strategies within the
community to niche differentiation promoting divergence of strategies. To meet these aims, we
measured a suite of morphological and chemical leaf traits on more than 800 saplings in a
chronosequence of secondary TDF in Costa Rica.
The theoretical ecological outcomes of this study can benefit science-based strategies for restoring the
biodiversity of TDF. First, this study identifies factors limiting the establishment of some species that
could be targeted by intervention. Second, it can provide guidance on the selection of species for
plantation based on their strategies of resource acquisition. Finally, it can help the prediction of the
functional trajectories of restored forests and the choice of efficient indicators for monitoring.
O3.2
Restoration of dry deciduous forest eco-systems and sustainable community livelihoods at
Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats, India
R. Venkataraman1,2, A. Krishnamurthy3,4, S. Setty5, R. Dahiya6,7, C. Hanumanth8
1
2
Managing Trustee, Junglescapes Charitable Trust, Bangalore, India, Principal Investigator, CEPF3
ATREE Western Ghats Small Grants Program, Bangalore, India, Consulting Engineer, GE India
Technology Centre, Bangalore, India, 4Project Governance Committee Member, Junglescapes
Charitable Trust, Bangalore, India, 5Fellow, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the
6
Environment, Bangalore, India, Centre of Excellence, Centre for Environmental Management of
7
Degraded Ecosystems, New Delhi, India, North Bengal Regional R&D Centre, Tea Research
8
Association, Jalpaiguri, India, Project Governance Committee Member, Junglescapes Charitable
Trust, Mysore, India
Bandipur Tiger Reserve is a major wildlife habitat in India and is located in the Western Ghats, a
global bio-diversity hot spot. Reserved forests adjacent to Bandipur Tiger Reserve serve as valuable
buffer habitats for wildlife and are also migratory routes for wild animals. These dry deciduous forest
eco-systems are highly degraded due to anthropogenic pressures like firewood collection, cattle
grazing and logging, and also due to widespread biological invasion by Lantana camara, an invasive
exotic species that poses a major threat to core as well as buffer areas of many tiger reserves in India.
Junglescapes (www.junglescapes.org) is a non-profit that has been working since 2007 on a
community-participative model of ecological restoration of these degraded eco-systems wherein
local forest dwelling communities participate actively in the restoration efforts, providing them
sustainable alternate livelihoods. Importantly, this model helps sustain a win-win, collaborative
relationship between these communities and the ecology and wildlife. The eco-system
restoration work encompasses four inter-related aspects i.e. active reforestation through low-cost
methods like rain water harvesting and planting of native saplings; scientific management of Lantana
by the cut-rootstock method; reduction in pressure from firewood collection by providing fuel efficient
cook stoves; and reduction in grazing pressure through affirmative action by the communities
encouraged by the economic linkage to their conservation efforts. Till date around 800 hectares of
degraded forests have been successfully restored to healthy wildlife habitats. Overall green cover has
increased significantly with good resurgence of wildlife. The Lantana management initiative carried out
under a CEPF grant has produced encouraging results that can benefit many forest eco-systems in
India affected by this weed. Attracting corporate CSR support for ecological restoration has been
another unique aspect of the project. This presentation discusses the community participative
restoration model practiced, technical details of the restoration work and the outcomes achieved.
O3.3
Exotic Khaya senegalensis (Desr.) A. Juss. as nurse-trees for dry forest restoration in Sri
Lanka
1
1
2
W.W.M.A.B. Medawatte , M.C.M. Iqbal , S.M.W. Ranwala
1
2
Plant Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka, Department
of Plant Sciences, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Encroachment of fire prone successionally arrested plant (SAP) communities into abandoned
degraded lands (ADL) after shifting cultivation is a major problem for restoration of dry forest in Sri
Lanka. Use of exotic plantation species as nurse-trees to restore ADL with late succession forest trees
is an emerging forest restoration practice in Sri Lanka. In this study we determined the regeneration
capacity of natural forest tree species under the over-storey of exotic plantation species in the dry
zone during the dry season in 2014. Fifty plots (1 m x 1 m) were established randomly to quantify
naturally regenerated grass and forest seedling richness, diversity (Shannon index) and density within
three treatment types: reforested ADL with
(i) Khaya senegalensis,
(ii) Tectona grandis L.f. and
(iii) an ADL without nurse-trees.
R statistical software was used to analyse the data. Richness, diversity and density of natural forest
species were significantly greater under K. senegalensis than that of T. grandis and ADL without
nurse-trees (Kruskal-Wallis test, P< 0.05). Pterospermum canescens Roxb, having wind dispersed
light weight seeds was the most abundant forest tree species under K. senegalensis while exotic
invasive Panicum maximum Jacq. was abundant under T. grandis and in the ADL without nurse-trees.
Fire prone and highly competitive P. maximum dominating the SAP community may suppress forest
seedling regeneration and additionally increase the fuel load. This can consequently boost fire
intensity thereby reducing the regeneration of fire susceptible forest seedlings. We suggest that
evergreen K. senegalensis plantations can be used as nurse-tree for dry forest restoration and
conservation, but not T. grandis, based on the potential expansion of fire prone SAP communities.
Further studies are needed on the long term consequences of pruning and thinning of K. senegalensis
on the sapling growth of dry forest tree species.
O3.4
Unpacking net interactions to inform restoration
C.J. Lortie
Biology, York U, Toronto, Canada
Some ecological systems are very tightly packed or integrated. The packing of interactions in many
systems can be anchored by basal plant species. The overarching hypothesis examined is that nurseplants are the foundation species in dryland systems. Shrubs provide an anchor for community
assembly and restoration. The study of net interactions within communities is a novel opportunity for
restoration. However, one answer is not enough and we must explore trophic and indirect interactions
within these systems. Globally, there are studies of both mechanisms and trophic effects but limited
examination of net interactions. Locally in California, we have established a set of experiments to
explore these important concepts to provide management tools very broadly. Local management can
trump global change effects in grasslands, but we still need studies at even finer scales in arid and
semi-arid systems to understand the importance of plant-plant interactions. Consequently, basal plant
species can be keystone, and the maintenance of contemporary biodiversity & function in drylands is
an appropriate goal for management.
O3.5
Frost tolerance and assisted migration test of tropical dry forest species in Mexico: an
ecological restoration strategy against climate change
P.A. Gómez Ruiz, R. Lindig Cisneros
Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia,
Mexico
Albizia plurijuga, Cedrela dugesii and Ceiba aesculifolia are species typical of tropical dry forest at the
Bajío region in west-central Mexico. Currently they are threatened species due to local habitat loss
and their reduced populations, but their ecological importance is recognized for the potential to use
them in ecological restoration processes. In a near-future, assisted migration strategy could be
implemented to avoid massive lost species because of climate change. Migration may be to higher
altitudes where plants would face low temperatures frequently. Our objectives were to test the frost
tolerance of young individuals from these species in frost simulations experiments and then to
evaluate their performance in field essays of assisted migration at small scale. Seeds were collected
from natural populations and propagated under shade-house conditions. In frost tolerance experiment,
we tested three potassium concentrations, plants were fertilized during nine months and then we did
frost simulations with different periods of exposure. We assessed the electrolyte leakage to determine
frost injury and also we evaluated sprouting ability. In assisted migration test, four-month-old
individuals of two species (without C. dugesii) were transplanted in experimental boxes located at
three altitudes that match and exceed their upper limit of distribution. We evaluated survival and
growth during ten months. Results showed that frost tolerance was different between species and
potassium fertilization at high concentration enhanced this tolerance, also sprouting ability was
variable. At field, our prediction came true: at higher altitude, plant performance was lower and
mortality was higher. We conclude that these species had low tolerance to frost but potassium
fertilization may increase their resistance and it could improve their persistence in new colder
localities. For these species, assisted migration must be more conservative to increase probabilities of
establishment and no invasive potential was detected for these species in potential host sites.
O4.1
Science-policy interface in ecological restoration: an innovative legal framework for assessing
mandatory restoration projects
1
2
3
4,5
R.B. Chaves , G. Durigan , P.H.S. Brancalion , J. Aronson
1
Centro de Restauração Ecológica, Secretariat for the Environment of the State of São Paulo (SMA),
São Paulo, Brazil, 2Assis State Forest, Forestry Institute of the State of São Paulo (IF), Assis, Brazil,
3
4
Department of Forest Sciences, University of São Paulo (USP-ESALQ), Piracicaba, Brazil, Centre
5
d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CNRS-UMR 5175), Montpellier, France, Missouri Botanical
Garden, St. Louis, United States
Despite growing worldwide commitment to large-scale ecosystem restoration, national public policies
on restoration are few, and those that exist tend to be vague. Brazil and especially São Paulo state
stands out. In a pioneering attempt to write explicit legislation on how to conduct ecological restoration
in megadiverse tropical ecosystems, the Secretariat for the Environment of the State of São Paulo has
enacted a legal instrument to help evaluate whether the targets and goals of mandatory ecological
restoration projects carried out in the state are being achieved. Through Resolution SMA 32/2014, no
matter the restoration technique applied, the effectiveness of restoration efforts will be assessed by
three ecological indicators:
i) ground coverage with native vegetation;
ii) density of native plants spontaneously regenerating; and
iii) number of spontaneously regenerating native plant species.
It is expected that approximately 300,000 restoration projects will be carried out and monitored using
this set of indicators in the next 20 years. Notably, stakeholders, scientists, professionals, and public
agents from different institutions have voluntarily collaborated to advance the refinement and rolling
out of this legal instrument, which shall promote greater restoration success, improve costeffectiveness, and help bridge the all-too-familiar knowledge-action gap in environmental policies. At
the same time, we expect that policies following this approach may support better comprehension of
the intrinsic ecological processes targeted by, and necessary for ecological restoration, and lead to
more successful restoration projects being undertaken by private landowners, companies, and by
professional practitioners engaged to help them.
O4.2
Progressing environmental restoration through improved governance: scenarios from the
Tasmanian Midlands, Australia
S. Clement1, S.A. Moore1, M. Lockwood2, M. Mitchell2, R. Standish1
1
Environment and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia, 2Geography and
Spatial Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
Ecosystem transformation is likely under a changing climate. Ecosystem restoration efforts must
consider new goals, especially in landscapes where transition to novel and hybrid ecosystems is likely.
Governance is often ignored in restoration efforts, despite its importance in achieving biodiversity
objectives at the landscape scale. This paper reports on a case study of the Tasmanian Midlands,
Australia, conducted using a series of collaborative workshops, focus groups and stakeholder
consultations. The Midlands is a largely cleared agricultural landscape, where highly valued
biodiversity elements like native grasslands are almost entirely on private property.
Systems analysis provided an understanding of historical conditions, associated trajectories of
ecosystem change, and current system drivers. New governance (i.e. decision making) arrangements
were developed and analysed against the backdrop of four plausible scenarios, all of which showed
biodiversity values declining by 2030. Two governance reforms were designed to address this decline
and coordinate biodiversity at the landscape scale:
(1) an alliance and guiding charter (with a basis in law), and
(2) a landholder-led working group.
In developing and refining the scenarios, it became evident that protection of biodiversity into the
future will require new restoration interventions. This may include restoring ecosystem function, rather
than returning to historical system states. The results also revealed wariness towards governance
reforms empowering landholders to decide how biodiversity objectives would be met, and scepticism
that such reforms would be supported. Together this suggests an inclination to maintain government
involvement in biodiversity management and restoration, in direct contrast to current rhetoric
promulgating a retreat of government. These findings highlight an urgent need to include analyses of
governance as part of ecological restoration and design efforts, to determine who decides, which goals
should be pursued, and how. This may include the design of new governance pathways to affect or
progress the desired changes.
O4.3
The demand for ecological restoration in South Africa: mainstreaming the restoration of
ecological infrastructure in government and corporate sector budgets
C. Marais, T. Puling
Chief Directorate: Natural Resource Management Programmes, Department of Environment Affairs,
Cape Town, South Africa
The paper will focus on some impacts of land degradation on natural infrastructure and its impact on
the quality and quantity of ecosystem services delivered. The paper will give an overview of land
degradation and the interventions by the South African government to increase investments in
ecological infrastructure and the delivery of key ecosystem services.
We will use some case studies to illustrate the extent of degradation, restoration interventions and its
benefits in relation to the costs of restoration. Some examples will be presented to discuss the costs
and benefits of these investments in ecological infrastructure and delivery of ecosystem services.
It will look at opportunities to mainstream investments of natural/ecological infrastructure and the
delivery of ecosystem services into the economy of the country.
To meet both environmental and employment objectives of the Department of Environmental Affairs
Natural Resource Management programmes the main challenge remains the financing of such
activities. These programmes are funded predominantly from the fiscus for a total of approximately
US$180 million per year. A huge financial effort is needed to meet both environment and employment
objectives, which amounts to between US$1 and US$4.7 billion depending on the protection and
restoration efforts. No single financing option will address the challenges in natural resource
management and the provisioning of ecosystem services.
Like most other economic sectors national governments and international agencies must intervene to
unlock the true potential of the sector. Mechanisms are now being developed to implement incentives
and disincentives to unlock private sector investment in ecological restoration, using an evidence
based approach to prioritization and resource allocation - not only to unlock the large number of jobs
but also to improve the quality and quantity of our ecosystem services.
The paper will conclude with some recommendations on future investments.
O5.1
Designing for urban ecological resilience: two restoration case studies from Northern
California demonstrating private and public sector engagement
D.D. Stephens1, A. Davenport2, R. Grossinger3, E. Beller4
1
2
H. T. Harvey & Associates, Los Gatos, United States, Real Estate & Workplace Services, Google,
3
Inc., Mountain View, United States, Resilient Landscapes Program, San Francisco Estuary Institute,
Richmond, United States, 4Environmental Science, San Francisco Estuary Institute, Richmond, United
States
Contemporary urban landscapes present significant, and often missed, opportunities to create
ecological resilience by maximizing both the scale and diversity of restored habitats. Urban
landscapes generally are dominated by nonnative plants with limited wildlife value and often
deleterious ecological effects on native vegetation and wildlife. However, restoration of urban habitats
can complement other restoration efforts that focus on rural and wild areas, creating habitat
connectivity across landscape types and facilitating wildlife dispersal.
A primary challenge for urban restoration is to achieve an effective scale of restoration within a mosaic
of landownership and governmental jurisdictions. We present two California case studies that
demonstrate how both public and private sector entities can overcome this challenge. For the first
case study, we discuss how the City of Mountain View established a planning zone that mandates, for
all new development, the use of native plants or nonnative plants with high wildlife value, thus creating
a regulatory framework for gradually converting urban vegetation to the vegetation components of
native habitats. Our second case study highlights how a private sector entity (Google), with its
consultant H. T. Harvey & Associates and the nonprofit San Francisco Estuary Institute, applies
science-based restoration approaches to restore native habitats on a large scale in the urban
environment. Google's North Bayshore Ecology Plan prescribes restoration and expansion of riparian
corridors and native tree, shrub, and groundcover plantings over dozens of acres on the highly urban
Google campus. Google's program specifically calls for interspersing historically occurring oak species
in a carefully spaced matrix amongst roads and buildings to support the return of oak-associated bird
species that are now absent from the urban landscape. Our case studies (funded by Google, Inc. and
the City of Mountain View) illustrate the potential for urban restoration to engage parties across
sectors for successful restoration outcomes.
O5.2
Anecdotal experiences on community-based ecological restoration in South Africa
A. Whitley, Z. Brocklehurst
Wildlands Conservation Trust, Hilton, South Africa
Increasingly we are becoming aware that restoration is not merely the realm of ecologists. It is not
simply a case of choosing the planting palette, density and methods for rehabilitating areas, but that
the local communities have to be an integral part of the restoration process. In fact, if the communities
are not actively involved, and do not have a sense of 'ownership' of their land, the project is doomed to
fail. In Africa we have seen countless exercises where foreign (local/international) organisations have
swooped into a poor, rural community and done great work over a relatively short time period, after
which they leave. In most instances, within a year, that project has failed.
In order to achieve enduring success; Wildlands has approached the situation from a community
perspective, rather than a restoration perspective;
1) alleviate poverty - only after basic human needs are met can we engage in a deeper interaction of
communities around ecosystem importance,
2) community engagement - it is imperative to include the land custodians in the planning phase to
ensure project relevance and thus sustainability, and
3) address education - capacity building & educational opportunities are key to unlocking ecological
understanding.
Addressing all these issues simultaneously has proven to be an important part of the success of our
projects. More specifically, Wildlands has established that the following points are key: staying power don't simply come in for a short period and then leave; recruit and capacitate local people into
managers; do not give anything for free - people need to work for something to better appreciate its
value.
Natural Resource Management Programme of the South African Department of Environmental Affairs.
O5.3
Adaptation and mitigation model for people to restore their ecosystem from flood in Semarang
and its adjunction - Indonesia
1
2
2
M. Isa , S. Sugiyanto , I. Susilowati
1
2
Economics, Surakarta Muhammadiyah University (UMS), Surakarta, Indonesia, Economics,
Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia
The northern coast of Central Java province is considered as the critical area of flood path. Semarang
as capital city of this province with its adjunction area of Kendal and Demak always suffering from
flood due to rain and or high-tide sea water. It is realised that infrastructures' capacity for flood control,
awareness of people and other multi-factors are significantly contributed on the flood problem in these
area. People are suffering and ecosystem is deteriorating. A lots of efforts have been putting on to
manage the flood problem, however it is likely is far from complete. Focus Group Discussion and in-
depth interview are conducted to outline the adaptation and mitigation model. Mixed-methods of
quantitative and qualitative are employed to analyze the data. The study found that there was a
decline in quality of - people's live, environment and its ecosystem. Awareness and responsiveness of
people and also the other stakeholders are not progressive to overcome the problem of flood. Most of
efforts to get rid of flood are in ad-hoc system and no grand-design in the perspective of ecosystembased. This study is trying to contribute in outlining a model of adaptation and mitigation for the people
to restore their ecosystem from the perspective of economist. Of course need further research and
trials to get a suitable model.
O6.1
Someone moved my cheese again: effects of habitat alteration and restoration on local rodent
communities
A. Gotlieb1,2, T. Dayan2
1
2
Dead Sea and Arava Science Center, Kibbutz Ein Gedi, Israel, Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel
Aviv, Israel
Habitat destruction is one of the leading causes for loss of biodiversity in the world today. The physical
alteration of a habitat may damage its compatibility with local faunal and floral communities and thus
change their composition. A wide scale alteration of habitat structure was conducted in ephemeral
riverbeds along the Dead-Sea shore, Israel. Large amounts of boulder deposits were removed from
fossilized deltas for construction, damaging local drainage systems and diminishing local structural
complexity. In 2005 we conducted a study in one such riverbed, the Tze'elim fossilized delta, where
we compared rodents, arthropods and vegetation in natural plots and in plots where boulders were
removed. We found several major differences between the two habitats. One such difference was that
rodents did not return to borrow in the altered habitat and did not use it as much, despite the 40 years
that passed since the alteration took place. In 2007 an attempt was made at physical restoration in
parts of the fossilized delta. Some of the local channels have been restored and some boulders have
been strewn throughout the area. In 2014 we returned to the delta and conducted rodent surveys to
monitor changes in rodent communities in natural and restored plots. The results of these surveys, as
well as plans for the future, will be discussed in the lecture.
O6.2
Impact of fencing on biodiversity conservation of wildlife
1
2
H. Al-Khalaifa , A. Al-Nasser
1
Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait,
Kuwait, 2Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait, Kuwait
Disturbance can play an important role in the dynamics of biodiversity in ecosystems. Grazing is
considered as one of the key disturbance factors which results in grassland degradation, an alteration
of community function and loss of species biodiversity. Fencing has been widely used as one of the
management strategies to protect and restore ecosystems by enhancing species richness and soil
conditions which will definitely allow wildlife communities to regenerate and maintain its self. The
objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of fencing and environmental impact on
species biodiversity of wildlife fauna. A wildlife baseline assessment studies were conducted during
winter and early spring seasons in protected and non-protected areas of oilfields at Wafra area in
Kuwait. Although short and insufficient to provide a detailed assessment, the field data collected
indicated significant differences in the number of individuals and wildlife fauna species within the
fenced and unfenced oilfields. Such studies should contribute to conservation and biodiversity
enhancement in the country.
O6.3
USDA Forest Service sage-grouse conservation science strategy
D.M. Finch
USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, Albuquerque, United States
This presentation will review the new sage-grouse conservation science strategy developed by the
USDA Forest Service. In 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that the Greater SageGrouse was warranted for listing under the Endangered Species Act. As part of a 2011 court
settlement for candidate species, the Service stated it would further evaluate this decision and
propose the Greater Sage-Grouse for listing by September 30, 2015 if threats to the species could not
be ameliorated. USDA Forest Service scientists have studied sagebrush ecosystems and sage-grouse
biology and habitat requirements and restoration throughout sage-grouse and sagebrush ranges for
several decades. A team of Forest Service scientists and managers prepared this science strategy to
summarize Forest Service strengths, capabilities, partners, past and current research, and potential
future priority areas for sagebrush ecosystems and sage-grouse conservation science. Four Strategic
Priorities were identified in the science strategy based on Forest Service strengths, areas of
leadership, and reviews of knowledge:
(1) Evaluate sage-grouse ecology, monitoring, and habitat linkages,
(2) Understand disturbances and stressors in sagebrush ecosystems,
(3) Analyze and design landscapes, and
(4) Develop methods, models and plant materials to restore sagebrush habitats.
The Forest Service strategy also identifies research goals, facilities and locations, science-based
needs of U.S. national forests and grasslands, and the unique niche of Forest Service science relative
to plans and strategies of other agencies and organizations. The primary purpose of this strategy is to
promote understanding and recognition of Forest Service strengths, science leadership and
collaborative opportunities in key areas of sagebrush and sage-grouse science, identify research
priorities based on a review of existing knowledge and future needs, stimulate increased development
and delivery of sage-grouse conservation knowledge, and serve as a communication and planning
guide for managers, staff, and scientists working on or concerned about sage-grouse related issues.
O6.4
Rapid response of earthworm communities to above-ground restoration
S. Boyer1,2, Y.-N. Kim3, M.H. Bowie3, J. Hahner3, N.M. Dickinson3
Department of Natural Sciences, Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand, 2Bio3
Protection Research Centre, Lincoln, New Zealand, Department of Ecology, Lincoln University,
Lincoln, New Zealand
1
New Zealand has more than 200 endemic earthworm species described and many putative new
species yet to be described. In addition to those, European earthworms have been introduced to
pastures and other agricultural land to increase primary production in the 1960s. Twenty three exotic
species are currently present in New Zealand but half a dozen of these have significant distribution in
agricultural land and pastures. It has been reported that endemic earthworm communities disappeared
quickly after the introduction of exotic grassland and crops mainly because of environmental changes.
However, little is known potential competition between endemic and exotic earthworms in New
Zealand, and the capacity of exotic earthworm to also colonise soils under native habitats.
The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of habitat modification, namely plant species
composition, on endemic earthworm communities and determine whether the restoration of native
habitat leads to recolonisation by endemic earthworm communities.
If habitat modification is the major factor leading to endemic earthworm disappearance, then
restoration of native habitat may be sufficient to restore endemic earthworm communities. We tested
this hypothesis in two sites in New Zealand, Quail Island, which has been undergoing plant restoration
for more than 30 years, and the Punakaiki Coastal Reserve where 150,000 trees have been replanted
in the last seven years. Both in Punakaiki and Quail Island, sequential restoration plantings revealed
that recolonisation by endemic earthworms increases with time after restoration. The biomass of
endemic earthworm significantly increased with restoration age, and at Punakaiki, abundance did also.
However, in both cases, exotic species did not disappear after restoration of native vegetation, leading
to the cohabitation of the two assemblages and potential for interspecific competition.
O7.1
Ecosystem services as a rationale for ecological restoration in Australia
1
2
3
V. Matzek , M. Kragt , K. Wilson
Dept of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, United States,
2
University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia, 3University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
1
Habitat restoration has long been motivated by conservation of biological diversity, but increasingly, it
is also called on to restore or protect the flow of ecosystem services (ES) to humans. We examined
perceptions of the relative importance of ES and biodiversity as a rationale for ecological restoration
projects in Australia, where government funding priorities have alternately favored biodiversity and ES
goals for restoration on public and private lands. First, we queried the MERIT database of
Commonwealth-funded natural resource management projects, to quantify the frequency of ES and
biodiversity goals in >250 restoration and revegetation project summaries. Second, we did 30 semistructured interviews with land managers charged with implementing restoration projects all over
Australia, to understand the role that ES provision and biodiversity conservation played in justifying
projects to landowners, funders, and other stakeholders. Third, we developed a survey for members of
the general Australian public, to understand what value they place on ecosystem services and
biodiversity as goals of restoration. The data analyzed so far quantify a trend of increasing importance
of ES goals in motivating restoration projects in Australia. However, the largest and best-funded
projects appear to have conservation of endangered species as their principal goal.
This research was funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation.
O7.2
Ecosystem services provided by restoration two upland sites in the United Kingdom
M.A. MacDonald, R.B. Bradbury, C. De Ruyck
Centre for Conservation Science, RSPB, Sandy, United Kingdom
Upland habitats in the UK, such as heather moorland and blanket bog, have been subject to historic
degradation, largely due to high grazing rates as a result of agricultural production subsidies, and
drainage to allow increased grazing. These habitats hold important biodiversity, but also provide vital
ecosystem services, which include clean drinking water (as they form important catchments), carbon
sequestration and storage (largely in the underlying peat soils), and recreation (particularly hiking).
These ecosystem services are affected by habitat degradation. Restoration of these upland habitats is
a high priority, and is being carried out at a range of sites, although the motivations and means of
these restorations differs. We assessed a range of ecosystem services at two upland sites in the UK.
Haweswater, in the Lake District, is owned by a major provider of drinking water, United Utilities, and
is managed by the RSPB, a large conservation NGO. Restoration has been driven by a desire to
improve water quality, but is also expected to have benefits for biodiversity and for other ecosystem
services. Eastern Moors is an important recreational site, close to Sheffield, one of the UK's largest
cities. Here, restoration is being carried out by the RSPB and the National Trust under the Eastern
Moors Partnership, and the primary goal is to improve visitor access and experience, although again
other ecosystem services and biodiversity are expected to benefit from the management changes. We
used a site-scale ecosystem service assessment tool (TESSA) to compare the provision of ecosystem
services at both sites under the restoration scenarios, as compared with alternatives, in which the sites
had continued as relatively intensive upland farming operations. We present the results of these
assessments, consider the differences between the two sites, and discuss the implications for
restoration in the UK's uplands.
O7.3
Restoration of forestry ecosystems through differentiated payments for environmental
services in Mexico
T.T. Arteaga-Reyes, C.R. Aguilar-Gómez, W. Gómez-Demetrio, V.D. Ávila-Akerberg
Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Rurales, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca,
Mexico
Constrained forest quality and quantity linked to deforestation, forest fragmentation and other
anthropogenic activities, has been regarded as an issue of international concern recognised in
national agendas. In this context, payment for environmental services programmes have been
implemented worldwide as conservation and restoration strategies. However, in developing and least
developed countries, poverty and the lack of pertinent information regarding environmental issues
have limited the efficient implementation of such strategies. For example, in Mexico such types of
programmes were first introduced nationally in 2003 by the National Forestry Commission
(CONAFOR, its Spanish acronym) as Payment for Hydrological Environmental Services; and locally,
in the State of Mexico in 2007 by the Forestry Protection Agency of the State of Mexico
(PROBOSQUE, its Spanish acronym). In both programmes, beneficiaries receive a payment (mostly a
flat fee) for carrying out restoration and conservation actions in forestry areas. Hence, the objective of
the current study is to analyse whether or not a differentiated payment for environmental services
would have a social acceptability in the Natural Protected Area of the Nevado de Toluca, located in
the central highlands of Mexico, as a restoration and conservation strategy. The assumption
underlying the current work is that a differentiated payment according to environmental (mainly), social
and economic variables could contribute to a more efficient outcome of such programmes in forestry
areas. Qualitative methodologies, including participatory observation, have been mainly employed in
order to achieve the objective. Results are expected to show the social acceptability of differentiated
payments by the stakeholders directly or indirectly involved (i.e. beneficiaries of the programmes,
government institutions, civil organisations, funding bodies and academic researchers).
Acknowledgments to Mexican funding body: National Council for Science and Technology
(CONACYT, its Spanish acronym).
O7.4
Soil, seaweed and systems for security, sustainability and services: studies from North Uist,
Scotland
1
2
2
3
2
1
B. Harvie , G. Birch , T.-J. Marsden , M. Scherbatskoy , C. Kennedy , L. Habermann
1
2
Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Edinburgh, United Kingdom, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh,
3
United Kingdom, Talamh Trust, North Uist, United Kingdom
With the challenge of global food security combined with increased emphasis on sustainability and
ecosystem services, we ask whether returning to an old style of agricultural production could address
some of the concerns for remote farming communities in north-west Scotland. Throughout the
landscape there is evidence of parallel ridges on hill sides, a remnant of an old agricultural system that
may offer potential for increased productivity on land that is now mainly unused.
The studies took place on talamh dubh (black land) crofts on the east coast of North Uist. Evidence
from community memory, historical documents, photographs and Gaelic words was collated to give
insight into how these anthropogenic, organic soils were managed and cropped in the past, when the
Highlands and Islands communities were almost 90% self-sufficient (Harvie& Scherbatskoy).
Some of the abandoned ridges were recultivated by turning over the soil. This resulted in improved
drainage and increased rooting potential allowing cropping to take place. A series of pilot studies and
experiments determined whether traditional use of seaweed as a fertiliser (particularly Ascophyllum
nodosum) was of benefit to the system. The trials were placed within the wider context of an
experiment investigating the ecosystem impacts of reinstating this type of agricultural land (Marsden &
Habermann).
The findings indicated that local and historical knowledge is essential in reinstating this type of
production, modern agricultural machinery is currently not suitable, seaweed is a useful and
sustainable addition to the system (Harvie & Birch), ecosystem impacts are minimal compared to
those associated with imports and production is viable when labour is available (Kennedy & Marsden).
Reinstating this type of production system could offer potential to alleviate some of the issues of food
security and a return to higher levels of self-sufficiency in remote, less-favoured farming regions.
O8.1
Restoring damaged blanket bog: long-term monitoring of the effects of restoration on
hydrology and vegetation at three sites in England
S. Ross, G. Hammond, A. Keen, P. Anderson, P. Worrall
Penny Anderson Associates Ltd, Buxton, United Kingdom
United Utilities' (UU) Sustainable Catchment Management Programme (SCaMP 2005-2015) included
the re-wetting of blanket bog (85.23km of grip blocking) to enhance ecological condition and reduce
breakdown and subsequent loss of peat in the Goyt Valley (Peak District) and in The Forest Of
Bowland (Brennand).to improve catchment quality for nature conservation, raw drinking water and
carbon retention. In addition, bare and eroding peat was re-vegetated using seed and heather brash
treatments on sites across Longdendale (Peak District). This paper presents the results of 7+ years of
hydrological and vegetation post-restoration monitoring across these three moorland blocks.
The hydrology of all sub-catchments monitored has maintained water yield characteristics, but with
growing evidence of a hydrological response changing to a less flashy, more attenuated character.
Peat groundwater levels are being sustained at or near the surface for much longer. Elevated, less
variable watertable levels in peat create more favourable hydrological conditions, both in terms of
inhibiting colour production/release and for blanket bog vegetation and the colonisation of Sphagnum
mosses, a trend now observed in the vegetation surveys.
Significant increases in Sphagnum and hare's-tail cottongrass cover identify a response to increased
wetness on both the Goyt and Brennand, where grip blocking has occurred. Increases in total
vegetation cover alongside significant reductions in bare peat are recorded on Longdendale following
bare peat treatments. Numerous other plant species show changes indicating a favourable response
to restoration interventions.
O8.2
Restoring blanket bogs for water quality and biodiversity in the Peak District: evidence for
positive effects on breeding moorland birds
D. O'Hara
RSPB, Oldham, United Kingdom
At Dove Stone, a 4,000 ha moorland site in the Peak District National Park, a pioneering partnership to
restore habitat was established in 2007; the Sustainable Catchment Management Project. The site is
part of the European Natura Network, for its breeding bird assemblage and moorland habitat.
There is a partnership between the landowner United Utilities, who provide drinking water for the
north-west of England, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, to improve water quality and
biodiversity through habitat restoration. As with other blanket bogs across the English uplands the
natural vegetation community has been lost, and over extensive areas peat was eroding, a legacy of
past industrial pollution. Agreements were set up with tenant farmers to exclude or reduce sheep
grazing and bare peat re-vegetation, and work to raise water tables in the peat through erosion gully
blocking by stone and heather bale dam was undertaken and is ongoing. Since 2012 initiatives to
restore Sphagnum moss have been in development, and there is also increasing evidence of natural
Sphagnum increase.
Moorland bird surveys were carried out across a sample of 22 km squares in 2005 prior to the start of
restoration work, and repeated in 2014. These followed a standard 3-visit methodology. There has
also been comprehensive bird survey work carried out annually since 2010, including a three-year
study investigating golden plover Pluvialis apricaria breeding success.
Analysis of breeding bird data has shown significant increases in a range of moorland bird species.
There is evidence of increases in wading birds associated with conservation work to restore water
tables, especially dunlin Caladris alpina, near the south of its world range, which had been rapidly
declining regionally and has made a spectacular recovery.
The results give evidence of the benefits of peatland restoration for threatened bird species.
O8.3
Sphagnum recovery and restoration in the upland blanket bogs of the English Southern
Pennines
1
2
2
2
3
4
S.J.M. Caporn , A. Rosenburgh , K. Rogers , R. Sen , M. Buckler , N. Wright
1
School of Science & the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United
Kingdom, 2Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom, 3Moors for the Future
4
Partnership, Edale, United Kingdom, Micropropagation Services Ltd, East Leake, United Kingdom
The upland plateaus of the southern Pennines of England are amongst the most degraded blanket
bogs anywhere in the world. A feature of their ecological condition is the poverty of many plant species
typical of healthy bogs, notably Sphagnum moss, originally an important constituent of the underlying
deep peat. The wide scale demise of Sphagnum species almost certainly was the result of nearby
centres of the Industrial Revolution and the impacts of resulting atmospheric pollution. Although
Sphagnum is naturally recovering in some areas of the southern Pennines due to recent
improvements in air quality, the legacy of historic pollution and altered peat chemistry is also linked to
the continuing poor condition of the bog vegetation. Encouraging both natural recovery and actively
restoring Sphagnum are now major goals in this region because of the wider benefits for ecosystem
services of actively growing Sphagnum bogs. The extent of Sphagnum's return to the ombrotrophic
vegetated bog surfaces also appears to be influenced by the extent of the gullies that draw-down the
local water table. Despite these potential limitations, successful restoration of Sphagnum is in progress
across the region using different techniques. The harvesting and translocation of local Sphagnum
works well but may not be sustainable at the landscape scale. Here we describe the bulking-up of
Sphagnum using micro-propagation methods as a technological solution that can provide large
volumes of Sphagnum from tiny fragments of source material. Defining the optimal means of delivering
this material at a landscape scale in an economic way, and identifying the most favourable planting
sites and weather conditions remain important research goals.
Funding support was supplied by Moors for the Future, Micropropagation Services Ltd and
Manchester Metropolitan University
O8.4
Peatland restoration at Featherbed Moss (Peak District National Park)
J.C. Labadz, B. Clutterbuck, R.G. Hart, D.P. Butcher
School of Animal Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Southwell, United
Kingdom
Peatlands contain a significant proportion of the world's total soil carbon and play a large role in the
global carbon cycle. Healthy, functioning bog ecosystems are assumed to act as carbon sinks, but
degraded peatlands may now be serving as carbon sources. Consequently there is increased focus
on the restoration of degraded peatlands across the world. Featherbed Moss in the Peak District
National Park, England, is a blanket bog which, in addition to its ecological importance as blanket peat
habitat (SSSI), is a designated GCR (Geological Conservation Review) site due to its
geomorphological importance, relating to natural erosion features. Although the peat dome on the
Moss is relatively intact at present, it is surrounded by gullies that have the potential to cut back and
cause desiccation. Progression of such erosion features could impact on its physical and hydrological
integrity, and threaten its biological interest and designations. The land owners (National Trust)
therefore implemented a programme of gully blocking in 2014, aiming to reduce further erosion and to
raise the water table for the benefit of conservation status. Nottingham Trent University was
commissioned to undertake a 5 year study of the impacts of this restoration intervention, aiming to
quantify the benefits and the potential to damage or destroy the erosion features, and thus its
designation as a GCR. Monitoring includes assessment of stream flows, water tables, vegetation,
dissolved organic carbon and physical measurement of erosion using a combination of pins, fixed
point photography and terrestrial laser scanning. This paper will explain the project and present results
from the first 2 years of monitoring (pre-and post intervention).
Funders: The National Trust, Nottingham Trent University
O9.1
Reforestation planning for the Buffelsdraai Landfill Site in the city of Durban, South Africa
1
2
3
1
4
1
3
L.F. Mugwedi , J. Ray-Mukherjee , K. Roy , B. Egoh , F.M. Pouzols , M. Rouget , E. Douwes
1
School of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Land Use Planning and Management,
University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, 2School of Life Sciences, University of
KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa, 3Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department,
4
eThekwini Municipality, Durban, South Africa, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki,
Helsinki, Finland
Large-scale ecological restoration is receiving increasing attention because of its contribution to
biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services provision, and climate change mitigation and
adaptation. One of the biggest challenges facing large-scale restoration is to identify and prioritize
restoration action/s that, if implemented, can achieve the restoration objectives, given limited
resources and multiple sources of uncertainty over time. The effectiveness of any restoration program
is affected by the choice of restoration actions, the environment that the actions are designed to affect
and the uncertainties associated with the environment. Appropriate decision-making tools, which
incorporate predictive models, can help describe the effects of different restoration actions over time.
A large-scale reforestation program was recently initiated in the city of Durban, South Africa, to boost
employment in local communities, store carbon, and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services. We
used RobOff, a new decision making and cost benefit tool, to evaluate the outcome of alternative
reforestation actions on reforestation objectives for Durban. RobOff accounts for costs of alternative
actions and their effects on reforestation objectives across different environments over time. We
estimated costs of different restoration actions as well as benefits in terms of employment, carbon
storage and biodiversity under four possible reforestation actions, viz.
1) Passive reforestation- natural regeneration and invasive alien plants (IAP) clearing;
2) IAP clearing and planting 10 trees with high wood density;
3) IAP clearing and planting 50 woody plant species, i.e. trees, shrubs and lianas;
4) IAP clearing and planting 70 woody and herbaceous, perennial plants.
Results show that reforestation action four is the most cost effective action to achieve carbon storage,
high biodiversity and employment creation for the local communities within a 20 year period. We
conclude that RobOff is theoretically a useful tool, but on the ground, its outcomes are yet to be
validated.
O9.2
Earthworm colonisation of a landfill restored to woodland in East London
F.E. Ashwood1,2, K.R. Butt2, K.J. Doick1, E.I. Vanguelova1
1
Forest Research, Farnham, United Kingdom, 2University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United
Kingdom
Earthworms play a crucial role in soil development and the cycling of essential plant nutrients and
organic carbon, however much is still unknown about their community dynamics and potential for
improving the provision of soil ecosystem services on restored land. On such sites, earthworm
population densities are typically low, and it may require decades for deeper-burrowing species (which
may play a more active role in accelerating soil development) to become established. To promote soil
development on restored sites, it is beneficial that the soil material provided is suitable for earthworm
colonisation. This work presents the findings of an earthworm colonisation survey of newly restored
woodland on a former landfill site. We investigated the effects of soil physical quality, vegetation cover,
and distance from the site boundary on earthworm community composition and density. The results
showed an even distribution of earthworms from the site boundary to more than 20 m into the site
-yr
within a year of site restoration, a distribution which natural colonisation rates (typically 4-6 m )
cannot fully explain. Earthworm species richness and abundance was already higher at this site than
at an adjoining 5 year old restored landfill site (7 species compared to 5 species, and 207 earthworms
m-2 compared with 48 m-2), which had a lower standard of restoration. We discuss the effect of soil
compaction on earthworm species richness, abundance and behavioural adaptability in an area of the
site which was significantly (p < 0.05) more compacted than surrounding areas. This research
suggests how a higher quality of soil material used during the restoration process may facilitate
earthworm colonisation, and thereby promote soil ecosystem service provision on restored land.
O9.4
Renaturalization of an industrial area: restoring oak forest steppe - sand grassland mosaic in
Hungary
K. Török1, A. Csecserits1, M. Halassy1, I. Somodi1, A. Kövendi-Jakó2, P. Dezsényi3
1
Institute of Ecology and Botany, Centre for Ecological Research, HAS, Vácrátót, Hungary,
2
Department of Plant Taxonomy, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Loránd Eötvös University,
Budapest, Hungary, 3Deep Forest Ltd., Budapest, Hungary
The leadership of the new LEGO factory in the town of Nyíregyháza, Hungary decided to create a
biodiverse green space in the outer areas of the factory, which is an exceptional opportunity for
harmonizing industrial development and the enhancement of native biodiversity. Based on potential
natural vegetation model estimates and taking into account the requirements of the factory, we have
chosen to reconstruct a mosaic of open steppe oak forest (Festuco rupicolae - Quercetum roboris) and
grasslands (Pulsatillo hungaricae- Festucetum rupicolae, Potentillo arenariae - Festucetum
pseudovinae, Festuco vaginatae-Corynephoretum). With an extent of only 290 ha, the open steppe
oak forest is one of the most vulnerable and threatened communities in Hungary. Aiming to
reconstruct 26.5 ha of wildlife, the LEGO project makes a considerable step forward to comply the EU
biodiversity strategy restoration target.
The restoration is carried out in 2014 (12 ha) and 2015 (14.5 ha) in five distinct areas, each consisting
of 1.5 to 8.5 hectares. We have tested the following methods for grassland creation in 2014: i. sowing
nurse crops (alfalfa and rye in autumn 2013, vetch and oat in spring 2014); ii. spreading hay
originating from semi-natural grasslands (for grasses in June and for forb seeds in August 2014); iii.
sowing commercially purchased and iv. collected seeds (September and November 2014). The seeds
of two fescue species (Festuca rupicola and F. pseudovina) and more than 50 other herbaceous
species were obtained for sowing. Forest patches of irregular shape and varying sizes (300 to 3000
2
m ) were planted in November 2014, including eleven tree species and eleven shrub species. Trees
were planted with or without mycorrhizae containing root dip.
First year results on grassland development and tree survival will be presented.
O9.5
Turf grasses: as mitigation tool for Industrial carbon and nitrogen soil pollution
A. Bhatti, A. Saleem
Horticulture, PMAS-AAUR, Rwalpindi, Pakistan
Present study was conducted in Industrial area of Islamabad, Pakistan during 2013 to 2015 to keep in
view the future protection of these areas globally by suggesting best suitable ground cover. Turf
grasses have high impact on environment filtration due to their ability to control soil N leaching, carbon
and nitrogen sequestration. It was hypothesised that turf grasses could sequester deposited carbon
and nitrogen in the effected area. The objectives were
1) to demonstrate the effect of pollution on carbon and nitrogen cycles in the soil
2) further how the turf grass can minimise and control their effect.
Soil and turf grass sampling were done during summer and winter season in both years. Soil samples
were collected from 0-10 and 10-20 cm. Turf grasses were identified and collected randomly from all
existing species in the area. Soil was analysed for pH, EC, organic matter, organic carbon, organic
nitrogen, nitrate-N and ammonium-N. Turf grass samples morpho-physiological characteristics (pH,
EC, Electrolyte leaching, Chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, root length, shoot length, number
of stolon and grass quality) were studied in laboratory. Results demonstrated that
1) Bermuda grass has the ability to sequester maximum C and N compared to other grass species of
the area
2) areas under Bermuda grass showed less N leaching.
Aforementioned results not only confirm the major role of turf grasses in mitigation of industrial
pollution but these will also help the policy makers to make future policies.
O10.1
Restoration of soils and novel native ecosystems within an intensive agricultural landscape
N.M. Dickinson, H.M. Franklin, R. Dollery, H. Zhong, Y. Kim, S. Li, M. Bowie
Ecology Department, Lincoln University, Christchurch, New Zealand
Some 50% of New Zealand's land area supports an agricultural matrix with depauperate native
vegetation. This paper aims to demonstrate that we have the capability to effectively re-create native
and more natural ecosystems within this landscape and on a soil template that has been profoundly
modified from its natural condition. Equally important, a successful ecological restoration might also
mediate the environmental footprint of agriculture. A large-scale case study is described involving
conversion of lowland plantation forest to intensively precision-irrigated dairy farming, with protection
of natural dryland remnants and restoration of significant natural but novel biotic assemblages. We
describe how the physico-chemistry of soils has been modified, linking this with the challenges for
conservation and the restoration trajectory. Experimental results show a significant interplay between
native plant litters, rhizospheres and earthworms that both significantly modify and are influenced by
soil hydrology, pH, and soil biogeochemistry (including soluble and gaseous nitrogen). Beneficial
ecosystem services are demonstrated through restoration plots on set-aside and marginal land,
including riparian zones, shelter belts and paddock fence lines. Our findings shows that selection of
plant traits from New Zealand's unique biodiversity palette provide an opportunity to resolve some of
the environmental constraints currently impacting agriculture, thereby future-proofing and adding value
to agricultural production systems. This is introducing a new paradigm of incorporation of nature
conservation into mainstream farm planning, in a country where more than 80% of the native flora and
fauna is endemic and found nowhere else. Restoration of biodiversity into intensive agricultural
systems in New Zealand may contribute advantageously to a primary industry with a branding based
on its clean and green credentials, whilst also playing an important role in environmental protection
and conservation of biodiversity. Understanding the linkage of soil physico-chemistry with above- and
below-ground biodiversity in the context of restoration trajectories is vital.
O10.2
Soil bioengineering systems for the treatment of steep and unstable sites
D.F. Polster
Polster Environmental Services Ltd., Duncan, Canada
Soil bioengineering is the use of living plant materials to construct some engineered structure or to
perform some engineering function. Bioengineering is used to treat steep and / or unstable slopes.
Wattle fences, short retaining walls built of living cuttings, have been widely used to treat steep slopes.
Wet seepage areas can be treated with live pole drains while modified brush layers can be used on
raveling slopes to control the movement of surface materials. In all of these cases, the soil
bioengineering structures are used to address some form of instability that is preventing natural plant
establishment and growth. Once the initial instability is overcome, subsequent plant establishment can
proceed. By using pioneering species to establish the soil bioengineering systems, the stabilized site
is re-inserted into the natural successional trajectory. Examples are drawn from the author's
experience in over 30 years of treating steep and unstable slopes using soil bioengineering.
O10.3
Testing the use of soil inversion for land restoration: a multivariate approach
G. Milligan1, R. Scott2, D. Young2, R. Marrs1
1
2
School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom, National
Wildflower Centre, Landlife, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Getting the correct soil conditions is an important first step for achieving successful ecological
restoration projects, especially when the aim is to establish semi-natural ecosystems such as
grasslands and heathlands on ex-arable soils. These communities require low-fertility soils and it is
difficult to establish and maintain them if the soils are too fertile. Often some form of reduction in
fertility is, therefore required. One way to reduce surface soil fertility is to use soil inversion, a
technique of deep-ploughing where the fertile surface soil is flipped below infertile sub-soils. This
paper will describe
(1) the effects of soil inversion on the soil chemistry at two case-study sites on two contrasting
materials (clay and sand), and
(2) novel analytical approaches to assessing the effect.
We describe a multivariate method for determining the change in soil chemical properties with depth,
specifically the use of Principal Response Curves (PRC a method usually used in plant community
studies. We compared the effects soil inversion pre- and post-treatment. The PRC revealed significant
changes in a number of variables between the pre- and post-soil profiles at both sites, and as such
proved to be a valuable method for the economic and rapid assessment of change as a result of
restoration. With repeated application for monitoring purposes it could be a very useful instrument for
assessing restoration trajectories.
O10.4
Effects of revegetation on soil carbon, nutrient cycling and microbial properties on the Loess
Plateau, China
S. An, M. Cheng
State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F
University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
Revegetation has been reported to be one of the most effective measures for reducing soil erosion on
the Loess Plateau in China. We examined the effect of revegetation on soil carbon, in < 0.25 mm,
0.25-1 mm, 1-2 mm, 2-5 mm and 5-8 mm sized aggregates, major soil nutrients, and microbialbiochemical properties in shrubland CK16 (16-year-old C.korshinskii Kom.), shrubland CK26 (26-yearold C. korshinskii Kom.), natural grassland, and abandoned cropland as control. Results showed that
soil organic carbon stocks were the greatest for CK shrublands and natural grassland. Compared with
abandoned cropland, shrubland CK caused increases in >2 mm sized aggregate cabon stocks. The 12, 2-5, 5-8 mm size aggregate carbon stocks were the highest in the natural grassland. Soil carbon,
alkaline extractable nitrogen and available potassium were higher in natural grassland and CK
shrubland compared with abandoned cropland. Soil microbial carbon and phosphorous in abandoned
cropland were significantly lower than those in natural grassland and CK shrubland in the surface
layer, whereas soil microbial nitrogen was higher in CK shrubland and abandoned cropland than in
natural grassland. Additionally, the activities of soil invertase, urease and alkaline phosophatase in
natural grassland and CK shrubland were higher than those in abandoned cropland. This study
demonstrated that natural grassland and CK shrubland caused an increase in soil organic carbon
sequestration and enhanced soil microbial biomass and major nutrients cycling. Thus, conversion to
C. korshinskii shrublands and protection of natural grassland should be promoted to improve the
rehabilitation of damaged ecosystems on the Loess Plateau.
O10.5
Soil micro-arthropods as indicator species to determine when a planting on a degraded site
has become a functional ecological community
V. Schaefer, M. Hocking
Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
How can we tell if plantings of smaller urban landscapes such as foundation plantings around
buildings can be restoration projects that create functional communities or if they will continue to have
only ornamental value? There is evidence that when a planting on a highly degraded site has crossed
the threshold from being just ornamental to that of a functional community, decomposition in the soil
changes from being largely bacterial to being primarily fungal. In particular, we see the appearance of
mycorrhizae. The mycorrhizae themselves are difficult to detect and quantify. However, the grazers of
mycorrhizae and their predators, the micro-arthropods (Oribatid, Mesostigmatid and Prostigmatid
mites and Collembolans), are good indicators of their presence and are easier to assess. We propose
that micro-arthropod can be used to determine when the functional threshold in a plant community has
been crossed and their abundance can indicate when urban restoration projects on highly degraded
sites have progressed from an ornamental assemblage of plants to a functional plant community. In
this study, micro-invertebrates in the top 2 cm of soil were compared among urban (highly degraded),
mid-urban (transitional) and natural (restored) sites on the University of Victoria campus, British
Columbia. We found significantly fewer total micro-invertebrates in the urban sites compared with midurban and natural sites. When micro-invertebrates are separated by trophic level, we found that low
trophic level micro-invertebrates (dominated by Oribatid mites and Collembolans), were significantly
more abundant in the natural sites, while predaceous micro-invertebrates (Mesostigmatid mites and
Pseudoscorpions) were significantly more abundant in the mid-urban sites. We conclude that soil
micro-invertebrate abundance can be used to determine when an ornamental planting has formed an
ecologically functional community.
O11.1
Tiger and other environmental conservation - thoughts on economic solutions to an economic
problem
S. Bray
Save China's Tigers, London, United Kingdom
Tiger conservation, and biodiversity conservation in general, has garnered substantial attention in the
last 30 years, but has had limited success in terms of slowing the rate of biodiversity loss globally. In
fact, the Stockholm Resilience Centre has determined that biodiversity loss is one of the most critical
issues currently facing the habitability of the planet. It is proposed that in order to reverse the loss of
biodiversity, and save tigers in the wild, a holistic approach must be taken which takes into account the
economic incentives leading to unsustainable use of our resources. A comprehensive model will be
put forward that uses a charismatic species such as the tiger, to generate support for environmental
conservation, but with sustainable economic development as its base. Any large scale restoration or
conservation effort will fail without taking into account species conservation, habitat protection,
government support, and local community involvement which must all be underpinned by sustainable
economic development. This holistic approach seeks to align the economic incentives of all groups in
a conservation area.
O11.2
From zoos to the wild: preparing to reintroduce the South China tiger to restored landscapes in
China
M.C. Fabregas1,2, G.M. Koehler2
1
2
Animal Production Studies, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa, Save China's Tigers,
London, United Kingdom
The South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN with
approximately 100 individuals remaining in captivity and perhaps extinct in the wild. The main reason
for its decline is loss of habitat arising from economic development and predator control efforts in past
decades. Save China's Tigers, a UK-based charity, is working to re-establish viable populations of
free-ranging South China tigers to fenced restored habitats in southern China, within the subspecies
historic range. Because of the uncertain status of the subspecies in the wild, re-establishing
populations to restored wild areas will require that captive populations serve as the source. The IUCN
Guidelines for Reintroductions indicate that released animals should exhibit behaviours essential for
survival and reproduction, but also that reintroduction candidates can be behaviorally conditioned
before release to develop the predatory skills that may have been lost over successive generations in
captivity. Save China's Tigers, in partnership with the Chinese State Forestry Administration, is
breeding and preparing captive bred South China tigers for reintroduction. Tigers are provided
opportunities under semi-wild conditions to acquire hunting and other survival skills at facilities in
South Africa. Presently 19 South China tigers (about 20% of the current captive population) are kept in
predator-proof fenced enclosures and provided ungulate prey to attain hunting and other survival
skills. During the past two years, a research project was carried out where tigers older than two years
were fitted with GPS collars to assess and quantify their hunting proficiency to meet their energetic,
survival and reproductive needs. We present these results in the context of their suitability for
reintroduction and discuss the balance undertaken between breeding, acquiring hunting proficiency,
and avoiding habituation with humans. Research funded by a post-doctoral fellowship awarded to MC
Fàbregas by the University of Pretoria and Save China's Tigers.
O11.3
Large carnivores & white-tailed eagle and co-existence with humans: role of damage
prevention methods for sustainable rural livelihoods
T. Otstavel, H. Saloniemi
University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
The objective of the study was to analyse co-existence of rural livelihoods and reintroduction of gray
wolf (Canis lupus), lynx (Lynx lynx), brown bear (Ursus arctos) and white-tailed eagle (Haliaeëtus
albicilla) in Northern Europe (e.g. Jacobs et al. 2014; Kubo & Shoji 2014; Madden & McQuinn 2014).
The aim was to study local conditions and practices arising in Estonian and Finnish Baltic islands and
coastal areas - how restoring carnivores with important apex position (e.g. Ordiz et al. 2013; Wallach
et al. 2015) can be possible in the context of economic constraints and various preferences of local
residents - how to benefit from the use of damage prevention methods (e.g. Gehring et al. 2010;
Linnell et al. 2010), especially livestock guarding dogs (LGDs).
Data collection conducted through visits to rural enterprises, mainly farms, and semistructured
interviews, narratives and interactive seminars. The main findings were that damage prevention as
one solution for social conflicts and animal welfare for both livestock and carnivores using especially
LGDs can be successful, but needs efforts depending on the background variables of the guarded
areas, of individual traits of LGDs and possibility of farmers or entrepreneurs to invest their time in
training, particularly in conditions of no LGD tradition.
Experienced threats by local inhabitants differed. In Estonia damage prevention measures appeared
to be an answer towards notable number of damages but in Finland more towards the fear of
damages in future and a way to increase feeling of safety concerning any intruders or transmission of
animal diseases. LGDs were described as a tool for eagle damage prevention in Estonia; topic needs
further research because of the shortage of observations. Benefits from the use of LGDs for e.g.
agritourism were discussed. Wider benefits could diminish conflicting preferences between
stakeholders in human-dominated landscapes (e.g. Hanley et al. 2013).
O11.4
Wolves, tortoises, and trout: the world´s most significant private effort to restore imperiled
species
M. Phillips
Turner Endangered Species Fund, Bozeman, United States
The extinction of untold numbers of plants and animal species has become one of humanity's most
pressing problems. The primary cause of extinction is habitat loss that commonly occurs on private
land. Vast tracts of such land are owned by a relatively small number of individuals, families,
foundations, and other private entities. Engagement by these landowners is critical for reversing the
fate of many imperiled species. It is clear, for example, that in the United States most threatened or
endangered species will not be recovered without the cooperation of private landowners, as more than
60% of the United States is privately owned, and at least 80% of these species occur either partially or
solely on private lands. Arresting the extinction crisis will require the dedicated involvement of private
landowners. The Turner Endangered Species Fund was initiated in 1997 to act on this requirement.
Since then the Fund has evolved into the world's most significant effort to restore imperiled species to
private land, and has been involved in projects for plants, birds, fishes, mammals, amphibians, and
reptiles. Successes and failures have been recorded and important lessons learned about emerging
issues and pressing concerns in restoration ecology, including the socio-political challenges of
advancing private efforts to conserve biodiversity. Many of these will be considered in this talk.
O12.1
Reforestation: why a cross sectoral and multidisciplinary approach is required for optimal
climate change adaptation
1,2
2
1,2
1,3
1,2
4
E. Douwes , M. Rouget , D. Roberts , S. O'donoghue , K. Roy , N. Diederichs-Mander
1
Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department, eThekwini Municipality, Durban, South
Africa, 2School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal,
Scottsville, South Africa, 3School of Life Sciences Westville Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal,
4
Durban, South Africa, Futureworks, Durban, South Africa
Cities in developing countries face many challenges, including widespread poverty, infrastructure
backlogs, environmental degradation and vulnerability to climate change. While largely negative, these
can also provide opportunities to reduce climate change-related risks and increase adaptive capacity.
Community ecosystem-based adaptation (CEBA) addresses unemployment through creation of jobs to
manage local ecosystems. The Buffelsdraai Landfill Site Community Reforestation Project, initiated in
Durban South Africa, embraced such an opportunity following a commitment to offset emissions for
TM
the 2010 FIFA World Cup . Founded on a framework of cross-sectoral and multi-disciplinary
partnerships, this project hopes to enhance climate change adaptation and minimise the impacts of
rapid urbanization and competing pressures for scarce natural resources. The project is anticipated to
generate novel learnings, cross-sectoral benefits, and reduced risk by integrating social and
environmental priorities. Impoverished community members were trained to grow locally indigenous
tree seedlings in exchange for food and essential goods. Over 600 000 trees, comprising 50 species,
were planted into 580 hectares of marginally productive sugar cane fields, in order to restore locally
indigenous subtropical, dry broadleaf forest. To date, local communities have benefited through the
increased availability of employment, food and disposable income, and a higher school attendance by
children; a measured increase in tree and bird species diversity has been recorded; and carbon
sequestration, although not yet confirmed, is expected to have met anticipated levels (10,145 tCO2e
by 2015). Challenges include land disputes and invasions, arson fires and petty theft. Broad
stakeholder engagement and a local research partnership are expected to build cross-disciplinary
relationships and improved learning outcomes. These are essential elements in building a monitoring
and evaluation framework to assess adaptation and mitigation interventions, and facilitate improved
risk management. EThekwini Municipality, DANIDA and the South African National Green Fund are
acknowledged for provision of funds.
O12.2
Whitman Walk Restoration Area: monitoring herbaceous plant survival at a small urban forest
in Seattle, WA, USA
J.B. Cronan, B. Saari
School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
We report results from the first year of a monitoring project to evaluate success rates for new plantings
of herbaceous species in a small tract of native forest recently cleared of invasive species. Using
herbaceous species in forest restoration is uncommon in the Pacific Northwest where replanting often
focuses on restoring understory structure with hardy shrubs and shade-tolerant understory trees.
Whitman Walk Restoration Area (WWRA) is a small, one quarter hectare, forest on the University of
Washington (UW) campus in Seattle, Washington, USA managed by the university student chapter of
the Society for Ecological Restoration along with Kincaid Ravine, a two hectare forest restoration area
adjacent to the WWRA. Management goals for the WWRA are to create a biologically diverse example
of a Puget Sound lowland forest and provide educational opportunities regarding natural history and
the importance of ecological restoration. Prior to restoration efforts, cover of three invasive species,
English ivy (Hedera helix), Himalayan blackberry (Rubus bifrons), and English holly (Ilex aquifolium),
was extensive. Remaining native species occurred in the understory and overstory and included
California hazelnut (Corylus cornuta, ssp. californica), Indian plum (Oemleria cerasiformis), western
redcedar (Thuja plicata), bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga meziesii).
Invasive species were manually cleared from the WWRA in 2013 and in winter 2014, over 400 herbs
representing 25 species, with a range of shade tolerance and suitable for mesic sites, were planted to
restore the native groundcover. Plants were gathered locally from native plant salvage events prior to
forest clearing for residential development in the greater Seattle area. After planting individuals were
tagged and will be monitored for survival and vigor during the 2015 growing season. We will present
preliminary results of planting success by species. This project is funded by a UW Campus
Sustainability Fund grant.
O12.3
Connectivity in modern heterogeneous landscapes: arthropod community and trait response
to stepping-stone and linear networks
S. Pedley1, P. Dolman2
1
2
Biology and Biomedical Science, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom, Environmental
Science, University College of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
In modern landscapes natural areas of conservation concern are often fragmented within an
inhospitable matrix of anthropogenic land use. Some areas within the matrix may be porous to less
specialist species whereas other land types will provide impermeable barriers. Connectivity between
remnant patches is often advocated to support vulnerable species and ecosystems via metapopulation
dynamics. However, evidence demonstrating the particular form connecting elements should take (e.g.
linear networks, stepping stones) is often lacking. In addition, evidence from species or taxa specific
studies may lack generality and provide information that is context and bioregion specific. We use the
Breckland region in Eastern England to examine multiple species use of different landscape elements.
The study area is particularly well suited to examine connectivity and fragmentation due to the
complex landscape configuration of remnant grass-heath and commercial plantation forest. Of
particular conservation concern in the region are the many invertebrate and plant species associated
with grass-heath. We studied the arthropod communities (spiders and carabids) of different landscape
elements ranging from newly open forest patches (ephemeral stepping-stones), permanently open
forestry trackways (linear networks), closed-canopy pine planation (matrix habitat) and grass-heath
nature reserves (remnant patches). We use a combination of community and species trait analysis to
examine assembly patterns. We look for correspondence in species traits that may be generalized to
other regions and taxa while also exploring community composition and species habitat affinities to
examine the assemblage structure within each landscape element.
O12.4
Lessons from involving volunteers in large scale woodland restoration in south eastern
Australia
D. Freudenberger1, P. Saunders2, G. Fifield3
1
Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, 2Bush
3
Heritage Australia, Bredbo, Australia, Greening Australia, Canberra, Australia
Temperate grassy woodlands are one of the most highly cleared ecosystems in Australia due to more
than 150 years of agricultural activities. They are a priority for the Australian Government, NGOs and
private landholders for ecological restoration. The largest single grassy woodland restoration project in
Australia (300 ha) is being conducted at the Scottsdale Reserve owned and managed by the NGO
Bush Heritage Australia in partnership with Greening Australia (NGO) and with funding from the
Australian Government's Biodiversity Fund. The primary focus of the restoration activities has been
revegetation of the woody overstory (Eucalypts) and mid story (mostly Acacias) that was nearly
entirely cleared for agriculture over 50 years ago. To date (March 2015), over 18,000 tree and shrub
seedlings have been propagated from locally sourced seed and grown out in nurseries involving
volunteers from the local rural community and urban volunteers from Canberra (national capital). The
majority of seedlings have also been planted by inexperienced volunteers from a diversity of
organisations including groups from schools, universities and government agencies (army cadets
included). Past experience involving volunteers have provided mixed results with survival rates as low
as about 20%. However for this project, the survival rate of the 2013 plantings is nearly 94% based on
scientifically stratified monitoring of over 600 seedlings. Such a high survival rate is likely due to the
following factors: holes mechanically augured by volunteers prior to planting, immediate post-planting
watering-in of seedlings by volunteers, tree guards placed around each seedling to reduce frost, wind
and kangaroo damage, and training and supervision of volunteers by Greening Australia and Bush
Heritage Australia. This project demonstrates that over 500 inexperienced volunteers can be
successfully involved in a large scale restoration project if there is sufficient investment in quality soil
preparation and post planting care.
O13.1
Modeling of vegetation dynamic and soil functioning after a restoration project to combat
desertification in abandoned drylands of Southeastern Spain
H. Kribeche, E.R. Seva, J.E. Martínez Pérez
Ecology, University of Alicante, San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain
Desertification of semiarid and arid ecosystems is considered the most critical environmental problem
st
in the world of the 21 century. Particularly, abandoned drylands of the Northern Mediterranean
countries are threatened by desertification, due principally, to the harsh climatic conditions, the poor
potential of vegetation recovery and the degraded soils prone to hydric erosion. The abandonment of
crops land-use in “Albatera” municipality of Southeastern Spain caused severe impact in landscape
structure and function. A demonstration project of restoration ecology and reforestation was
implemented in 2003 in a pilot sub-watershed to combat desertification in degraded drylands of the
Mediterranean Europe. The aim goal of the restoration strategy is to increase vegetation cover and
mitigate soil loss as well as to recover the structure and function of the whole ecosystem at the long
term. The assessment of vegetation distribution structure and soil functioning processes of the
dispersed Matorral shrubland detects initial ascendant trends in vegetation cover rates and soils
functioning indices, along five years after the application of restoration and reforestation practices. The
spatial modelling of “GAPS” vegetation structure over time proves the positive effect of vegetation
nucleation pattern induced by the opening of planting sinks in increasing vegetation patch area. In
addition, the restoration efforts improved soil functioning indices: soil stability, water infiltration and
nutrient recycling, and reduced soil loss rates. At long term, the parameterised model “PROC” predicts
a stabilisation trajectory of functional groups recruitment; which considered an adaptation state of the
restored ecosystem to the current bioclimatic conditions. The restoration efforts improved soil
functional processes and vegetation structure (horizontal and vertical), giving out to the creation of a
stable state, different from the historical, degraded and potential. It is distinguished as “Novel
ecosystem"; due to the changes in biotic and abiotic conditions, land use, land abandonment and the
restoration intervention.
O13.2
Participative forest restoration in a semiarid Moroccan area
1
2
3
M. Derak , J. Cortina , L. Taiqui
1
Direction Régionale des Eaux et Forêts et de la Lutte Contre la Désertification du Rif, Tétouan,
Morocco, 2Department of Ecology and IMEM, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain, 3Université
Abdelmalek Essaadi. Faculté des Sciences de Tétouan, Tétouan, Morocco
Ecological restoration is a suitable tool to revert the decline in the provision of ecosystem services in
semiarid areas. Restoration projects are increasingly employing participative approaches. However,
stakeholders are rarely involved in all restoration phases which compromises population engagement
and project success. We developed an integrated framework for participative forest restoration in a
semiarid area of Northern Morocco involving a large number of stakeholders including scientists,
managers, neighbors, and representatives of various Administrations, NGOs and cooperatives.
Stakeholders actively participated in several phases of the project: assessment of previous restoration
actions, establishment of restoration priorities and objectives, planning, execution, evaluation and
monitoring. In the initial assessment phase, we compared a restored landscape unit of Pinus
halepensis plantations with four unrestored units: Tetraclinis articulata forests, shrublands, cereal
crops and Opuntia groves. Comparison was performed using a multi-criteria analysis based on
stakeholder opinion and empirical data of seventeen ecosystem services. Results showed that the
overall restoration priorities identified by stakeholders were linked to regulating and supporting
services. Pinus halepensis plantations showed the lowest level of the overall provision of ecosystem
services, whereas agricultural crops and T. articulata forests showed the highest level. Given the high
importance accorded to T. articulata forests, we carried out a 1-Ha demonstrative project. We involved
various stakeholder groups in the financial, administrative and technical planning phase of a T.
articulata and Pistacia lentiscus plantation. Field operations were performed by 70 stakeholders in a
spirit of knowledge exchange, environmental education and social solidarity. Through preliminary
evaluation, participants expressed their appreciation of the experience and their interest on recovering
T. articulata forests. Participatory initiatives may enhance community awareness on the role of
ecological restoration and promote their engagement, facilitate knowledge transfer, and contribute to
achieve multifunctional restoration targets.
O13.3
Will autogenic succession be sufficient for vegetation recovery or soil condition need to be
addressed in arid lands of Kuwait?
M. Abdullah1, R. Feagin1, L. Musawi2
1
Ecosystem Science and Management, Texas A&M University College Station, College Station,
2
United States, Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science KFAS, Kuwait City, Kuwait
The assessment of soil conditions can provide a useful focal point for restoration efforts. This study
focuses on Umm Nigga, in the northeastern portion of Kuwait, an area that was damaged by
overgrazing and destructive camping. Portions of Umm Nigga fall within the boundaries of the DeMilitarized Zone (DMZ) adjacent to Iraq. This area has been fenced off to restrict public access since
1994. In previous work, we used remote sensing and GIS-based data to divide Umm Nigga into three
units, along a gradient ranging from the coast to inland locations. Reference sites in the DMZ were
also matched to damaged sites within each unit. This earlier work showed that vegetation cover
decreased once mines were cleared after the war in the damaged sites, but it continuously increased
in the fenced reference sites. Still, in order to develop a restoration plan for Umm Nigga, we needed to
know if the damaged sites would recover through autogenic succession or if the soil would need to be
remediated first. Thus, the central objective of this study was to assess the soil conditions. We
collected soil samples within each unit site. We found significant differences among the three units.
Soil pH was higher at the two desert units as compared with the coastal unit, while conductivity and
nutrients such Na, Mg, and K were lower. However, there were no significant differences between the
damaged and reference sites within each unit. Only the percent organic mater (OM) differed between
reference and damaged sites, with greater OM at the reference sites. Higher OM was likely linked to
the higher vegetation cover in the reference locations. We conclude that that soil remediation may not
be necessary to restore the damaged sites, given that fencing alone will likely release the ecosystem
from this disturbance and allow recovery.
O13.4
Results of ESD application as a restoration roadmap in desert region, Mongolia
1
1
2
2
2
2
A. Balt , S. Jadamba , B. Densambuu , B. Ulambayar , A. Battur , S. Sainnemekh
1
Biodiversity Research Team of HSES Department, Oyu Tolgoi LLC, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 2Applied
Research Component, Greengold Project, SDC, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Due to the mining boom in Mongolia, the size of rangeland area impacted by mining activities is
growing from year to year. The non equilibrium system desert region needs more sound management
technologies for restoration. According to Ecological Site Description (ESD) studies in this region and
related concepts including State and Transition Models (STMs), Haloxylon ammodendron (C.A.Mey)
Bunge is the key dominant functional species in ecological site groups, with deep sandy soils without
argillic horizons and creates a scattered 'forest'. Species such as Nitraria sibirica, Corispermum
mongolicum, Eragrostis minor, Aristida heymannii are present in the community. Our work aims to
develop sound restoration technology for the deep sandy Ecological site group that shares percent of
area impacted by Oyu Tolgoi Mining activities. We've been started the restoration program using
Haloxylon ammodendron, where seedlings are prepared from local area seeds and transplanted.
Winter survival rate of seedlings is 79.7% and in the first year the width of leafage has increased by
7.2, average height by 2.4, stalk diameter by 1.3 and the number of shoots by 2.8. Functioning and the
ecosystem service values are being monitored based on the STM which covers the key functional
shifts and dynamics of alternative community phases.
O13.5
Optimized management of spontaneous grass colonization in a tailing storage facility under
semiarid mediterranean climate type
1,2
3
R. Ginocchio , A. Morales-Ladrón de Guevara
1
Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente, P. Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile,
2
Center for Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Santiago, Chile, 3Gerencia Sustentabilidad y
Asuntos Externos, División El Teniente CODELCO-Chile, Rancagua, Chile
Phytostabilization of mine tailings under semiarid environments is challenging, particularly when no
organic amendments are locally available and no irrigation is possible. Increasing tendency for
reprocessing old tailings to recover valued metals further pioneer the need for simple but effective
plant covers. The choice of plant species and form of management are thus very important.
CODELCO-Chile chose the Cauquenes post-operational tailings storage facility (TFS; 700 ha), that
will be reprocessed for copper and other elements in the near future, to evaluate efficacy of the
phytostabilization technology under semiarid conditions in central Chile. Surface application of a
polymer has been used for wind control of tailings but phytostabilization is considered as a best costeffective alternative. A field study was performed to define a management program to improve the
establishment and cover of an annual native grass (Vulpia myuros var. megalura), a spontaneous
colonizer of the TSF. Considered management factors were control of macro herbivores (with and
without fence), macronutrient improvement (with and without application of N-rich foliar fertilizer), and
improvement of seed retention in the substrate (with and without small-scale rugosity; with and without
lived wind-breakers; with and without mechanical wind-breakers). Each treatment was replicated three
times and established in 2 m x 2 m quadrats. Plant response variables were monitored after 1 and 2
grass growing seasons.
Application of N-rich foliar fertilizer and any wind control mechanism for seed retention in the substrate
were effective for significantly improving both grass cover and biomass production in time, irrespective
of macro-herbivore control. Seed production was significantly improved when macro herbivores were
excluded and was positively and significantly correlated to vegetative biomass production. When
applying this management program for tailings phytostabilization at large-scaale, surface ploughing of
tailing.
O14.1
Rehabilitation for improved water service delivery: hydrological modelling of ecological
infrastructure in the uMngeni catchment, South Africa
C. Hughes, G. Jewitt
Centre for Water Resources Research, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
The uMngeni catchment in the province of KwaZulu-Natal provides the backdrop for one of South
Africa's most exciting water governance partnerships. The catchment is a hub of economic activity,
housing the country's largest port and part of the vital transportation corridor from Durban to
Johannesburg. The catchment is currently experiencing a considerable decline in water quality and
availability due to the significant expansion of settlements and industry, coupled with the fast growing
population. The uMngeni Ecological Infrastructure Partnership, an organisation comprising academic
institutions, private companies, non-governmental groups and municipalities, has recognised the need
to secure and rehabilitate ecological infrastructure, and in particular the need to secure the
catchment's vast natural grasslands, wetlands and riparian areas, if long term water security is to be
achieved. As part of the research agenda adopted by the Partnership, the University of KwaZulu-Natal
and partners are undertaking a prioritization exercise, underpinned by robust, daily timestep
hydrological modelling, to identify areas which produce and supply hydrological ecosystem services,
as well as those habitats and landscapes which, if rehabilitated, could significantly improve this service
delivery. These services include flood attenuation, which is a major priority given the projected
increase in extreme storms associated with climate change, and dry season baseflow to maintain
healthy ecosystems and domestic supplies during the winter months.
O14.2
Does payment for environmental services related to ecological restoration in the existing legal
framework and projects in the Congo Basin?
B.-P. Ntirumenyerwa-Mihigo
Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
There are many and controversial definitions of the PES (Wunder, 2005) (Vatn, 2010). However, the
classification of PES knows fewer contradictions than its definition. According to their key features, the
UNEP(2006) affirms that the PES can be grouped into use-restricting schemes, where providers
receive payments for conserving an existing environmental asset, such as natural habitat or stored
carbon, and asset-building schemes, where new ecosystem services are established or degraded
services are restored. The PSE based on asset-building schemes is the one which integrate ecological
restoration.
The international law clarifies this relationship between ecological restoration and PES in the CBD,
especially in its provision 8 and 9, and the 2 and 15 Aichi Targets. The Cancun Agreements of the
UNFCCC in its 70 paragraph is focused on the objectives of REDD+, which uses PES as an economic
incentive. REDD+ objectives are coherent with the CBD provisions and Aichi Targets.
The DRC has accepted the application of CBD and the Cancun Agreements. This implies that PES
and ecological restoration are promoted in its existing legal framework. The 2011 Environmental Law,
the 2012 decree on the homologation procedures of REDD+ projects and their policies integrates the
relationship between ecological restoration and PES. However, the implementation of these policies
and laws still face challenges.
Moreover, the paper shows that PSE in Cameroon- especially those which are implemented by the
Centre for Environment and Development (CED) with the comminatory forest of Nkolenyeng and
Nomedjoh- promotes ecological restoration. However, these projects are more focused in the
maintenance or conservation of the forest than ecological restoration. In fact, reforestation of
degraded forest is one of the activities addressed by these projects.
O15.1
Restoration of peatland ecosystems at the edge of the area of their distribution
1
2
3
4
T. Minayeva , A. Sirin , V. Martynenko , A. Popov
1
Wetlands International, Wageningen, Netherlands, 2Institute of Forest Sciences RAS, Moscow
Province, Russian Federation, 3Institute of Biology Bashkirian Branch RAS, Ufa, Russian Federation,
4
'Rubus' Consulting, Naryan-Mar, Russian Federation
Peatlands are designated by UNFCCC as carbon rich ecosystems. Hence peatland restoration had
come to the agenda of the negotiations of the GHG emissions linked to the land use change.
Peatlands has their optimum of development in the temperate zone. Arctic and regions with arid and
semiarid areas do not present favour conditions for peatlands nowadays. Anyway they had developed
there in the past when climate conditions had been more suitable for peat formation. Peatlands here
carry unique ecosystem services: the water regime maintenance in the arid and semiarid regions and
permafrost protection in the Arctic. Hence peatlands restoration play here crucial role from the point of
adaptation and mitigation capacity. Slow peat accumulation rate in modern conditions is the largest
challenge in peatland restoration in these areas. Two case studies on peatlands restoration are
presented: in steppe part of Bashkiriya and in the Bolshezemelskaya tundra in Nenets Autonomus
okrug (both in Russian Federation). The restoration concepts are based on the detailed preliminary
study of all main ecosystem structures and functions. The key role plays the predicting hydrological
model and modelling of the plant succession. The techniques are based on the development of
landscape micro structures, which could prevent water discharge and evaporation, erosion, losses in
organic matter and maintain high productivity. The examples of techniques development and
application are presented. The pilot projects are implemented within the funding from the EC
ClimaEast project.
O15.2
Restoring peatlands using native seeds, sheep dung and daglocks in the Falkland islands
S.W. Smith1, B. Bond2, R. Upson3, A. Jungblut4, J. Cuadros4, A. Davey5
1
2
Falkland Conservation, Stanley, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Quercus Statistical Consulting Ltd.,
3
4
Stotfold, United Kingdom, Royal Botanic Garden Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom, Natural History
5
Museum, London, United Kingdom, Millennium Seed Bank Partnership, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew,
Wakehurst Place, United Kingdom
Peatlands are globally important long-term reservoirs of terrestrial carbon. Yet as nutrient poor
ecosystems, peatlands recover slowly from human-induced damage. The Falkland Islands, in the
South Atlantic, have the highest proportion of any land area dominated by peat. However, decades of
grazing and burning, exacerbated by strong winds, have led to large areas of bareground (i.e.
exposed clay), and re-vegetating the soil surface is key to reducing soil erosion. In the absence of
readily available native seeds, we embarked on a project collecting, processing and sowing native
seeds to restore eroded soil. In 2013, we established a pilot study on bare clay, sowing 15 native plant
species including colonisers and fodder species. Within the pilot study we tested the effectiveness of
low-cost and locally sourced treatments to encourage plant establishment, including; sheep dung,
daglocks, microbial slurry, wooden pallets, windproof fencing and their combinations. A year after
sowing, sheep dung and daglocks were the most effective treatments restoring 69% plant cover. Plant
community composition underneath wooden pallets differed due to lower windspeeds and a cooler
and drier environment, but pallets alone did not significantly increase plant cover. Following the pilot
study, in 2014 we expanded the trial across several sites in the East Falklands to evaluate the effect of
soil type (bare clay, peat and sand) and treatments on the establishment of different plant species. We
will use both sets of results to provide guidance for best practice to farmers and landowners when revegetating with native seeds.
Acknowledgements: This work is part of a Darwin Plus Project funded by the Darwin Initiative,
DEFRA, UK.
O15.3
Ecosystem carbon dioxide and methane exchange at a 15-year old restored peatland in Eastern
Quebec, Canada
1
1
2
1
K.A. Nugent , I.B. Strachan , M. Strack , L. Pelletier
1
Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, 2Department of
Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
Natural peatlands are typically large sources of atmospheric methane (CH4) while newly restored
peatlands have comparatively low emissions. A condition of restoration success is the return to natural
carbon exchange rates- including net carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration and substantial CH4 gas
release. Early post-restoration studies suggest that return to CH4 flux similar to natural ecosystems
appears delayed relative to net CO2 uptake. A better understanding of the effects of micro-scale
variability and changes in ecohydrological processes over daily to seasonal timescales is needed in
order to model surface-atmosphere CH4 fluxes along a restoration trajectory toward reference
ecosystems.
Bois-des-Bel is a 15-year old restored temperate bog located in eastern Quebec, a region of intensive
peat extraction for horticulture. An eddy covariance flux tower with an open-path CO2/H2O analyzer
and open-path CH4 analyzer has been operating over two growing seasons, providing near-continuous
measurements of net ecosystem CO2 exchange and ecosystem CH4 flux. Closed chambers have
been placed to capture the effects of plant structure and hydrological condition on CO2 and CH4 flux.
While all plant communities at Bois-des-Bel were moderate to strong net sinks for CO2 over the two
growing seasons, CH4 fluxes from peat field vegetation communities were around zero flux. Methane
-2 -1
fluxes from the remnant Typha-filled ditches however exceeded 200 mg CH4 m d , resulting in
ecosystem CH4 release over the growing season. Typha CH4 flux peaked in July, during which drier
plant communities (water table below ~50 cm) measured CH4 uptake. Bois-des-Bel appears to show a
delayed CH4 flux return even after 15 years of recovery, possibly due to hydrological, chemical and/or
microbial limitations in the underlying cutover peat layer.
O15.4
Prospects for new mire wetland restoration in Sweden following termination of peatland
excavation
L.B. Lundin, S. Jordan, E. Lode, T. Nilsson, M. Strömgren
Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
The site-specific state and use of mires and peatlands constrains possible restoration options. There is
a long and widespread tradition in northern Europe of using mires for agriculture, forestry and peat
harvesting. While drainage is often a prerequisite for use, it changes the mire status from a natural to
an impacted state. Mire status determines conservation value but even slightly affected mires could be
of great interest for preservation. This could lead to conflicts between protection and utilization.
However, peatlands influenced by drainage activities may be the ones available for utilization but are
anyhow considered for protection. At least 0.5 Mha of Swedish peatlands have been drained in
unsuccessful attempts to improve forest production. Some of these drained areas might be suitable for
peat excavation. Added to this is c. 15.000 ha in ongoing or terminated peat excavation. After
cessation of peat extraction, the excavated area must be restored to a hydrologically functioning
wetland which could eventually form a new mire.
Two such areas were investigated in SW Sweden both before rewetting and for almost 15 years
afterwards. Ecological characteristics of the sites differed considerably, being reflected in the
remaining peat conditions, established hydrology and water chemistry. Vegetation and surface soil
conditions changed with new spontaneous Sphagnum colonisation. Changes in hydrology and
hydrochemistry after rewetting relate to altered redox conditions influencing especially pH, sulphur,
nitrogen and phosphorus. The return of anaerobic conditions in the sediments reduced peat
decomposition. Peat site properties such as vegetation and chemical conditions affected greenhouse
gas emissions. Both CO2 and CH4 emissions varied by site type but with an overall increase in CH4.
The project was funded by the Swedish Energy Agency and the Swedish Peat Research Foundation.
O15.5
Peatland restoration and rehabilitation in Ireland - thirty years of learning
C.A. Farrell, D. Fallon, M. McCorry
Ecology, Bord na Mona, Tullamore, Ireland
Peatlands are extensive landscape features in Ireland. The main types are raised bog, mountain
blanket bog and Atlantic blanket bog with transitional types and fens also present. Traditionally, turf
cutting by hand for domestic heating and low level grazing were the most common uses. These low
impact activities were superseded in the mid 1900s by more intensive and high impact uses including
industrial peat production, forestry, agricultural drainage and intensive grazing regimes. As a result of
these practices, extensive areas of Irish peatlands are considered to be highly modified.
Since the 1980s there has been a drive to conserve and where possible, restore those remaining near
intact examples of peatland with the main focus being on active raised bog areas. Only since 2000
has the focus shifted towards restoration and rehabilitation of more heavily modified areas, with semistate companies responsible for industrial and afforested peatlands such as Bord na Móna (the Irish
Peat Company) and Coillte (the State Forestry Company) taking the lead in that work.
In 2000, at the Millennium Wetland Event held in Quebec, the author presented an outline of potential
rehabilitation measures for an industrial peat production area in the west of Ireland, founded on
baseline vegetation survey and rehabilitation/rewetting trials. Subsequent to that, a rehabilitation plan
was developed and implemented on the 6,500 ha site and the outcomes are presented. The key
features include re-vegetation and stabilization of the former industrial area, re-establishment of peat
forming vegetation and the return of carbon sink function in Sphagnum dominated areas.
The challenge now is to translate the lessons learned from this site to the wider Irish and European
peatland landscape. Case studies of other rehabilitation and restoration projects will be highlighted.
O16.1
Effects of planted grasses and a pioneer tree on succession on a heavy metal contaminated
mountainside
L.H. Dietterich, B.B. Casper
Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
While much effort has gone into revegetating disturbed sites, little is known about how ecological
succession proceeds after revegetation despite its importance for long-term management. The
Palmerton Zinc Superfund Site is a >2000 acre mountainside devegetated and contaminated with
zinc, lead, and cadmium from 80 years of zinc smelting emissions. Restoration efforts since 2003 have
focused on planting grasses with low metal uptake in the hopes of eventually sequestering metals
under healthy surface soil. However, the metal hyperaccumulating tree Betula populifolia (gray birch)
is rapidly colonizing the site. This species threatens to pump contaminants back aboveground,
counteracting the restoration strategy and presenting management and public health concerns.
Here we examine how gray birch and the planted grasses may differentially affect long-term plant
community succession in this site. We planted Quercus velutina (black oak) and Acer saccharum
(sugar maple) seeds and seedlings in field plots inhabited by birch or grasses. We controlled for
differences in aboveground competition by clearing aboveground vegetation from half of the plots and
leaving the rest intact. We recorded germination after nine weeks and seedling growth after 20 weeks.
In birch-conditioned soils, oak germination and lateral branch growth were greater with intact
vegetation, but in grass-conditioned soils, these parameters were greater in cleared plots. However,
sugar maple germination and seedling growth did not respond significantly to either experimental
treatment. We also found organic soil horizons to be 70% thicker under grasses compared to birch.
Taken together, these data suggest that soil may be more hospitable to black oak under grasses than
under birch, but aboveground competition may be stronger under grasses. Land managers thus may
face a trade-off between accelerating soil development by replacing birch trees with grasses, and
accelerating succession by leaving birch trees intact.
O16.2
Refinery's effluent treatment through phyto-remediation
1,2
T. Khan
1
2
Horticulture, Attock Refinery Limited Morgah, Rwalpindi, Pakistan, Department of Environmental
Sciences, Department of Environmental Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad,
Pakistan
Two year trial was conducted to study the effect of phyto-remediation treatment on refinery wastewater
at Attock Refinery Limited, Morgah, Rawalpindi, Pakistan from 2013-2015. It was hypothesized that
hydrophytes could help to mitigate water pollutants. Especially these could effectively alleviate level of
Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Oil
Contents, pH, Total Dissolved Salts (TDS), Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Turbidity. Two species
of hydrophytes i.e Pistia chinensis and Eichornia crassipes were used because of their high potential
to remediate the pollutants from wastewater. Comparison among the untreated and treated
wastewater samples showed that the BOD, COD, EC, TDS and TSS were declining over the time
period with the phyto-remediation treatment with both the species. Turbidity was decreased in case of
treatment with Pistia chinensis and increased with treatment of Eichornia crasssipes. Oil and grease
contents were completely removed. However, the pH values were slightly decreased in treated
samples while it remained more or less uniform throughout the period of investigations. Overall
Eichornia crasssipes found more effective than Pistia chinensis for removing the pollutants from
refinery's wastewater.
O17.1
The development of a community education programme for monitoring the impacts of
ecological restoration of a degraded catchment
1
2
3
T.M. Everson , C.S. Everson , C. Marais
1
2
Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, SAEON,
3
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, Department of Environment Affairs, Cape Town, South Africa
The Upper Thukela catchment area plays a vital role in water provision for the province of KwaZuluNatal, South Africa. However, lack of effective land-use management plans within these communal
areas has negative impacts on the natural resources. Degraded areas are characterised by significant
soil loss, low primary productivity and reduced base flows which are often crucial for meeting the basic
food and water requirements of the local inhabitants. To address these problems the South African
government has implemented an innovative Payment for Environmental Services programme whereby
community members are paid to rehabilitate and monitor degraded catchment areas. The aim of the
current project was to build capacity of the community members, many of whom had little formal
education, to implement a monitoring system to determine the effect of the ecological restoration on
the water resources. The most successful scientific techniques adapted for use by the communities
were a splash board (to measure soil detached as a result of “rain splash”), a plant basal cover
quadrat (to measure how much soil is covered by vegetation), run off plots (to measure water quality
and quantity on slopes) and a clarity meter (to measure water quality). The community recorded
significant differences between the eroded and rehabilitated sites. For example, the mean rain splash
height in the eroded site (62 mm) was 40% higher than the rehabilitated site (25 mm). Data from the
runoff plots indicated that runoff from the eroded site (2680 mm) was 28% higher than the rehabilitated
site (1950 mm). Water quality, which was rated from 0 (low quality) to 100 (high quality), was low in
both the eroded (9) and rehabilitated sites (12). The results have motivated the community to work
with the livestock committee to address the problem of overgrazing which is the main cause of soil
erosion.
O17.2
Generating lasting community engagement with nature through a tree planting campaign
K. Bounds
Department of Parks and Recreation, City of New York, New York City, United States
Since Fall 2007 over 940,000 trees have been planted in New York City through a public-private
partnership, driven by ecosystem services targets. Over half of these have been planted on public
parkland as part of ongoing forest restoration. The initiative is two years ahead of schedule, and the
plantings have a very high level of survivorship during the initial establishment period. The long-term
ability of these plantings to provide the suite of expected services, as well as contribute to other nonmarket values, is still in the process of being understood. The experience of this partnership points to
some clear lessons about how to enact restoration to meet stated, unstated, and often shifting goals,
and how to frame long-term "success" of these efforts. In addition, the partnership has included a
variety of academic collaborators, who together are beginning to form a body of literature associated
with specific benefits and challenges of urban restoration of this kind that has the potential to inform
decision-making by other major landholders.
Volunteer stewards have been a critical piece of this effort, both on the street and inside natural areas.
Our success in bringing the public into the land management process via opportunities for one-off and
long-term volunteering has paved the way for an overarching stewardship program that will outlast the
campaign. This new stewardship program incorporates three key elements: raising awareness about
nature in urban context, educating the public about management practices and ongoing management
needs for urban nature, and direct engagement of volunteers across the demographic spectrum in
active care and advocacy for nature in the city.
O17.3
Ecological restoration programme for primary school students in Iceland: hands-on science
education and a key to combat land degradation
R. Magnusdottir1, K. Svavarsdottir2, S. Jonsdottir2, T. Petursdottir2, G.I. Gudbrandsson1
1
Landvernd - Icelandic Environment Association, Reykjavik, Iceland, 2Soil Conservation Service of
Iceland, Gunnarsholt, Iceland
A novel ecological restoration programme was initiated in Iceland in 2013 with the aim of increasing
youth's understanding and teachers' capacities to deal with complex environmental issues. The project
involves educating young people about ecological restoration and its importance for desertification,
biodiversity and climate change. Landvernd, a non-governmental organization (landvernd.is/en), leads
the project in collaboration with the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland (SCSI) and three EcoSchools in South Iceland. In the springs of 2014 and 2015, primary school pupils, under the guidance
of teachers, Landvernd and SCSI staff, set up restoration experimental plots on eroded areas near the
schools. The experimental plots contain control and five different treatments: hay mulch, fertiliser,
grass seed and fertiliser, sheep manure and organic waste from the respective school. The pupils
return to their own research plots every autumn until they graduate, monitoring changes in vegetation
cover and biodiversity. In addition they calculate how much carbon from the atmosphere was
sequestered by their actions. Thus, pupils become active participants in ecological restoration
activities and as these actions are put forth as experiments; they also encounter scientific
methodology. Through their work they will learn which treatments work best in their area and will gain
understanding on the ecological processes that are activated with different treatments. They process
the data they collect and present their findings and conclusions to their schools and local communities.
Surveys are being used to test teachers and pupils' knowledge prior to, during and after the first
phases of the project. Education, training and youth involvement in addressing the challenges of
environmental issues at a local level are key factors in contributing to changing attitudes and conduct
towards nature. We have started using the results of this project to develop a model for education on
complex environmental issues in other schools in Iceland.
O18.1
Minimizing mining restoration costs through improved wetlands mapping confidence in
Mpumalanga province, South Africa
B. Madikizela1, N. Mbona2, J. Dini2
1
2
Water-Linked Ecosystem, Water Research Commission, Pretoria, South Africa, South African
Institute of Biodiversity, Pretoria, South Africa
South Africa is the 5th largest global coal mining country, of which about 90% happens in Mpumalanga
and is projected to remain productive for many more years depending on its relationship with
competing landuses, such as agriculture and conservation. It is strategic in job creation. Mining often
results in severe landscape degradation, particularly where integrity of natural ecosystems is not
centralized. Wetlands are the most threatened ecosystems in South Africa with about 48% critically
endangered. To improve integrated decision-making in resource management, mandated government
departments produce guiding documents to enhance regulations, such as the National Freshwater
Ecosystem Priority Areas (NFEPA). NFEPA advanced wetlands mapping and generated new
knowledge on distribution, type and condition. However, application experience has shown
inaccuracies. This impact on the information confidence provided to decision-makers. This study
provided the most needed ground-truthing and refinement of the wetland data layers. Improved
confidence in identifying wetlands means mining can be planned from an informed background
reducing costs on restoration, avoid contravening environmental laws. 365 quinary catchments were
studied. The area encompasses the majority of the opencast coal mining. An updated spatial dataset
of wetlands was developed. Wetlands total area of 590 391 ha, was mapped representing 19.8% of
the surface area studied. This contrasts strongly with the previous NFEPA mapping, totalling 213 579
ha (or 7.2%) in the same area, a difference of 376 812ha that were missed. Out of 49 wetland types
identified, two were not previously mapped in the study area (Central Bushveld Group 1-Floodplain
and 2_Seep) as well as one other type that was never identified in the country (Mesic Highveld
Grassland Group 7_Floodplain). Approximately 30% of wetlands in the area are now mapped with a
high degree of confidence. Standard mapping manual was developed in order to improve NFEPA and
decision making across South Africa.
O18.2
Spatial heterogeneity of temperature across alpine boulder fields Australia: multilevel
modelling of drivers of microhabitat climate
1,2
2
H. Shi , D. Paull
1
Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China, 2School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical
Sciences, University of New South Wales Canberra, Canberra, Australia
Understanding the spatial heterogeneity of temperatures across a region is significant for identification
and protection of potential microhabitats for species conservation. However, this task is proving
difficult because multiple factors drive the temperatures of microhabitats and they operate at different
scales. In the Australian alpine region, boulder field habitats have been identified as important refugia
for a range of small mammals. But how each potential driving factor operates on boulder fields and
which spatial and temporal scales are most relevant to each driving factor remain open questions. We
used a multilevel modelling approach to detect the factors driving microhabitat temperatures in
different seasons at different spatial scales in an Australian alpine region. We found that significant
temperature differences existed within and between clusters of boulder fields in different seasons.
Elevation was a powerful driving factor of all temperature variables at the site (i.e., single boulder field)
scale. Vegetation cover, rock layer and rock cavity size were also important in driving extreme
temperatures at the site scale. Topographical variables such as slope gradient and elevation
influenced minimum temperatures at the boulder field cluster scale. Variations in boulder field
temperatures were significant at fine scales, with variations in minimum temperatures exceeding those
of maximum temperatures. We suggest that variations in slope gradient and elevation, interacting with
vegetation cover, the number of rock layers and rock cavity size, can lead to fine-grained thermal
variability, which potentially provides refugia for species at micro-sites, even when regional climatic
conditions become less suitable for their survival.
O18.3
Fragmentation, fire and the possum: spatially explicit modelling in New Zealand's largest
Ramsar wetland
1
1
2
3,4
O.R. Burge , D. Kelly , G.G. Perry , J.M. Wilmshurst
1
School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, 2School of
Environment & School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand,
3
4
Landcare Research, Christchurch, New Zealand, School of Environment, University of Auckland,
Auckland, New Zealand
New Zealand has lost approximately 70% of its pre-human forest cover and 90% of its pre-human
wetlands. Legacies of human interventions continue to disrupt natural regeneration even in protected
areas. Awarua-Waituna is New Zealand's largest (20,000 ha) Ramsar-recognised wetland and was
historically forested. It has been subject to anthropogenic drainage and clearance, and a greatly
increased fire frequency. Awarua-Waituna is considered to be in a stalled succession, with serotinous
vegetation and altered abiotic parameters. Managing the site towards reforestation would ameliorate
current and historic forest loss locally and regionally, and decrease the flammability of the wetland,
facilitating a return to the original low-frequency fire regime. We used vegetation, pest and
environmental surveys, species addition, and experimental restoration methods to quantify the relative
importance of existing constraints to forest regeneration within the wetland. We used the results of
these experiments to parameterise a spatially explicit model of the interactions between natural and
anthropogenic fire regimes, herbivory, landscape flammability and the surrounding landscape matrix.
The spatial model was used to assess the likelihood of forest regeneration within the wetland under
different management scenarios. Initial assumptions were that regeneration was limited by abiotic
constraints, but field experiments proved the main constraint to regeneration was cryptic herbivory
compounded by low levels of bird-dispersed seed input. Anthropogenic fire rates, herbivory and seed
predation, and the size and spatial arrangement of seed source were most influential on succession
trajectories in spatial models. Herbivory, including seed predation, was the most important driver of
forest regeneration failure within the wetland, affecting both the amount and spatial structure of forest
remnants. The complementary use of field experiments and spatially explicit models uncovered
previously unappreciated constraints to forest regeneration and allowed us to evaluate succession
under multiple management scenarios, and thereby assists with management prioritisation.
O18.4
Making more fish naturally in the Macquarie River, NSW Australia: mapping the way forward
S.E. Davis
NSW Department of Primary Industries, Aquatic Habitat Rehabilitation Unit, Dubbo, Australia
In a world first, a river mapping and prioritisation tool has been developed to assist in quantifying the
cumulative impacts of pressures and threats to aquatic systems and then prioritise interventions
required. This package can be adapted to map and prioritise any stream, creek or river.
General issues affecting riverine habitats and native fish are often well-documented and understood,
but the magnitude and cumulative impacts of the problem are rarely recorded and reported. In order to
achieve effective and strategic management of aquatic habitat rehabilitation actions, it is important to
benchmark current condition of aquatic habitat and riparian assets prior to embarking on a works
program.
The mapping methodology was initially developed on the Macquarie River in New South Wales, which
is located in the heart of Australia's Murray Darling Basin. A four hundred kilometre geomorphically
diverse section of river extending through rural countryside was comprehensively surveyed in a fieldbased assessment. Features of in-stream and riparian habitat were recorded and digitised, including
large woody habitat (snags), refuge pools, riffles, aquatic macrophytes and weed incursions. Other
management issues such as erosion, livestock damage and riverine infrastructure such as weirs,
dams and pump sites were also recorded.
A Decision Support System (DSS) was then developed by Fisheries NSW to determine rehabilitation
priorities at a reach scale using a thematic approach from the collected data. The project area was
divided into equal-sized management reaches and recommended actions were developed for each
area.
The methodology has since been adopted to successfully map hundreds of kilometres of rivers in
other catchments and successfully guide investment in aquatic protection and repair projects to the
value of >$AUD 5 million to date.
This project was funded by the Central West Catchment Management Authority, Riversmart Australia
and the Murray Darling Basin Authority's Native Fish Strategy.
O19.1
The potential of conceptual vegetation models for restoration planning: a case study in
grazing-disturbed rangelands of Uzbekistan
T. Rajabov
Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Samarkand State University, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Over the last decades vast areas of desert rangelands of Uzbekistan is increasingly threatened by
expanding grazing-induced degradation. Despite the immediate fact, at present development of
ecologically robust and economically sustainable restoration strategies of degraded ecosystems are
greatly lacking. Major reasons for this are limitations on baseline ground truth data, insufficient use of
recent integrated ecological concepts that inhibit capable decision-making and development of
comprehensive restoration planning. However, formulation of any effective restoration strategy
requires an understanding of underlying biophysical processes currently active in disturbed desert
ecosystems of Uzbekistan. In this context, existing theoretical frameworks of conceptual vegetation
models, which are rarely applied in above-stated region, offers a number of advantages to enhance
our current understanding of a system's behavior and accordingly to undertake restoration planning. In
current study we examined the potential of conceptual State and Transition models (S&T models) to
detect grazing-driven vegetation dynamics in Artemisia diffusa dominated rangelands in West
Uzbekistan. Based upon long term field observations (2005-2014) we developed S&T models of
vegetation succession and widen its scope during last years. S&T models were used to define and
quantify potential ecological thresholds in vegetation community. The developed models promoted to
differentiate desired/undesired vegetation states and to identify the behavior of their transitions.
Reversible and irreversible properties of transitions were defined by the trajectory of the changes
within observed vegetation states. Conceptual framework of the model allowed to separate rangeland
areas with site-specific restoration approaches (e.g. intense vegetation manipulation, improved
grazing, management interventions). The models we developed have been well received by end users
and was applied for improved management and restoration practices. We conclude that such
conceptual S&T models can benefit science-based strategies for restoring the degraded rangelands
and hold great potential to be widely implemented in other grazing-disturbed rangelands of
Uzbekistan.
O19.2
Revegetation of a deteriorated desert rangeland site invaded by Argemone ochroleuca in Taif,
Saudi Arabia
A.M. Assaeed1, S.L. Al-Rowaily2, M.I. El-Bana3
2
Plant Production, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Dept. of Plant Production, King Saud
3
University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Botany, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt
1
Argemone ochroleuca has invaded large areas of rangelands extending from Taif, southwestern Saudi
Arabia and southward. Invasion by A. ochroleuca was substantiated by livestock overgrazing. A trial
was conducted to evaluate revegetation with mixtures of three native species (Atriplex halimus,
Salsola cyclophylla and Salsola tetrandra). All possible combination (nine) mixtures of every two
species at ratios of 3:0 or 2:1were used. A total of 108, three-months old seedlings of each species
were planted in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. Seedlings were irrigated for
two months with 10 liters per plant weekly. Irrigation interval was increased to two weeks for one
month and then ceased. Results indicated that A. halimus survival was highest (50%) when grown at a
ratio of 2:1with S. cyclophylla and lowest (17%) at the same ratio with S. tetrandra. Survival of S.
cyclophylla and Salsola tetrandra was highest (67%) when grown at a ratio of 2:1, A. halimus : Salsola
spp. Aboveground biomass of A. halimus ranged between 95 g/plant when grown with S. cyclophylla
at ratio of 1:2 and 170 g/plant when grown in a combination with the same species at a ratio of 2:1 A.
halimus : S. cyclophylla. Salsola cyclophylla biomass ranged between 100 g/plant when grown in 2:1
S. tetrandra: S. cyclophylla mixture and 312 g/plant when grown in a 2:1 A. halimus : S. cyclophylla
mixture. Biomass of S. tetrandra ranged between 33 g/plant in 2:1 A. halimus : S. tetrandra mixture
and 149g/plant when grown alone. Taking both survival and biomass into consideration, it appears
that a mixture of A. halimus : S. cyclophylla at a ratio of 2:1 would give a promising result under the
conditions of the trial. However, further studies are required to evaluate the resilience of restored
vegetation under grazing.
O19.3
Rehabilitation of degraded rangelands and conservation of water resources in the Borana
pastoral region of southern Ethiopia
B.E. Norton1, L. Coppock1, J. Liban2, D. Tadele2, S. Tezera3, B. Eba2
1
2
Utah State University, Logan, United States, Oromia Agricultural Research Institute, Yabelo,
3
Ethiopia, Managing Risk for Improved Livelihoods (MARIL), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Uncontrolled grazing by pastoral livestock has caused widespread landscape degradation world-wide.
Water conservation, in particular the capture of incident rainfall, is the key to recovering the
productivity of degraded semi-arid ecosystems. There are two components of environmental
restoration:
(1) growth of vegetation that traps rainfall and reduces surface water flows, and
(2) reduced gullying that otherwise carries sediment directly to vital water points.
On the semi-arid Borana Plateau, communities identified the need to improve water resources as a
major intervention priority. We thus initiated a program for pond protection and gully management
before the long rainy season of April-May, 2014. Four gully-disturbed areas surrounding ponds were
protected from indiscriminant livestock use via perimeter bush fencing that employed local labor.
Livestock still could access each pond via a corridor. Gully repair was initiated whereby sieve
structures—comprised of Commiphora and Acacia stems and branches—were inserted in strategic
locations to arrest sediment flows. The program has yielded remarkable impacts in terms of increased
herbaceous cover (+86% after first six months) and standing biomass in enclosures when compared
to control sites. More herbaceous plant cover and biomass in the protected areas is partly attributable
to a higher percentage of rainfall infiltration. Soil beneath small patches of bare ground has only half
the water content of soil beneath adjacent, grass-covered patches. The sieve structures have proven
effective at reducing pond sedimentation and improving water quality; people share pond water with
livestock here. Sieve structures are cheaper to install than gabions or concrete check-dams.
Catchment protection via bush fencing and gully management via sieve structures are both simple,
low-cost practices that can be implemented by local communities. Benefits include improving
environmental integrity and promoting human welfare. The project is supported by USAID's program:
Feed the Future - Adapting Livestock Systems to Climate Change.
O20.1
Effective strategies for the restoration of drastically disturbed sites
D.F. Polster
Polster Environmental Services Ltd., Duncan, Canada
Natural systems have been “restoring” drastically disturbed sites for hundreds of millions of years.
Understanding the ecology of natural recovery processes provides a suite of solutions for the
restoration of severely damaged sites. Pioneering species have evolved to re-build productive soils on
drastically disturbed sites (gravel bars, debris flows, landslides, lava flows, etc.). Later successional
species are designed to establish in the sheltered cover provided by these pioneering plants. Natural
successional processes have developed to ensure disturbed areas are vegetated by the appropriate
species arranged in a suitable successional trajectory for the site where they establish. Identification of
the filters or constraints that are limiting recovery on drastically disturbed sites is the first step in
defining recovery strategies. For instance, mine sites may be severely compacted from years of use
by heavy equipment. Slopes on mine waste dumps are at the angle-of-repose and will not revegetate
naturally. Similarly, the size sorting of materials on mine waste dumps means that coarse textured
materials end up on the lower slopes. The lack of moisture holding capacity with these materials
means that vegetation establishment is limited. Many severely disturbed sites lack nutrients that are
essential for plant growth. Non-native, invasive species (weeds) can overwhelm recovery processes.
Excessive herbivory due to un-natural ungulate population levels can restrict establishment of some
species. Seed availability may limit recovery. Understanding how natural systems address these filters
and then using these solutions to over-come the filters associated with degraded sites allows these
natural processes to restore the disturbances associated with large disturbed sites. Allowing the
restoration sites to take advantage of these recovery systems reduces costs and improves results.
This paper describes the methods employed in establishing natural processes on drastically disturbed
sites. Examples from Western Canada are used to illustrate specific points and results.
O20.2
Little Creek and floodplain restoration in an industrial Southern Appalachian Mountain stream
corridor
G.J. Schewe
Unaka Environmental, LLC, Asheville, United States
Little Creek is located in the Appalachian Plateaus and Valley & Ridge geologic region of North
America, specifically draining through the city of Bristol, Virginia, in the Holston River watershed in the
Southern Appalachian Mountains. The geology of this region is dominated by limestone. The project
site consists of 13 acres that has partially been utilized as an industrial asphalt facility site since 1961,
and a rail yard previously. An undeveloped lowland floodplain forest west of Little Creek makes up
approximately 5-acres. Little Creek runs roughly north to south through the property, bisecting the
developed industrial facility from the natural forested floodplain community. This natural community
type is best described as a Piedmont/Central Appalachian Rich Floodplain Forest. Due to compact
urbanization including residential, commercial, and industrial land use, this remnant natural area and
stream corridor play a vital function for natural flood water retention.
Teaming with the land owner and various State and Federal agencies, our group was tasked with
initiating stream restoration and wetland mitigation measures that would allow restoration of the water
resources in the project area and consequently improve water quality downstream. Natural channel
design and bioengineering techniques were adapted to the morphology of the site and to limitations
instilled by the limitations of the area land use. In-stream natural rock structures (cross veins, j-veins)
were utilized to not only direct the thalweg of the stream and stabilize slope toes, but also to enhance
in-stream habitat for rare fish and mussels known to exist in the watershed. Plans were devised to
create a serious of riverine vernal pools and seasonal impoundments to enhance the ecological
functionality of the floodplain and create seasonal wetland for floodwater retention. Native trees and
shrubs will be planted in various phases throughout the project implementation. This is an ongoing
project.
O20.3
Effects of organic fertilizer (Cow Dung) amendment on phytoremediation of copper and ironcontaminated aquatic environment by water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)
1,2
3
3
1
1
1
P.E. Ndimele , K.S. Chukwuka , C.C. Ndimele , O.O. Whenu , O.R. Adaramoye , D.I. Adebowale ,
4
H.R. Anwan
1
Fisheries, Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria, 2Aquatic Conservation and Ecological Restoration
Network (ACERNet), Lagos, Nigeria, 3Botany, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, 4Centre for
Environment and Science Education, Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria
This study was carried out to investigate the ability of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) to absorb
and translocate Fe and Cu in the presence of cow dung as a biostimulant. The study was conducted
with three concentrations of Fe and Cu; 10mg/L, 15mg/L, 20mg/L and control (0mg/L) and were
separately amended at two concentrations (0.5mg/L and 1.0mg/L) of organic fertilizer (cow dung). The
experiment was conducted in triplicates and it lasted for 12 weeks. Statistical analysis showed that
there were significant differences among treatments (p< 0.05). The results showed that Fe was
highest in the root (1.12±0.42mg/L), while Cu was highest in the leaf (0.38±0.06mg/L) and both
occurred at 20mg Fe(Cu)/Litre of water. Translocation Factors (TF) for Fe ranged between 0.49±0.570.68±0.27 in leaf, and 0.64±0.17-0.77±0.18 in the stem, while the TF for Cu ranged from 0.78±0.081.12±0.12 in leaf and 0.72±0.32-1.09±0.19 in the stem. This reveals that Cu had better translocation
capabilities than Fe. The highest bioconcentration factor (BCF) for Fe and Cu were 2.32±0.65 at
20mg/L and 0.72±0.01 at 15mg/L obtained in the root and leaf respectively, indicating that the
accumulation potential of Fe by water hyacinth is higher than Cu. The effects of biostimulation by
organic fertilizer (Cow dung) on metal uptake showed that Fe and Cu were mostly absorbed in the root
in the treatment amended at 1.0mg Cow dung/Litre of water and lowest in the control. Thus, nutrient
amendment increased the uptake of Fe and Cu by water hyacinth. According to the accumulation
capabilities of the investigated plant (Eichhornia crassipes), this study showed that the plant is a
promising candidate for phytoremediation and bio-monitoring programmes for contaminated water
especially those polluted with metals like Fe and Cu. Therefore, water hyacinth can be helpful in the
restoration of metal-polluted aquatic ecosystems.
O20.4
Effects of phosphorus removal in runoff by different types of riparian buffer strips in China
Y. Wu, J. Yang
Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
The eutrophication issues of the TaiHu Lake in China stemming from the surrounding farmland
fertilization have been increasingly concerned by publics and scientists. The riparian buffer strips have
been widely used for effectively reducing the pollutants into the water bodies by ways such as
absorption, sedimentation etc. In recent study, the retention effect of runoff water of different width,
density (spacing as 2m×3m, 2m×5m, 5m×5m respectively ) of riparian buffer strips were studied. The
results show that:
(1) The riparian buffer strips of more than 5m width can effectively remove the phosphorus pollutants
in the runoff water, the retention efficiencies of PO43-, TDP, TP at the width of 5m are 66.60%, 22.56%,
29.24% respectively.
(2) The phosphorus removal efficiency in the mixed forest of Poplar and Ascendens varied from 40%50% which is higher than that in the single Poplar forests or Ascendens forests.
(3) Among the density of 2m×3m、2m×5m and 5m×5m, riparian buffer strips of the density of 2m×5m
3has the biggest retention efficiency of PO4 , TDP, TP, that is 63.04%, 41.18%, 42.04% respectively.
The results provide scientific evidences for the construction of riparian buffer strips.
O20.5
Application of the Canadian forestry research and expertise to Alberta oil sands disturbance
reclamation and restoration
A. Dabros1, K. Macafee1, K. Hirsch2, D. Langor2, F. Cortini3, E. Macdonald4
1
2
Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Ottawa, Canada, Natural Resources Canada,
3
Canadian Forest Service, Edmonton, Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service,
Victoria, Canada, 4Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
In the boreal regions of the Canadian province of Alberta, commercial bitumen extraction from oil
sands attracts international attention because of its undesirable environmental impacts. The oil
industry recognizes that operational and management practices must be sustainable in order to
conserve boreal forest and wetland ecosystems. As such, oil sands disturbance reclamation and
restoration practices are continuously developing and improving. The long experience of the Canadian
forestry sector in sustainably managing boreal forests has generated a wealth of knowledge and data
that can assist the oil industry in addressing ecosystem management concerns. We describe two new
initiatives in the boreal regions of Alberta that aim to apply traditional forest science data, knowledge,
and expertise to help address oil sands reclamation and restoration challenges.
The first initiative involves the development of a compendium of silviculture knowledge and practices
that can help with oil sands reclamation. This synthesis of the 'best practices' will result in a variety of
knowledge extension products and services (guidebooks, videos, websites, workshops, field tours) for
selected silviculture topics relevant to reclaiming oil sands sites. The second initiative consists of
developing an ecosystem-based management approach for the oil industry, modelled on a highly
successful forest ecosystem management experiment in boreal Alberta - the Ecosystem Management
Emulating Natural Disturbance (EMEND) project. Established in 1997 between the forestry industry,
the Canadian government, and academic organizations, this collaborative initiative is a large-scale,
long-term experiment, which employs variable residual harvesting and prescribed burning treatments
to emulate natural disturbance patterns and seek novel ways of conserving ecosystem structure and
function to maximize recovery on industrial landscapes. Transfer of knowledge and development of a
similar initiative for the oil industry could help to innovate current reclamation practices, minimize the
industrial footprint, and maximize the resilience of forest sites considered for future oil industry
operations.
O21.1
Seeing the big picture in river rehabilitation - considering ecosystem drivers at appropriate
scales in South African river rehabilitation projects
1
2
E.G. Day , C.C. de Villiers
1
The Freshwater Consulting Group, Cape Town, South Africa, 2Private, Cape Town, South Africa
Many river rehabilitation projects fail if they do not identify the main drivers of degradation at an
adequate scale, and establish at an early stage of rehabilitation planning, the degree to which these
drivers represent a natural or human-induced disturbance regime, and the degree to which moderation
of their impacts is either possible or desirable. Such issues are of enormous importance in planning
realistically achievable rehabilitation outcomes.
The Langtou River (Western Cape, South Africa), provides a good case study for considering such
issues. Set in an agricultural area, with significant political, social and economic challenges, natural
river ecosystem function has been permanently destroyed over the last decade by the effects of largescale catchment level changes. In addition to the biodiversity effects of such impacts, river degradation
has also affected road access for dairy produce, human safety and agricultural land.
Disturbance triggers were however incorrectly linked to local factors, resulting in a range of often
inappropriate responses to flood damage. A recent study found however that such impacts were
largely attributable to large-scale, catchment-level changes in river hydrological function, stemming in
part from invasion of the catchment by woody alien vegetation and the management thereof.
It is only with the recognition of the scale of change and its knock-on effects on sediment regime and
river type that adequate management and rehabilitation interventions can be designed and
implemented. This study highlighted the need for catchment-scale, interdisciplinary planning,
considerations of degradation drivers at adequate scales, and a pragmatic approach to rehabilitation
outcomes in an agricultural sector fraught by economic and social issues. Problems in implementation
also highlight challenges in catchment-scale management involving multiple stakeholders and land
owners.
The newly developed South African River Rehabilitation Manual provides practical tools to address
such issues.
Funding: South African Water Research Commission
Table Mountain Fund: AgriWestern Cape
O21.2
Sand in an hourglass: ecological restoration challenges in the Atchafalaya River Basin
T. Koob Marking, B. Maygarden
Gaea Consultants, LLC, New Orleans, United States
The Atchafalaya River is the fourth largest river in North America (by volume) and is surrounded by the
United States' largest freshwater wetland. It is also a controlled floodway, a crucial relief valve in the
gigantic Mississippi River flood control system that protects the human population and vital economic
infrastructure of the lower Mississippi's deltaic plain. Serving this function, the Atchafalaya River has
built deltaic wetlands while the Mississippi River's delta and other coastal Louisiana wetlands have
retreated dramatically. The thousands of square miles of the Atchafalaya Basin are far from a pristine
natural system after more than a century and a half of water management and artificial patterns of
sediment deposition. Wetlands within the Basin are in-filling as sediments that would naturally deposit
across the Mississippi deltaic plain concentrate within the Atchafalaya Basin Floodway. The layered
and competing natural values and cultural and economic interests in the region present both systemwide and specific local challenges to ecological restoration, which inevitably require macro- and microscale water and sediment management measures. This paper examines these inter-related challenges
from three perspectives: hydrologic engineering of Mississippi River water diversion into the
Atchafalaya River and floodway; management of water distribution within the Basin through channel
training and other hydromodifications; and challenges to restoration of wetlands exploited for natural
resource extraction by crawfishermen within the central Basin. The long-term deposition of sediment
within the Basin, which threatens both its wetland ecosystems and efficiency for flood control, is a
converse problem to the more widely-recognized loss of Louisiana coastal wetlands. The challenges
to ecological restoration within the Basin, although calling for different technical responses than
coastal wetland loss, nevertheless reflect many of the same conflicts of competing values and
interests that beset large-scale ecological restoration elsewhere in the world.
O21.3
The importance of cost-effective monitoring in river restoration
M. Fletcher, A. Powell
Freshwater Biological Association, Ambleside, United Kingdom
Monitoring the outcomes of river restoration projects is important as we need to know, and often
demonstrate to funders, that our interventions are effective. However, funding for monitoring is often
limited or not available, and therefore, the selected programme of monitoring, needs to be costeffective. In addition, the original driver for the restoration project itself, often Water Framework
Directive (WFD) objectives, will determine the monitoring objectives and, ultimately, the methods
selected for monitoring. This may encourage a very narrow approach, which may not take into account
any indirect effects of the restoration strategy on river quality. For example, while removing the heavy
modifications of a water course to improve planform and profile, there is likely to be a positive effect on
biodiversity. It is beneficial to monitor as many aspects of river ecology as possible while keeping
costs low. One way to do this is to sample all biota, and fix for analysis at a later date, but to process
initially only those samples or components of samples that are most relevant. Limited funding may
also discourage pre- and post-restoration sampling, but it is argued here that this is essential for
demonstrating effectiveness of the restoration effort. An example of a river restoration and monitoring
project, undertaken using the PRAGMO (Practical River Restoration Appraisal Guidance for
Monitoring Options) approach, as advocated by the River Restoration Centre (RRC), will be presented
and the challenge of selecting a suitable and cost-effective monitoring programme which can take
account of WFD and conservation objectives is discussed.
O21.4
Restoring rivers in the Wild West: walking the line between science, local culture, land status
and other on-the-ground realities
J. Knudson1, A.R. Clements2, M.N. Grant-Hoffman3, S.M. Hatch1, J.D. Oppenheimer1, S.S. Simmons4
1
2
Tamarisk Coalition, Grand Junction, United States, Uncompahgre Field Office, Bureau of Land
3
Management, Montrose, United States, Grand Junction Field Office, Bureau of Land Management,
Grand Junction, United States, 4La Junta District, Colorado State Forest Service, La Junta, United
States
The 6th and 7th longest rivers in the United States, the Arkansas and the Colorado, originate in the
western US and flow through a patchwork of wild, rural and urban landscapes. In large part a result of
human activity and flow manipulation, stretches of these great rivers have become degraded over
time, resulting in substantial noxious weed invasion, loss of native plant communities and wildlife
habitat, and reduced opportunities for human utilization and enjoyment along the river banks. In an
effort to bring significant stretches of these rivers back to health and make them more resilient against
future stressors, two riparian restoration partnerships were formed - the rural Arkansas River
Watershed Invasive Plant Project (ARKWIPP) along the Arkansas River, and the predominantly urban
Desert Rivers Collaborative (DRC) along the Colorado River. Both partnerships are comprised of local
landowners, scientists, consultants, and other community members, but the ARKWIPP membership is
dominated by private landowners and agricultural producers, while the DRC membership is comprised
primarily of public landowners with multiple mandates of development, conservation, and public
recreation. Initial planning efforts for both of these partnerships embraced classic restoration science
with ecological goals as the primary driver, but on-the-ground realities soon required a more expansive
and socially holistic approach to riparian restoration. This presentation provides an inside look at the
tricky balance and lessons learned from conducting restoration in the face of differing definitions of
restoration success, conflicting preferences for urban development versus restoring wild lands,
agricultural production needs, endangered species restrictions, and sliding scales of engagement for
these partnerships. Additionally, select challenges and lessons learned will be presented from a third
riparian restoration partnership, the Dolores River Restoration Partnership, which was formed along
the Dolores River in Colorado and Utah, and straddles the rural and wild-land interface.
O22.1
Landscape restoration: bridging the gaps a graphic typology of ecological restoration
A. Black
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, United States
The terms restoration ecology and ecological restoration are used interchangeably confusing the
definition and work of ecological restoration and its many components. Restoration ecology is a type of
scientific practice whose work will be a component of a restoration project while ecological restoration
is the sum of practices, social, historical and ecological that constitute the field of restoration (Higgs,
2005). Within our rapidly urbanizing society the role of ecological restoration and restoring ecosystem
services is increasingly important, especially within our coastal cities. The goals of restoration differ
when the classification of restoration techniques is by ecosystem service, not ecological function,
framing restoration around people's use of the ecosystem, not the ecosystems needs. The problems
faced in restoration work affect social, historical and ecological aspects that reach beyond the physical
and political boundaries of the restoration site. Ecological restorationists need to understand the
differences in framing that a non-universal definition for ecological restoration creates, while also
understanding how to bridge these differences. One solution is graphic communication and
representation of the different components that scientists and non-scientists alike can understand.
This study uses restoration project plans to illustrate the goals within projects, and shows where the
goals of scientists and designers conflict and harmonize. Shown through map overlays and graphics,
this comparison provides professionals within the field, with resources and illustrations to better
communicate. In addition, graphics and matrices will illustrate key terms, concepts and the intersection
of restoration types with habitat types, ecosystem services and social components. In conclusion, this
study addresses differences in ways of learning, and kinds of knowledge other than science needed in
ecological restoration projects, and uses graphics to bridge these gaps.
O22.2
Landscape diaries: enhancing ecological restoration through design
C.M. Maxwell
Department of Landscape Architecture & Horticulture, Temple University, Philadelphia, United States
All along the Delaware River are abandoned river islands that have left a legacy of unique ecology and
footprints from pre-colonial settlement to present day dredge deposits. This presentation discusses a
design for, Burlington Island, a 400-acre urban river island in the inner coastal plain of New Jersey
USA. Using the principals of both landscape architecture and ecological restoration, the author
presents a plan to integrate history, ecological restoration and recreation to educate visitors and
restore the unique ecology on the island. In addition, the author discusses the technique of creating
spaces named 'landscape diaries', as a means to explain the purpose of restoration to the public.
O22.3
Sustained independent native tree rewilding and biodiversity enrichment planting projects can
help educate and influence future change
P. Melsom
EagleOwl on Lantau, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Hillside degradation in Hong Kong has occurred through centuries of deforestation and hill fires which
persist to the present day. Many millions of non native trees have been planted on Hong Kong´s hill
sides instead of native tree species. This tree planting projects challenge was to show that a wide
variety of native species could be planted successfully on a degraded hillside. This project is located in
South Lantau Island, Hong Kong and was first planted in 2002. This twelve year, four hectare project
has proved through horticultural knowledge, persistence, experience, and tribulations that a degraded
hillside can be transformed, increasing its biodiversity and discovering which tree species maybe
suitable for future native tree planting projects in this region of Asia. It also provides a great
educational experience for students and an important accessible native tree species rich botanic
reference site. In this respect over 140 native tree species have been trialed with encouraging results.
This project wouldn´t have been possible over the years it has been running without the help from
many local volunteers and many thousands of students. Additionally the tree project is supplied with
most of the native tree seedlings coming from a local Non Government Organisation. Additionally
helpful government departments have given their permission to plant trees along with assisting with
cutting firebreaks and erecting signage. As well as the poor soil conditions the tree seedlings faced
many challenges including hill fires, rodent damage, allelopathy, plant parasites etc.Overcoming these
challenges included well maintained firebreaks and rodent friendly control methods. Over the years
this project has developed, it has been evident that certain plant families were more successful from
the tree seedling trial plantings in the degraded poor soil conditions and which include the following
plant families:- AQUIFOLIACEAE, ELAEOCARPACEAE, FABACEAE, LAURACEAE, MYRICACEAE,
MYRTACEAE, OLEACEAE, THEACEAE.
O22.4
Promoting quarries biodiversity through partnerships: a Belgian case study
M. Séleck, M. Harzé, C. Pitz, R. Gailly, G. Mahy
Biodiversity and Landscape Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium
Throughout the life cycle of quarries, a large diversity of temporary habitats is generated, sometimes
left to evolve to more permanent ones. In many cases, the biological roles of quarries are neglected
though they are playing a significant role as stepping-stones and regulating green infrastructure in
landscapes. In highly urbanized and controlled landscapes, quarries are an exceptional opportunity to
maintain rare and threatened transient habitats hosting fugitive species. Such ephemeral biodiversity
is hard to manage through a site legal protection status. As exploitation progresses, more permanent,
biodiverse habitats settle in abandoned areas but the biologic potential could also be maximized by
optimized groundwork through the whole exploitation process.
Exploitation plans taking into consideration biodiversity could allow maximizing quarry biodiversity
hosting capacity during the exploitation phase and in further rehabilitation schemes.
Since 2012 Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (University of Liège) provides support to FEDIEX - the Belgian
federation of extractive industries - in its implementation of a sectorial charter on “Quarries and
Biodiversity” that aims at
i) raising members' awareness;
ii) promoting the integration of practical recommendations for the protection and management of
biodiversity in exploitation plans;
iii) quarries' personnel trainings.
Our presentation will trace realizations undertaken under this collaboration, among which the “Mr/Ms
Biodiversity” training organized in 2013, 2014 and 2015, the publication of folders popularising the
management and enhancement of nature in active quarries and the collaboration in the redaction of a
“LIFE in Quarries” project (LIFE Biodiversity) submitted for the 2014 LIFE call.
O22.5
Using problem-based learning to teach ecological restoration: three examples
V. Schaefer
University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
Problem-based learning (PBL) is a useful method to teach about the uncertainties and complexities of
many projects in ecological restoration that present a challenge for both instructors and practitioners.
These uncertainties and complexities include: synergistic effects between organisms and their
environment, insufficient data to fully understand the physical and biological environments in question
at the time decisions need to be made, multiple perspectives in establishing appropriate restoration
targets, identifying relevant reference ecosystems, and exploring potential novel ecosystems. In
contrast to the one-way knowledge dissemination common in most university settings, PBL enhances
the ability of students to develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills they require to develop
their own solutions for restoring degraded or destroyed natural environments. PBL has its origins in
the medical field where it is recognized as an effective way to train physicians. The similarities
between ecological restoration and medicine such as degradation (illness), patient (site) history,
diagnosis, prescription and intervention, make PBL a powerful teaching tool for this field as well.
Schaefer and Gonzales described three examples of problem-based learning in Ecological Restoration
last year. Three additional examples are presented here:
1. The Green Links Project: determining when an urban planting progresses from being just
ornamental to a functioning community,
2. Incorporating agricultural lands into urban restoration projects, and
3. Applying a TEK perspective to urban restoration - living like you are planning on staying.
Teaching points for these examples include:
1. Green Links - indicator species, ecosystem engineers, adaptive cycles, connectivity, novel
ecosystems, ecological thresholds,
2. Agricultural lands - low impact development, phenology, pollinators, connectivity, focal restoration,
and
3. TEK and urban restoration - listening to the land, ecological memory, hysteresis, culturally modified
landscapes, environmental stewardship, environmental policy, non-timber forest products.
The examples illustrate the important potential of using problem-based learning in teaching ecological
restoration.
O23.1
What's art got to do with it? Artists, whole systems analysis and strategic planning for
ecological restoration in urban areas
A.A. Rahmani
INSTAAR, University of Colorado, NYC, United States
Can ecological artists help restoration scientists solve the scale of loss of whole watersheds, coastal
zones and habitat contiguity? Megacities are proliferating and consuming vast areas of the globe. The
daunting scale of resultant bioregional degradation today requires new approaches to ecological
restoration. Art can change perceptions and create experience informed by a different point of view.
This paper will argue for how artists can contribute to effective planning at all stages of ecological
restoration projects. That argument will be divided into three sections with examples:
1. How might art contribute depth to the analysis of bioregional contexts for siting a given project?
2. How might novel strategies from artists contribute solutions to difficult problems in adaptive
management?
3. What can artists do that scientists can't?
Some methodologies scientists and artists may both employ include idea models based on
metaphorical analogies, mappings and participatory events. How do artists use these tools to organize
and analyze information differently? Case studies will include the Ghost Nets, and Blue Rocks
restoration sites on reknitting ecotones and edges in the littoral zone for the Gulf of Maine and Fish
Story for the Mississippi Water Basin and the Gulf of Mexico on adaptive management with animals.
Those works introduced my special theory of restoration, “trigger point theory as aesthetic activism.”
These projects will be compared to ideas in other large works by Newton and Helen Harrison and
smaller works by artists David Haley on water systems; Aimee Morgana on species interaction; and
Dominique Mazeaud on cleansing the Rio Grande. Cumulatively, the analysis of these works may
clarify what unique contributions can be made by ecological art to ecological restoration science.
O23.2
Restoration with a twist or art for science: do we really have to choose between restoration and
reclamation?
1,2
3
J. Fenianos , C. Khater , J. Viglione
1
1
Eco_Med Sarl, Marseille, France, 2Urban Art Lebanon, Lebanon, 3Remote Sensing Center, National
Council for Scientific Research CNRS Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon
When dealing with a highly degraded sites located close to inhabited areas, do we really have to
choose between giving priority to ecological restoration (for nature) or reclamation (for people)? Would
it be possible to find a scientific convergence to this supposed dichotomy using creativity? Can
scientific art be a proper way to deal with quarry restoration in urban settings?
Recent debates are increasingly focusing on the ecological concepts to draw on in restoration
projects, while methodological guides address technical issues and possible limitations to their
execution. We propose to include human well-being as a key parameter to ascertain the success of a
restoration project.
Through the example of rehabilitation plans developed for several quarries in Lebanon, we discuss
integrated restoration concepts. We go beyond environmental and social-technical considerations, to
include those related to art, creativity and the notion of "beauty" in order to provide a unique identity for
each site, an identity taking into account current dynamics, future potentialities, as well as the human,
natural and social environment surrounding the quarries.
The results of this work will provide strong inputs for discussing the relevance of adopting ecological
restoration on a more human based level. Such restoration projects can be particularly interesting in
highly residential surroundings, as in Lebanon, where quarries are located in or near urban areas.
Located on the oriental shores of the Mediterranean and being among the most densely populated
countries worldwide, the majority of the region´s environmental challenges are concentrated in
Lebanon. In this sense Lebanon can constitute a model case study.
O23.3
Ice Receding/Books Reseeding: restoring riparian zones one seed at a time
B. Irland
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
“Working with experts from other fields, including scientists, engineers, and non-governmental
organizations, Irland has undertaken major river restoration projects informed by aesthetic as well as
ecological concerns.” (Art and Ecology Now, Andrew Brown. Thames and Hudson, 2015).
The devastation we humans cause rivers is extraordinary and the need to educate and activate local
communities is vast. A green future cannot be mapped without healthy watersheds, therefore the
cartography of the next generations must include communities working together to insure clean, viable
river systems. "Ice Receding/Books Reseeding" emphasizes the necessity of communal effort,
scientific knowledge, and poetic intervention to deal in some small way with the complex issues of
climate disruption and watershed restoration through the release of seed-laden ephemeral ice
sculptures into rivers, creeks, and streams around the globe.
This project presents a creative, lyrical way to promote positive actions that may have constructive
results in helping restore streams anywhere in the world and provides a model that can be replicated.
River water is frozen, carved into the form of a book, embedded with an ecological language
consisting of local native riparian seeds, and placed back into the stream. The seed texts are released
as the ice melts in the current. Stream ecologists, river restoration biologists, and botanists help to
ascertain the best seeds for each specific riparian zone.
The title of this series of projects was conceived for 'Weather Report,' a groundbreaking exhibition
about climate change curated by cultural critic, Lucy Lippard for the Museum of Contemporary Art,
Boulder, Colorado. To call attention to melting glaciers and embed an action within the sculpture, I
carved a 250-pound time-based tome from ice, and engraved it with seed paragraphs of mountain
maple (Acer spicatum), columbine flowers (Aquilegia coerulea), and Colorado blue spruce (Picea
pungens), which floated down Boulder Creek.
O23.4
Analog Forestry as an art form
F.R. Senanayake
Worldview International, Yangon, Myanmar
Analog Forestry arose from a need to expand habitat for biodiversity within anthropogenic
ecosystems. It is a form of ecological restoration that seeks to design ecosystems processes and
structures that mimic the original. It is an intentional activity that initiates or accelerates the recovery of
an ecosystem with respect to its health, integrity and sustainability. It has also been described as
containing elements that could lend itself as an art form. Indeed in the traditions of modern art,
attention to the designs in nature in a conceptual way has given rise to conceptual art where the idea
or concept is the most important aspect of the work. The idea becomes a machine that makes the art.
Often, a natural process is understood as art, only when it is frozen in time and appears in a museum.
Analog Forestry requires creativity from the designer so that a monotony of form and function does not
manifest. The knowledge of the various physical and ecological attributes allowing the designer to
select for color, texture, presence biodiversity etc., in addition to utilitarian functions such as provision
of food, medicines, fiber etc. It requires the designer to consider the texture of the forest by
considerations such as the relative proportions of emergent, canopy or sub‐canopy species in the
design or the presence and proportions of growth forms such as epiphytes or lianas. It requires the
designer to consider the capacity of the design to sustain populations of native biodiversity etc., but it
also requires the designer to be creative. Aspects such as color and placement depend much on the
vision of the designer, especially as the full design may not manifest for many years after
establishment. This design, being analogous to nature would seem to produce aesthetically and
functionally superior landscapes.
O23.5
The Rain Project - creative collaboration between art and ecological science for sustainable
stormwater management in urban college campuses
C. Ahn
George Mason University, Fairfax, United States
We live in an era of climate change and climate change is a story of water, especially rainwater. The
water is the way in which people feel the effects of climate change especially through cycles of
droughts and floods. Stormwater issues and management along with an urgent need for being a
storm-ready community demands our creative solutions with sustainable water management.
Currently many US cities turn to green initiatives, looking out for some new techniques and innovative
green infrastructure that mimics the way nature collects and cleanses water. I have very recently
designed a project called “The Rain Project” as an experiment and case study of what EcoScience +
Art holds for now and the future for college education, scholarship, and service. It is a student
participatory project with a project-based learning approach aiming at developing innovative
interdisciplinary education and scholarship. The goal of the project is to raise awareness of stormwater
issues for a campus community that are currently critical, and carry out an interdisciplinary year-long
project by students and faculty through collaboration among science, engineering, arts, and
humanities to design and implement green infrastructure (i.e., floating wetland, FW) for campus
stormwater ponds. The processes of this project will involve several steps in research inquiry and
hands-on experiential learning to build a FW. The FW wetlands require structural rigidity with enough
buoyancy and sturdiness structurally, yet flexibility that would harness a variety of
ecological/biogeochemical processes that should be facilitated to clean the water by removing
nutrients. Pedagogical and educational learning experiences will be reviewed and discussed.
O24.1
Designing for function and resiliency: using science to enhance habitat and enrich the
landscape experience
M.S. Laska
Great Ecology, San Diego, United States
Cities and suburbs overlap with important conservation areas. These hybrid or 'mosaic' landscapes
have unique challenges and serve an important role in conservation/ restoration. They are under
assault from a variety of factors including sedimentation, runoff, development, pollution and
contamination, fragmentation, and invasive species colonization. This trend has been occurring in
major cities throughout the world for many decades, however in the past 15 years an effort has started
to reverse the trend and to seek to restore and revitalize habitats.
This presentation highlights the benefits of including wildlife habitat in urban design and restoration
projects to create highly functioning and resilient ecosystems in the face of competing pressures. We
demonstrate how the field has evolved through an integration of design, construction, and scientifically
validated habitat restoration based on ecologically guided principles.
From 15 years of practice we have developed a set of principles that are consistent with this practice
in urban habitat restoration, which include:
• Understand potential contamination;
• Location, location, location;
• Assemble an integrated team from the start;
• Don't minimize feasibility studies;
• Understand the regional influences which created the degraded system;
• Budget correctly;
• Consider stakeholder priorities for site end use;
• Develop long-term management goals and objectives;
• Set realistic success metrics.
This presentation demonstrates these key principles through case studies, lessons learned, and visual
representations of built and conceived of projects.
O24.2
Transforming the way children learn to care and act about endangered species
S.S. Burnes
Captain Planet Foundation, Atlanta, United States
Captain Planet Foundation (CPF) empowers the next generation of environmental stewards and
scientists, with a 25-year history of investing in more than 1,900 youth-led projects around the globe awakening curiosity and activating more than 8 million kids.
In response to the growing extinction crisis, CPF is scaling its efforts around biodiversity protection
and habitat restoration, developing Project Endangered Species (PES) as a multi-agency collaboration
providing the scaffolding needed to support this expansion.
The vision of PES is to provide all children with the opportunity to help protect/restore biodiversity
where they live, as part of their instructional experience at school. We believe this will slow the pace of
species extinction and inspire and empower the next generation of environmental stewards.
The core hypotheses of PES is that teachers want to inspire and empower their students, yet largely
lack:
1. Capacity to engage their students in hands-on outdoor experiences
2. An instructional tool to facilitate research and implementation of habitat restoration and
biodiversity support projects.
Through PES, a partnership of more than 20 organizations led by CPF is building a system of tools
and support that will address these gaps, building teacher capacity and giving them the pathway to
implement biodiversity-focused stewardship projects as exercises in critical thinking, scientific inquiry
and STEM practice.
By late summer 2015, educators from several U.S. pilot locations (Montana, Ventura, CA, San Juan
Islands, WA, Atlanta, GA, and Austin, TX) will be testing PES's initial App prototype. This App will
serve as a portal to a process of inquiry, through which teachers will explore:
• Local, at-risk species and habitat data;
• Best-in-class, free curriculum aligned with next-generation science and engineering practices;
• Connectivity to local restoration project partners; and a
• Network of peers and professional development resources to recognize and support early
adopters.
O24.3
Prescribed goat browsing at the University of Georgia (USA): contexts, goals, impacts, and
advantages
1,2
3
E.G. King , E.A. MacDonald
1
Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, United States, 2Warnell School of Forestry &
Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, United States, 3College of Environment and Design,
University of Georgia, Athens, United States
The use of goats for prescribed browsing is gaining popularity in ecological restoration, primarily as a
means to control invasive vegetation. However, much of the practical, experiential knowledge
regarding the effectiveness of prescribed browsing is not well represented in published literature.
Researchers and practitioners are beginning to build a more robust portfolio of empirical findings,
which document practices and outcomes in a wide variety of biomes, targeting different invasive
species, using varying durations and intensities of browsing pressure, and with a broad range of
desired goals. We synthesize and evaluate this growing literature, and present our findings from a 3year prescribed browsing project conducted on a small urban streamside forest fragment in the
Southeastern United States, located on the campus of the University of Georgia. We describe the
multiple factors and constraints that determined the browsing regime and additional exotic control
measures that were adopted, as well as the way that both the ecological and the social objectives of
the project were framed. We monitored 20 2x2m goat exclosures, paired with goat-accessible plots.
Surveys of herbaceous, shrub, and canopy layer vegetation were conducted three times a year, before
and after Spring grazing treatments, and prior to Fall grazing treatments. The vegetation was heavily
dominated by exotic forbs, vines, and shrubs at the outset, and we found moderate to strong impacts
of goat browsing on most exotic species, including some of the region's most tenacious invasives. We
also found increases in some native forbs and vines. Since project goals include social dimensions of
student engagement, fostering a stewardship ethic, and stimulating future enthusiasm for restoration,
we find that the use of goats has advantages that supersede those typically attained by mechanical
and chemical methods. We conclude by discussing the project's success in restoring connections
between nature, place, and people.
O24.4
Should we sweat the small stuff? Restoration and management effects on litter decomposition
and microbial functioning in the Chicago Wilderness
1
1,2
L.M. Egerton-Warburton , L.G. Umek
1
Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, United States, 2Program in Plant Biology and Conservation,
Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
Ecological restoration seeks to restore the entire ecosystem, including not only native organisms, but
also ecological processes, to support long-term sustainability. Litter decomposition is recognized as an
important component of ecological process in terrestrial ecosystems, and provides the most important
source of nutrients and organic matter to plant roots and soil organisms. However, the impact of
restoration on these processes is poorly documented. We investigated the impacts of aboveground
restoration practices on litter decomposition and functional microbial diversity. Mesh litterbags
containing Andropogon (grass), Rudbeckia (forb) or Baptisia (legume) were installed in 24 sites that
comprised remnant prairies and former row-crop prairie restorations replicated along a restoration
chronosequence. Increasing time under management generally reduced soil fertility and increased
plant diversity to levels approaching that in remnant prairies. We measured litter mass loss, microbial
community structure by high throughput sequencing of the ITS barcode region, and microbial function
by the activity of extracellular enzymes that catalyze the degradation of leaf litter. We found no
relationship between time under restoration and litter mass loss and enzyme activity. The largest
differences in decomposition and enzyme activity occurred between litter types, suggesting that
differences in litter chemistry overwhelmed any site-specific processes. Nevertheless, microbial
community structure differed significantly among sites and litter types. Together, these findings
suggest that
1) a degree of functional redundancy exists in microbial community functioning during restoration (the
insurance effect); and
2) land use history and restoration practices have a greater influence on plant than microbial
communities.
O24.5
The formal and the informal city in Africa: planning and governance dilemmas
G.I. Nwaka
Humanities and Social Sciences, Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria
Urban planning and governance have not adapted fast enough to the extraordinary situation of rapid
urban change in Africa. The planning profession is in many respects still prisoner of received laws and
codes tied to the colonial tradition, and established prior to the rapid urban expansion of the post
colonial period. Some elite neighborhoods enjoy relatively high quality housing and residential
environment, but the bulk of the urban poor live in appalling and health-threatening conditions. UNHabitat estimates that sub-Saharan African cities have over 166 million slum dwellers, most of who
work in the informal sector where they simply do not earn enough to afford decent shelter and service.
What does sustainability mean for such cities and townspeople? Government officials and planner,
who often aspire to international standards of modernity, face a difficult dilemma of how to plan and
manage this rapid urban growth in a way that promotes employment, income and shelter for the poor,
and at the same time ensures a reasonably orderly, healthy and socially acceptable environment.
Unfortunately, many of these officials tend to blame the victims, and to see the urban poor, the
informal sector and the slums in which they live as evidence of the failure of official policy, and
therefore something to be removed though misguided policies of forced eviction and other forms of
repression. But current research suggests that the path to urban peace and sustainability in Africa lies
in building more inclusive and socially equitable cities “where everyone, regardless of their economic
means, gender, age, ethnic origin or religion are enabled and empowered to participate productively in
the social, economic and political opportunities that cities offer”.
O25.1
Towards a generalized protocol to selecting framework species to restore tropical forests
S. Frison, V.L. Engel
São Paulo State University - UNESP, Botucatu, Brazil
Identifying target species that are appropriate to restore high diversity forests it is still a challenge and
require extensive background studies. Such target species are expected to perform a vast range of
ecological functions to catalyse the processes needed during the successional trajectory of the
restored ecosystem. Based on the Framework species approach, we developed a generalized species
selection protocol aiming at restoring high diversity forest ecosystems within the Atlantic Forest
(tropical wet forest and tropical moist seasonal forest) and the Brazilian savanna (Cerradão)domains.
The primary selection criterion was species frequency in forest fragments to produce a “candidate
species list”.11 functional attributes were assigned for each species: canopy size and architecture,
growth rhythm, nitrogen fixing ability, regeneration potential, adaptation to full sun, first reproduction
age, seed dispersal and pollination syndromes, flowering and fruiting time. Each attribute was divided
into 2-6 categories which received weights, according to their role in providing desirable restoration
properties such as quick canopy cover; wildlife attraction potential; regeneration speed and capacity to
colonize wide areas. For example, the attribute 'canopy size' was divided in the categories: large,
intermediate and small (score 5, 3 and 1, respectively). Based in this protocol, we identified 30
potential 'framework species 'for each three forest formation(tropical wet forest; tropical moist seasonal
forest and forested savanna) with potential to kick startthe restoration processes within the
ecossystems. The protocol proved to be suitable for different environmental and degradation contexts.
This is due to the possibility of changing the attribute weights in order to value up the most desirable
characteristics for site-specific ecological filters.
O25.2
Is twenty-one years adequate for recruitment of tropical rainforest species following
restoration efforts on ex-rainforest land in north-east Queensland, Australia?
1
2
1
S. Florentine , C. Pohlman , M. Westbrooke
1
Federation University Australia, Ballarat, Australia, 2School for Field Studies, Yungaburra, Australia
A long-term rainforest restoration experiment was established on abandoned pasture in north-eastern
Queensland in 1993 to examine the effectiveness of five different restoration planting methods: (T1)
control (no plantings); (T2) pioneer monoculture (planting seedlings of one pioneer species,
Homalanthus novoguineensis, family Euphorbiaceae), (T3) Homalanthus group framework method (H.
novoguineensis and eight other pioneer species); (T4) Alphitonia group framework method (Alphitonia
petriei, family Rhamnaceae, and eight other pioneer species); and (T5) maximum diversity method
(planting a group of pioneers, middle phase species and mature phase species). We investigated
temporal patterns in
(1) the fate of seedlings originally planted in 1993,
(2) natural recruitment of native plant species, and
(3) current habitat structure (canopy cover and ground cover of grasses and invasive plants) within
each restoration treatment.
97% of seedlings planted in T2 died within the first thirteen years and all had died by 2014. 72% of
seedlings planted in T3, 55.5% of seedlings planted in T4, and 55% of seedlings planted in T5 also
died by 2014. By 2014, 42 species from 21 families had recruited across the experimental site and the
abundance of recruits was almost twice that recorded in 2001 and 2006. Overall, T3, T4 and T5 had
the greatest diversity and abundance of recruits. By 2014, canopy cover was greatest in T3, T4 and T5
but invasive plant cover and grass cover were least in T5 (maximum diversity method). It is concluded
that restoration success increases with planting diversity, but overall the rate of recovery is slow.
O25.3
Can floral traits predict ecological restoration success in tropical forests?
Y. Antonini, R. Martins
Ecology and Evolution, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Institute of Science, Ouro Preto, Brazil
Most of the original riparian forest of the Volta Grande Reservoir, MG, Brazil, was replaced by a
complex mosaic of forest patches of different successional stages, agricultural fields and pasturelands.
We evaluated the floral traits of plant species occurring in severely disturbed areas of tropical forests
that were re-vegetated with native plant species in order to evaluate the success of restoration
process. Between March, 2013, and January, 2014, the floral traits of all of the flowering plants found
in 50 plots distributed among five riparian forest fragments in different stages of succession were
recorded and used to characterize pollination syndromes. Richness, abundance and composition of
pollination syndromes was related to climatic periods, age and width of the forest fragment, richness
and abundance of plants, and the quality of the surrounding matrix. There were differences in the
composition of syndromes among sampling units, and among climatic periods. Richness and
abundance of pollination syndromes varied among climatic periods, having the highest values in the
end of the dry season and the start of the rainy season. Older, wider, and areas with more plants had
higher values of richness and abundance of syndromes. The quality of the surrounding matrix
influences only the richness of syndromes. We conclude that floral traits are good indicators of
environmental restoration in riparian forests re-vegetated and that the surrounding matrix contributes
to the greater richness of syndromes.
O25.4
How many species or which ones? Insights from BEF theory for tropical forest restoration
V.L. Engel
Forest Science Department, São Paulo State University - UNESP, Botucatu, Brazil
Restoring species-rich tropical forests is a challenging task, both to scientists and practitioners. While
in moist tropical climates some ecosystem properties are promptly restored, like biomass and even
species richness in certain landscapes, others may take many decades or centuries to be recovered,
like some more complex species interactions and the genetic diversity. To date, we still don't have
enough evidence if the early reintroduction of whole species assemblages in degraded tropical forest
areas would be the best approach resulting in earlier recovery of all community and ecosystem
properties. Our meta-analysis results from published research made in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
have demonstrated a positive and asymptotic relationship between ecosystem functions and species
diversity, compatible with BEF (Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning) theory. This means that we
could count on relatively small species assemblages to quickly recover reference levels of ecosystem
properties such as standing biomass, soil organic matter and nutrient pools. By another side, higher
community complexity level s shall be desirable for ecosystem stability. Thus, this initial restored
assemblage should be able to promote and enhance further colonization by other plant species via
natural processes, as well as providing habitat for animals and other life-forms. Joining the BEF theory
and the Framework Species Method, we propose that the tropical forest restoration could be
undertaken by introducing a minimal species assemblage, well-suited to local environmental filters,
instead of high-diversity plantations. However, to maximize ecosystem functioning plus reaching future
stability, one shall consider not only the number but also which species to choose. Targeting selected
species and functional groups having certain specific traits seems to be the best option to reconcile
the restoration of both the community and ecosystem processes.
O25.5
Establishing the Cerro el Amay preserve in the Guatemalan highlands - Cloud Forest
Conservation Initiative
G.J.S. Schewe1, P. Tanimoto2
1
2
Unaka Environmental, LLC, Asheville, United States, Conservation Imaging, Inc., Auburndale, United
States
The Cloud Forest Conservation Initiative (CFCI) is a Guatemala-based nonprofit organization
established by the United-States-based 502(c)3 NGO, Conservation Imaging, Inc. The purpose of the
CFCI is to preserve the largest unprotected patch of Tropical Montane Cloud Forest in northern
Central America.
This little-known forested jewel, Cerro el Amay, is located in Quiché Department, in the karstic
Guatemalan highlands, specifically in Sierra de Chama, and contains more than 19,000 hectares
(46,950 acres) of pristine Cloud Forest and nearly 3,000 hectares (7,415 acres) of undeveloped,
second growth. This unique and sensitive habitat is home to multiple threatened and endangered
species, as well as species new to science, and is home to several communities of indigenous Mayan
farmers. Currently, the integrity and pristine-like quality of Cerro el Amay is threatened by numerous
environmental and physical impacts. These include but are not limited to illegal logging, poaching,
encroaching slash-and-burn agriculture, road building, climate change, and unsustainable
development.
Since establishing the Cloud Forest Conservation Initiative in 2009, CI has made exciting progress
working with communities to create alternative and sustainable sources of income that protect and
restore the endangered forests and watersheds. By focusing international attention on cloud forest
concerns, CI is also able to provide a political/advocacy presence which enables local and regional
leaders to find ways to support cloud forest protection, preservation, restoration, research, ecotourism, and education. CI's successful strategy includes engaging the local communities, community
councils, community leaders, and government agencies in the management planning of Cerro el
Amay, as well as direct purchase of property to add to the steadily growing forest preserve. We are
excited to share our developments and strategies with other planners, eco-cultural specialists, and
conservation scientists. This project is funded by multiple philanthropic organizations, conservation
grant funds, and private donors from North America and Europe.
O26.1
Delivering landscape-scale conservation - what does it mean in the Meres and Mosses?
M.C. Jones
Meres and Mosses Partnership, Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Shrewsbury, United Kingdom
The Meres and Mosses is a unique, internationally important, post-glacial wetland landscape located
in the north-west Midlands of England.
In 2012, Defra created one of twelve Nature Improvement Areas (NIAs) in the Meres and Mosses,
established in response to Making Space for Nature, a Government commissioned review of nature
conservation in England. The report's author, Professor Sir John Lawton, concluded that a step
change in nature conservation is required, advocating a landscape-scale approach, guided by four key
principles: “more, bigger, better and joined”.
The Meres and Mosses landscape requires restoration, many sites having been de-graded through
drainage and intensification of land use. Whilst at face value the Lawton principles make perfect
sense, to effectively deliver at a landscape scale we must understand their application to specific
landscapes.
This paper will firstly outline thinking around the application of Lawton's principles to the Meres and
Mosses landscape - given its geological origin, creating more sites is impossible, but how do we make
those that remain bigger and better, and how does the concept of connectivity apply?
The conclusion is that the required step change in nature conservation revolves around up-scaling
ambition and re-defining sites - moving away from the traditional view of sites, to what are being called
“functional ecological units”. Defined by topography, hydrology and peat soils, it is envisaged that
these will comprise a high quality wetland mosaic with a mere or moss at its core. These units also
need to be contextualised within the landscape through delineation of their catchments.
The paper will then present a mapping exercise that utilises a combination of peat soils, aerial
photography and Lidar (topographic) data to define “functional ecological units” and their catchments.
This is becoming an important tool, helping to prioritise restoration interventions and clarifying the long
term vision for the landscape.
O26.2
Restoring upland blanket peatlands: impacts on the quality and quantity of runoff
1
1
1
2
3
M. Evans , T. Allott , E. Shuttleworth , D. Milledge , J. Walker
Geography, School of Environment and Development, University of Manchester, Manchester, United
Kingdom, 2Department of Geography, University of Durham, Durham, United Kingdom, 3Moors for the
Future Partnership, Edale, United Kingdom
1
This paper reports on a landscape scale experiment to assess the impact of the restoration of upland
blanket bog on the quality and quantity of runoff from the systems. Blanket bogs in the uplands of the
UK are severely degraded with extensive gully erosion and significant areas entirely denuded of
vegetation. Over the last 10 years extensive efforts have been made to restore these systems. The
aim of this work has been to understand the impact of restoration on the hydrology and hydrochemistry of the peatlands. A five year before-after-control-intervention study based around five micro
catchments in the southern Pennines has produced three main conclusions:
1) Re-vegetation leads to measurable increases in water table across the peatland surface.
2) Re-vegetation of eroded systems leads to significant reductions (up to 30%) in peak flow discharge
and increases in runoff lag times.
3) The restoration process which involves addition of lime, grass seed, and fertiliser significantly
perturbs the hydro-chemical functioning of the system, resulting in short term reductions in the
concentration of dissolved organic carbon leaving the catchments.
Overall the results suggest that the restoration approach has positive impacts on peatland hydrological
function and indicate potential benefits of restoration in mitigation of downstream flood risk.
This research has been supported in the UK by DEFRA, Natural England and the Environment
Agency.
O26.3
Bacterial and fungal representation and interactions in a former degraded upland peatland
vegetation mosaic undergoing restoration
1
1
2
3
4
1
D.R. Elliott , S.J.M. Caporn , F. Nwaishi , H. Nilsson , J. Borresen , R. Sen
1
Division of Biology and Conservation Ecology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester,
United Kingdom, 2Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo,
3
Canada, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg,
4
Sweden, Division Mathematics and Computation, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester,
United Kingdom
Peatlands are under threat from land management, anthropogenic pollution and climate change.
These factors are implicated in severe degradation of ombrotrophic peatlands in the Southern
Pennines of northern England. Significant areas of unconsolidated bare peat are both highly
vulnerable to peat erosion and resistant to natural re-vegetation. Restoration efforts during the last 30
years have included liming and fertilisation of bare peat allowing transient growth of introduced
lowland grass species for peat stabilisation that facilitates establishment of Calluna vulgaris and other
dwarf shrubs. Key restoration goals through revegetation of bare peat are to increase biodiversity and
recover hydrological, and retain carbon storage, functions. Below-ground bacterial and fungal
communities were characterised in tandem across this vegetation mosaic using high-throughput
sequencing of respective phylogenetic markers (16S and ITS1). Restoration activities were reflected in
changes in plant cover and the below-ground microbial community, which based on the situation in
other ecosystems, are likely to be of functional importance in relation to restoration goals and future
land management planning. Bare peat supported increased ligninolytic Basidiomycota and oligotrophic
bacteria. In vegetated zones, root-associated Archaeorhizomyces and -symbiotic ericoid- and
ectomycorrhizal fungal taxa were highly represented although arbuscular mycorrhizal taxa were rare.
Candidate indicator microbes of relevance to monitoring and restoration of peatlands were identified.
Bacterial and fungal co-occurrence was examined through cross-kingdom network analyses, revealing
putative functional groups linked to vegetation and edaphic status of relevance to maintenance and
restoration of peatland function.
Funded by Manchester Metropolitan University and Moors for the Future Partnership.
O26.4
Designing a restoration project for a degraded bog and the weatherfish (Misgurnus fossilis) in
Soelsted Moor, Denmark
1
2
3
P. Maehl , H. Mørup-Petersen , O. Ottosen
1
Environment and Nature, Ramboll Denmark, Vejle, Denmark, 2Environment and Nature, Ramboll
Denmark, Odense, Denmark, 3Environment and Nature, Municipality of Toender, Toender, Denmark
The Natura 2000 site Soelsted Moor is a partly overgrown, degraded raised bog situated in South
Jutland, Denmark. In former times, the bog was a raised bog without trees or bushes. The bog was
also a living place for the weatherfish (Misgurnus fossilis). Today the nature type active raised bog has
disappeared and the weatherfish has its only Danish population here in a few ditches and small
streams in and around the bog.
In 2007 the municipality of Tonder started preparing a project with the long term objective to restore
active raised bog in Soelsted Moor. At the same time, the living conditions for the weather fish should
be improved significantly. The optimal habitat for weatherfish is not the acid, nutrient poor water in the
active, raised bog. The weatherfish prefers vegetation rich, slow flowing channels with muddy bottom
and shallow lakes as habitat. In Soelsted Moor, it lives in drainage channels in the nearest
surroundings and in 3 small streams draining an agricultural area through the bog. Just raising the
water level by blocking the outlets would not take into account the need for a system of interconnected
channels for the survival of the weatherfish, as well as it would allow nutrient drainage water to
disperse over the surface of the bog.
To solve this problem, a detailed design of a hydrological system is presented, consisting of stems
with variable heights, thresholds passable for weatherfish, cleaning up overgrown channels,
excavating new channels and establishing two ponds. In this way, at the same time it was possible to
raise water level in the bog, to avoid enrichment with nutrients and to secure improved living
conditions for the weatherfish.
The project is supported by EU-Life-Nature (LIFE10 NAT/DK/000099) and managed by the
Municipality of Tonder, South Jutland, Denmark.
O26.5
Raised bog restoration in Ireland in tandem with community led Red Grouse restoration
D.J. Fallon, M.J. McCorry, C.A. Farrell
Ecology, Bord na Mona, Tullamore, Ireland
Ballydangan Bog in County Roscommon is a midland raised bog owned by Bord na Móna (the Irish
Peat Company) and is one of the sites included in the company's Raised Bog Restoration Project
(2009-present). Drainage ditches were installed on the 238ha site in the early 1980s in preparation for
industrial peat production, but no further work was carried out as the bog was deemed surplus to
requirements.
In 2009 the local community groups living around the bog became aware that the local population of
Red Grouse (Lagopus lagopus hibernicus) centred on Ballydangan Bog and neighbouring bog areas
had dramatically declined and was on the brink of a local extinction. The Ballydangan Red Grouse
project was established in 2009 and started with the local community leasing Ballydangan Bog from
Bord na Móna. Following on from the production of a Red Grouse Management Plan the Department
of Social Protection employed four full time local staff to facilitate the work which includes predator
control, heather cutting and habitat management. The work is now in its sixth year.
In September 2013 Bord na Móna began restoring the raised bog habitat, in tandem with the
community efforts to maintain the local Grouse population. This involved a comprehensive drain
blocking programme to rewet the site and over 4,000 peat dams were installed. The aim of the
restoration work is to raise the water levels and facilitate the development of active raised bog areas.
The rewetting will also improve the overall habitat for typical peat land bird species including the Red
Grouse.
While Red Grouse numbers have remained stable since the project began, Eurasian Curlew
(Numenius arquata) has successfully bred on the site. Translocation efforts to relocate Red Grouse
birds from a stable population in another county are ongoing.
O27.1
Creating tallgrass prairie from retired cropland: initial results
H.A. Cray, M.J.M. McTavish, S.D. Murphy
Environment and Resource Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
Prior to European settlement, tallgrass prairie comprised over 7,000 km2 in Canada. Now considered
one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America, less than 1% of tallgrass prairie remains in
southern Ontario, and between 1-4% remains in the United States. Although it hosts a large proportion
of rare flora and fauna, remaining tallgrass habitat is highly fragmented and threatened by both
urbanization and encroachment of woody vegetation. Conservation of this ecosystem therefore
requires both preservation of existing remnant prairie and active restoration of habitat. Although prairie
restoration is practiced across North America, it frequently lacks formal monitoring or standardization
and opinions regarding best practices are varied. An ongoing experiment at Glenorchy Conservation
Area, Oakville, Ontario, has been established to assess a common method of tallgrass prairie
restoration: hand broadcast seeding. This field experiment includes paired multi-hectare parcels
seeded in 2012, 2013, and 2014 by Conservation Halton as well as two smaller-scale multifactorial
experiments established in 2014, which varied in seed mixture, mulch application, and arbuscular
mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) addition. Results will include a comparison of vegetation cover and diversity
within seeded parcels and first-year emergence at the multifactorial sites (n = 40 and n = 240).
Findings of this study regarding the cost and efficacy of various broadcast seeding and enrichment
methods will help to identify trade-offs between restoration options and provide guidelines for future
tallgrass restoration projects. This research is funded by NSERC and supported by Conservation
Halton.
O27.2
Does tall-grass prairie restoration enhance the invasion resistance of post-agricultural lands?
1
2
1
3
2
B.L. Foster , G.R. Houseman , D.R. Hall , S.E. Hinman , M.M. Reichenborn
1
University of Kansas, Lawrence, United States, 2Wichita State University, Wichita, United States,
3
University of California, Berkeley, United States
There is building interest in the use of ecological restoration to enhance the biotic invasion resistance
of disturbed lands. Results are presented from a field experiment conducted to explore the interplay of
tallgrass prairie restoration and invader propagule pressure in modulating plant invasion in abandoned
agricultural land in eastern Kansas USA. Seed additions of multiple native and non-native species
were used to provide a general test of biotic invasion resistance under conditions of controlled
propagule availability. Relative to non-restored control plots, prairie restoration increased functional
guild diversity, increased above ground productivity, reduced the availability of light, soil moisture and
bare soil microsites and strongly suppressed the invasion of species sown into the experiment,
including the highly invasive exotic legume, Lespedeza cuneata. In the absence of restoration, L.
cuneata rapidly dominated plots where it had been sown, particularly at the highest propagule
pressure, and produced copious seed. Multiple regression analyses did not support the hypothesis
that restoration increased resistance to L. cuneata invasion via increased plant diversity per se but
rather through suppression by the resident C4 prairie grasses and the functionally similar native
legumes. Overall our study suggests that the restoration of abandoned agricultural land to native
prairie vegetation can enhance biotic invasion resistance in the face of substantial invader propagule
pressures by altering functional guild composition and reducing the resources available to invaders.
We discuss these findings in the context of our broader work in ecological restoration and invasive
species management. Funding for this work was provided by the National Science Foundation (DEB1021158 and DEB-0950100).
O27.3
Assessing the effects of tallgrass prairie habitat restoration on pollinator communities in
Kansas, USA
1,2
1,2
K. Roccaforte , B.L. Foster
1
Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, United States,
2
Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas, Lawrence, United States
Almost 90% of flowering plants rely on animal-mediated pollination, yet pollinators face multiple
anthropogenic threats, including habitat loss and degradation. Historically, tallgrass prairies throughout
the Midwestern U.S.A. supported diverse pollinator communities, but prairies have suffered extensive
habitat loss. Despite efforts to “reconstruct” prairies on former agricultural lands, little is known about
habitat restoration's effects on prairie pollinator communities. In 2013 and 2014, we surveyed Kansas
prairie remnants (native prairies; n = 5) and reconstructions (habitat restorations; n = 5). We assessed
whether forb and pollinator composition, abundance, and diversity differed between remnants and
reconstructions, and we conducted preliminary assessments of potential differences in flower visitation
patterns between assemblages of bees (the most important pollinator group, worldwide) in remnants
and reconstructions.
Prairie remnants and reconstructions significantly differed in forb composition in both study years
(P2013 = 0.023; P2014 = 0.010). Remnants had significantly greater forb diversity (P = 0.036) and
reconstructions had marginally significantly greater forb abundance (P = 0.058) in 2013 only. Pollinator
composition, diversity, and abundance did not significantly differ between remnants and
reconstructions in either year, when measured across the entire growing season. However, spring
ephemeral forb communities were largely absent on reconstructions, leading to significantly more
early-season interactions between bees and non-native forbs on reconstructions in 2014, compared to
remnants
(P < 0.001).
Our data indicate that it is possible for reconstructed prairies to attain pollinator diversity and
abundance similar to that of remnant prairies, but that the nature of the interactions between bees and
forbs differ during part of the growing season. The extent to which non-native forbs can sustain earlyemerging bee populations requires further evaluation. Future research will explore the structure of
plant-pollinator networks at these sites and will address the effects of landscape-scale land use on
tallgrass prairie pollinator communities.
O27.4
Initial endogenous spatial structure alters establishment and community composition of native
tallgrass prairie restoration
D. Hall, B. Foster
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology & Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas, Lawrence, United
States
Tallgrass prairie restorations often fail to reestablish plant diversity seen in undisturbed prairies.
Existing theoretical work and empirical studies suggest that endogenous spatial structure in plant
communities may allow coexistence of species that would otherwise undergo competitive exclusion.
The goal of our study is to determine if spatially explicit planting strategies can be used to improve the
establishment of native plants in prairie restorations and in doing so explore the consequences of
spatial structure for species coexistence and community assembly. To do this, we established an
experiment with 25 replicate prairie restorations sown to 16 species in equal abundances.
Experimental manipulations varied only the initial spatial distribution of species within each restoration.
Sowing treatments ranged from no spatial structure/uniform (where seed mix is homogenized; typical
restoration method) to highly structured monospecific species aggregates; where each species is
initially segregated from all other species. Additionally, three treatments were included with
intermediate levels of spatial structure by aggregating four-species mixtures into patches based on
functional group classifications to vary the amount of functional complementarity between interacting
species.
Three years after restoration, results show that manipulations of initial spatial structure has not yet
affected species richness (S), Shannon diversity (H') or evenness (H'/lnS) in restorations. However,
spatial structure has altered species composition and total plant cover. As the level of local intraspecific aggregation decreases (and inter-specific interactions increase), the establishment success of
all sown functional groups increases. However, this increase in establishment is primarily experienced
by dominant warm-season grasses and dominant forb species. Significant differences in cover values
and relative species abundances show that initial spatial structure can alter the community
composition of restorations and may affect the success of restoration goals focusing on the
abundances of particular species or groups of species.
National Science Foundation
O27.5
Impacts of pipeline construction and development on Halimolobos virgata, slender mouse ear
cress, and dry mixedgrass prairie ecosystems
1
1
2
C. Low , M.A. Naeth , D. Locky
2
Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, Department of
Biological Sciences, MacEwan University, Edmonton, Canada
1
Native Alberta grasslands continue to be impacted by natural resource development, including
pipeline construction and operation for oil and gas transport. How pipelines affect at risk plant species
and grasslands is not well understood. To mitigate pipeline impacts, a 300 m setback between
construction activities and at risk species, including critical habitat, is recommended by Environment
Canada. The efficacy of this has yet to be determined. Construction and reclamation of the Keystone
Pipeline was completed in 2009. Since 2010, research has been conducted to evaluate pipeline
impacts on Halimolobos virgata, a threatened species found along the right-of-way, and surrounding
grasslands. Research on Halimolobos virgata and the associated plant communities was conducted
from May to August 2014 at six sites near Bindloss, Alberta. All sites are native mixedgrass prairie on
crown and private land. Halimolobos virgata has historically been found at three sites; May surveys
revealed a single population. The population had increased in size from 2010 and was found 6 m to
110 m away from the pipeline trench. Vegetation community assessments were conducted during
August at distances up to 100 m from the pipeline trench. Sampling locations were based on
construction activities, including soil storage and work areas, with 10 treatments selected for sampling.
Species composition and cover were assessed for each treatment. Composition was consistent across
all six sites; dominant species included Bouteloua gracilis and Agropyron species. Live vegetation
cover was lowest and bare ground cover was highest at trench treatments, where maximum
disturbance occurred. Impacts of disturbance are greatest within 50 m of the right-of-way and no
longer observed at 100 m. The recommended 300 m setback does not seem appropriate for
Halimolobos virgata. This research will increase knowledge about pipeline impacts on at risk species
and will aid informed regulations for protecting prairie environments.
O28.1
Development of soil and vegetation in reclaimed and non reclaimed post mining sites
J. Frouz
Charles University, Praha, Czech Republic
Development of soil and vegetation was studies in reclaimed alder (Alnus glutinosa) plantation and
unreclaimed sites on graded and ungraded overburden. On unreclaimed ungraded sites woody
vegetation dominated by Salix caprea and Populus tremula, graded overburden overgrown by
Calamagrastis epigeios. Canopy cover of woody vegetation (studied using a set of historical aerial
photographs) was lower in unreclaimed sites during fist 15 years of development. The young
unreclaimed sites show also lower woody biomass and soil carbon storage. However in older sites
there were no significant differences in woody canopy cover between ungraded in reclaimed sites and
alder plantation also carbon storage in older sites was comparable and growth of woody biomass was
even higher in unreclaimed ungraded sites. In the contrary no or very limited development of woody
vegetation was found in 30 year old graded overburden and C accumulation in these sites was
significantly smaller than in both alder plantation as well as ungraded unreclaiemed sites. The results
show that keeping rough surface substantially help in spontaneous development of forest ecosystem
in post mining sites.
O28.2
Landform heterogeneity as a tool to improve broad-scale post-mine ecological rehabilitation
A. Datar, D. Mulligan
Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
The extractive phase of broad-scale mining involves significant alteration of topography and
associated ecosystems. Post-mining ecological rehabilitation typically starts with reconstructing
topography. A fairly common industry practice has been to use landform elements such as plateaus,
terraces, and gentle slopes for stabilisation purposes. However, this approach leads to uniform
landforms that do not reflect natural landscapes. Previous research in undisturbed and agricultural
landscapes shows that ecological attributes (e.g. species richness) and diversity in microclimates is
positively correlated with landform heterogeneity. The objective of this study was to investigate if those
findings are still valid at post-mining rehabilitating landscapes using mineral sands mine rehabilitation
at North Stradbroke Island, Qld, Australia. Landform heterogeneity was measured using remote
sensing and GIS through variance in three landform elements (relief, slope, aspect), and ecological
patterns were represented by ecological indicators (e.g. species richness) measured through field
surveys. The results showed correlations between landform heterogeneity indices and ecological
indicators with sensitivity to spatial scale of investigation and rehabilitation history. In some cases
landform heterogeneity contributed to up to 77% of the variance in particular ecological measures.
When some of other dominant drivers of ecological patterns in rehabilitation, such as rehabilitation
practices, soil characteristics and seed mix were included in the analysis, landform heterogeneity
stood out as a major significant contributor in explaining the variance case of all ecological variables.
Thus, while some of the primary drivers of post-mining ecological development and success (for
example, climate, substrate and rehabilitation practices) are difficult to control over extensive areas
and extended time periods, landform heterogeneity may provide a simple and effective tool to
indirectly control the micro-environmental parameters that may encourage an improved rehabilitation
outcome. Apart from broad-scale post-mining landscapes, this approach is adoptable in other
ecological restoration projects that have a capacity to influence landform shape and dynamics.
O28.3
Near-natural restoration vs. technical reclamation in post-mining sites
L. Šebelíková
Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České
Budějovice, Czech Republic
In central Europe, technical reclamation is often prioritized over near-natural restoration (i.e.
spontaneous or assisted succession) of post-mining sites. To address this issue, a comprehensive
comparison on near-natural restoration and technical reclamation was performed based on published
papers. Surprisingly, in contrast to innumerable papers on near-natural restoration, there is a lack of
knowledge on vegetation development on technically reclaimed sites. In most studies, the technical
reclamation was found successful. However, this method is necessary usually under severe site
conditions within central Europe. In other cases, natural processes proceed on comparable time scale
to spontaneous vegetation development and restoration of post-mining sites could therefore rely more
on near-natural restoration.
These findings are supported with a case study from the Czech Republic where both near-naturally
restored and technically reclaimed sites developed towards forest in a comparable time scale.
Although the sites did not significantly differ in the species richness, near-naturally restored sites
tended to be more diverse with more species of conservation potential. The results support the use of
the near-natural restoration as an effective and low-cost method of restoration of post-mining sites, at
least within central Europe.
O28.4
Are reconstructed forest ecosystems on mine sites resilient to drought?
Y. Nussbaumer1, C. Castor1, M.A. Cole2
The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia, 2Consultancy for Sustainable Ecosystem
Restoration, Jesmond, Australia
1
The use of forest topsoil, inorganic fertilizer, gypsum and biosolids were trialled with the aim of
reconstructing functioning, sustainable, forest ecosystems on an open-cut coal mine in NSW Australia.
Part of sustainability is the resilience of reconstructed systems to environmental stresses such as
drought. This site has been surveyed over 10 years and 7 years after setting up the experiment, the
site received less than half the long term average annual rainfall, whereas the following year it
received an excess of rain. This drought event coincided with the end of the lifespan of a number of
Acacia species, resulting in an overall reduction in plant density and species richness for both native
and weed species. With the return of rain, species richness increased to earlier levels, indicating that a
viable seed bank had become established prior to the drought, which was supplemented with recruited
herbaceous species not previously observed on the site. There was little change in the canopy layer,
which indicates that the trees were deeply rooted enough to withstand a dry year. Most of the lower
storeys, while more susceptible to water shortage due to shallow root systems, had the capacity to reestablish from the seed bank. Community analysis appears to indicate that the forest topsoil plots
were less impacted during the drought than the other treatments.
O28.5
Restoration of open-cut mining in arid systems: synthesizing long-term monitoring data and
implications for management
N. Shackelford1, T. Erickson2,3, B. Miller3
1
2
School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada, School of Plant Biology,
3
University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia, Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth, Australia
Restoration is becoming an increasing priority around the globe. Particularly in high impact
development such as open cut mining, successfully rehabilitating ecosystems to pre-disturbance
states is both difficult and essential. Successful rehabilitation of vegetation communities requires
complex achievements of cover, density, community composition, and structural elements. To build on
our understanding of rehabilitation performance in open-cut mining operations, this study synthesizes
ten years of rehabilitation surveys to measure success of six mining operations in the arid Pilbara
region of northern Western Australia. We assessed 99 sites for composition, structure, cover, density,
and richness over multiple measures of rehabilitation success in the region. We found that each
measure resulted in slightly different rates of success within mining operations. Density and cover of
the predominant perennial grass species had low rates of success, while woody species cover and
density showed higher rates of success. Richness was a poor measure of success - richness values in
rehabilitation were predominantly much higher than in analogue sites. Finally, we analyzed the
importance of certain treatments in increasing success rates and found that older rehabilitation had
increased cover and density but lower compositional similarity to analogue sites. Other variables had
inconsistent impacts on success rates. Overall, each measure of success was an important contributor
to overall understanding of rehabilitation success over the last three decades in this ecologically
important region.
O29.1
Damages and regeneration of mangroves after catastrophic typhoons: an assessment of
resiliency of planted mangroves in the Philippines
S. Salmo
Department of Environmental Science, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, Philippines
The Philippines is considered one of the most vulnerable countries against natural disasters such as
typhoons. Mangrove forests are expected to provide protection against the impacts of typhoons.
However, around 70-80% of original mangrove forests were lost. The remaining mangroves then have
reduced resiliency against typhoons. Massive mangrove planting programs have been implemented
since the 1990s to protect the shoreline against typhoons. However, most mangrove plantations are
monospecific (of the genus Rhizophora) and are located in sub-optimal conditions (i.e. highly saline,
frequently inundated sites) resulting to stunted growth and poor survival. In this study, the impacts on
mangroves brought by three catastrophic typhoons across three sites in the Philippines were
evaluated: Typhoon Fengshen (June 2008; central Visayas); Typhoon Chan-hom (May 2009;
northwestern Luzon); and Super Typhoon Haiyan (November 2013; Eastern Visayas). The damages
and post-typhoon regeneration between planted (monospecific) and natural (diverse) mangrove
stands were compared. Results indicate almost similar types of damages across sites (defoliated,
snapped, uprooted), although the plantations manifested more severe damages. In addition, the
regeneration patterns (coppicing and seedling recruitment and growth rate) are more visible in the
natural stands. Canopy cover, tree density and aboveground biomass were reduced by 60-80 %. The
sediments have increased salinity (by 5-10 ppt), more reduced (-50 mV), and warmer (by 8-100C).
Resiliency will even be further reduced as these mangroves are frequently visited by typhoons. This
suggests that the planted mangroves in the country may be more vulnerable and will have slower
regeneration as compared to the natural stands. Thus, in order to have more meaningful protection
against typhoons, the conservation of the remaining mangrove stands and the practice of multispecies
planting (with appropriate species and in optimal conditions) should be prioritized over inappropriate
monospecific mangrove planting.
O29.2
Use of exotic plants to control Spartina alterniflora invasion and promote mangrove restoration
S. Peng, T. Zhou
Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
We used exotic Sonneratia apetala Buch.-Ham and S. caseolaris (L.) Engl. to control invasive Spartina
alterniflora Loisel through replacement control for 5 years, which concurrently promoted the restoration
of native mangroves. This process includes three stages. I: In lost mangrove area invaded by S.
alterniflora, native mangrove are unable to grow; however, exotic S. apetala and S. caseolaris grew
rapidly owing to relatively fast-growing characteristic and an allelopathic effect on invasive S.
alterniflora. II: Fast growing S. apetala and S. caseolaris control and eradicating of S. alterniflora
through shading and allelopathy. III: S. apetala and S. caseolaris promote the growth of indigenous
mangrove; the underlying mechanism is after forest establishment, exotic plant seedlings grown in the
understory shade can't regenerate, yet it contribute to better growth of seedlings in the majority of
native mesophytic mangrove plants; when the area experiences extreme low temperatures in winter or
other events, S. apetala dies and fails to regenerate, but native mangrove species grow to restore the
communities. This mode has great implications for addressing the worldwide problems of “how to
implement ecological control of invasion using exotic species” and “how to concurrently promote native
community restoration during control of exotic invasion”.
O29.3
The prospects and challenges of restoration of abandoned dredged spoils in the mangrove
ecosystem of the Niger Delta
E.I. Ohimain
Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Nigeria
Mangrove ecosystem occurs in the tropical coastal areas bordering large rivers and oceans. Mangrove
ecosystem, which protects adjacent coastline, has social, economic and environmental functions that
make them true agents of sustainable development. In the Niger Delta area of Nigeria, oil and gas
exploration is challenged by lack of navigable access due the presence of mangrove ecosystem with a
myriad of shallow anatomizing and meandering creeks. Hence, the oil industry typically carries out
dredging to gain access to oil locations. During dredging, river banks, sediments and vegetation are
removed and dumped overboard as dredged spoils and abandoned. Weathering of dredged spoils
have resulted in devastating environmental impacts causing the release of acidic and heavy metal
laden leachates causing the pollution of water, killing of adjacent mangrove plants, fisheries and other
organisms. After several years of weathering, abandoned spoils become less saline and become
breeding grounds for invasive species. Due to shortage of agricultural lands, indigenous people now
farm and build makeshift houses on abandoned mangrove spoils dangerously close to oil and gas
installations. Due to the over 60 years of oil and gas exploration in the Niger Delta, weathered spoil
dumps, which are many, are fast changing the topographic and hydrology of the Niger Delta mangrove
ecosystem. The aim of this study is to present the prospects and challenges of restoring abandoned
dredged spoils in the Niger Delta. The restoration of abandoned dredged spoils could reverse the
negative impacts of oil and gas exploration on mangrove ecosystem and secure coastal communities
from rising sea level impacts due to climate change. But mangrove restoration in the Niger Delta is
often resisted by indigenous people that use the spoils for farming and accommodation. Hence, there
is the need for balance between poverty and environmental sustainability.
O29.4
Importance of pre and post dispersal seedling predation for mangrove restoration
F.R. Mochel, J.S.M. Reis, F.C.M.C. Neto, D.D.F. Silva, D.C.A. Lima
Oceanography and Limnology, Federal University of Maranhao, Sao Luis, Brazil
Mangrove trees are viviparous and produce propagules that are commonly attacked by insects, crabs
and other predators both before and after dispersal. Although there are relevant papers documenting
the importance of pre and post dispersal predation in structuring mangrove communities there's a lack
of information on how this affect restoration practices and processes. Propagules from Rhizophora
mangle, Avicennia germinans and Laguncularia racemosa were surveyed during the restoration of a
mangrove area from 2012 to 2014 in the northern coast of Brazil. Thirty seven percent of the
propagules collected from the parent trees (pre dispersal stage) were damaged and were discarded
before seedling production at the nursery. From the intact propagules that were selected for seedling
production (post dispersal stage) 21% were damaged by herbivores. In the total 58% of the
propagules were not suitable to be used in the nursery affecting the restoration process in many ways
like wasting of work and time and material expenses. Site selection and environmental conditions are
also related to different levels of seedling predation.
O30.1
Technical and policy requirement in restoring and management of Kinabatangan mega
biodiversity and forest corridor in North Borneo
1,2
2
3
R. Alfred , L.N. Yambu , D.C. Munang
1
Sabah - European Union REDD+ Project, Sabah Wildlife Department, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia,
2
Conservation and Research Programme, Borneo Conservation Trust, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia,
3
Pontian United Plantations, Felda Global Ventures Holdings Berhad, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Kinabatangan floodplain is one of the largest and most important wetland ecosystem in Borneo
and in Sabah, Malaysia. A hundred years ago the floodplain was almost completely covered by
different forest types, such as freshwater swamp forest, dipterocarp forest, mangrove forest, peat
swamp forest and limestone forest. Pass logging activities and forest conversion to agricultural and
industrial plantations have decreased the characteristic vegetation of the area by as much as 90%
within the Lower Kinabatangan floodplain. The area is however crucial for biodiversity conservation
and is currently the only physical link between the centre forests of Borneo Island and the coastal
wetlands of the Sulu-Sulawesi sea. It is a significant site for biodiversity conservation, and the forests
including peat lands in the corridor are important for carbon storage. There is a high potential for
community development in forest maintenance and rehabilitation. This area is currently significant for
the state eco-tourism industry. This paper presenting our experiences in implementing activities to
promote the involvement of plantation companies, local communities and other stackholders in
restoration programme with the aim to improve forest connectivity and ecological corridors in
Kinabatangan floodplain. The paper presents our strategy and experience in conducting
(i) ground survey and scientific work to justify and verify which land corridor that need to be acquired;
(ii) transparent consultation with relevant oil palm companies to come up with win-win solutions in
order to enhance and restore degraded forest corridor;
(iii) capacity building programme for local communities to develop long term tourism programme
through re-establishment of wildlife corridor reserve, and
(iv) development of policy work with relevant state government department to review existing policy in
order to strengthen the enforcement programme to monitor and protect forest and wildlife corridor.
O30.2
How to successfully implement the European landscape convention to restoration sites, a case
study from the Azores islands
M.G.C. Ferreira
SME Rrural Development, Angra do Heroismo, Portugal
In a recent past the intensification of dairy farms resulted in the eutrophication of Furnas Lake and the
degradation of its surrounding landscape. To restore the water quality a legally binding Watershed
Plan has been implemented, aiming at a major shift on soil use. This was a turning point in the
landscape management and economic activities of the last five decades.
Approximately 300 ha of agricultural land were acquired within the watershed to stop the intake of
nutrients, and eventually this land was used as an example on how to create a multifunctional forest
landscape based on ecological, economic, social and aesthetical sustainability in accordance with the
European Landscape Convention.
There was the need, there was a holistic vision and there was land to be managed, but ultimately
nearby there were not sufficient examples to follow and learn from, or resources to manage the vast
properties.
The decision was to create this Multifunctional Forest Landscape as experimental grounds called
Furnas Landscape Laboratory, which in sum is the Project for the Ecological and Landscape
Restoration of Furnas Lake Watershed.
From an early stage connections were established with the local population and the islands community
(associations, universities, research centres, private and public companies, army, public administration
services, etc.) was also called up to participate in the project. In time even companies and
associations from overseas wanted to be associated and partner with the project. The restoration
included natural forest, along with traditional and new uses of the landscape, but always engaging and
attracting people to the landscape.
The recognition of this strategy came with national awards and international nominations. The
exemplary implementation of the European Landscape Convention granted Furnas Landscape
Laboratory with Portugal's National Landscape Award, therefore it represented Portugal in the
international competition promoted by the Council of Europe.
O30.3
Key factors in reaching the tūī tipping point in Hamilton City, New Zealand
B.D. Clarkson, C.L. Kirby, A.E. Alston
Environmental Research Institute, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
New Zealand´s 20 largest urban centres vary considerably in their indigenous biodiversity resource
(e.g. < 1% to 9% native vegetation cover), and their approach to protecting and enhancing it. Focusing
restoration efforts on well-known, charismatic species can gather support and build momentum that
benefits both the target species and many interconnected aspects of biodiversity. In Hamilton City, the
focal species has been tūī (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae). In an uncontrolled and uncoordinated
experiment, different Waikato agencies, institutions and community groups have been working directly,
or indirectly to restore urban tūī populations. The vision to return tūī was formalised in 1989 with the
establishment of the community group Tui 2000 Inc. Gully habitat enhancement had begun as early as
the 1960s with the pioneering work of Dr A.J. Seeley and was followed by the Gully Restoration
Programme (established 2000) and pest animal control by Hamilton City Council. These efforts were
complemented by many small-scale private restoration projects and as habitat expanded and
improved, and pest numbers reduced, the scene was set for Hamilton City to reach the “tūī tipping
point”. This milestone was achieved around 2010 after the Hamilton Halo programme (established
2007) undertook intensive pest control in 2,000 hectares of forest patches within a 20 km radius of the
City. A dramatic increase in Hamilton tūī sightings has since been reported in 5-minute bird counts
(mean abundance increased 16 fold from 2004 - 2012) and very widely throughout social and
traditional media. These are significant achievements but questions remain as to the relative
importance of different initiatives and whether tūī could have been brought back sooner. Coordinated
approaches which span urban and periurban zones are likely to give the best results for bringing
nature back into New Zealand cities similar to Hamilton.
O30.4
The San Francisco Public Utility Commission's Bioregional Habitat Restoration Program:
detection and management of plant pathogens when implementing ecosystem restoration
J. Gorham1, G. Lyman2, E. Natesan2, T. Swiecki3, E. Bernhardt3
1
CH2M HILL, Oakland, United States, 2San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco,
3
United States, Phytosphere Research, Vacaville, United States
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) provides water, power, and sewer services to
the City and County of San Francisco and additional counties, with a total customer base of 2.5
million. To address aging infrastructure and seismic concerns, the SFPUC implemented the Water
System Improvement Program (WSIP) which includes pipeline replacements, water treatment
facilities, and replacement of a 117 million cubic meter capacity dam. WSIP resulted in impacts to
wetlands, waterways, and protected species. To mitigate for impacts, the SFPUC implemented the
Bioregional Habitat Restoration Program, encompassing nearly 700 hectares of habitat restoration and
management on over a dozen sites including creation/enhancement of 42 hectares of wetland and
riparian habitat, restoration along over 10 kilometers of stream channels, and weed and grazing
management on watershed lands. Restoration called for planting over 500,000 nursery grown plants
on 156 hectares.
The SFPUC implemented numerous measures to protect watershed resources including the following
requirements: plants and seeds were from a local genetic source; plant and seed collections were
tracked to minimize impacts to local source populations; nurseries were to adhere to strict sanitary
protocols; equipment and imported materials (such as rootwads for creek restoration) were
decontaminated. Nevertheless plant pathogens, including several species of Phytophthora, were
introduced, most likely with nursery stock. Impacts to watershed lands are being evaluated. The fact
that pathogens were found in plants from multiple nurseries in spite of contractual nursery
requirements that exceeded industry standards suggests that pathogen introductions during
restoration may be much more common than previously understood. In response, the SFPUC has
evaluated alternative approaches to wildland restoration to include: risk assessment based on
location; stringent nursery protocols and sampling; on-site nurseries; alternative planting techniques
including direct seeding or non-rooted cuttings; and containment and control measures for introduced
pathogens. SFPUC formalized and implemented this alternative approach.
O31.1
Species assemblages in the Ruhr River and floodplain: timescales in restoration effects
K. Januschke, A. Lorenz, D. Hering
Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
Nowadays, an increasing number of studies deal with effects of river restoration on biota. Those
studies often focus on aquatic organism groups or analyse only one organism group. Riparian
organism groups are less investigated, although morphological river restorations often improve
riparian and floodplain habitats. Furthermore, the temporal development of assemblages after
restoration is often disregarded. We suppose that aquatic and riparian assemblages differ in their
succession, but a comprehensive investigation of the succession of aquatic and riparian species
following restoration is still missing. Hence, we compared species assemblages of 5 organism groups
(carabid beetles, floodplain vegetation, benthic invertebrates, fish, aquatic macrophytes) between 3
young restored sections (stepwise restored from 2007 to 2009), 2 non-restored sections and an old
restored section with a passive development since 1990. Investigations started in 2008, and continued
3 to 5 years.
Our data analysis focused on the following questions:
· Does the magnitude of restoration effects differ between aquatic and riparian organism groups?
· Are there differences in species assemblages depending on the timescale?
In the first years after restoration, assemblages of carabid beetles, floodplain vegetation and aquatic
macrophytes responded strongly to improved habitat conditions. In the old restored section, carabid
and plant assemblages contained complex species compositions reflecting high habitat diversity.
Altogether, riparian organism groups and aquatic macrophytes benefited from improved habitat
conditions in the short- and the long-term. Effects on assemblages of benthic invertebrates and fish
were minor and might require longer time spans than investigated due to the influence of multiple
pressures.
The study was supported by the EU-funded Integrated Project REFORM (Restoring rivers FOR
effective catchment Management; EU 7th Programme for RTD; Grant Agreement No. 282656),
Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (FK 25032-33 ⁄ 2) and Hesse's Ministry of Environment
(FK III 2-79i 02).
O31.2
Ecosystem response to a more dynamic water regime: restoration project from the River
Danube (Germany) as a case study
B. Stammel, B. Cyffka, M. Gelhaus, P. Fischer
Floodplain Institute Neuburg, Katholische Universitaet Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Neuburg a.d.Donau,
Germany
As many rivers in Europe, the river Danube was straightened and embanked in the last two centuries.
In the 1970s, the river was additionally dammed up by many hydropower barrages. So, the natural
dynamic has been inhibited, the floodplain was disconnected from its river. Notwithstanding the
hydropower dams, a restoration project is aiming to bring back natural water dynamics to the
floodplain forest. Three measures were implemented:
(1) construction of a new floodplain river
(2) controlled flooding during high discharge in the Danube
(3) groundwater draw-down in the floodplain during low discharge in the Danube.
Since 2010, species and habitats typical for floodplains should be promoted by these regular
disturbances. The results of a 4-year monitoring (vegetation, invertebrates, fishes, birds, mollusks)
demonstrate the overwhelming role of dynamic water levels for the resilient floodplain ecosystem.
The riparian vegetation along the new floodplain river showed a quick response to the changed abiotic
conditions. Many species and target species re-appeared. The forest vegetation only inundated for a
few days, in contrast, has not shown any reaction, yet. Fish species and terrestrial mollusks also
reacted positively to the measures (species and target species). Invertebrates, in contrast, decreased
enormously in species and individual numbers due to the new disturbances, whereas birds did not
significantly change.
We conclude that a dynamic water discharge can initiate the re-establishment of typical floodplain
communities, but effects are restricted to a small corridor. The observed species groups did react
contrarily and the management has to decide which species should be promoted. To restore the whole
floodplain of the Danube, more water has to be diverted for longer periods. Therefore, protecting the
last remaining natural floodplain areas is the key task to maintain biodiversity in floodplains, and only
then degraded floodplains should be restored.
O31.3
Ecological assessment of riverbank revitalisation measures to restore riparian vegetation in a
highly modified river
K. Strobl, A.-L. Wurfer, J. Kollmann
Restoration Ecology, Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Technische Universität München,
Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
Anthropogenic activities are concentrated along rivers, and the resulting river regulations have strongly
reduced the lateral connectivity by separating rivers from their floodplains. Thus, riparian habitat
heterogeneity and the related species diversity are degrading, especially in highly modified prealpine
rivers. Riverbank revitalisation measures aim at mitigating this degradation, but although river
restoration projects have become widespread, little knowledge exists about their specific outcome.
This is because standardised and well-documented monitoring programs are missing. Assessments
should be based on an improvement of vegetation structure, an increase of species diversity, and a
characteristic species composition. The aim of this study is to systematically compare vegetation
change in response to three measures of riverbank diversification, i.e. embankment removal, sand
input or gravel addition. Moreover, the influence on adjacent terrestrial vegetation is studied. The field
work was done along River Inn northeast of Munich. Vegetation structure, species identity and cover
as well as selected habitat parameters were recorded in a stratified randomised sampling design;
variation between measures was analysed using uni- and multivariate statistics. We detected great
differences in the effect of the three measures two years after implementation. Embankment removal
initiated highly dynamic habitats where plant establishment was difficult. The input of sand led to a
rather homogenous species composition, at least partly because these habitats became more
productive and could develop into tall reed stands or riparian forests. After gravel addition the restored
sites remained relatively open, while riparian pioneer species could colonise. Vegetation structure and
composition of adjacent reed stands were positively affected. The results indicate that the outcome of
riverbank revitalisation strongly depends on the specific measures chosen. This confirms the need for
careful consideration of the pursued goals and site-specific conditions prior to implementation as well
as long-term monitoring after implementation.
The project was financially supported by VERBUND Innkraftwerke.
O31.4
Investigating the effectiveness of microcatchments for a riparian ecosystem restoration trial in
the Nama-Karoo, South Africa
1,2
1,2
3
4
1
A.S. Jackson , B. Currie , S. Milton , B. Schumann , B. Wigley
1
School of Natural Resource Management, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, George, South
Africa, 2Sustainability Research Unit, George, South Africa, 3Wolwekraal Conservation and Research
Organisation, Prince Albert, South Africa, 4Drylands Conservation Program, Endangered Widlife Trust,
Loxton, South Africa
This study forms part of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Drylands Conservation Program (EWT-DCP)
involving a collaboration between Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), the EWT-DCP
and the Wolwekraal Conservation and Research Organisation (WCRO). The EWT-DCP required
research on several challenges identified through their work restoring arid areas, specifically relating to
increasing the survival rates of translocated nursery grown indigenous shrubs during restoration
activities. The study site (31°49´19.28"S, 22°10´12.47"E) is situated on the banks of the Sak River
within the Riverine Rabbit Sakrivier Conservancy. The study site has specific challenges to restoration
and plant growth, namely the high salinities and silt content of the soil. In addition there are harsh
environmental conditions including long and short term extreme temperature variation and low
amounts of erratic rainfall typically associated with the Nama-Karoo. The study investigated the use of
microcatchments as a restoration technique. Survival rates and rate of increase in percentage cover of
two species (Salsola aphylla & Tripteris spinescens) and two age classes (less than six months and
greater than six months) as well as the planting position in relation to the microcatchment were
investigated to determine the most efficient method for plant translocation. The study also investigated
the surface condition and volumetric water content of the soil in association with the microcatchments.
Preliminary results showed little difference between the survival rates of the two species (0.14%),
older plants had a higher survival rate (15%) than younger plants. For both species plants positioned
outside of the microcatchments had a higher survival rate (20.6%) than plants positioned inside the
microcatchments. The use of microcatchments is recommended to improve the survival rates of
translocated plants. However, in this environment, care must be taken when positioning the plants in
relation to the microcatchments to avoid the mortalities associated with inundation.
O31.5
Evaluation of new habitat areas suitable for salmon in the Selune River (Lower-Normandy,
France) after the removal of big dam
1
1
2
3
1
G. Forget , M. Nevoux , F. Marchand , A. Richard , J.-L. Baglinière
1
2
UMR ESE Ecology and Ecosystem Health, INRA, Rennes, France, U3E Experimental Unit in
Ecology and Ecotoxicology, INRA, Rennes, France, 3ONEMA, Bourg-Achard, France
The Selune River is a salmon river 100 km long flowing into the Mont Saint Michel Bay in LowerNormandy. The presence of two big dams (16 m and 36 m height) reduces the distribution area of
salmon to the 14 km downstream part of the river mouth. French government decided to remove the
two dams by 2019 to conform to the European Water Framework Directive. In this context, it was
interesting to estimate the potential gain in suitable habitat for juvenile salmon (riffle, rapids and run)
and then predict future production in smolt and adult after reopening of the headwaters. To achieve
these goals, we first modelled the expected salmon production area for the actual flooded valley using
indirect habitat descriptors such as river width and slope. The model was fitted on datasets integrating
detailed habitat characteristics for several neighboring rivers. The model predicts an increase in
suitable habitats of 3.7 times, resulting in a total production area equals to 342,200 m². More
importantly, the flooded area is expected to become the most optimal area for salmon juvenile
production. Then, a matrix population model was built to predict the potential number of adult salmons
returning to the river. Based on the demographic parameters observed in this salmon population over
the last decade, our result suggests a fourfold increase in adult abundance after the dam removal.
These estimates provide a relevant tool to help managers focus their efforts to improve the success of
this restoration.
O32.1
Forest is coming. Perception of forests and nature conservation by the rural population of a
mountainous region of Castelló, Spain
1
2
3
A. Grau Muñoz , A. Navas Saurin , D. Arizpe Ochoa
1
Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain,
2
Department of Teaching and Scholastic Organization, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain,
3
Centre of Applied Forest Research (CIEF), VAERSA-Generalitat Valenciana, Quart de Poblet, Spain
In this paper we will present the findings of an on-going research developed under the LIFE project
“Renaix el Bosc” (LIFE11 NAT ES 706). This project is entitled to the preservation of the Natura 2000
priority habitat of the Tilio-Acerion at the SCI's “L'alt Maestrat” and “Tinença de Benifassà, Turmell i
Vallivana”, in northern Castelló, Spain. One of its work-packages has as main aim the description of
the social nature of the peasants and citizens with the forest and the grounds surrounding their
villages, both in past and present times. In order to do so we have conducted 15 in depth interviews to
elder men and women, to professional workers related in any aspect to the land and, finally, to young
peasants that have get to make their way from the land goods. The script followed focus on past social
history, meaning that we asked about which uses people recall from the forest, about the festivities
related to it, or the kind of profit it was available at that time; the kind of profits that it is possible
nowadays, and, mainly, how formal preservation should take into account different gazes of the forest
possibilities and uses. We have found strong differences from then and now, where the main result of
our research points to the fact that the gained terrain to the forest, due to the economic crisis and the
massive abandonment of the 80s and 90s, is now being occupy by the forest itself again, since the
nature, “left alone”, tends to recover all the grounds surrounding villages that use to be cultivate with
basic crops. Thorough most of the interviews conducted, general perception states that despite the
efforts and long history of culture overcoming nature, if forest remains unattended it will finish by
swallow villages into it.
O32.2
Perception and evaluation of Borneo land management strategies for novelty and sustainability
D. Rayome1, S. Murphy1, J. Harris2, R. Rooney1
1
2
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada, Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom
Land management strategies in sensitive ecosystems can result in conflict if alternate perspectives are
incompatible, such as rainforests on the island of Borneo. Indigenous farmers in Rumah Siba and
government forestry officials practice a variety of strategies including subsistence production, export
cropping, traditional hunting and gathering, and conservation forestry. The presented research
determined strategy choices affect sustainability perceptions among and between different
management types, a situation where alternative multiuse agroforestry-based management strategies
may an appropriate compromise. This view was supported by results from emergy analysis of ten
different land management strategies, including two proposed agroforestry-based alternatives.
Reconciling contrasting views is needed to support strategies that manage for novelty and other
effects of human activity in tropical forests.
O32.3
Assessment of employees' perceptions of approaches to rehabilitation and sustainable water
management by coal and iron ore mining companies
S.L.M. Liphadzi
Water-Linked Ecosystems, Water Research Commission, Pretoria, South Africa
A study was conducted to investigate the use of sustainable or green water management approaches
by the coal and iron ore mining companies in South Africa. The specific aims of this study were to
assess South African mining employees' perceptions about: their companies' use of sustainable water
management approaches in mining operations, their perception about the sustainability of the water
management approaches or practices used by their mining companies, and to investigate employees'
perception about what they viewed as gaps or areas requiring improvement for the mining companies
to improve their water (or environmental) sustainability. A survey was conducted using a questionnaire
that was structured in three (3) sections, and comprised both closed-ended and open-ended
questions. The data were coded by assigning a number to each response choice and analysed using
the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) software programme. Themes based on the
responses to the open-ended questions were developed and also coded for analysis by SPSS.
Frequencies for each question were generated, while associations between some variables were
tested at the p≤0.05 level of statistical significance. The survey results indicated that the sustainability
approaches of the coal and iron ore mining companies to improve water management included the
development of strategies and plans for water conservation, reduction of water withdrawal to curtail
water use or consumption, prevention of water pollution by mine wastewater and effluent, and ethical
and honest disclosure of water issues. The study also showed that most of the mining companies had
programs aimed at rehabilitating water resources and land degraded by mining activities. In addition,
their rehabilitation programs were supported by developed mine closure plans and reasonable
budgets.
O32.4
Social perception of the risks and benefits of tidal wetland restoration: case study of Steart
Coastal Realignment Project, Somerset, UK
H. Yamashita1, R.J. McInnes2
1
2
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), Beppu, Japan, RM Wetlands & Environment Ltd,
Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Tidal wetland restoration projects have been conducted in recent years in an attempt to inter alia
provide sustainable coastal flood risk management, prepare for sea level rise or revitalize fish stocks.
For many stakeholders, the realignment of coastal flood defences or the re-flooding farmland
represents a new concept. Due to the need for long-term social support and investment in such
schemes, it is increasingly important for a restoration project to take into account the various
stakeholder perceptions.
At the moment, however, there are ambiguities surrounding: how various stakeholders perceive the
'benefits' and 'risks' of local restoration projects, and how the findings could make a contribution to
future decision making and support for future tidal wetland restoration.
This Japanese government funded three year research project not only revealed the perceived 'risks'
and 'benefits' towards the tidal flat restoration project, but also the fact that no matter whether people
are 'for' or 'against' the project, each opinion towards the project had roots in the following 4 main
discourse areas:
1) meaning of restoration action (value of possibly restored place; value towards restoration action
itself; long-term planning; refusal of another change),
2) worries and past experience of loss (loss of existing situations; regaining what has been lost in the
past),
3) ensuring 'fairness' (loss of fairness; gaining and regaining fairness), and
4) views towards future (positive and negative views).
This presentation tries to investigate “better communication strategies” for future tidal wetland
restoration projects in the UK and beyond, by looking at how the 'risks' and 'benefits' of the restoration
projects were discussed and negotiated by different stakeholders.
O32.5
Combating desertification in the Bawku area of Ghana: farmers' perception of desertification
and project interventions
O. Fuseini
Field Operations, Environmental Protection Agency, Bolgatanga, Ghana
Land degradation together with desertification is a growing threat in Ghana because of socioeconomic and climatic factors. The Government of Ghana with the support of international
development partners has since the 1980s designed and implemented a number of programmes and
projects in the desert-prone areas of the country to reverse land degradation and combat
desertification. The Bawku Area in Northern Ghana is the most desert-prone in the country and has
therefore attracted extensive attention and development interventions. Yet the land in the area is
continuously being degraded by the same causative factors the projects are trying to halt such as
deforestation, unsustainable farming practices and bushfires. Therefore, it is important to examine the
farmers' understanding of desertification and also explore their perceptions of project interventions for
combating desertification. This study aims to highlight why the farmers still follow practices that are
driving land degradation. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with local farmers in
two (2) communities within the Bawku Area. The study's results revealed that majority of the farmers
are aware of land degradation and threats of desertification. They are also aware of the benefits of the
desertification control projects to their farms and communities, and a large number of the responses
suggested that the projects have led to greater awareness against bush burning and deforestation.
However, the findings of this study have shown that, eventhough the farmers know their actions may
be causing severe land degradation; they are reluctant/slow to change their attitudes. This outcome
supports the proposition that people's perceptions and attitudes do not always lead to behavioural
change/action. The study concludes that it is important for project interventions to incorporate the
needs and preferences of target population at all stages of decision making and particularly give
special attention to local stakeholders' views.
O33.1
Ecological restoration at meaningful time scales
S. Galatowitsch
University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, United States
Over the past few decades, the ecological restoration projects people attempt with confidence have
become larger and more complex. This is good news; restoration is trivial if not pursued at scale and
scope commensurate with the Earth's most pressing environmental challenges. However, as a
scientific field and as a professional practice, ecological restoration has not made much progress
towards working at meaningful time-scales. In many parts of the world, restoration efforts under a few
years in duration abound, whereas projects with ongoing management and monitoring exceeding 5
years are rare. For the most part this short project time horizon reflects policy preferences for funding
new projects and program budget cycles tied to rapid accountability. Planned short time horizons are
not consistent with the recovery rates of ecosystems, which we have learned is often much longer
than expected. And, for highly degraded ecosystems, there is mounting evidence that restoration
interventions must be sustained long enough to counteract reinforcing effects from positive feedbacks
- or risk project failure. To restore highly degraded grasslands, wetlands, rivers, or forests is clearly a
commitment of decades, not a couple of years. What can be done to reduce the prevalence of “hitand-run” restorations? First, plans and budgets need to be tied to realistic, time-bound goals. Second,
competitive funding for restoration work should be based on
1) an organization's demonstrated ability to achieve ecological outcomes and
2) an organization's resilience.
Third, researchers need to focus more attention on providing decision-support for follow-up restoration
actions and on developing restoration methods intended to accelerate recovery. Finally, policy review
is needed to balance support for new and ongoing restoration efforts.
O33.2
Passive vs. active restoration: use and abuse
K. Prach
Faculty of Science USB, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
Literature was reviewed across habitats and geographical regions where passive restoration (natural
regeneration, spontaneous succession, unassisted restoration, etc.) has been used and with which
results. Passive restoration is compared with active restoration (assisted restoration, manipulated
succession, technical reclamation, etc.) and some examples of both approaches are given. Some
attempts for generalizations, including conceptual schemes, are presented. It seems, active
restoration should usually be preferred either under really extreme environmental site conditions,
and/or in largely human-altered landscapes where non-indigenous species prevail, and/or if disturbed
sites are very large in their extent. Despite some limitations we argue, passive restoration, usually
manifested as prescribed spontaneous succession, may represent under certain conditions a very
effective and operative option in many restoration projects and should be used more often then until
now. In some cases, spontaneous succession can be manipulated to reach targets, arrested or even
returned back from its trajectory.
O33.3
An exploratory study of restoration worldviews at the SER 2013 World Conference
M. Matsler, S. Kidd
Portland State University, Portland, United States
Ecological restoration is driven by human actions. There is active debate, however, regarding the
appropriate degree of human intervention in ecosystems required to produce desired restoration
outcomes. Within the restoration practitioner community, there is further disagreement regarding how
these restoration interventions use ecological theory.
We utilize Q-method, an exploratory mixed method, to describe a variety of ecological worldviews
found in the restoration community to better understand this contestation regarding appropriate
restoration implementation. Over 50 restoration practitioners participated in our study during the
Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) World Conference in 2013. Using rank-order surveys and
follow-up interviews, we identify the ways in which restoration practitioners prioritize contrasting
ecological theory (in particular succession and novel ecosystems) to justify different restoration
techniques; we explore their perceptions of the required human input/management/intervention in
maintenance of restoration projects.
Results from this survey highlight three significant groups, each with a driving perception of
restoration:
1) Dynamic Equilibrium,
2) Iterative Human-Nature Relationship,
3) Traditional Succession.
Characteristic surveys of each group identified through PCA were reviewed and the accompanying
interviews were closely coded. These interviews were used to describe each of the groups more fully.
Additional interviews, from less characteristic participants were analyzed for opinions regarding
restoration that were not captured by the dominant groupings.
In the end, a multi-faceted description of the theories and concepts driving restoration emerged. The
continued professionalization of the field of restoration makes this a timely investigation;
standardization through practitioner certification programs will impact the use of different management
techniques and ecological theories. Data from this study can be used to better understand the ways
different ecological theories and worldviews influence restoration implementation and aid the ongoing
development of restoration ecological theory and practice.
This research was generously funded by the NSF IGERT Grant #0966376 and SER in kind support.
O34.1
Nitrogen fertilization during nursery production and protection after outplanting improve
restoration of Nothofagus alessandrii, an endangered, endemic Chilean species
1
1
1
1
2
M.A. Acevedo , I. Quiroz , M. Gonzalez , E. Cartes , K. Dumroese
1
Sede Biobío, Instituto Forestal, San Pedro de la Paz, Chile, 2Rocky Mountain Research Station,
USDA Forest Service, Moscow, United States
Ruil forests, located in the Mediterranean zone of Chile, have been seriously degraded and
fragmented by strong anthropogenic pressure. Ruil (Nothofagus alessandrii Espinosa) is an endemic
Chilean species officially cataloged as critically endangered and declared a national monument. This
species' natural distribution is restricted to a 100-km-wide latitudinal zone in the coast range. Presently
it covers only 339 ha, found in 186 fragments of which 95% are less than 2 ha is size. Although
restoration is desired, little information is available regarding nursery propagation methods and
silvicultural techniques required to establish this species on potential restoration sites.
Therefore, we evaluated first-year survival and growth of N. alessandri as affected by combinations of
-1
container size (130 and 280 ml), nitrogen (N) fertilization (0, 200, 400 and 600 mg N L with the rest of
the nutrients constant), and seedling protection (with and without mesh guards) after outplanting them
on a site within the species range. Although no significant interactions were observed, our results
showed that N fertilization and seedling protection significantly increased survival; fertilization
increased survival from 28 to 48% and protection increased survival from a 25 to a 60%. Survival and
growth were unaffected by container size. Nitrogen content, rather than concentration, proved to be
the better predictor of survival; seedlings with N contents ≥ 25.8 mg (achieved with N fertilization ≥ 200
-1
mg N L ) survived equally well and significantly more than the control. The most growth was observed
-1
in plants fertilized with 600 mg N L (56.2 mg N in plant). Herbivory was not observed, but the mesh
protection guards drastically modified the micro-environmental conditions, reducing the average daily
maximum temperature by 8ºC and increasing the average daily relative humidity by 20 percentage
points.
O34.2
Creating new populations of rare, endemic mustard species in Colorado, USA
1
2
2
S.L. Victor , M.W. Paschke , J.L. Jonas
1
Graduate Degree Program in Ecology / Forest Rangeland Stewardship, Colorado State University,
Fort Collins, United States, 2Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Colorado State University, Fort
Collins, United States
Physaria obcordata and Physaria congesta are rare plants endemic to the Piceance Basin of
northwestern Colorado, USA. Since the Federal listing of both species in 1990, management efforts
have focused largely on protecting critical habitat. However, this unique habitat is also a prime shale
gas development area, necessitating additional measures to protect and restore both species. Overall
objective of our research is to determine the best approach for establishing new populations of P.
obcordata and P. congesta in suitable but unoccupied habitats in Piceance Basin. To address this
objective we used 3 methods: a soil feedback experiment, field ecological survey, and field
establishment experiment. In recent years it has been shown that relative abundance of some species
is strongly correlated with plant soil feedbacks and rare species can demonstrate strong negative
feedbacks with pathogens from their own root systems (Klironomos 2002). Based on this theory we
conducted a 12-week soil feedback study using inoculum collected from occupied and unoccupied
suitable sites. We found no significant differences in estimated biomass between soil occupied status
of either species. To further investigate the differences between occupied and unoccupied sites we
conducted a field ecological survey, building upon previous habitat suitability research, comparing
plant cover, soil color, and soil/air temperature differential. These results will help to narrow the
definition of suitable habitat for both species. The final phase of our research, which was delayed for a
year due to legal issues, was to establish field plots, where we seeded and transplanted both species
during Fall 2014. Additional plants will be transplanted during Spring 2015. Initial germination and
establishment rates, collected late spring 2015, will expand our understanding of the restoration
potential of these species. Results from this research will assist land managers to make informed
decisions regarding future protection and restoration of these species.
O34.3
Can ecological restoration rescue the world's threatened tree species?
D. Gill1, P.M. Hoffmann2, K. Shaw3
1
2
Global Trees Campaign, Fauna & Flora International, Cambridge, United Kingdom, Sociedade
3
Chaua, Campo Largo, Brazil, Botanic Gardens Conservation International, London, United Kingdom
More than 9000 of the world's tree species are threatened with extinction. Many are naturally rare,
have fragmented populations and are failing to regenerate in their natural habitat. For these species,
restoration is often essential to reinforce and reconnect the remaining populations. Although huge
numbers of trees are set to be planted in the next five years (the FAO estimates that planted forest will
increase to 300 million ha by 2020), threatened tree species are rarely incorporated in this effort. This
presentation explores the major technical, financial and social barriers to adopting threatened tree
species within restoration projects and presents methods used by one project in southern Brazil's
Araucaria forest as an example of how these factors can be addressed. Results from the Araucaria
forest project include improved technical knowledge on how to source, grow and plant more than 30
threatened species and the increased use of threatened species by the major stakeholders
responsible for the production (e.g. government nurseries) and planting (e.g. NGOs and landowners)
of trees for restoration. The potential to replicate this approach as a means to upscale action for the
world's threatened trees within restoration projects is discussed.
This work is supported by the Global Trees Campaign, a joint initiative between Fauna & Flora
International and Botanic Gardens Conservation International, dedicated to securing the future of the
world's threatened tree species.
O34.4
A microsatellite study of pasqueflower (Anemone pulsatilla L.): restoration genetics of a
vulnerable UK plant species
1
2
3
3
4
4
4
G. Worswick , K. Hardwick , D.L. Roberts , J. Groombridge , R. Cowan , S.E. Barlow , M. Fay , C.
5
6
Arnold , L. Pike
1
Queen Mary University London, London, United Kingdom, 2Millennium Seed Bank Partnership, Royal
Botanic Gardens Kew, Wakehurst Place, United Kingdom, 3DICE, University of Kent, Canterbury,
4
5
United Kingdom, Royal Botanic Garden Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom, University of Kent,
6
Canterbury, United Kingdom, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
In decline throughout much of its European range, Pasqueflower (A. pulsatilla) serves as a flagship
species for the conservation of species rich chalk and limestone grassland in the UK. This attractive
early flowering species, traditionally associated with Easter (Paschal), occupies an increasingly
restricted distribution in the UK and is confined predominately to unimproved grassland sites in the
Chiltern and Cotswold Hills. A recent assessment of the species conservation status in the UK
concluded that the majority of A. pulsatilla sites are threatened by small population size (< 100
individuals) and gene-flow isolation. In response to the immediate conservation threat faced by A.
pulsatilla The National Trust and RBG Kew are leading a species research and recovery project
entitled 'Towards the Landscape Scale Restoration of A. pulsatilla'.
The incorporation of conservation genetic principles and knowledge of a species natural genetic
variability have been shown to be key elements of successful, in the long term, plant species
restoration projects. A comprehensive population genetic study of wild and restored populations of A.
pulsatilla has therefore been coordinated by RBG Kew (Jodrell Laboratory & Millennium Seed Bank)
over the last three years. Analysis of ten loci microsatellite data has revealed a strong population
genetic structure for A. pulsatilla in the UK reflecting geographic patterns of historical range
fragmentation and the influence of prior restoration intervention. This study will inform an integrated
strategy for the restoration of species range and the recovery of A. pulsatilla population genetic
diversity. The study also examines the influence of ex situ conservation practices (such as nursery
propagation and collection regeneration) on the genetic representativeness of wild provenance A.
pulsatilla populations. Demonstrating the inherent challenges of maintain genetic diversity outside of
the natural environment.
O35.1
Anthropogenic landscape change: synthesis of the concepts and quantification methods;
towards a new methodological framework
1
1,2
1
2
1
M. André , I. Vranken , G. Mahy , M. Visser , J. Bogaert
1
BIOSE Department, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium, 2Research Unit of Landscape Ecology
and Plant Production Systems, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
Anthropogenic disturbances impact the whole biosphere, at least indirectly, and are of major concern
in various disciplines and policies. To tackle it, most studies, specific to their thematic, create their own
reference framework without connection with related purposes in other disciplines. This results in a
plethora of terms and concepts that in turn impedes addressing that issue on a comprehensive way as
well as complementarity between studies.
Here, we clarify and synthesize the most frequently employed terms to characterise human impact on
the environment (anthropisation, naturalness, hemeroby, novel ecosystem, analogous ecosystem,
climax, etc.), their synonyms, the nuances and relationships between each of them, as well as the
concepts used to designate the responses given by humans to environmental disturbances
(restoration, management, conservation). We go on reviewing the methods used to assess
anthropogenic changes, exploring different branches of ecology and geography. The strengths and
weaknesses of the existing approaches are then used as a basis to develop a new analytical
framework: we propose an action-oriented type of naturalness, and we develop a general
methodology to quantify landscape anthropisation. Our methodology combines object-oriented and
gradient analyses. Moreover, it is based on the assessment of ecosystem disturbance, landscape
configuration and dynamics as well as on easily acquired data sets.
Our integrated approach of the concern could be at the basis of land planning, environmental
restoration and management practices as well as policies.
O35.2
A methodological framework to characterize the dynamics of restored communities
R. Jaunatre1, J.G. Alday2
2
Mountain Ecosystems Research Unit, Irstea, Saint Martin d'Hères, France, School of Environmental
Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
1
Over the past 20 years, remarkable progress on ecological restoration techniques has been made.
Most of these techniques have been focused on manipulating succession: e.g. pointing, accelerating
or slowing the successional trajectories to reach a desirable state and/or to move from a degraded
state. Despite many metrics are used to monitor restored plant communities few frameworks are
taking into account their dynamics. We propose some keys to answer the following questions:
(1) How far did the restored communities move from the degraded state?
(2) Do they still differentiate from the degraded state?
(3) Are they creating alternative stable or transient states in between the degraded and the reference
state?
(4) How close did they move to the reference state?
(5) Does the restored community still go toward the reference?
The standardized integrative follow-up framework we propose allows summarizing answers to these
questions. Based on distances between several states (degraded community at initial
(i) and assessed state
(ii), restored community at initial
(iii) and assessed state
(iv) and reference community at initial
(v) and assessed state
(vi)), we inferred metrics, each of it corresponding to a previously generated questions.
Depending on the assessment focus, it is possible to use several community characteristics to
calculate these relatively simple metrics such as species-richness, biomass, composition or functional
characteristics. The framework will be presented in regard with common restoration ecology
theoretical concepts. It will be then applied with both theoretical communities and actual experimental
communities. The discussion will deal with potential and limitation of the framework application, as well
as its potential future development.
O36.2
Strategies to enhance the natural forest succession at Orinoquia region, with artificial bat
roosts and it's seed dispersal
D. Casallas-Pabón1,2, R. Rojas-Robles3
1
Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota D. C, Colombia, 2Applied
Biodiversity Fundation, Bogota D. C, Colombia, 3Departamento de Biologia, Universidad Nacional de
Colombia, Bogota D. C, Colombia
The lack of seed rain is the major limiting factor in the regeneration of abandoned neotropical
pastures. Bats are one of the most important dispersers of small seeds at large distances, for its
effectiveness, abundance and wide distribution. The large size trees loss affect the roost ecology of
important seed dispersers such as bats. We installed 36 artificial bat roosts (40x40x120cm), built on
6mm concrete slabs, and distributed in a landscape matrix of 7,000Ha in a Forest-Savanna
ecosystem, at Colombian Orinoco foot hills. They were located in three types of vegetation (forest,
scrub core, isolated tree on pasture), installed on its periphery (13 for box) a total of 468 seed traps
(50X50cm). Bimonthly, for two years (2012-2014) were collected, separated and identified seeds and
those were tested before and after installation of the bat roosts, assessing their influence. Likewise we
were monitoring bats community with mist nets, collecting and identifying the seeds disperse.
Evidence of boxes colonization by bats, was evaluated, showing colonization of 58% of forest boxes,
25% scrub core and only 8% reported on isolated trees. we captured 539 bats belonging to 38
species, 45% of which, were frugivorous seed dispersers of Phyllostomidae family. In general the
seeds of the genera Clidemia, Miconia, Ficus, Cecropia, Piper and Vismia were the most abundant in
the samples tested. Many seeds were dispersed by animals on pasture at cores forest remote
stations. The installation of artificial bat roost, potentially increases seed dispersal on its periphery,
however the type of coverage and internal box microclimatic factors affect colonization. An additional
assessment of seedling establishment is required to ensure direct effect of the boxes as an
succession enhancer, and consider that the ecology of the habits of bats Shelter should be seen as a
complex interplay of physiological, behavioral responses and morphological adaptations.
O36.3
Examining ecosystem bias in restoration experiments and an example in lowland tropical
forest
1
2
1
3
S. Cordell , R. Ostertag , L. Warman , P. Vitousek
1
2
Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Hilo, United States, Biology, University of
Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, United States, 3Biology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, United States
Restoration experiments allow for testing of hypotheses, providing important answers about
community assembly, successional trajectories and ecosystem functioning for scientists and
practitioners. Besides the practical applications of restoration experiments (e.g., control versus
treatments), there is a clear need for experiments to help determine which variables are most
important to consider for ecosystem functioning. For example, in most ecosystems ecologists do not
understand the basics of the successional process, such as importance of species richness, biomass
ratios, functional traits, spatial patterning, and priority effects, in order to conduct a successful
restoration project. The types of ecosystems where restoration experiments are conducted are biased
towards systems where experimentation is easiest and not necessarily representative of ecosystems
and biomes for which restoration is most pressing. For example in a Web of Science search
conducted in Mar 2015 using the term “restoration experiment,” 78 relevant studies were found. The
distribution of studies was very unequal: approximately 53% worked in herbaceous communities, 36%
in woody communities of which only 8 studies were conducted in the tropics, and 9% in aquatic
communities. We describe a restoration experiment in an underrepresented ecosystem, a lowland
tropical wet forest in Hawaii, where low species richness provides a tractable system with which to
experiment, and the climate ensures that canopy closure can occur within reasonable time frames.
Four treatments (hybrid ecosystems) and an unmanipulated control treatment were created as the
“Liko Nā Pilina” experiment to test whether greater invasion resistance, carbon sequestration, and
native species regeneration occur under combinations of species whose traits are more dissimilar
(complementary) or similar (redundant). Working in tropical forests with long lived large trees is a
daunting challenge, but we describe the reasons why broadening the experimental scope is essential
for restoration ecology.
O36.4
How does your rainforest grow? Assessing the response of biodiversity and ecosystem
functions to ecological restoration of previously cleared rainforest
1,2
2
1
M.A. Derhé , H. Murphy , R. Menendez
1
Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom, 2CSIRO
Ecosystem Sciences, Atherton, Australia
Tropical forest restoration is an important strategy for increasing the provision of ecosystem services
and reversing or mitigating biodiversity losses, and such programs require an understanding of how
both biodiversity and ecosystem processes respond to restoration efforts. Here, we focus on dung
beetles, which play a key role in ecosystem processes such as nutrient recycling and seed dispersal.
We assess the response of dung beetle diversity-functioning relationships to ecological restoration in
situ. We use a chronosequence of ecologically restored, previously cleared rainforest sites in the Wet
Tropics of Australia to look at these how these diversity-functioning relationships respond to ecological
reforestation over time. Dung beetle-mediated functions and community attributes were
simultaneously sampled at 20 sites across the Atherton Tablelands, comprising ecologically restored
planting sites of different ages, and 'reference' sites of ungrazed pasture and mature rainforest.
Relationships between faunal diversity and ecological function were examined using diversity indices,
calculated using morphological and behavioural traits, and functioning was measured as the
proportion of dung removed, the removal (and assumed dispersion) of artificial seeds from a dung pile,
and the mass of soil displaced from the soil profile during dung burial over a 48 hour period. The
results show that along the chronosequence (i.e. with increasing restoration age), dung beetle species
richness, abundance, biomass and functional richness increase, and reassembly trajectories move
towards mature forest reference sites in terms of community composition. We also found that
increased dung beetle functional richness in older restored sites was associated with an increase in
dung beetle-mediated functional efficiency. We therefore highlight the importance of using more than
one metric to characterise assemblages and biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships found in
restored areas, in order to better assess the efficacy of ecological restoration practices.
Funding body: This research is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
O36.5
Cost-effectiveness and contamination potential of glyphosate use in tropical forest restoration
of riparian buffers
1
2
1
F.G. Florido , J. Regitano , P.H.S. Brancalion
1
2
Forest Sciences, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil, Soil Sciences, University of São Paulo,
Piracicaba, Brazil
Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in ecological restoration. It is highly effective in
controlling weeds and has low costs. However, its use in riparian buffers is controversial because of
the risk of soil and water pollution. We assessed the cost-effectiveness and contamination potential of
glyphosate use compared to mowing for controlling weeds in riparian forest restoration. A restoration
plantation experiment was implemented in the Atlantic Forest region in Brazil to compare three weed
control treatments: (1) glyphosate spraying treatments; (2) low frequency mowing treatment; and (3)
high mowing frequency, which were assessed during the first year after planting. We compared
seedling development (height, basal diameter and crown cover), spontaneous regeneration (woody
and herbaceous species density and woody plant density), and quantified soil and water pollution
potential (glyphosate and AMPA concentration in soil and runoff solution - water and sediment), and
maintenance costs across all treatments. Total weed biomass was reduced by 50 percent in
glyphosate treatments compared to mowing treatments. Seedling crown area, basal area, and height
were a six-fold, five-fold, and two-fold higher, respectively, in glyphosate treatments compared to
mowing treatments. Species density of woody and herbaceous regenerating plants and density of
woody species were significantly higher in glyphosate treatment. Such ecological advantages of
glyphosate spraying were obtained with a 57% reduction of maintenance costs. We did not detect
glyphosate or AMPA residues in soil or runoff water, but values ranging from 1,323 to 24,753 µg.kg-1
for glyphosate, and 1,752 to 76,125 µg.kg-1 for AMPA were detected in runoff sediments. Glyphosate
spraying remarkably improved restoration plantation cost-effectiveness, but the high concentration of
residues in runoff sediments is a serious negative effect. Glyphosate accumulation in sediments can
be mitigated by soil conservation measures and grassy buffer strips to reduce risks of contamination of
water courses.
O37.1
Building on thirty years of research in tropical forest restoration through regional restoration
seed banks
K.A. Hardwick1, T. Pearce1, S. Elliott2, K. Sobon3, M. Nicholson4, K. Shaw5
1
2
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Ardingly, United Kingdom, Forest Restoration Research Unit, Chiang
3
Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Forestry Administration, Phnom Penh, Cambodia,
4
Brackenhurst Botanic Garden, Limuru, Kenya, 5Botanic Gardens Conservation International,
Richmond, United Kingdom
Over the past three decades, tropical forest restoration techniques have advanced considerably e.g.
accelerated natural regeneration, the framework species method, the Miyawaki method and
rainforestation, to name just a few. Since the 1990s, Forest Restoration Research Units in Thailand,
Cambodia and Kenya, have used standardized research protocols to optimize forest restoration
component tasks such as species selection and tree propagation, and to test the performance of
native tree species on degraded sites. They have identified native species that have high survival and
growth rates, shade out weeds, attract seed dispersing animals and are resilient to fire and browsing,
bringing about rapid biodiversity recovery. An overview of results from Thailand, Cambodia and Kenya
is presented.
However, despite such advances, the decline of tropical forests continues and, in most areas, rates of
forest recovery remain low. One of the major barriers to large scale forest restoration is the lack of
readily available native seed. Indeed, the FAO considers the development of tree seed programmes to
support national plantation programmes as one of its strategic priorities. We discuss various means to
achieve this goal, arguing that regional restoration seed banks can provide locally-suitable seed,
bringing substantial benefits to local communities. Whichever approach is adopted, it is essential that
seeds provided for forest restoration are genetically diverse, of appropriate origin and of guaranteed
quality.
The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew's Millennium Seed Bank Partnership (MSBP) can provide the
species-based information and technical expertise needed to meet these objectives. With a global
network spanning over 80 countries, and aiming to bank 25% of the world's bankable plant species by
2020, the MSBP now seeks to support partners throughout the tropics to make high-quality, native
seed more widely available to achieve national and global reforestation targets.
O37.2
Mixed benefits of using multiple seed sources for revegetation of native species
P. Mcilvenna, K. Hufford
Ecosystem Science & Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, United States
Studies have shown the importance of using genetically appropriate native seed for ecological
restoration, but collection of sufficient locally adapted seed for large-scale restoration projects can be
prohibitive. Attempts to produce large quantities of seeds of desired species in commercial settings
reduce these barriers, but may result in questionable suitability for restoration sites. Increasing genetic
diversity may overcome suitability barriers by providing the raw material for adaptation to altered
environments and future climates. We will present findings from a series of studies comparing
emergence and growth characteristics of both locally collected and commercially purchased Artemisia
frigida, Poa secunda, and Sphaeralcea coccinea sown in single-source and mixed-source treatments.
Local collections were made on naturally occurring populations found on undeveloped areas in the
Wyoming Basin, a high elevation plateau that sits in the rain shadow of the Rocky Mountains.
Commercial seed were purchased from sources outside of this region, but all accessions were
considered appropriate for use in the study area. Under benign greenhouse growing conditions,
mixed-source commercial treatments achieved significantly higher emergence than the lowest
emergence single-source commercial treatment. Ongoing trials examine treatment effects under
drought and field conditions. Water availability and a short growing season are limiting factors on plant
growth in the Wyoming Basin and the results of these trials will be presented to show treatment effects
under local stressors.
O37.3
What you seed is what you get? Comparing restoration success by seed or hay transfer
focusing on target species
F. Van de Meutter, R. Gyselings, E. Van den Bergh
Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek, Brussel, Belgium
Restoration ecology is primarily occupied with understanding and impacting on the driving factors for
restoring habitats and habitat quality. In this study we wish to improve our understanding of how and
why common transfer methods used in habitat restoration differ in the short-term establishment of
target plant species. This study is framed in a compensation project of brackish marshland in the port
of Antwerp (Belgium). We performed a large-scale outdoor experiment comparing success of seed
and hay transfer at two different sites, and a laboratory experiment to assess seed germinability. We
focused on six target species of brackish marshlands: Carex distans L., Glaux maritima L., Juncus
gerardii Loisel., Parapholis strigosa (Dum.) C.E. Hubbard, Trifolium fragiferum L. and Triglochin
maritima L. In the field study, we show that the short-term successful establishment of target plant
species is improved when seeds are transferred compared to when hay is transferred at similar seed
loads, although effect sizes were site-dependent. The difference could not be explained by variation in
the amount of hay, nor by cover by the fast-establishing non-target grass A. stolonifera. We suggest
seed position or seed clumping may be the main drivers of the observed difference. Establishment
success in the field was not correlated with seed weight as found by previous research, but correlated
well with germination success obtained in the laboratory. Finally, for most species, establishment
success was only a minor fraction of germination success in the laboratory, leaving ample scope for
further research to increase establishment rates and possibly long-term persistence of target species
at restoration sites. This study was funded by Waterways and Maritime Affairs Administration,
Maritime Access (aMT).
O37.4
Is wild seed harvesting for restoration compatible with native plant conservation? An
experimental approach from the North American Great Plains
J. Meissen1, S. Galatowitsch1, M. Cornett2
1
Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St Paul, United
2
States, The Nature Conservancy, Duluth, United States
Because grassland conversion to agriculture has been extensive in many regions of the world, there is
a growing interest in large-scale restoration of these ecosystems. Seed supply frequently limits the
size and scope of restoration projects. To meet demand, wild seed is often collected from native
grassland plant populations. However, overharvesting seed may deplete plant populations that rely on
seed to reproduce, undermining ecosystems at a site scale in the attempt to restore landscapes. We
asked the question: can overharvesting cause population declines, and if so, what factors contribute to
declines? We hypothesized that more frequent and intense (quantity of seed removed) seed harvest
would result in population declines in non-clonal species but would not affect populations of clonal
species. We conducted a large field experiment consisting of 480 planted populations of a short-lived
non-clonal species and a short-lived clonal species. We manipulated dormant season fire, seed
harvest intensity and seed harvest frequency, then measured changes in population growth among
seed harvest treatments in each species. To test whether species life history (clonality), harvest
intensity, and harvest frequency affect population growth rates, we conducted ANOVA tests using a
fixed effects model. Both harvest intensity and harvest frequency are important factors influencing
population growth, and non-clonal species are affected more than clonal species. Our results suggest
that frequent and intense seed harvest could cause population declines in non-clonal native prairie
plants, and that life history traits could be useful in determining general seed harvest guidelines
compatible with native plant conservation.
O37.5
An ecological genetic assessment of non-local provenance seed for restoration
1,2
S. Krauss
1
Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth, Australia, 2The University of Western Australia, Perth,
Australia
Decisions about the source location of seed or propagules can have significant consequences for
ecological restoration outcomes. Historically, local provenance material has been advocated, largely
on the basis of the assumption that non-local provenance material is relatively maladapted. More
recently, attention to climate change has seen recommendations for predictive sourcing. However,
field trials to assess the scale and extent of local adaptation and climate change effects in a
restoration context are rare, especially in an Australasian context. In this study, we assessed the
germination and early growth performance of 9600 seed collected from 24 provenances across the
distribution of Banksia menziesii (Proteaceae), a widespread, dominant species of Banksia woodlands
in south Western Australia, and international biodiversity hotspot. Climatic data were obtained for all
source sites, and climatic and geographic distances among sites calculated. The field trial was
conducted within two post-sandmining restoration sites near Perth. Germination, and above- and
below-ground seedling biomass were measured and variation across provenances assessed.
Correlations between provenance performance and all distance matrices were assessed to determine
the predictive capacity of each distance measure. The field trial also assessed the performance of
seed sourced from sites that are hotter and drier than the local restoration site. Seed germination and
seedling growth measures declined significantly with increasing geographic and climatic distance from
the restoration sites, indicating a home-site advantage. Despite unusually hot and dry conditions at the
restoration sites during the trial, seed sourced from the hottest and driest sites performed significantly
worse than seed from more local sites, indicating a disadvantage to predictive sourcing for climate
change. Ultimately, this ecological genetic study reinforces the benefits of local seed sourcing for the
restoration of Banksia woodlands.
O38.1
Peatland restoration: from research to current industrial practices
S. Boudreau
CSPMA, Rivière-du-Loup, Canada
The Canadian peat industry has funded major restoration research programs over the past 20 years,
along with governmental agencies. The restoration approach for cutover bogs developed by the
Peatland Ecology Research Group - the 'moss-layer transfer technique' - is based on two main
actions:
1) active reintroduction of peatland plants, combined with techniques to improve micro-environmental
conditions for plant establishment; and
2) rewetting through ditch blocking and other techniques fostering water distribution.
The evidence from this research demonstrates that restoration efforts can return a peatland that has
been harvested for horticultural use to a functioning ecosystem within a period of 15 to 20 years.
Research outcomes have been gradually integrated into industrial practices. In 1991, the CSPMA and
its members adopted a Preservation and Reclamation Policy that highlights restoration as the best
option. The industry took a step further in engaging with the Veriflora® Certification Standards and the
Sector Specific Annex (SCS Global). The Certification is intended to identify and encourage
responsible production practices and to stimulate continuing improvement. One requirement engages
the producer to restore all areas following harvesting activities. Today, at least 65% of the peat
harvested in Canada is certified. An environmental Life Cycle Analysis was also performed that
identified impacts generated by the sector. Restoration clearly came out has an important actions to
reduce greenhouse gases and impacts on climate change. Finally, the industry has just published its
first Social Responsibility Report that highlights the actions taken by the sector toward responsible
management and sets the stepping stones for the future. The CSPMA committed to continue
supporting restoration as the best management practices and to compile detailed statistics on the
current areas of restored peatlands. Today, restoration has been applied in more than 80 sites (in 25
peatlands) across Canada.
O38.2
Predicting greenhouse gas balance using GIS and remote sensing in boreal forestry-drained
peatlands
1
1
2
1,3
M. Keränen , M. Parviainen , P. Ojanen , A. Tolvanen
1
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Oulu, Finland, 2Department of Forest Sciences, University
of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, 3Thule Institute of the University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
Northern peatlands contribute significantly to the global carbon store and have a major role in
greenhouse gas (GHG) balance. Their drainage is known to effect on CO2, N2O and CH4 fluxes and
thereby GHG balance. Over 5 million hectares of drained peatlands in Finland is a remarkable area
also at European scale and it indicates that decisions made for future peatland uses have effects on
GHG emissions at a larger than national scale.
Reliable methods for assessing GHG balance at various spatial scales are needed to estimate
whether suitable conditions for carbon sequestration may be generated through for example peatland
restoration. However, the spatially extensive data on GHGs is still virtually missing.
Statistically-based spatial models provide a useful and cost-efficient approach to map and analyze
GHG balance for extensive and inaccessible areas. Spatial models have proven valuable for
generating for example biogeographical information that can be applied across a broad range of fields,
including conservation biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, land use planning and climate change
studies. However, spatial predictive modeling in estimating GHG balance of forestry-drained peatlands
has not yet been fully utilized, although its potential is obvious.
The main aim of our study is to explore the possibility to estimate and map GHG balances (CO2, N2O
and NH4) of forestry-drained boreal peatlands using available environmental datasets (GIS), remote
sensing (RS) and state-of-the-art predictive modeling techniques. An important issue of this research
is to clarify the impact of different environmental predictors on GHG balance and to determine the
potential and uncertainty embedded in different modeling techniques.
The research is linked to LIFEPeatLandUse project, which consolidates and increases the knowledge
base on the impacts of peatland re-use on ecosystem services. The research is funded by Maj and
Tor Nessling Foundation.
O38.3
Sustainable production of Sphagnum for restoration of peatland to Sphagnum bog development of micropropagated Sphagnum BeadaMoss® products
1
2
N.A. Wright , S.J.M. Caporn
2
Micropropagation Services, Loughborough, United Kingdom, Division of Biology and Conservation
Ecology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
1
Re-establishment of Sphagnum species is key to returning degraded bogs to functioning ecosystems,
often limited by availability of Sphagnum. Translocation can be successful, but relies on extensive
source material and can damage donor sites. Furthermore, co-translocation of unwanted biota may
create biosecurity issues and has restricted movement from remote donor sites.
Here we report on the development over the past 9 years of the large-scale in vitro propagation of
local origin material and its production into a number of delivery systems suitable to different peatland
situations. Methods used in our earlier work for many other native bog vascular plant species were
modified to the specific needs of Sphagnum. A successful rapid propagation method, suitable for all
fourteen species tested has been developed and large quantities can be routinely produced.
Sphagnum is very difficult to handle and distribute and to separate individual plants, particularly the
very small plantlets produced in vitro. Encapsulation of Sphagnum plantlets of a few millimetres in size
(BeadaMoss®) has allow easy separation, allowing planting by hand or machine, thus making large
scale planting achievable. Larger strands in liquid gel (SoluMoss™) were shown to establish more
quickly in lowland bog and plug plants (Sphagnum plugs plants grown from micropropagated
Sphagnum PlugaMoss™) are allowing very rapid establishment of sphagnum for water catchment
analysis.
Trials of single species, or mixed species, beads, solution or plugs have been carried out. Specific
local origin material is produced and there is potential for selection of specific genotypes for special
tasks. i.e. Sphagnum farming for growing media production, where fast growth, slow breakdown and
specific ion-exchange properties can be critical. The sterile nature of micropropagated Sphagnum
eliminates any threat of introduction of foreign biota into a locality, whether weed species, pathogens
or invertebrates. Recent trials of micropropagated Sphagnum will be reported and discussed.
O38.4
Mapping the development of pioneer vegetation communities on industrial cutaway peatlands
in Ireland
M. McCorry, C. Farrell, D. Fallon
Bord na Mona, Co. Offaly, Ireland
Since its establishment in the 1940s, Bord na Móna (the Irish Peat Company) has acquired extensive
areas of Irish peatlands to develop for energy and horticultural use. Peat production has since ceased
in some areas and Bord na Móna is committed to the rehabilitation of these cutaway bogs. From 2009
a comprehensive ecological monitoring programme has been documenting the outcome of ongoing
Bord na Móna cutaway rehabilitation work.
Rehabilitation generally involves the stabilisation of the cutaway using targeted rehabilitation
measures, such as drain blocking, coupled with natural processes. A key part of rehabilitation is
monitoring the development of pioneer vegetation communities to ensure the former production area is
successfully stabilised.
Pioneer vegetation communities quickly establish on cutaway bogs through natural colonisation when
peat production ceases and rehabilitation work is carried out. Their development is influenced by
several environmental factors, including: substrate type (peat or exposed sub-soil), remnant peat
depth, pH of the peat or other exposed sub-soils, nutrient status, hydrology, water chemistry, local
topography and seed sources. These environmental characters of the cutaway can vary significantly
so the resulting pioneer vegetation communities can also vary over short distances creating complex
vegetation mosaics.
Monitoring the development of pioneer communities identifies areas of cutaway that are slow to
stabilise and require further rehabilitation measures, while providing an understanding of the
successional development of cutaway bog habitats. Monitoring therefore plays an important role in
ensuring successful rehabilitation and because of the complexity, Bord na Móna Ecology has
developed an innovative cutaway bog habitat classification scheme to classify the various pioneer
vegetation communities and map their progression.
This presentation describes the main pioneer vegetation communities developing on industrial
cutaway bog in the midlands of Ireland and the methodology that has been used to classify and map
these communities.
O38.5
Evaluation of restoration success in cut-over bogs of Northern Germany
M.D. Graf1, E. Rosinski2, T. Kleinebecker3, N. Hölzel3
1
2
Department of Environmental Planning, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Hannover, Germany, Hofer &
3
Pautz GbR, Altenberge, Germany, Institute of Landscape Ecology, Münster, Germany
Lower Saxony, a German federal state, was the first government agency that obliged peat companies
to restore cut-over peatlands after peat mining. Starting in the 1980s, a total of 15.000 ha peatlands,
mostly rainwater fed bogs, have been restored. The restoration techniques developed in Germany
focus on rewetting cut-over areas and assume that if the hydrology is restored, typical bog plant
communities will spontaneously re-vegetate these sites. The goal of our study was to understand what
vegetation spontaneously established and to detect which abiotic conditions and management effects
enhance or hamper the full restoration. To answer these questions we surveyed the vegetation,
measured abiotic parameters (water level, peat chemistry, peat depth) and noted management
(harvesting technique, restoration technique, and prior land use) on 71 restored bog peatlands
throughout Lower Saxony. We performed a PCA to describe the vegetation communities that
developed and a RDA to see which abiotic and management parameters had the largest effect on the
vegetation communities. We found that even after 30 years, certain plants, dominant in undisturbed
bogs, did not return spontaneously to the sites Sphagnum mosses that are essential for the
functioning of bog ecosystems, were only represented by a few dominant hollow species (Sphagnum
cuspidatum and S. fallax) in the restored bogs, while lawn and hummock species were almost absent.
The question remains, whether long-term peat accumulation can occur in the absence of these
species. Additionally, Ericaceae family, such as Andromeda polifolia and various Vaccinium species,
also did not spontaneously recolonize these sites. Restored peatlands, which were used for agriculture
prior to peat mining, were dominated by Juncus effusus, most likely due to phosphorus fertilizer
residues. We believe that reintroducing the bog species, especially the hummock Sphagnum species,
will be necessary for a successful restoration of the biodiversity and peat-accumulation function of
these sites.
O39.1
Paradigms lost? Testing seed provenances for grassland restoration
J.-M. Hermann, J. Kollmann
Chair of Restoration Ecology, Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Freising, Germany
According to current paradigms in restoration, wild provenances should be preferred over cultivars, as
cultivars may underperform in stressful, or be too competitive in benign environments (cultivar failure
vs. vigour). In wild provenances, seed sourced from a given region should perform best in the same
('local is best'). One caveat is that cultivars are not equal. Selected traits differ between grasses and
forbs; they are traceable in named cultivars but elusive in no-name 'wildflower' seed. Another caveat is
that trait variance within populations may overrule provenance effects, although presumably less so in
cultivars. We present a common garden study on growth and flowering of three grass species and four
grassland forbs from wild populations, cultivars and no-name seed sources. Plants were grown in pots
under ambient conditions or with regular watering in Freising, southern Bavaria. In grasses, cultivar
vigour was evident in biomass but not in flower production. In forbs, cultivars peaked neither in
biomass nor in flower production, and flowered later than wild and no-name seed. The latter tended to
produce more flowers than both cultivar and wild provenances. Cultivar failure was not evident;
cultivars of both grasses and forbs were indifferent to water supply. Forb wild provenances, however,
produced more biomass under ambient conditions than under watering. In wild provenances, there
was little evidence for the local-is-best paradigm. Local forbs grew taller than nonlocals, but nonlocal
grasses produced larger flowers and more biomass than local grasses. These differences were
significant in the watering treatment but not under ambient conditions. High trait variance may account
for scarcity of provenance effects. Trait variance differed not between provenances in forbs, and only
for biomass between grass provenances. Seed sourcing paradigms should be based on a
differentiated assessment of grasses and forbs, of cultivar traits, and of sourcing, breeding and
propagation history.
O39.2
Managing for composition or species diversity? - pastoral and year-round grazing systems in
alkali grasslands
P. Török1, O. Valkó1, B. Deák2, A. Kelemen1, E. Tóth1, B. Tóthmérész2
1
Department of Ecology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary, 2MTA-DE Biodiversity and
Ecosystem Services Research Group, Debrecen, Hungary
In conservation of grassland biodiversity traditional herding and year-round grazing are increasingly
involved in Europe. Both management types have a high importance in extended grassland habitats
such as alkali steppe grasslands, which were sustained by regular grazing in ancient times. However,
there is a lack of studies on the effects of different grazing types on the vegetation composition and
diversity in dry steppe grasslands. We selected Artemisia steppes to study the vegetation composition
and diversity along a grazing intensity gradient. We recorded the cover of vascular plant species, total
cover of mosses and lichens in 150, 2×2-m-sized plots of 15 alkali grassland stands in late May 2014.
The grasslands were managed either by year-round grazing (3 stands, 0.1 animal unit/ha), traditional
Hungarian Grey cattle grazing (low, moderate and high intensity: 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 animal unit/ha,
respectively, 3 stands each), and there were heavily overgrazed stands (4 animal unit/ha, Grey cattle
and sheep, occasionally donkey grazing, 3 stands). We found that the total cover of perennial grasses,
mosses and lichens decreased with increasing grazing intensity. The total species richness was very
similar in each grassland stand regardless to management type or intensity. The highest diversity and
evenness was found in grasslands managed by moderate grazing intensity, while the lowest scores
were typical in year-round grazed stands. A very similar vegetation composition with high cover of
grassland specialists was detected in grassland stands managed by year-round and low-intensity
traditional grazing. Our results suggest that for maintaining high cover of grassland specialists, low
intensity grazing management would be necessary, but for the highest diversity moderate grazing
intensity is required. Thus, the application of both type of management but alternating in space and/or
time can be the best way to maintain the suitable state of grasslands.
O39.3
Implications of using cultivars for grassland restoration: the competitive effects of a dominant
grass on subordinate forbs
J. Kollmann, E.A. Walker, T. Conradi, J.-M. Hermann
Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany
In grassland restoration wild species of regional origin are preferred due to advantages associated
with using native biodiversity and local adaptation. However, cultivars are still widely sown for
restoration, and concerns exist, particularly in relation to enhanced competitive ability and genetic
introgression. While much research has focused on commercially propagated wild plants ('regional
seed'), studies that evaluate the impacts of cultivars are rare. We have designed greenhouse and
common garden experiments to investigate (i) the competitive effects of a dominant grass (Festuca
rubra) on three subordinate forbs (Buphthalmum salicifolium, Dianthus carthusianorum, Linum
perenne) - grown from cultivar and regional sources; (ii) the competitive effect of caespitose and
rhizomatous growth forms of cultivar or regional Festuca rubra on regional Dianthus carthusianorum;
and (iii) the performance of cultivar and regional plants of the four species under field conditions.
When grown without competitors in the first experiment, only L. perenne exhibiting cultivar vigour.
Cultivar forbs were less negatively affected by competition with F. rubra than their regional
counterparts. Overall, regional F. rubra suppressed the forbs more than the cultivar grass. In the
second experiment, wild F. rubra had a greater competitive effect on the subordinate species than
cultivars. In the third experiment, regional seed generally had higher establishment than cultivars in
both the dominant and subordinate species under field conditions. Taken together, our results do not
support the cultivar vigour hypothesis: Regional sources of the dominant grass were generally more
competitive and regional sources had, in the majority of cases, better establishment under field
conditions. Only under greenhouse conditions cultivar forbs had a higher competitive response.
Regional seed should thus be preferred when the restoration goal is to achieve rapid re-vegetation or
suppression of unwanted species.
Support: PhD scholarships to EAW (DAAD) and TC (DBU), and a DFG grant to JK (KO 1741/3-1)
O39.4
Understanding resource availability and competition between grassland plant groups and how
this can help us restore grassland diversity.
D.P. Johnson, J.A. Catford, P. Gibbons, D. Driscoll
Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
Vast areas of diverse native grassland in Australia have been modified for agriculture or are poorly
managed and require restoration. Understanding the mechanisms which determine floristic diversity is
necessary for their restoration. Competition for available resources within and between species is a
key factor determining which plant species can co-exist in any ecological community. Most research
relating to grassland competition focuses on the response of plant species and communities to
treatments that manipulate resource availability in some way. We are conducting a field experiment to
measure changes in two directions: firstly the changes in resource availability that occur as a direct or
indirect result of manipulations to a grassland community, and secondly plant community responses to
changes in resource availability. The experiment is located in a Themeda triandra dominated native
grassland in temperate South East Australia.
We manipulated the competitive hierarchy between three broad plant groups within temperate
grasslands: tussocks, exotic forbs and grasses, and native forbs. Treatments included tussock
thinning, weed removal, and litter removal. Seed for 12 native forb species was added. We quantified
changes in the availability of essential growth resources (nutrients, moisture, and light) and changes in
physical structure that occurred in a growing season. These results and plant group responses
including native forb germination and initial compositional changes will be discussed along with
implications for the design of grassland restoration programs.
Funded by Environment and Planning Directorate, Australian Capital Territory Government.
O40.1
Regulatory practice and mechanisms of ecological restoration in coal mining subsidence
areas: the example of Huainan City, Anhui Province, China
W. Wang1,2, P. Wu3
1
2
Cardiff Law School, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom, Sustainable Places Research
3
Institue, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom, Law School, Anhui University, Hefei, China
Huainan City is one of China's thirteen Coal production bases, which have an annual production
capacity of more than 100 million tons. Long-term and large-scale coal mining has caused serious
ground subsidence to the City, and considerable harm to the ecological environment and
sustainability. By October, 2010, 6.7% of the metropolitan area was Coal Mining Subsidence Affected
Areas (CMSAA). In order to restore the damaged ecology and rebuild the capacity for social and
economic sustainability, Huainan City made a great efforts in ecological restoration during the past
decade. Currently, there are two levels of legislations relating to ecological restoration, respectively
national laws and provincial administrative regulations. Besides, the State also authorized the Huainan
City to enact local decrees to establish the tools and mechanisms for local ecological restoration
issues. These mechanisms are the Comprehensive Land Management Mechanism (which consists of
land management, land planning and relocation mechanisms, etc.), Ecological Restoration
Management Mechanism and Fund Management Mechanism. Meanwhile, in order to effectively
implement these mechanisms, the City has also issued several temporary measures and associated
policy guidelines. Successful cases have been made by the City after years of efforts, in the areas of
Quanda, Houhu, Xinsen and Digou, ect.. These cases repaired the environment, restructured local
industries, and improved the capacity of socio-economics sustainability. However, there is still a long
way to go. The paper identifies the necessity and the feasibility to integrate these scatted Regulations
and Measures into one complete and consistent system for the CMSAA, including technical standards,
planning, monitoring, financial management, and eco-industrial development as well as other
mechanisms for ecological restoration. Mechanisms should also be developed to promote access to
the decision-making and equitable benefit-sharing for the local residents and other stakeholders.
The Funding Body is the National Social Science Foundation (China).
O40.2
Restoring severely degraded mined out lands through ecological restoration: pioneering
attempt by an Indian coal mining industry
1
2
3
T. Lahiri , D. Jha , E.V.R. Raju
1
CMD, Bharat Coking Coal Limited, Dhanbad, India, 2Director (Tech.), Bharat Coking Coal Limited,
Dhanbad, India, 3Environment, Bharat Coking Coal Limited, Dhanbad, India
Jharia Coalfield, located in Eastern India, is known to be one of the most degraded coalfields in the
world. Coal mining in Jharia Coalfield is done by Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), a subsidiary
company of Coal India Limited, a Government of India Enterprise. Mining in this coalfield has been
done for more than 100 years without any regard to safety, conservation and environment. Such
unscientific mining over a long period resulted in severe land degradation, subsidence, mine fires and
other socio-environmental problems.
BCCL has been carrying monoculture, single-tier afforestation over large tracts of degraded lands
through the State forest department for more than 30 years. However, there was a shift in BCCL's
reclamation policy in 2011, after association with Forest Research Institute, Dehradun and Centre for
Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Delhi. BCCL replaced the old practice of
monoculture, single-tier afforestation with 3-tier ecological restoration. Removal of invasive weeds like
st
Lantana, Chromalaena, Parthenium, Oscimum is the 1 step in ecological restoration. The present
ecological restoration work adopted by BCCL, over 100 hectares of severely degraded mined out area
consists of 3-tier plantation by introducing native species and grasses, that would cater to the needs of
the local community and bringing back the degraded landscape to its original forest cover, focusing on
biodiversity of flora and fauna as well.
Grass species like Heteropogon, Chrysopogon, Cymbopogon, Eragrostis, Cenchrus, Pennisetum, for
ground cover; Shrub species like Dodonaea, Mimosa, Mucuna, Withania, Bamboosa as the 2nd tier
and native tree species like Aegle, Albizia, Bauhinia, Bombax, Butea, Dalbergia, Zizyphus,
rd
Phylanthus, Cassia fistula, Vitex, etc. as the 3 tier have been introduced in the severely degraded
mined out areas. This is a challenging and unique attempt to restore degraded mining areas by any
coal mining industry and the results are encouraging.
O40.3
Recycling of waste water treatment sludge as a substitute soil amendment for mine waste
reclamation
1
1
2
3
4
1
S. Soussou , B. Brunel , I. Raignault , J. Mirlocca , M.S. Johnson , J.C. Cleyet-Marel
1
Laboratoire des Symbioses Tropicales et Méditerranéennes, UMR 113, IRD/CIRAD/SupAgro/UM2,
USC 1242, INRA. TA A-82/J, Montpellier, France, 2Legacy Sites Manager, Rio Tinto, Bois des
Vergnes, Montroc, France, 3ENVIRON France SAS, Immeuble Le Cézanne, Aix-en-Provence, France,
4
The Meadow, Heswall, United Kingdom
The last two fluorspar mines in France, closed in 2006, were opencast sites (Montroc and Le Moulinal)
that cover a combined 165 hectares, 30km from Albi in southwest France.
Natural colonization of the backfilled open pit and waste rock piles has been minimal due to a
combination of low pH (4.5) and high residual concentrations of fluoride, manganese, iron and
associated trace metals (copper, zinc and lead). In order to minimize dispersion of metals in leachate,
a novel solution has been adopted, namely to recycle the alkaline (lime) residues derived from an onsite water (leachate) treatment plant as a neutralizing surface amendment, and as a partial substitute
for topsoil.
A pilot lysimeter experiment was undertaken on the Mont-Roc and Le Moulinal substrates to test the
water treatment residue (0 % - control; 1%; 20% and 50 % v/v) as a means of pH correction and to
immobilize the indigenous metals and fluoride, and prevent them from reporting to groundwater in
leachate. The four treatments were also subject to two bioassays: glasshouse trials using Lotus
corniculatus and Festuca arundinacea for productivity tests, and the Rhizotest root mat technique (ISO
16198) to assess phytoavailability of trace metals in the alkaline residue-treated mine waste.
The pilot experiments evidenced a very positive effect of the water treatment residues on pH
correction, and decreased metal and fluoride concentrations in the leachate. Moreover, plant
bioassays reflected markedly improved conditions for plant growth, and much reduced bioavailability
of metals and fluoride. These encouraging results provided the basis for field trials at the two sites
(Mont-Roc and Le Moulinal) with the objective of proving the fitness of this innovative recycling
technology for developing a sustainable vegetation cover.
O40.4
Ecohydrological modelling predicts tropical savanna rehabilitation on a post-mining landform
in the wet-dry tropics of Northern Australia
1
1
1
1,2
J.R. Segura , L.B. Hutley , S.M. Bellairs , P. Lu
1
Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia,
2
Energy Resources of Australia Ltd, Darwin, Australia
Ecohydrological modelling, rather than seepage modelling, is now being used in the planning of mine
restoration due to its superiority in simulating vegetation water-use and productivity. Seepage models
are prescriptive in terms of vegetation water-use and productivity whereas ecohydrological models can
predict these processes for a given soil and climate. Post-mining soils lack structure and can contain a
high proportion of rock fragments which fundamentally alter soil hydrology making their dynamics
difficult to predict. This study is located in the wet-dry tropical climate of northern Australia where
survival of vegetation is determined by dry-season water-balance. A soil-vegetation-atmospheretransfer model (WAVES) was used to determine the capability of a rehabilitated landform to support
mature tropical savanna vegetation. Rehabilitation success is critical given the mine is surrounded by
the World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park. Results indicate this model is capable of simulating
the hydrology of the highly rocky, post-mining soil but is unable to reduce actual soil available water
given the 60% rock fragment volume, thus it would likely over-predict vegetation productivity. Plant
available water (PAW) derived from predicted soil-moisture and observed soil-moisture were scaled to
account for rock volume. Observed PAW at the start of dry-seasons matched those predicted at
~110mm for a four-metre-thick landform. This volume of PAW could marginally support a mature
savanna for six-months assuming a daily dry-season transpiration of 0.5-0.7 mm, equivalent to
observed dry-season tree transpiration of local savanna. WAVES was able to predict the soil
hydrological dynamics, but if the model was altered to allow scaling of daily soil storage it would likely
be able to predict the fate of savanna vegetation on this landform. This study has shown that
ecohydrological models can be valuable mine-site rehabilitation tools as they are able to predict the
impacts of differing soil and climatic conditions on rehabilitated vegetation.
O41.1
How to define functional riparian plant community in agriculture watershed? Biological
indicators for evaluation of headwater streams ecological restoration
M. Delisle1, I. Bernez1, I. Muller2
1
2
Ecology and Ecosystems Health, French Institue of Agricultural Research, Rennes, France, French
Institue of Agricultural Research, Rennes, France
As well as field margins or hedgerows, riparian corridors are important component of the agroenvironment as they highly contribute to habitat heterogeneity and consequently biodiversity at the
landscape scale. As an interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, they also fulfill a key role
for stream functioning. By the way, in agricultural watersheds, intensification of practices (high
nutrients inputs, high cattle trampling pressure) deeply modify riparian plan communities, calling into
question the functions evocated.
In the Sélune watershed (Normandy, France) passive ecological restoration (cattle exclusion of
riparian zone by fencing) is conducted on headwater streams in order to restore ecological functions of
riparian zones. Evaluation of success is needed to improve practices. However, variability is an
inherent feature of all river systems, driving definition of reference plant community irrelevant at the
catchment scale.
Comparing vegetation of 19 headwater streams of the Sélune catchment, first goal is to identify
indicator species of functional banks. We focused on two criteria
(a) biodiversity (rarely found in other element of the local landscape) and
(b) stability (species with functional traits contributing to bank stabilization).
In a second time, we sought to point out environmental factors affecting the presence of such species.
Bank vegetation in this agricultural catchment is mostly eutrophilous. However some areas came out
of the mass and allowed us to define proper riparian species.
Based on the data, both, land use and very local bank management, affect riparian plant communities
composition.
Results allowed classification and evaluation of riparian zones according to their plant community and
landscape that could help to implement management and ecological restoration plan adapted to local
context. It is also emphasis that measures have to be taken at different scales: local action (fencing)
would be efficient only if coupled with watershed land use considerations (lower inputs).
O41.2
Invertebrate traits, colonisation and community resilience in a new stream channel
M. Wilkes
Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom
Advancements in the theoretical understanding of community change after disturbance are required in
order to underpin important activities taking place to improve the ecological quality of rivers. This study
takes a trajectory approach to investigating changes in invertebrate communities in a new stream
channel. Based on an understanding of successional processes, community recovery and habitat
template theory it was hypothesised that: community recovery occurs rapidly within the 33 week study
period; episodic hydraulic disturbances cause recovery trajectories to be reset or delayed; and certain
invertebrate traits are important in conferring an advantage in exploiting new habitat. Habitat
characteristics and invertebrate communities were sampled at three- to four-weekly intervals for 33
weeks after the channel was diverted for flood management. Invertebrate species found were
assigned functional modes encompassing life-history and ecological traits.
Results suggested that artificial riffles had largely recovered within the study period. However, due to
the novel habitat conditions of the new channel, the trajectory of community change observed may be
better described as adaptation. There was little support for the hypothesis that hydraulic disturbances
cause community recovery trajectories to be reset or delayed, although high flows could have had
both negative and positive effects. The functional analysis indicated that drift, and to a lesser extent
adult flight, appeared to be the most important mechanisms of colonisation. Trophic generalism was a
crucial strategy for the freshwater shrimp, Gammarus pulex, and may also have been important for
other colonisers. Longer-term data collection is planned in order to test further hypotheses regarding
the role of successional processes and to enable a more confident evaluation of recovery. Further
research in the field of biomonitoring should focus on advancing traits-based analysis so that
functional end-points may increasingly be used, overcoming some of the problems with taxonomic
approaches to defining community recovery.
O41.3
Beyond trout: stream restorations in the Midwestern US alter ecosystem processes
1
2
1
1
1
J.N. Fulgoni , K.E. Mc Leran , M.R. Whiles , A.M. Beattie , H.M. Rantala
Department of Zoology and Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, United
States, 2Environmental Resources and Policy, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, United States
1
Ecological restorations, and more specifically stream restorations, have increased over the past twenty
years, but few projects are monitored after completion. Thus, besides modifications to physical
attributes, the influence of restorations on ecosystem processes remains largely unknown. The
objective of this study was to assess how restorations projects in Midwestern streams affected
ecosystem services compared to unrestored streams. We sampled seven streams that had undergone
habitat restorations 4-15 years prior to sampling. Restoration techniques included in-stream habitat
enhancements (e.g., salmonid habitat enhancement), bank stabilization, and riparian restoration.
Restored reaches and unrestored upstream reaches were sampled in summer 2014 for water quality,
macroinvertebrates, nitrogen uptake, substrata composition, metabolism, and riparian/stream
connectivity. We predicted gross primary production (GPP) would be lower and nutrient uptake shorter
in restored streams because of decreased nutrient inputs. We also predicted that respiration would be
greater in restored streams due to increased litter inputs from the restored riparian areas. GPP in
restored sites was significantly higher than unrestored sites (t6 = -4.9, p =0.002), despite no
-3
differences in PO4 and NO3 concentrations. Five restored sites were autotrophic (P/R > 1), while six
unrestored sites were heterotrophic. Canopy cover was significantly higher at unrestored (54%) sites
compared to restored sites (8%) (t6 = -2.8 p =0.014). Results suggest that restoration projects in this
region are shifting streams to a more autotrophic state, likely due to changes in canopy cover and light
penetration. Further study is needed to determine if restoration projects actually changed canopy
cover and light penetration.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No.
0903510.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of
the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
O41.4
Influence of the environmental factors on Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) migration activity: fine
scale analysis using an acoustic camera (DIDSON)
1,2
2
2
3
2
F. Martignac , A. Daroux , J.-L. Baglinière , J. Guillard , D. Ombredane
1
2
ASCONIT Consultants, Carquefou, France, UMR Ecologie et Santé des Ecosystèmes, INRA,
3
Rennes, France, Centre Alpin de Recherche sur les Réseaux Trophiques et Ecosystèmes Limniques,
INRA, Thonon-les-Bains, France
The ecological continuity, a good geomorphological river bed and a good water quality are main
objectives of the European Water Framework Directive. The presence and the abundance of migratory
fish populations, dependant of these conditions, are consequently relevant indicators of the aquatic
ecosystem health. The Sélune River connectivity restoration is the main ecological concern of a
removal project of two large impassable dams (36 and 16 meters high). This river hosts several
populations of migratory fish, such as the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). The salmon expansion, which
is limited at around one third of the watershed, will be largely increased after the removal, planned in
2019. To evaluate the quantitative and qualitative consequences of the removal on this population, a
DIDSON acoustic camera has been installed 12 km downstream the first dam in the Sélune River.
This permanent and non-intrusive monitoring of fish movement provides information difficult to obtain
otherwise thanks to its high frequency sampling capacity. Combined to the recording of the
environmental and hydrological conditions, this long-term study aims to increase our knowledge on the
salmon migration dynamics on the upper part of the Sélune River estuary.
More than 680 salmons have been counted between September 2013 and September 2014. First
results confirm a clear seasonality of the Atlantic salmon migration, based on the number of winters
spent in sea. The analysis of the migration dynamic with a high-frequency sampling method provides
fine scale information about how salmons launch, adapt or postpone their upstream movement
depending on environmental conditions, such as water flow, daylight or temperature.
Our results attest that hydroacoustic high-frequency devices can provide reliable observations about
salmon migration activity and aim to go further on these characteristics by decreasing the observation
scale.
O41.5
Incorporating ecological restoration into enforcement undertakings by UK industry: a case
study of compensatory action in a Southwest England river
S. Deacon1, P. Burston1, J. Nicolette2, N. Eury3
1
2
ENVIRON-Ramboll UK, Box, United Kingdom, ENVIRON-Ramboll, Atlanta, United States,
3
ENVIRON-Ramboll UK, Exeter, United Kingdom
Enforcement undertakings (EU) enable a person who has committed an environmental offence, to
take restorative action. To date, EU have not been used extensively to remedy actual water pollution
offences; however, their role is now being expanded to the Environmental Permitting Regulations from
April 2015 and as a result their use is expected to increase significantly across the UK.
This case study represents one of the first applications of EU relating to water pollution in the UK.
Following a process failure, styrene was released into a watercourse causing ecological damage. An
EU was offered by a global infrastructure organisation and was accepted by the regulatory authority
leading to the construction of a sustainable rural drainage system.
The aim was to value the environmental damage and consider suitable reparation to athe river.
Appropriate options for beneficial compensatory actions were identified at reasonable costs and in
accordance with the regulator's guidance. Specific objectives included establishing a pre-incident
baseline condition, an evaluation of the potential impacts to the environmental condition of the river
and a cost-benefit analysis of compensatory actions, including engagement with local interest groups.
The approach mirrored those advocated for the European Environmental Liability Directive
(2004/35/EC).
The recommended restoration project saw the construction of a rural sustainable drainage system
overseen by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust. The system has been created along the East Looe to provide
improvements to river water quality and create a new ecosystem. Creation of the wetland will lead to
increased biodiversity, whilst providing sediment capture and minimising rainfall runoff from farmland
in to rivers thereby improving the chemical and ecological status of surface waters. This compensatory
option establishes a system for the rectification of water pollution damage and demonstrates how the
approach can be used more widely under the Environmental Permitting Regulations.
O42.1
Spiritual values and ecological restoration
G. Van Wieren
Department of Religious Studies, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States
The spiritual aspects of ecological restoration practice have received scant systematic attention by
scholars of ecological restoration, environmental ethics, anthropology, and religious studies. This is
somewhat surprising given that restorationists themselves at times employ spiritual, even religious
language to describe what is happening on the cultural-symbolic and subjective-experiential levels in
the process of restoring damaged ecosystems -- terms such as redemption, renewal, communion,
salvation, and sacred, for instance, dot scientific and poetical restoration writings alike. Some
restoration thinkers have examined the issue of ritual, but that is too narrow to cover the suite of
spiritual dimensions that ecological restoration may involve. This becomes particularly apparent when
scrutinizing community-based ecological restoration projects that include a spiritual or quasi-spiritual
element in their work. This paper examines three such projects: Holy Wisdom Monastery in Middleton,
Wisconsin, Lewis Creek Association in Charlotte, Vermont, and Vermont Family Forests in Bristol,
Vermont. These projects evidence a variety of spiritual motifs, including beliefs related to nature's
sacred quality, feelings of interconnectedness and with and belonging to nature, and experiences of
reciprocity and renewal in relation to the natural world and its organisms. Spiritual dimensions such as
these relate to other human values dimensions of ecological restoration -- aesthetic, moral and social
values, for example - yet they are distinctive enough to warrant explicit consideration in
conceptualizations of what counts as “good” or “excellent” ecological restoration. While inclusion of
spiritual values poses particular challenges for scientific-based practices such as ecological
restoration, I argue that they should be considered insofar as ecological restoration is understood as a
culturally adaptive practice that may promote resilient ecosystems and harmonious human-nature
relations. I conclude by providing a typology for the interpretation of spiritual values in ecological
restoration projects.
O42.2
What is the place of human values in restoring environments?
E. Furness
Sustainable Places Research Institute / Sefydliad Ymchwil Mannau Cynaliadwy, Cardiff University /
Prifysgol Caerdydd, Cardiff / Caerdydd, United Kingdom
The rationale for applying a “values-based approach” (O´Brien and Wolf 2010 p. 232) to
understanding environmental change is the notion that distinct sets of value preference drive different
responses to environmental change. Value exploration can look at the subjectivities of individuals and
communities involved in restoration, and link subjectivities to the biophysical changes that are
occurring or are desired. This paper addresses the concept of values and looks at how theoretical and
empirical ideas of values have been developed, exploring how they could be used to further
understanding of the social aspects of restoration. In taking this focus it addresses the lack of research
on subjectivities in restoration (Eden and Tunstall 2006). An approach which looks at the values of
stakeholders involved in restoration has potential for generating understanding and analysis of
individuals´ ideas of themselves and the process of restoration in which they exist. Value in restoration
is often discussed in terms of the intrinsic value of nature (Katz 1996) versus economics (Costanza et
al. 1997), but there are many other forms of value that are present in stakeholders' lives and influence
their understandings of restorations. Using a broadened concept of value we can explore the beliefs,
attitudes, identities, emotions and norms involved in environmental intervention as well as the
socioeconomic factors, culture and context that are involved in these understandings.
Costanza, R. et al. 1997. The value of the world´s ecosystem services and natural capital. Nature
387(6630)
Eden, S. & Tunstall, S. 2006. Ecological versus social restoration? Environment and Planning CGovernment and Policy 24(5)
Katz, E. 1996. The problem of ecological restoration. Environmental Ethics 18(2)
O´Brien, K. &Wolf, J. 2010. A values-based approach to vulnerability and adaptation to climate
change. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews-Climate Change 1(2)
Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Scottish Forestry Trust
O42.3
People healing nature healing people - an effective neighbourhood scale methodology for
building ecological and social resilience
C.R. Ferkins1,2, F. Smal3, K. Short2,4,5
1
2
Biodiversity, Auckland Council, Auckland, New Zealand, Co-Founder, GeckoNZ Trust, Auckland,
3
4
New Zealand, Community Conservation, GeckoNZ Trust, Auckland, New Zealand, Terra Moana Ltd,
5
Wellington, New Zealand, Associate Researcher Conservation Science, Imperial College, London,
United Kingdom
Increasingly urban ecological restoration is recognised as critical to underpin both human well-being
and biodiversity survival. Since 1995, GeckoNZ Trust has developed and implemented highly
successful community engagement that is restoring significant native bush remnants around Auckland,
New Zealand's largest city. Whilst valuable, we note the technical and site based ecological
restoration approaches of agencies and NGOs neither engage large enough proportions of the
community, nor address the daily decisions and behaviours that affect the ecology of local landscapes
and are primary causal factors of on-going biodiversity loss. GeckoNZ has demonstrated effective
practices addressing these at whole-of-landscape and whole-of-community scales, working with
communities of place - including residents, business, agency and NGO, and reaching 80-100%
household participation in some neighbourhoods. This has effectively enabled communities to manage
and restore threatened species habitat, regenerating forest, riparian and aquatic ecosystems, and
improve the ecological health and ecosystem service provision within human occupied landscapes.
The Trust uses the SER ethos of assisting the systems to operate at the nexus of localised ecological
and social systems and partner with communities to build mutually beneficial capacity. We observe
that people achieve much more toward the care and retention of biodiversity within their environment
when communities-of-place take ownership of initiatives, build capacity, and develop networks to
become more empowered, connected, resourceful and self-sustaining. The developing knowledge and
love of their local biodiversity, and aggregated activities of care generate added sense of purpose and
place with major benefits for the resilience of community health and well-being of the local ecology hence Gecko's by-line “People Healing Nature Healing People”. A local neighbourhood leader recently
described GeckoNZ as the “wind under our wings”. We strive to ensure our partnering and mentoring
methodology supports neighbourhood visioning and connectivity, shares motivation and expertise, and
enriches local technical expertise.
O42.4
Mended nature: the Japanese art of Kintsukuroi as a metaphor in ecological restoration
E. Macdonald, E. King
University of Georgia, Athens, United States
This paper describes the traditional Japanese art of kintsukuroi, and offers a preliminary assessment
of its strengths and weaknesses as a conceptual metaphor for the practice of repairing damaged
ecosystems. The paper begins from the premise that metaphors powerfully shape how we
conceptualize, perceive, and experience ecological restoration, and how we communicate its goals
and methods. Recent scholarly work in linguistics has focused on the ways in which metaphors
pervade everyday life, shaping not just language and thought, but also individual and collective
action—including organized efforts to restore damaged ecosystems. Indeed, the practice of ecological
restoration has long lent itself to comparisons with forms of artistic practice such as gardening, dance
choreography, and painting restoration. Perhaps none of these arts, however, so aptly “fits” the suite
of philosophical and practical quandaries of contemporary restoration as the Japanese art form of
kintsukuroi. Dating from the late 15th century, kintsukuroi (“golden repair”) is the art of mending broken
pottery by fusing together its fractures with lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum. The repaired
object—and the art of Kintsukuroi itself—embrace a philosophy that regards the fracture and the repair
as an integral part of the object's history, rather than something to be hidden or erased. The aim of
kintsukuroi is to restore a cherished but damaged object to a condition of wholeness and utility, while
honoring the life of the object in such a way that it becomes more beautiful for having been broken and
repaired. The proposed paper highlights some of the advantages and potential limitations of thinking
about contemporary ecological restoration in terms of the principles of kintsukuroi, and offers
preliminary suggestions for how the metaphor might be adapted to help people conceptualize the
difficult ethical, technical, and aesthetic dilemmas that restoration projects often embody.
O43.1
Successional trajectory over 10 years of vegetation restoration of abandoned slope croplands
in the hill-gully region of the Loess Plateau
1
1
2
3
4
J.Y. Jiao , M. Kou , Q.L. Yin , N. Wang , Z.J. Wang
1
Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest Agriculture and Forest University, Yangling,
China, 2College of Forestry, Northwest Agriculture and Forest University, Yangling, China, 3College of
4
Tourism and Environment, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China, Institute of Soil and Water
Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, China
Revegetation has been the primary management approach for solving the problems caused by severe
soil erosion in the Loess Plateau. The objectives of this work were to explore the successional
trajectory of the different types of restoration and discuss their potential effectiveness for the control of
soil erosion. Presence and coverage of plants in 40 permanent plots were investigated during two
periods (2003-2006 and 2013). The naturally and artificially revegetated communities studied in the
two surveys were classified using Two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN), and their
relationships were analyzed using detrended correspondence analysis (DCA). Under natural
revegetation, the communities succeed in the following order: annual plants → perennial plants →
short rhizome tufts and sub-shrubs. Under artificial revegetation, succession was interrupted by
artificial planting, and a Gramineae herb layer persisted through the years with few changes in species
composition. Additionally, species richness, diversity and evenness increased while ecological
dominance decreased during succession in both revegetation types. Succession rate was rapid at the
initial stage, and then slowed down gradually. Succession followed different trajectories under natural
and artificial revegetation, and based on the potential effects of the two approaches on soil erosion
and soil desiccation, we suggest that natural revegetation is preferable over artificial revegetation.
Keywords: Vegetation succession, Revegetation type, Succession rate, Soil erosion, Ecosystem
services.
Acknowledgements：
：This study was supported by the National Science Foundation of China
projects (41371280; 41030532). We acknowledged the assistance of An'sai Ecological Experimental
Station of Soil and Water Conservation.
O43.2
Where agricultural and ecological systems meet: prioritizing and justifying conservation and
restoration efforts in an agricultural landscape
W.A. Haddad, M. Rouget
Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South
Africa
Commercial farm owners are the custodians of large parts of South Africa's natural areas. In this study
we developed an approach to help farmers realize the value of natural vegetation on their farms and to
help prioritize restoration and conservation efforts at a farming-neighborhood scale. The 40 000 ha
Koedoes river catchment studied here produces a quarter of all tomatoes on the South African market,
large quantities of avocados and mangoes, as well as supporting several large cattle herds. Most of
this catchment is managed by ZZ2, a farming conglomerate that practice an environmentally sensitive
approach to commercial farming. We designed a landscape prioritization tool to assist farmers in
managing natural and agricultural areas. It is based on mapping areas important for biodiversity
(based on landscape-scale vegetation patterns and ecological condition), areas of key ecosystem
service rendering importance (determined through stakeholder engagement) and areas of high-value
agriculture. The catchment is very bio-diverse, with eleven vegetation types described, ranging from
endemic rich grasslands at the highest altitudes, through forests to arid savanna at the lowest altitude.
Just less than half of the catchment can still be considered natural with low levels of disturbance, while
a fifth has been disturbed or invaded by alien plants. Only a third of the catchment is actively
cultivated. A map is presented showing areas of economic, biodiversity and ecosystem service
importance and will be used to inform future development, conservation and restoration efforts. An
alien tree clearing effort is already underway in the upper reaches of the catchment to restore
downstream water availability and efforts are being made to re-establish the connectivity between
fragmented patches of endangered and vulnerable vegetation types. This approach may serve as a
model for creating synergy between commercial farmers and restoration ecologists, as there are
mutual benefits to both parties.
O43.3
The cost-effectiveness of habitat restoration in agricultural landscapes
D.H. Ansell, N. Munro, D. Freudenberger, P. Gibbons
Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
The high cost of ecological restoration and limited availability of conservation funding dictate the need
for prioritization of measures that are cost-effective; that provide the greatest conservation gain per
dollar spent. However, a lack of integration of economic and ecological data hampers attempts at
identifying cost-effective restoration strategies. Here we assess the cost-effectiveness of typical
approaches to habitat restoration in agricultural landscapes. Our study compared the effectiveness
and costs of passive restoration (woodland protection) and active restoration (replanting) sites on
grazing-dominated and mixed-enterprise farms in south-east Australia. We surveyed bird communities
at 84 paired treatment and counterfactual sites, using the change in the composition of the bird
community as a measure of restoration effectiveness. We also assessed habitat structure,
management history and landscape variables (e.g. proximity to remnant vegetation, amount of
vegetation cover) to investigate the contribution of site and landscape variables to restoration
effectiveness. We calculated the total economic cost of restoration, and using simple economic
evaluation techniques, identified the ecological, economic and management factors driving
effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different restoration techniques in the conservation of
biodiversity in farmland. These factors will be discussed, and the implications for the design of future
restoration programs explored.
O43.4
Revival of traditional ecological knowledge for integrated resource management in
agroecosystems
S.B. Sharma
Department of Earth and Environmental Science, KSKV Kachchh University, Bhuj, India
Research question: Across the globe, centuries of unsustainable activities have damaged the aquatic,
marine, and terrestrial environments that underpin our economies and societies and give rise to a
diversity of wildlife and plants. The semi arid tropics are resource scarce in agriculture in terms of soil
quality and rate of precipitation. The Kachchh ecoregion of western India faces atrocities of Mother
Nature in terms of low and erratic rainfall, droughts, seismic instability and harsh climate. The
agricultural activities in past two decades have become very synthetic input based due to government
policies to promote chemical fertilizers and farmer's greed to have higher yields in short term. As a
consequence the resource poor farmers are giving up their indigenous knowledge of organic and
natural farming practices which can sustain them and the agro-ecosystems in the long run.
Research relevance: The sustainability of agro ecosystems in semi arid tropics is a very important
issue. The use of indigenous organic amendments and pesticides which is a heritage of the farming
community here is immense and a sound scientific base needs to be applied to this vast inheritance.
Our results on comparison of different amendment systems in long term experiments are showing that
these organic fields have some novel microbial ecology like the Phosphate solubilisers which can
supply P to soil in a sustainable manner. The policy makers can be geared to promote natural farming
in these areas.
O43.5
Soil under shifting cultivation in eastern Himalaya: searching viable alternative for ecosystem
restoration
A.J. Nath
Assam University, Silchar, India
Shifting cultivation (locally jhum) is an age old agricultural system, involves slashing of the native
vegetation and burning the slash to generate nutrients in situ to support the crop cultivation for few
years before the area is abandoned. This traditional agricultural system is still practiced in eastern
Himalaya and represents one of the predominant land-use in the mountainous region North East India
covering an area of 1.5 M ha. Until now, the jhum cultivation was sustainable with longer fallow
periods. This subsistence agricultural system is now questionable because of the population-driven
reduction in the duration of the fallow cycle (3-5 yr), with the attendant degradation of soil and natural
resources. Soil erosion, nutrient loss and other ecosystem disservices exacerbated from cultivation
with short fallows is jeopardizing the soil resilience and ultimately leading to poverty and food
insecurity among the shifting cultivators. Even though a number of alternatives for shifting cultivation
(terrace cultivation, agroforestry intervention) have been proposed and field experimented, little has
been achieved in this regard. Therefore, there is a dire need to develop a comprehensive mechanism
that sustains the forest ecosystems and enhances livelihood security of the hill farmers. This article
proposes feasibility of introducing 'grains for forest management' through providing food grains to the
shifting cultivators as an alternative to shifting cultivation. The proposed programme is also envisaged
to achieve
(i) soil restoration and strengthening ecosystem resilience,
(ii) food security through provisioning of grains under grains for forest management, and
(iii) carbon offset under climate negotiations.
O44.1
Future directions for conservation
J. Keulartz
Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
The use of target baselines or reference states for conservation and restoration has become
increasingly problematic and impractical, due to rapid environmental change, the paradigm shift in
ecology from a static to a dynamic view of nature, and growing awareness of the role of cultural
traditions in the reconstruction of baselines. The various responses to this crisis of baselines will to a
significant extent determine the future direction of nature conservation.
Although some hold on to traditional baselines and others try to refine or redefine the reference
concept, the debate is currently dominated by two widely diverging reactions to the crisis: while the socalled 'new environmentalists' or 'new conservationists' have abandoned history altogether, shifting the
focus from the past to the future, under the invocation of the emerging Anthropocene, the 'age of man',
the 'rewilders' push the baseline back to an even deeper, more distant past.
Although rewilding projects on both sides of the Atlantic have much in common, they also differ in
some important respects. In the U.S. the late Pleistocene has been adopted as baseline; in Europe it
is the mid-Holocene landscape that functions as the main benchmark. In the U.S. the emphasis is on
the reintroduction of large predators because of their role in the top-down regulation of ecosystems; in
Europe the emphasis is rather on large herbivores and their role in a resource-driven bottom-up
approach.
After careful consideration of the various conservation options, the paper will conclude with a plea for
a peaceful co-existence of the different approaches, seeing them as complementary rather than as
mutually exclusive.
O44.2
Signatures of selection across the landscape: using genomic tools to inform restoration and
conservation practice
M.J. Christmas, M.F. Breed, E. Biffin, A.J. Lowe
School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
Understanding species' resilience to global change is becoming ever more essential in our efforts to
conserve and restore ecosystems. Species are under threat from the current rapid rate of climate
change coupled with widespread habitat fragmentation. Our ability to assist them in their struggle for
survival and ensure that populations are resilient against such change will rely heavily on our
knowledge of the processes underlying adaptation. Here, we present findings from a genome-scan
looking for signatures of selection along an environmental gradient among populations of the narrow
leaved hopbush, Dodonaea viscosa ssp. angustissima. Evidence for local adaptation among
populations can help to inform future conservation and restoration practices whereby the selection of
populations for use in restoration can be based in part on the conditions they are currently adapted to
and the future conditions of the area to be restored. Through the considered assisted migration of
populations across the landscape we can increase genetic diversity as well as introduce potentially
adaptive alleles into populations facing a changing climate, thus increasing genetic resilience and
future-proofing populations against changing selection pressures. We emphasise the utility of genomic
methods for the discovery of selection and local adaptation in populations through a case study of D.
viscosa ssp. angusitissima in South Australia, and discuss how findings from such research can be
used to improve restoration practices in terms of increasing population genetic resilience under a
changing climate.
This work was funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (LP110100721).
O44.3
What determines revegetation success? Insights from Australia's restoration community on
motivations for undertaking revegetation and factors influencing costs and success
1
1
V. Hagger , K. Wilson , J. Dwyer
1,2
1
School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, 2Land and Water
Flagship, CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, Brisbane, Australia
Investment in revegetation is critical to conserve biodiversity, reverse environmental damage,
sequester atmospheric carbon and provide ecosystem services. We already know that revegetation is
characteristically time and resource-intensive, and often has a low likelihood of success due to
ecological, societal and financial factors. There are however few national-level data in Australia on
either costs or success. Accounting for the possibility of failure will likely influence planning for
revegetation and help predict what can be achieved in the long term.
We surveyed restoration ecologists, practitioners and researchers across Australia involved in the
revegetation of terrestrial native vegetation on cleared lands. The purpose was to elicit information on
the motivations for undertaking revegetation and the factors that influence the costs and success of
revegetation. Ultimately we wish to learn from revegetation practice across diverse sectors, so that the
outcomes of revegetation can be improved in the future.
Methods involved a quantitative structured online survey, informed by semi-structured interviews and
focus groups with restoration ecologists, practitioners and researchers.
In this talk we will explore:
1. the motivations for undertaking revegetation
2. the extent planning and monitoring and/or evaluation of revegetation is being undertaken by
restoration practitioners from different organisations
3. the factors influencing costs and success.
We show that revegetation is undertaken for a range of purposes. The predominant primary purpose is
biodiversity enhancement, however most projects also incorporate additional benefits (such as water
quality improvements, social reasons or biodiversity offset).
Two thirds of the respondents identified revegetation projects that failed to deliver the expected
outcomes. A mixture of factors was identified as significant constraints to revegetation success,
ranging from funding shortfalls to unexpected natural events. We show that although monitoring of
revegetation is common, long-term monitoring and the collection of quantitative data is rare.
O44.4
How can phenology contribute to ecological restoration?
E. Buisson1, S.T. Alvarado2, S. Le Stradic3, L.P.C. Morellato4
1
IMBE - Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie, Université d'Avignon et des Pays de
2
Vaucluse, Avignon, France, Ecosystem Dynamics Observatory, Departamento de Geografia Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil,
3
Biodiversity and Landscape Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium,
4
Phenology Lab, Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociencias, São Paulo State University
(UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
Phenology, by studying the timing of recurring biological events, is an interdisciplinary environmental
science which has contributed to many disciplines. Here, we present a survey of the literature to
investigate the applications of phenology in the field of ecological restoration. We aim to discover how
phenology has been applied in ecological restoration, and thereby demonstrate how it should be
integrated into restoration programs. We reviewed the literature and identified 49 books chapters, 183
articles in the journal Restoration Ecology (which is the main journal allowing the exchange of ideas
among the many disciplines involved in the process of ecological restoration), and 172 articles in the
Web of Science linked by the key words phenolog* and restoration. The majority of the studies
retrieved (60%) mentioned phenology in contexts that were not relevant for restoration or were simply
related to plant survival and growth after restoration without further insights. We reviewed the
remaining 149 chapters and papers mainly published after 2004. We discuss three main themes that
exemplify the contribution phenology has already made to restoration, including monitoring, biotic
resources, and effectiveness of restoration treatments and management, although these themes only
represents 1.4% of all restoration papers. Monitoring phenology on sites before and after restoration
and in the reference ecosystem has helped to measure the success of restoration projects relative to
pre-defined goals and to improve future restoration practice. Phenology data have enabled the
identification of the timing and origin of biotic material collection. Finally, phenological information has
been used to improve restoration treatments and post-restoration management. The present study
allowed us to make suggestions on where and how to integrate phenology into restoration practice
guidelines.
O45.1
Simulating the impacts of climate change, boreal forest management and restoration on future
habitat suitability for a threatened woodpecker
A.R. Hof, J. Hjältén
Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences,
Umeå, Sweden
Intensive forestry has altered and continues to alter boreal forest ecosystems. To mitigate negative
effects of intensive management practices habitat restoration is often implemented, and it will likely
increasingly be adopted in future to alleviate possible additional effects of climate change on
ecosystems and their biodiversity. We simulated the effects of climate change and different
management and restoration practices on the forest dynamics in boreal Sweden to assess the level of
mitigation that is needed to allow viable populations of species in need of conservation. We focused
on a large and long-running restoration project in Sweden that aims to restore forest ecosystems to
allow the re-colonization of an umbrella species, the white-backed woodpecker (Dendrocopos
leucotos), which is critically endangered in Sweden. Its protection may serve the protection of a range
of other species. We found that whereas it may be relatively easy to fulfil certain goals in the project
plan, such as acquiring high levels of dead wood, other goals, such as increasing the proportion of
deciduous forest, require considerable more effort. Simulations are never perfect. We however show
that forest landscape simulation models like LANDIS II can give valuable information with regard to the
required levels of management or restoration that are needed to fulfil project goals. Their use may
prevent the misuse of large amounts of time, effort and money when simulations can indicate whether
or not current efforts are sufficient to fulfill project goals. This project was funded by Formas.
O45.2
Influence of grassland habitat quality on the Critically Endangered Liben Lark (Heteromirafra
archeri): implications for rangeland restoration strategies
B.A. Mahamued1, S. Marsden1, P. Donald2, N. Collar3, J. Bennett4, H. Lloyd1
School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United
2
3
Kingdom, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, United Kingdom, BirdLife
4
International, Cambridge, United Kingdom, Department of Geography, Environment and Disaster
Management, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom
1
The Liben Plains, part of the Borana Rangelands in Ethiopia, represent one of the most threatened
grassland habitats in the world. Formerly managed by the 'Gada' system of the Borana people, these
rangelands are now severely impacted by drought, overgrazing, soil erosion, scrub encroachment, and
the conversion to crops. Consequently only 7,500 ha of the degraded grassland remaining holds one
of only two populations of Liben Lark Heteromirafra archeri. Using a point-transect survey method, we
examined the influence of grassland habitat quality on the presence/absence of Liben Lark from dry
and wet season surveys conducted from 2007 and 2009-2013. We found significant changes in
grassland habitat quality across the Liben Plain during this period. Overall there was a general trend in
significant deterioration in habitat quality, with 21% of the survey points having being converted to
cereal crops. Binary logistic regression analyses revealed that significant habitat predictors of Liben
Lark presence/absence varied between seasons and years, particularly in relation to the amount of
least disturbed medium-to-tall grass, shorter more highly disturbed grass, and bare ground cover. The
Liben Lark population was negatively influenced by disturbed, overgrazed areas with very short grass
and avoiding areas of degraded bare ground, and woody invasive shrubs or trees. The Liben Lark
may actually benefit more from grassland habitat characteristics maintained through low-to-moderate
traditional grazing practices and in some instances, moderate burning practices. Our results highlight
the importance of collecting long-term data over successive seasons in order to fully understand the
influence of grassland quality on remnant grassland-dependent bird populations. Grassland habitat
characteristics that predict the presence/absence of Liben Lark from one season may not be suitable
predictors of Liben Lark presence/absence in subsequent seasons. Future habitat restoration efforts
could include rotational grazing system, setting up grass enclosures, traditional burning regimes and
bush clearing.
O45.3
Restoring the habitat of the Dahl's toad-headed turtle: an endangered species in the threatened
dry forests of Northern Colombia
R.D. Palacio1, G. Forero-Medina2
1
2
Fundación Ecotonos, Cali, Colombia, WCS Colombia, Cali, Colombia
Habitat restoration of threatened fauna in dry tropical forests faces the double challenge of protecting
target species and on expanding forest areas. This is the case for Dahl's toad-headed turtle, an
endemic and critically endangered species from the Caribbean region in Northern Colombia. The turtle
is found in small streams with a high canopy cover of the riparian vegetation, at present heavily
degraded due to land transformation for human uses. Starting in January 2014, we have executed a
pilot restoration proyect in a stream located in a private property with intense cattle management in
Chimichagua, Cesar, one of the few localities with studied populations of the species. The project
included ecological restoration principles with sustainable livestock criteria.
We first built a fence located 10m from the stream's edge surrounding an area of 1.43ha for
restoration, and built a watering system for the cattle to keep it out of the stream. We analyzed nearby
riparian forests to select key species for restoration, selecting native fast-growing species associated
with streams such as the ñoli palm (Elaeis oleifera) and the Caracolí (Anacardium excelsum). We
repaired and reactivated a local plant nursery and growed seedlings for restoration. After a 1-year
period we have on field more than 700 individuals of 27 different native species from our nursery
complemented with plants from a commercial nursery with the local ecotype. This work has involved
the landowner and the local community, mostly engaging 150 students from a local institution. The
project is starting the monitoring phase and the experiences learned here will be used to develop a
protocol for habitat restoration of Dahl's toad-headed turtle and help other interested parties to expand
these efforts into other localities.
O46.1
Showcasing benefits of quarry restoration: European case studies
K.M. Rusche, J. Wilker, A. Benning
ILS, Dortmund, Germany
There is no doubt that the mineral extraction industry in Europe is of economic importance for society.
About 7,200 quarries cover 250,000 ha surface in northwest Europe. Following the logic of mineral
extraction, this space needs to be restored in the mid and long-term. This offers the possibility to
improve ecologic conditions in Europe by putting an emphasis on ecological restoration as potential
after uses. There is a unique chance to restore nature on these sites and to focus on delivering
ecosystem functions to secure an increasing supply of ecosystem services.
Subsequently, this rationale leads to the guiding question planning: Which alternative after use
scenario should be implemented? Theoretically, the answer is: The one which offers the highest
benefits for nature and society. In practice, this question is not easily answered. Moreover, it needs a
careful approach that is able showcase all relevant ecosystem service benefits of competing
alternative restoration scenarios. Therefore, we present a framework that follows a stepwise logic to
quantify relevant ecosystem service benefits for restoration alternatives and links them to values for
society.
We apply our framework to three quarry restoration case studies, which offer a diverging set of
ecosystem service benefits. To capture the benefits we use suitable valuation approaches to reveal
peoples' preferences for alternative scenarios. Results are then embedded in a comparison of benefits
and costs of restoration alternatives. Employing the framework to case studies helps to communicate
societal and nature benefits of restoration to stakeholders as well as decision makers. Through
highlighting the cost efficiency of ecologic restoration, a more efficient planning of after uses of quarry
sites is achieved. Due to this, the full potential of ecologic restoration can be exploited.
This research is supported as part of the project RESTORE by the INTERREG North-West Europe
Programme of the European Union.
O46.2
Social-economic attributes of restoration success
S. Baker1, K. Eckerberg2
1
Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom, 2Political Science,
Umeå University, Umea, Sweden
This paper presents ways in which social factors can be brought to bear in the evaluation of
restoration as both policy and practice, addressing concerns that there is a research gap in measures
of social-economic attributes of restoration success. We use a social science lens to uncover the close
links between goal-setting, choice of instruments and actions, and how evaluation is to be conducted
and using which set of criteria. Since restoration is driven by multiple rationales, often in the same
project, which can in turn change over time, evaluation criteria need to be assigned in ways that
reflects these multiplicities.
We present a Table that can serve as a practical tool to reveal the aims and objectives of particular
initiatives. The Table sensitizes practitioners to the complexity of the links between restoration and
evaluation, which can in turn serve to open up much needed dialogue between restoration
participants. Even if objectives are clear, or can be discerned, and methodology improved to
encompasses plurality, social scientists point to the dangers of simply assuming that evaluation can be
undertaken under presumptions of process linearity and thus clearly discernable causality between
actions and outcomes. Furthermore, since values are deeply embedded in restoration policy and
subsequent practice, the choice of evaluation criteria is likewise permeated by such values. This has
implications for how the success or failure of restoration practice is measured.
O46.3
Using summed individual species models to identify hotspots of threatened mire plant species
M. Parviainen, A. Tolvanen
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Oulu, Finland
Low-productive drained peatlands, which are one of the key issues concerning the peatland use in
Finland, cover 20% of the drained peatland area in Finland. These low-productive peatlands can be
re-used in many different ways and restoration is one of the most relevant re-use options. Reliable
identification of areas with high ecological values is needed when considering areas suitable for
restoration.
Predictive modeling offers a cost-efficient method to evaluate the biodiversity values of low-productive
drained peatlands and their surroundings before large scale peatland re-use is planned and carried
out. This study investigates the potentiality of predictive modeling to identify the hotspots of threatened
mire plant species in Northern Finland at mesoscale. A traditional way to develop spatial projections of
species richness would be direct measurement of numbers of species from surveyed sites and relation
of this information to the environmental variables derived from GIS data, to produce models that yield
predictions of richness to unsampled sites. We use less often applied approach: each species is first
modeled separately and the predicted species richness are identified by summing up the spatial
predictions of individual species. The top 5% of grid cells ranked by species richness are classified as
hotspots. This approach may provide some useful advantages, such as better control for poorly
modeled species and unacceptable prediction maps, and easier identification of the set of the most
important explanatory variables and the response shapes between of species and their environment in
certain subgroups of species.
This study is part of the EU LIFE+ -project LIFEPeatLandUse, which consolidates and increases the
knowledge base on the impacts of peatland re-use on ecosystem services.
O47.1
Tussock translocation accelerates high altitude grassland restoration in the Southern Peruvian
Andes
R. Linares-Palomino1, F.P. Eduardo2, H. Chuquillanqui3, A. Alonso4
1
Center for Conservation Education and Sustainability, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute,
2
3
Lima, Peru, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru, Universidad Nacional Mayor de
4
San Marcos, Lima, Peru, Center for Conservation Education and Sustainability, Smithsonian
Conservation Biology Institute, Wasington DC, United States
The construction of a 408 km long gas pipeline crossing the southern Peruvian Andes caused
landscape perturbations and differentially affected plant species and communities along a complex
biological and physical gradient. As part of the pipeline's management and restoration plan for 270 km
of grasslands, actions implemented immediately after finishing construction included assisted
revegetation through seeding of fast-growing non-native species in order to quickly recover vegetation
cover and prevent soil erosion, native tussock grass translocation to promote nurse effects and adding
fertilizers. The long term aim is to recover native plant species richness and community composition in
order to achieve adequate ecosystem function. With the goal of identifying the extent to which natural
biophysical factors and external management actions have hitherto influenced the evolution of the
structural and ecological recovery of these grasslands, we have been performing continuous spatially
extensive qualitative and quantitative field assessments since 2010. A first major gradient is given by
climate, distinguishing between a humid region to the east and an arid region in the west, followed by
local soil conditions influencing general vegetation characteristics and thus recovery. Tussock
translocation is the management action with the major role in promoting native vegetation recovery.
The addition of fertilizers (phosphate rock and local camelid guano) had mixed results. Overall,
vegetation recovery is progressing positively, with cover, species richness and community composition
showing a clear tendency approaching values of control sites. This is especially evident in the eastern
more humid region. In stark contrast, recovery rates in the arid western region are lagging and few of
our study sites show clear success of any management action. The extreme climatic conditions to
which this latter region is subjected may impose longer recovery times.
O47.2
The effect of clearcutting exotic species forest plantations on seed banks during the
restoration of native high Andean forest
S. Basto, J.I. Barrera-Cataño
Unidad de Ecología y Sistemática, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia
Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
When forest plantations of exotic species are clearcut, as part of ecological restoration strategies, they
can be replaced by a native ecosystem. At the Forest Park Reservoir of Neusa (Colombia),
clearcutting of 60 year old plantations of Pinus patula, Cupressus lusitanica and Eucalyptus globulus
was applied to restore the native high Andean forest ecosystem. As a result of clearcutting,
successional process based on the seed bank may be favoured. However, there are no studies
monitoring changes in the seed bank structure occurring as secondary succession progresses in these
areas. We aimed to examine changes in species richness and abundance of seeds in soils of areas
where exotic species had been clearcut at different times. Seed banks were examined in:
1) Laureles (0-8 months after clearcutting),
2) Chapinero (2.5 years post clearcutting),
3) Guanquica (4.5 years post clearcutting),
4) an exotic species plantation and
5) a native reference forest.
Although soil pH decreased in areas planted with exotic species and those with recent logging (0-8
months), it did not have a significant effect on seed abundance. However, the highest number of
species was recorded at a pH of 4.47-5.01. Species richness increased after 0-8 months of
clearcutting. Moreover, both richness and abundance increased after 2.5 and 4.5 years of clearcutting.
We conclude that seed bank structure improves with time after clearcutting and therefore by using it,
the seed bank is recovering and consequently its potential to restore the high Andean forest
ecosystem in areas degraded by exotic species plantations is enhanced.
This study is supported by Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.
O47.3
Improving nucleation strategy: the experience of native high Andean forest after clearcutting
exotic species forest plantations
J.I. Barrera-Cataño, J. Rubio, C. Moreno, H. Bernal, S. Basto
Escuela de Restauración Ecológica (ERE), Unidad de Ecología y Sistemática, Departamento de
Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
After forest plantations of exotic species are clearcut, native species are planted to restore forest
ecosystems. However, the environmental conditions caused by logging do not usually facilitate forest
recovery; on the contrary they favour the establishment of invasive species. To restore the high
Andean forest at the Forest Park Reservoir of Neusa (Colombia), clearcutting of 60 year old
plantations of Pinus patula, Cupressus lusitanica and Eucalyptus globulus was followed by the
planting of native species in traditional patterns. Nevertheless, the successional trajectory is not going
toward the native ecosystem. Here, we propose to improve the nucleation strategy with aggregates,
stripes and barriers of native vegetation, artificial perches, seed traps and wildlife refuges to enhance
sucessional processes after clearcutting. Cores of native tree and shrub species were established at
an area where exotic species had been clearcut (0-8 months after clearcutting). Native plant species
recorded in the reference forest, favouring wildlife for food and refuge, bush and forest formation, ease
of propagation, and those non-pyrogenic were chosen to implement the strategy. Artificial perches
were arranged in lines perpendicular to the nearest reference forest and distributed between the
native plants cores. Under each artificial perch seed traps were installed to measure the effect of
perches on seed rain. Moreover, at another area (2 years post clearcutting) only cores of native tree
and shrub species were established. We conclude that the improvement of the nucleation strategy
applied here, may increase the connectivity between vegetation cores and may promote more
restoration of high Andean forest ecosystems than the traditional strategies.
This study is supported by Corporación Autónoma Regional de Cundinamarca (CAR) and Pontificia
Universidad Javeriana.
O48.1
Seed quality shifts and managing plant genetic resources in fragmented landscapes
M.F. Breed, A.J. Lowe
School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
Trees promote long distance gene flow leading to the 'paradox of forest fragmentation genetics' - their
populations are generally buffered against random genetic drift effects of habitat fragmentation
commonly shown by other organisms. However, within fragmented landscapes, reduced stand density
and changed plant-pollinator interactions are often observed to change individual plant mating
patterns
(e.g. outcrossing rates, pollen diversity). These mating patterns drive immediate gains or losses of
genetic diversity and are expected to directly impact the fitness of future generations. Habitat
disturbance has a general effect of negatively impacting the mating patterns of animal-pollinated trees
and shrubs. With a case study of Australian mallee eucalypts, I use paternity analysis using
microsatellites of open-pollinated progeny arrays to investigate how these mating patterns are a
function of
(1) stand density and
(2) pollinator mobility.
I then explore with case studies from the Australian mallee and the Neotropics how these mating
patterns can directly impact on offspring fitness. The findings of this work have applications to
management of plant genetic resources. I focus on the implications of these findings for the use of
plant genetic resources in revegetation.
O48.2
Restoring plant succession on degraded crusted soils in Niger: a case study using half moons,
tree seedlings and grass seed
1
2
3
4
5
5
I. Soumana , A. Tougiani , W. John C , M. Larwanou , A. Mahamane , M. Saadou
1
Département des Productions Animales, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger,
Niamey, Niger, 2Département de Gestion des Ressources Naturelles, Institut National de la
3
Recherche Agronomique du Niger, Niamey, Niger, World Agroforestry Centre, Nairobi, Kenya,
4
5
African Forest Forum, Nairobi, Kenya, Université de Niamey, Niamey, Niger
Facilitating natural succession to increase vegetation cover and plant species diversity is the key to
restoration of degraded landscapes. We assessed a restoration treatment on degraded, compacted
soils with surface crusts in south-central Niger. The treatment involved planting tree seedlings and
sowing grass seeds as nurse plants in water-harvesting pits. Data were collected at three sites with
similar environmental conditions but different levels of the restoration treatment (3, 5 and 7 years of
restoration). Height and above-ground biomass of herbaceous plant species, tree stem circumference,
and relative cover of erosive crust, gravel crust, bare ground, rock, litter, and total vascular plants were
assessed in randomly placed plots in each site. A total of 108 vascular plant species was recorded.
Species richness, evenness and Shannon index were lowest at the 7-year site and highest at the 5year site. Above-ground biomass of herbaceous plants and percent plant cover were lowest at the 3year site and highest at the 7-year site. Trees with stem circumference >20 cm appeared at the 5-year
site, and their frequency was higher at the 7-year site. PCA revealed the temporal change in
vegetation from 3 to 7 years, as well as spatial heterogeneity in vegetation among plots within each
site. Redundancy analysis showed that the temporal changes in vegetation, herbaceous plant height
and litter cover were associated with a decrease in cover of erosive and gravel crusts, bare ground
and rock. MRPP showed significant temporal variation in species composition between the three sites.
ISA identified particular indicator species for the 3-year, 5-year and 7-year sites. The 3-year and 5year sites were dominated by annual plants, herbaceous perennials and small shrubs, while the 7-year
site was dominated by annual plants and trees. Results indicate that the technique is effective for
restoring natural succession on compacted soils with surface crusts.
O48.3
The UK National Tree Seed Project: contributing to development of a resilient woodland
network
1
1
1
2
3
4
C. Trivedi , S. Kallow , K. Hardwick , A. Brady , T. Whitbread , R. Jinks
1
2
Conservation Science, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Haywards Heath, United Kingdom, Woodland
Trust, Grantham, United Kingdom, 3Sussex Wildlife Trust, Henfield, United Kingdom, 4Forest
Research, Alice Holt, United Kingdom
The UK National Tree Seed Project was launched by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in 2013 as a
national resource for science and conservation with the key aim to seed bank multi-provenance
collections from the UK woody flora. Our initial goal is to bank genetically representative collections of
50 native species in Kew's Millennium Seed Bank by 2018.
Kew is working with a range of organisations, including foresters, conservationists and many
volunteers. As such the project is building awareness and skills around high quality tree seed
collecting across the UK woodland conservation community.
The collections will provide a vital resource for organisations working towards developing a resilient
woodland network. Seed will be available for experimental work, for example to screen for traits useful
for restoration or to trial the ability of seed from different provenances to grow in new places. They
might be used to test novel pest or disease control systems.
The project will provide solutions to constraints around collecting, conserving and using seed of UK
native woody species. For example, Populus nigra ssp. betulifolia (Black Poplar) rarely produces pure
seed in the UK, its seed rarely germinates, it has a very limited gene pool, and its seed is hard to
bank. The project is working to find solutions to these problems.
Developing a robust sampling strategy for the collecting programme has been challenging in the
absence of adequate knowledge of the population genetics of the target species. Over the next three
years, this constraint will be tackled using a combination of decision trees and in-depth species
studies. This work will also consider appropriate use of different genotypes in the UK landscape.
Work to date is presented, with a discussion of the role of ex-situ conservation and research projects
in supporting the restoration of resilient and productive ecological networks.
O48.4
Mediation of plant community dynamics using variable grass seeding densities in a sand
prairie restoration in Michigan, USA
T.A. Aschenbach
Biology, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, United States
Sand prairie was once an important component of Michigan's historic oak savanna-pine barrens
ecosystem, but has largely has been eliminated in the state. Our restoration experiment, established in
2009 in the Manistee National Forest, examines the influence of variable seeding densities of warm
season grasses on plant community dynamics in a sand prairie. Results indicate that both low (1000
seeds/m2) and high grass seed densities (10,000 seeds/m2) have a positive impact on plant
community restoration by increasing native species cover, richness, and diversity while also
decreasing non-native species cover, richness, and diversity. However, high grass seed densities can
also suppress other planted and resident native species. Results from this study can be used to
elucidate ecologically successful and economically efficient seeding approaches in plant community
restoration.
O48.5
Reducing surface soil fertility and weed seed banks using topsoil inversion
1
1
1
2
3
4
E. Glen , E. Price , S. Caporn , J. Carroll , L. Jones , R. Scott
1
School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United
Kingdom, 2Penny Anderson Associates Ltd, Buxton, United Kingdom, 3Centre for Ecology and
Hydrology (CEH), Bangor, United Kingdom, 4Landlife, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Aim: Habitat restoration is advocated as an approach to establishing a more resilient network of
wildlife sites in the UK. Restoration or creation schemes on formerly intensively managed agricultural
soils are constrained by high residual soil fertility and a weedy seed bank. Topsoil inversion (deep
ploughing) may address these constraints. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of topsoil
inversion on soil nutrient profiles, soil seed bank profiles, and vegetation development.
Methods: We established a replicated topsoil inversion field experiment with conventionally ploughed
controls. All areas were sown with a creative conservation seed mix consisting of 100% forbs. Soil
cores were taken from experimental and unploughed areas and were assessed for soil nutrient levels,
and seed bank composition using the seedling emergence technique. Vegetation development was
monitored using quadrat studies for three seasons.
Results: Topsoil inversion resulted in burial of soil nutrients and the soil seed bank. Topsoil inversion
followed by sowing resulted in a greater plant species diversity after three seasons than in
conventionally ploughed soils, although in the first season conventionally ploughed areas were more
diverse. Species introduced by sowing established more successfully on topsoil inverted areas.
Species dominant in the seed bank contributed to a lower vegetation diversity on conventionally
ploughed areas.
Conclusions: Topsoil inversion can successfully reduce surface soil fertility and the weed seed bank,
and allow semi-natural grassland to develop more successfully. Topsoil inversion can therefore
remove important constraints on the creation and restoration of habitats.
O49.1
Recovery of rich-fen bryophytes in floating fens over 25 years by improving nutrient status and
inundation with base-rich surface water
A. Kooijman1, C. Cusell2, I. Mettrop3, L. Lamers4
1
Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam,
Netherlands, 2Witteveen+Bos, Deventer, Netherlands, 3IBED, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam,
4
Netherlands, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
Base-rich fens (N2000 type H7140A) are species-rich ecosystems, which are highly threatened in NWEurope by eutrophication and acidification. Long-term studies however suggest that these fens can be
restored to some extent, even in densely populated countries such as the Netherlands. In National
Park Weerribben-Wieden, the rich fens are fed by surface water rather than groundwater, due to
subsidence of adjacent areas. Over the past 30 years, regional and local measures to improve surface
water quality have led to a decrease in aboveground biomass in one of the best rich-fen complexes
from 1000 to 250 g m-2. At the same time, the foliar N:P ratio increased from 16 to 22 or more, which
clearly points to lowered P-availability. This decrease in nutrient availability was accompanied by shifts
in the bryophyte layer, which is a better indicator of environmental conditions than vascular plants. The
eutrophic bryophyte Calliergonella cuspidata decreased, while the characteristic rich-fen species
Scorpidium scorpiodes increased. Improved surface water quality probably also promoted persistence
of rich-fen habitats in a different way. A large part of the rich-fen turned into Sphagnum peatland over
the past 30 years, due to natural succession and reduced access of base-rich water from below the
floating root mat. This root mat had grown in thickness with approximately 35 cm in the past 50 years,
which largely inhibits supply of base-rich water from below. However, in areas closer to the ditch, richfen species still persist, due to inundation with base-rich water during high water levels in the National
Park. We suggest that, even in floating fens, at least part of the base-rich water is supplied to the fen
surface directly from the ditch by superficial flooding. If this is true, occasional flooding with base-rich,
but nutrient-poor water may be an important mechanism to sustain base-rich fens.
O49.2
Fen restoration in Canada: first trials
L. Rochefort
Department of Plant Sciences, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
The Peatland Ecology Research Group (www.perg-gret.ulaval.ca) in Canada has been involved in
developing sound restoration methods for Sphagnum-dominated peatlands for past 25 years. The
moss-layer transfer approach is a more akin to paludification then terrestrialization in order to
maximise CO2 sequestration and reduce CH4 emissions. Only recently has more attention been
transferred to the management of minerotrophic peatlands (fens) after post-industrial disturbances.
First trials revealed that:
1) brown mosses (Tomenthypnum nitens, Campillium stellatum and Scorpidium cossinii) can
established and colonized successfully when manipulated with care by hand (small scale level) but
they are harshly impacted when manipulated and reintroduced mechanically on a large scale basis (in
the order of 5 ha) and so far no good establishment is achieved;
2) direct phosphorus fertilization facilitates sedges and mosses establishment whereas liming has no
effect on plant establishment on substrates with pH > 5.6;
3) if the aim of a restoration project is to rehabilitate the rich diversity of fens including mosses, it is
then better to reintroduce fen mosses with short sedge species presenting a low density cover than
the tall ones densely covering the ground;
4) ) if the aim of a given restoration project is to rehabilitate the C sequestration function then the
reintroduction of Carex aquatilis is a very good option;
5) artificially recreated pools with their contours revegetated with sedges attract a diversity of
arthropods more similar to natural fen pools.
Future researches will focus on the optimisation of scaling up of the restoration management options
while keeping in mind to drive down the known costs of fen restoration in North America.
O49.3
Microtopography as an important factor in rich fen restoration
1,2
2
1
2
C.J.S. Aggenbach , W.-J. Emsens , G. Cirkel , R. Van Diggelen
1
Ecohydrology, KWR Watercycle Research Institute, Nieuwegein, Netherlands, 2ECOBE, University of
Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium
Microtopography (MT) is widely recognized as an important feature in peatlands, but its dimensions
and ecological function have scarcely been studied in rich fens. MT is present in pristine fens although less apparent than in bogs- and might be important for their biodiversity. In Europe regular
mowing is often applied in restored fens, thereby supressing the (re)development of MT. In the present
contribution we study this phenomenon and ask two questions:
1) what are the dimensions of MT in fens of different degradation status and what are its effects on
chemistry and vegetation?,
2) how long does it take before MT recovers in restored fens where mowing has ceased?
We measured MT in 22 fen locations in NW- and central Europe varying in degradation state (pristine
to heavily degraded) and time since mowing stopped (0 to >50 y). At 4 locations we also measured
plant species distribution and soil and pore water chemistry in more detail. MT dimensions were
highest in pristine fens. Its redevelopment in restored fens starts ca. 10 year after the cessation of
mowing, and is stronger in less degraded fens. A strong MT causes a high spatial variation in both
chemistry and vegetation. MT in pristine and degraded fens strongly effects the pore water iron
concentration and to a less extent the vegetation, but these effects depend highly on the general
chemistry of the fens. Its effects are strongest under high soil Fe levels and much more moderate at
low levels. We conclude that MT in rich fens may have a large impact on the spatial variation in
chemistry and vegetation. In this light the common practice to mow restored fens needs to be
reconsidered, and the introduction of a mowing regime in (nearly) pristine fens is strongly discouraged.
O49.4
Restoration of acidified and eutrophied rich fens: long-term effects of traditional management
and experimental liming
1,2
3
1
3
1,2
2
J.M. van Diggelen , I.H. Bense , E. Brouwer , J. Limpens , A.J. Smolders , L.P. Lamers
1
B-WARE Research Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands, 2Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands,
3
Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
The restoration and conservation of fen biodiversity is an increasing problem at a global scale due to
land use change, eutrophication and acidification. Under more pristine conditions, a vegetation mosaic
can often be found including different successional stages from rich fen, via poor fen (with or without
bog-species), towards eventually carr woodland. Rich fens are known for their high botanical diversity
encompassing many endangered species. In eutrophic regions the natural succession rates have
increased significantly towards acidic poor fens or woodland, leading to a loss of rich fens.
Management measures such as mowing and burning generally aim at slowing down or resetting the
accelerated succession, however, information about their long-term effects is very limited. Therefore,
we assessed the effects of these traditional measures by comparing current (2013) and historical
(1967) vegetation data. To get more insight into more novel measures, we also explored the
effectiveness of experimental liming to restore soil chemistry and rich fen vegetation during 7.5 years.
We found that the traditional measures were inadequate to maintain rich fen composition in the long
term. Although maintenance of rich fen vegetation was not achieved by summer mowing, it still led to a
well-developed bryophyte cover dominated by Sphagnum including a higher number of rare and redlist bog-species. In contrast, burning (after winter mowing) counteracted acidification and Sphagnum
growth, but strongly decreased species diversity and increased nutrient availability, as indicated by
dominance of tall-herb grassland species and a sparse bryophyte cover. Given the fact that the
restoration of hydrological conditions, favouring rich fens, is not always feasible, liming was found to
be an alternative measure to counteract acidification only in the short term. This measure, however,
appeared to be unsustainable as the re-establishment and dominance of Sphagnum spp. seriously
complicated the development of rich fen vegetation in the longer term.
O50.1
The application of ecological assembly filter model to develop best practices for Pannonian
sand grassland restoration
M. Halassy1, A.N. Singh2, R. Szabó3, T. Szili-Kovács4, K. Szitár1, K. Török1
1
Institute of Ecology and Botany, Centre for Ecological Research, HAS, Vácrátót, Hungary,
2
3
Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India, City Council of Zugló, Budapest,
4
Hungary, Institute for Soil Sciences and Agricultural Chemistry, Centre for Agricultural Research,
HAS, Budapest, Hungary
The application of ecological assembly filter models is a promising concept to support the design of
ecological restoration. The filters illustrate environmental and biotic constraints that narrow down the
species pool and determine the realized species assembly. The aim of restoration interventions is the
manipulation of these filters according to the required environmental conditions of target species.
We report the results of a six year experiment to identify key filters and find synergistic effects in the
restoration of endemic Pannonian sandy grassland. Basic treatments included:
i. seeding (dispersal filter);
ii. carbon amendment to lower soil available nitrogen (abiotic filter);
2
iii. mowing (biotic filter). Treatments were carried out in 1 m subplots following the same Latin square
design in three oldfields.
Carbon amendments significantly reduced soil available ammonium-N, nitrate-N and mineral-N.
Spontaneous decrease of nitrate-N and mineral-N was also observed with year. Seeding increased
total cover, the cover of seeded and target species, perennial forbs and grasses. Mowing increased
the cover of target species and short-lived grasses. Carbon amendment slowed down vegetation
development, but favored perennial forbs. Mowing has further strengthened the effect of seeding on
seeded species and perennial forbs, and the effect of carbon amendment on litter and bare ground.
Based on our results, the concept of ecological assembly filter models proved to be useful in planning
management actions in ecological restoration. The dispersal filter was found to have the greatest
impact in the restoration of Pannonian sandy grasslands on former arable fields. The biotic filter has a
secondary role, while soil nitrogen as abiotic filter plays a minor role in the organization of species
assemblages in the given system. In conclusion, management actions should primarily focus on
species dispersal, and further treatments should be adjusted adaptively to the target species already
present for successful restoration of grasslands.
O50.2
Populations of a shrub-feeding butterfly thrive after introduction of restorative shrub cutting on
formerly abandoned calcareous grassland
1
2
2
T. Fartmann , F. Helbing , G. Stuhldreher
1
Ecology, Department of Biology/Chemistry, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany, 2Institute
for Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
Calcareous grasslands are one of the most species-rich semi-natural habitat types. However, area
and species richness have considerably decreased, particularly due to the cessation of grazing or
mowing. Accordingly, habitat restoration has become an important issue in the conservation of these
grasslands.
The aim of this study was to analyse the role of shrub cutting as a measure to restore habitats of the
target butterfly Satyrium spini (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) on formerly abandoned calcareous
grasslands. We compared host plant density and occupancy, as well as egg batch density and size
between cut, regularly managed and fallow patches.
In total, we counted 3,372 Rhamnus cathartica host plants on 17 calcareous grassland patches. On
309 (9%) of these plants, we found a total of 490 batches containing 1,168 eggs. Both R. cathartica
and S. spini responded rapidly to restoration: Shrub cutting promoted the rejuvenation of the host
plant, resulting in a strong population increase of the butterfly species four years after shrub cutting.
The density of the preferred small host plants (growth height < 130 cm), their occupancy, as well as
the density and size of the batches on these plants, clearly exceeded those of small plants on fallow
and even on traditionally managed calcareous grasslands.
Based on this study, we recommend shrub cutting on calcareous grasslands as both a restorative and
regular management measure for S. spini habitats. Due to the increasing demand for fuel wood, shrub
cutting in overgrown grasslands might even no longer be constrained by economic reasons.
O50.3
The dilemma of brush control for ecological restoration in Texas, USA: how much is enough
and how is it done?
R.J. Ansley, W.E. Pinchak
Ecosystem Science and Management, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Vernon, United States
Much of the southern Great Plains in the United States, including Texas, were once grasslands that
have become dominated by shrubby woody plants (“brush”) such as mesquite (Prosopis) and juniper
(Juniperus) in the last 100 years. These species have increased as a result of numerous factors
including increased seed distribution via livestock consumption and fecal deposition of viable seeds,
and overgrazing by livestock that has reduced frequency of natural fires and limited the competitive
ability of grasses against emerging brush seedlings. This vegetation shift has become so pervasive
that they threaten grass-dependent livestock production and grassland-dependent plant and wildlife
species. Concurrently, different wildlife species and different income sources such as recreational
hunting for shrub-dependent wildlife have developed that further threaten the impetus for restoration of
grassland function. This trajectory will continue without anthropogenic brush management intervention.
The dilemma facing resource managers is to first determine the level of brush removal for desired
management outcomes and second determine the most economically appropriate method of removal
that will achieve production and ecological restoration goals. The re-introduction of fire via prescribed
fires has severe limitations related to frequency and precision of application, and desired effect
(resprouting shrubs like mesquite are only temporarily suppressed). Application of chemical spray
treatments via aircraft offer the best precision regarding application (using GIS technology) and effect
(high kill rates; little damage to non-target plants), but costs are high relative to potential income
generated from these lands. The recent investigation into the use of these brush species as bioenergy
feedstock has added to the management complexity especially regarding above-ground, repeated
harvests vs. a one-time whole plant harvest. This paper will summarize these various concerns and
point to possible management solutions that achieve agricultural production, recreation and ecological
restoration goals.
O50.4
Passive restoration of grassy ecosystems - effects of site scale and landscape scale factors in
an intensifying agricultural region
S. Nerenberg1, S. Mc Intyre2, J. Catford1, D.B. Lindenmayer1, P. Gibbons1
1
The Fenner School for Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra,
2
Australia, CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, Canberra, Australia
Grassy ecosystems have been highly modified by agricultural land use. Land use intensification
favouring more intensive cropping systems further threatens grassy ecosystems and their plant
diversity. Restoration activities need to account for how this changing land use context may influence
restoration outcomes. Based in Australia's principal agricultural region, our research investigated how
landscape context influences passive restoration of the herbaceous component of a heavily cleared
grassy woodland community. We surveyed 108 paired sites across our 13,500 sq km study area for
soil nutrient status, soil structure and herbaceous plant species richness. Our sites were located within
nine landscapes of increasing land use intensity from moderately cleared to heavily cleared. All sites
were previously farmland and had been replanted with native trees and shrubs but the ground-layer
had been regenerating passively for at least 10 years. We present results showing the influence of
previous land use (site-scale) and landscape context (landscape-scale) on the recovery of soil
properties and native plant richness. We highlight differing responses between sites located on
cultivated farmland versus sites that were never cultivated suggesting some areas of the landscape
are more suitable for passive restoration of native plant diversity. We link these results with the
national trend towards expanding cropland and exotic sown pastures. We discuss how opportunities
for passive restoration of grassy woodland, apparently limited to specific conditions in a landscape,
may be further restricted by land use intensification.
O50.5
Is a better understanding of assembly a way to help reassemble communities for restoration?
E.W.A. Weidlich1, P. von Gillhaussen1,2, V.M. Temperton1
2
Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
1
Understanding how ecosystems work and how we can reassemble them is a key challenge of
restoration ecology. Studying what regulates assembly can bring us good information on how to return
a degraded area to a functioning ecosystem. Priority effects form an important aspect of community
assembly, whereby the species that arrive first can significantly affect the further development of the
system. We are testing the hypothesis that the order of arrival of different species, particularly plant
functional groups, can drastically change the trajectory of a community and have long-lasting effects
on assembly. Our overall goal is to be able to understand and use priority effects to reach specific
restoration outcomes during grassland restoration (such as maintaining diversity whilst stimulating
aboveground productivity and hereby ensuring the economic sustainability of grasslands). In a
grassland field experiment, called the Priority Effect Experiment in Jülich/Germany (2012 -today) we
are testing whether we can create long-term priority effects on community development by sowing
either high and low diversity restoration mixtures and altering the sequence in which plant functional
groups arrived in the system. We tested these factors on two different soil types (Area A and B). We
found priority effect of sowing legumes first in 2012, not in 2013 and partially in 2014 in Area B. In
addition, there was no clear stimulating effect of sowing high diversity mixtures. We may not have
found a clear priority effect of sowing legumes first because of the relatively high nutrient content of
the soil, and/or because of strong weather effects interacting with the treatments. Next steps will
involve testing such priority effects on lower nutrient soils, and testing the effect of experimental year
of initiation explicitly.
O51.1
The effect of surface heterogeneity on Carabid, Myriapod and Isopod communities in post
mining landscape of the Czech Republic
J. Moradi1, R. Tropek2, J. Foruz1
1
Institute for Environmental Studies, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic,
2
Department of Ecology, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Surface heterogeneity may affect availability of various microhabitats that can serve as food sources
or provide shelter for organisms. Previous research in Sokolov post mining district (Czech Republic,
CR), show that grading may suppress establishment of pioneer woody vegetation and affect plant
succession in general. The current study has been conducted to investigate the differences in
Carabid, Myriapod and Isopod communities between graded and ungraded spoil with latter one having
wave like shape created by heaping of spoil. Invertebrates were sampled by pitfall trapping from spring
to autumn 2014 in seven one week sampling campaigns and four paired plots each containing one flat
and one wavy plot. Two lines of five pitfall traps were used at each location. No significant difference
has been detected for ENS, SW index, millipede and Isopod communities. Trachelipus rathkii was the
only observed isopod that, based on the proposed ecological classification of carabids, myriapods and
isopods in Czech Republic, is an E (eurytopic) type species. In general, when compared to graded
spoil, wavy landscapes provided a more favorable habitat for centipedes with highest numbers of
Lithobius microps and Lithobius forficatus (t test). Carabids exhibited different pattern with higher
number of species and more epigeic activity observed in graded sites such as Amara aulica, Harpalus
subcylindricus, and Trechus quadristriatus (t test). CCA for centipedes shows that species, excluding
Lamyctes emarginatus, were correlated more with wavy surfaces, most of which were E-type. Based
on the CCA for carabids, majority of the E-type species preferred graded surfaces, while A (adaptable)
type species and habitat specialists were more correlated to ungraded substrates. Surface
heterogeneity appeared to be an important environmental driver of community structure, providing
situations in which more sensitive ecological groups can have a chance to advance faster in the
process of succession.
O51.2
Ecosystem-scale translocation for the restoration of opencast mines
S. Boyer1,2
1
2
Department of Natural Sciences, Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand, BioProtection Research Centre, Lincoln, New Zealand
Ecosystem-scale translocation, where topsoil, vegetation and all the communities they contain are
carefully collected and immediately transferred to a reception site, represents an immediate and
practical method for restoring complete communities and functioning ecosystems in opencast mining
areas.
Ecosystem-scale translocation truly departs from the current species-centered ecological engineering
approach towards a community- and ecosystem-scale approach. It contrasts with the classical
ecological restoration approach where vegetation replanting, regeneration through soil seed bank and
reintroduction of flagship animal species can take decades to achieve often limited goals. Because it
aims at preserving intact subsets of ecosystems, ecosystem-scale translocation does not rely on
natural recolonisation, which translates into faster recovery of a functioning ecosystem. By moving
complete and functioning ecosystems where all niches are already occupied, this approach also limits
opportunities for invasion by unwanted species, a recurrent and costly problem in ecological
restoration. This new approach could revolutionise the way mining areas are restored worldwide with
immediate recovery, better environmental outcomes, and virtually no long-term management costs. In
this presentation, I will review examples of small scale ecosystem translocation experiments and
discuss the promises and potential limitations associated with this new approach.
O51.3
The ectomycorrhizal symbiosis in nurse plant effect for restoration process: a case study in a
mining site from Madagascar
1,2
3
4
3
5
C. Henry , J.-F. Raivoarisoa , H. Ramanankierana , P. Andrianaivomahefa , M.-A. Selosse , M.
2
Ducousso
1
AgroParisTech, Montpellier, France, 2LSTM, CIRAD, Montpellier, France, 3Ambatovy, Antananarivo,
Madagascar, 4Laboratoire de Microbiologie de l'Environnement, Centre National de Recherche sur
5
l'Environnement, Antananarivo, Madagascar, Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité,
Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
Knowledge of undisturbed ecosystems is relevant to succeed ecological restoration in areas subject to
high stresses. In this context, the mycorrhizal symbiosis, in which plant roots and fungi exchange
mineral nutrients against carbon can accelerate the process of land recolonization and thereafter,
vegetation succession. Indeed, mycorrhizal fungi are known to form complex networks between plants
that sometimes belong to different genera, or even different families. In this context, especially in
stressing environment, facilitation has been described, where a plant species growing supports a
mycorrhizal network promoting the development of other plant species by creating a favorable
environment. In such conditions, the pioneer plant is defined as nurse plant, while other plants are
considered as target plants.
In Madagascar, a hotspot of biodiversity we describe the organization of ectomycorrhizal communities
in primary forest on ferralitic acidic soil to search for a species that could act as nurse plant in
ecological restoration. In these communities dominated by Russulaceae and Boletaceae, there is a
strong sharing of ectomycorrhizal fungi among the four tree genera tested, at seedling and adult
stages. Among these genera, only one species, Asteropeia mcphersonii spontaneously regenerates in
degraded environment. These microbial and botanical characteristics enable to consider A.
mcphersonii as a good candidate to be nurse plant in ecological restoration.
For this purpose, it is necessary to first produce A. mcphersonii seedlings in nurseries. However we
observed that nursery conditions significantly alter ectomycorrhizal communities of A. mcphersonii
seedlings ( loss of Boletales and increase of a fungal endophytes rarely observed in undisturbed forest
stand). This drastic change in ectomycorrhizal partners suggests to search for a more friendly
technical itinerary respective of the original ectomycorrhizal community of A. mcphersonii for its use as
plant nurse in ecological restoration.
O51.4
Long-term restoration success of re-sprouter understorey species is facilitated by protection
from herbivory, and a reduction in competition
M.I. Daws, J.M. Koch
Alcoa of Australia Ltd., Pinjarra, Australia
The factors affecting long-term survival and growth of planted understorey species in post-mining
restoration have received little attention. Seven understorey species were planted in jarrah forest
restored after bauxite mining in South West Western Australia to test effects of competition (both overand understorey), and herbivory by macropods on survival and growth. The seven study species were
monitored for 16 years after planting. Differences in the overstorey environment were achieved by
planting the study species into four ages of restored site (0, 1, 4 and 10 years of age). Understorey
competition was manipulated by removing other understorey species prior to planting. Reducing
herbivory (using plant guards) and competition with other understorey plants increased survival,
spread and height growth for the study species. Planting into the different ages of restored site
significantly affected responses of the study species: over the 16 years of the experiment, growth and
survival were greatest for plants established into either the youngest (year 0), or oldest (10 years of
age) restored sites. Despite the plants that were established into older restored sites experiencing a
more competitive environment than those in newly restored sites, this was offset by significantly lower
rates of macropod grazing. Across species, survival decreased to ~50% after two years, but ongoing
mortality for the remainder of the 16 years of the experiment was low. These data indicate that
planting nursery raised plants can be a suitable strategy for establishing long-term persistent plant
populations of understorey species in post-mining restored sites.
O52.1
Floating islands: surrogate fish habitat in the Milwaukee River Estuary, Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
USA.
M. Marek
Marek Landscaping, LLC, Milwaukee, United States
An estimated 80% of native Great Lakes fish rely on wetlands for part of their lifecycle. Due to
industrialization, large areas of the Milwaukee River Estuary are highly altered and no longer have a
healthy, connective aquatic/riparian habitat necessary for fish and other aquatic organisms. The
situation is similar in all industrial cities on the Great Lakes; altered bathymetry, hydrograph and
shorelines no longer support native fish. A partnership between Marek Landscaping, Groundwork
Milwaukee, Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, Milwaukee Metropolitan
Sewerage District, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and University of Wisconsin Extension was formed to bio-mimic wetlands in four locations within the Estuary through the use of
Floating Islands (FI). The purpose was to assess a low impact means to provide linear connectivity
between upriver spawning habitat and Lake Michigan. FI is a solution which uses a blend of synthetic
2
floating media from which plants grow. The media provide a large amount of surface area, 250 sf
2
(23.23 m ) island to one acre (0.405 hectare) wetland to form the basic building block for the bottom of
the food chain, the paraphytic organisms, biofilms and benthos. By providing refuge and food, FI's
may improve longitudinal connectivity between upstream spawning/nursery habitat and Lake
Michigan.
The presentation will address how FI's may improve fisheries by creating habitat at small spatial
scales. Preliminary biological monitoring results of the islands installed in 2013 and 2014 show 40
species of wetland plants (herbaceous and shrub layer) successfully took root in the island matrix
showing an average 85% vegetative cover by the second year. Several fish species were observed
beneath the islands. Lepidoptera, herpitiles, and birds were observed on the islands. The implications
of these findings for the Milwaukee River Estuary and the potential for applications in other industrial
Great Lake cities will be discussed.
O52.2
Alternative grazing practices for the restoration and conservation of dykes and embankments
plant communities in the Rhône Valley (Southern France)
T. Dutoit1, C. Moinardeau1, F. Mesléard1,2
1
CNRS-IMBE, Avignon Cedex, France, 2Tour du Valat, Arles, France
In Europe, since the 80s, extensive grazing by domestic herbivores is a widespread management
practice in many agro-ecosystems such as semi-natural grasslands in order to maintain open habitats
to enhance biodiversity. Sustainable application forms of grazing systems have been mostly
experimented in cultural ecosystems of high nature value threatened by grazing abandonment and
funded in the framework of agri-environmental schemes. Only few case studies of grazing
management in altered ecosystems such as recent fallows or new ecosystems originated from
farming, urban or industrial conversions are then documented. Then, there is an urgent need to test
the effectiveness of new socio-economically sustainable grazing strategies to conserve or restore
these areas as open-landscapes.
In Southern France, the Rhône planning for navigation and electricity production has generated in the
1950s the construction of thousands hectares of dams and embankments which have been colonized
by diverse plant communities. Nevertheless, the scrub encroachment and consecutively the
recurrence of mechanical cutting in order to facilitate the supervising and maintenance of works, raise
the question of the maintenance of these new habitats and of their management. As a consequence,
since 1990, different low-intensity grazing managements with rustic breeds of cattle, horses and goats
have been tested in an area of 1500 ha (Donzère-Mondragon) located in the lower part of the Rhône
river. Our analyses show a positive impact of extensive grazing on the vegetation compare to cutting
or the absence of management. However, pastoral enquiries show that these benefits will be
sustained only if adaptations are made such as the use of mixed stocking and the establishment of
multiyear contracts with breeders. The integration of these alternatives grazing systems for the
restoration of new semi-natural grasslands in industrial landscapes is then discussed.
O52.3
Fish passage, stream and wetland construction in Baltimore, Maryland USA
E.K. Straughan1, S. Collins2
1
Executive, Straughan Environmental, Inc., Columbia, United States, 2Engineering, Straughan
Environmental, Inc., Columbia, United States
A riffle grade control (RGC) was designed and constructed to restore fish passage on a tributary of the
Bird River, and stream bank stabilization, vernal pool construction and wetland restoration was
performed in the surrounding 169-acre site in Baltimore County, Maryland, USA. The projects are part
of comprehensive plan to mitigate unavoidable impacts to wetlands and streams that accompanied
construction of the US Interstate-95 Express Toll Lanes project. The fish blockage was created by a
five foot drop to the water surface from the bottom of a bridge structure on the U.S. Route 40 stream
crossing. The presentation will address design constraints, parameters governing design, elements of
the design process, and challenges faced during construction. Hydrologic and sediment transport
regimes were assessed with stream gages, discharge and bedload measurements, and sediment
transport modeling. Design constraints included a minimum flow depth and maximum velocity to
provide fish passage during spring baseflows, structural stability during the 10- and 100-year
discharges, competence and capacity to transport existing bedloads, maintenance of the existing
floodplain elevation along U.S. Route 40, strict grading limitations due to nearby buried diesel fuel soil
contamination and utility right-of-ways. Hydraulic and sediment transport analyses (HEC-RAS, iSURF,
various stone sizing and gradation equations) were solved iteratively to design a stable structure,
constructable from a mixture of regional stone sources, that would maintain the minimum baseflow
depth, not exceed the maximum baseflow velocity, promote surficial flow, transport bedload, include
fish resting areas, and not increase the floodplain elevation over U.S. Route 40. Bank stabilization and
vernal pool construction will also be addressed. Construction began in fall 2014 with the discovery that
site conditions had changed in this dynamic alluvial area between survey and construction,
necessitating changes to construction limits and sediment control. The project was funded by the
Maryland Transportation Authority.
O52.4
Ethnobotany of aroid in Mekong Delta of Vietnam
D.M. Truyen
School of Biological Sciences, University Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
Araceae family is the member of Order Arales. This family is best characterized by flowering plants,
which have inflorescence in the spadix. Nowadays, Araceae becomes the most familiar plants to
human and also known as an economic group. A large amount of Araceae has been largely planted,
especially in Vietnam, a densely populated country. In Mekong Delta of Vietnam, the demands of
using aroid species are increasingly popular. An investigation into use values of Araceae is conducted
along Hau River, one of two largest branches of Mekong River in Vietnam. Households living along
river banks are interviewed through questionnaires. From the result, there are 20 species of Araceae
which role as decorative and ornamental plants such as Dieffenbachia maculata, Anthurium
andreanum and Aglaonema nitidum. Another 5 species are cultivated as food plants for human as
same as for feeding cattle, such as Alocasia, Colocasia and Xanthosoma. In medical field, 10 aroid
species are used by locals, but some treatments have not been scientifically verified.
O53.1
From intention to action: psychsocial factors influencing enactment of pro-environmental
values in organisational decision-making
N. Andrews1, S. Walker2, K. Fahy3
1
2
HighWire Doctoral Training Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom, Imagination
3
Lancaster, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom, Lancaster University Management
School, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
Action to change destructive human impact on the living world and planetary systems matches neither
the scale, speed nor complexity of the restorative challenge.
Even where good intentions exist, appropriate response is not necessarily forthcoming, with decisions
made at organisational levels often at odds with the personal values (and the espoused organisational
values) of those involved.
Gaining insight into why this is is critical if we wish to avoid catastrophic consequences for social
justice and the wellbeing of humans and other species.
To this end, research that illuminates underlying psychosocial processes influencing the enactment of
pro-environmental values has an important contribution to make; yet it remains under-researched and
tends to be overlooked by environmentalists.
This paper presents some key findings arising from an empirical interdisciplinary study exploring the
intersection between the individual and their organisation with regard to environmental decisionmaking. The study enquires into the experience of individuals with responsibility for environmental
policy, strategy and practice as they attempt to influence their organisation and enact meaningful
change.
Three psychosocial factors in particular are discussed, with the implications of each for ecologically
restorative decision-making:
Emotional responses to psychological threat including repression of emotion and
environmental identity
• Cognitive framing of the natural world, specifically conceptualisations reinforcing ideas of
human separation from nature
• Satisfying of innate psychological needs, which has consequences for inner coherence and
wellbeing, and for motivation, resilience and effectiveness
These three factors interrelate, and in this paper we highlight the theme of wildness as a site of
intersection: nature as a state of mind, wildness as a state of being. Contemporary culture generally
suppresses or denies wildness in a dualism of human versus nature, reason versus emotion, with
unhealthy consequences. Restoring the wildness in our own psyches is therefore a critical part of the
broader restoration project.
•
O53.2
Reconsidering Eric Katz and the "big lie" of ecological restoration
W.S.K. Cameron
Philosophy, Loyola Marymount Univ., Los Angeles, United States
Ten years after Robert Elliot published “Faking Nature,” Eric Katz began filing amicus briefs to expose
and discredit the “big lie” of ecological restoration. Whereas Elliot relied on the analogy of art forgery to
distinguish restored from natural environments, Katz distinguished the natural and artificial to argue
that restorations represented sophisticated human artifacts. In a recent long article in Environmental
Ethics, Katz considers a series of objections, and concludes (rather hastily, in my view) that his
conclusions stand. In the last two sections of his article, however, Katz attempts a second, more
ambitious strategy that harnesses Helena Siipi's analyses of the concept of the natural, Kate Soper's
comments on constructivism in ecology, and Paul Keeling's Wittgensteinian deflation of antirealist
arguments to justify a conclusion that is less dramatic but better-justified.
Yet his conclusions are less clear and consistent than they should be. That should matter to Katz, for
he assumes that restorations will continue and contends that the essential thing is to see them for
what they are. But it matters even more for me, for while I agree that clarity about the meaning our
actions is important, I'm even more concerned that we act well—and I don't think we will if we conceive
restoration wrongly. Katz plays too loose with a series of admittedly related but insufficiently clarified
claims—factual ones (humans have pervasively affected nature); epistemic ones (the nature/culture
distinction is grammatically necessary); claims of moral psychology (restorationists cannot will the
healing of nature, but only its further domination); more narrowly moral claims (we ought to leave
nature alone); and ontological claims (nature really exists independently of us)—and the result is
practical confusion. Although Katz has made some important proposals, we must distinguish different
types of argument and work out their implications more carefully.
O53.3
Restoration understandings in Australian urban and rural conservation landscape
management
1,2
2
3
1
4
L.M. Pearce , D. Kendal , J.W. Dorrough , L. Robin , J.W. Morgan
1
Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia,
2
Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne and University of
3
4
Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia, Natural Regeneration Australia, Wyndham, Australia, Department
of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, School of Botany, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
Restoration ecology has worked towards restoring landscapes to historical or idealized states. These
states are now being disputed within the ecological restoration community, as concepts of wilderness
and novel ecosystems are contested, and as ecological shifts with changing climate and land use are
acknowledged. Given these new perspectives, there is a need for pluralistic concepts of restoration to
be respected. This paper critically assesses managers' relationships with restoration in Australian
native grasslands in urban conservation reserves and on rural agricultural land in south-eastern
Australia. We asked: What does restoration mean in a grassland ecosystem context? What degree of
human intervention is acceptable in grassland management? What goals drive
restoration/management efforts? Many understandings of restoration were found. A range of
terminology and meanings were associated with restoration across a spectrum of preservation to
intervention. There were three important factors discriminating between different understandings of
restoration:
1) if actions included explicit human intervention;
2) if the species or community to be restored were presently on site, and
3) if the species or community to be restored were historically on site.
The degree of human intervention influenced acceptability of restoration practice for some people.
Personal relationships with place, local knowledge, and familiarity with particular stages of social and
ecological history informed restoration baselines. While carefully considered interventionist practices
could likely improve grassland quality, ecosystem function and longevity, a lack of shared definition of
restoration, and tensions between preservationist and interventionist approaches likely hinder the
promotion, acceptance and adoption of restoration techniques.
O54.1
How can we manage arable fields for the benefit of rare arable plants?
1
1
1
2
3
1
M. Wagner , D.A.P. Hooftman , J.W. Redhead , M. Nowakowski , C.H. Shellswell , J.M. Bullock , R.F.
1
Pywell
1
NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, United Kingdom, 2Wildlife Farming Company,
Bicester, United Kingdom, 3Plantlife, Salisbury, United Kingdom
The adoption of intensive methods of arable farming from the 1940s onwards has resulted in
considerable shifts in the arable flora, both in the UK and on the European continent. Some arable
plant species are well-adapted to such intensive farming practices, e.g. through a life cycle fitting in
well with modern cultivation and crop sowing regimes, or through having evolved herbicide resistance.
However, many other species that were once common have now severely declined in response to
arable intensification.
More recently, as part of agri-environment schemes, management options have been promoted that
aim to preserve existing populations of rare and declining arable species and to promote their reestablishment at sites where such species have previously occurred in the vegetation, but may still be
present in the seed bank. Monitoring of such management options has indicated that they can indeed
benefit arable species of conservation interest, but at the same time, they often also promote the buildup of undesirable and pernicious weed species, which in turn can affect uptake of such scheme
options by the farming community.
As part of a Defra-funded research project (project code: BD5204) to investigate improvements to the
management and success of arable-plant options, a series of experiments was carried out between
2010 and 2014 to investigate how various management factors - including soil cultivation, application
of selective herbicides to control pernicious weeds, crop sowing density, and crop rotations - affect
populations of rare arable species of conservation interest and arable plant communities as a whole.
To this end, we applied both conventional statistical analysis as well as population modelling
approaches.
In this paper, we present some main results from our project and make recommendations for the
management of rare arable plant populations.
O54.2
The role of the spiders community in agroecological restoration: the case of an agroforestry
system in Guerrero, Mexico
P. Santillán-Carvantes, E. Ceccon
CRIM, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
Spiders are considered effective biological control agents, but little is known about their role in tropical
agroecological systems. Agroecological theory states that highly local biodiversity improves ecological
services, such as the biological control. Thereby, we hypothesized that spider diversity is higher in an
agroforestry system than in monocultures. The aims of this work are to evaluate community structure
of spiders and estimate herbivory levels in an agroforestry system (Zea mays-Leucaena macrophylla)
in Mexico. Nine plots were compared including three monoculture of each species and three
agroforestry systems. A total of 2,464 spiders were collected. We found that higher biodiverse occurs
in monoculture of corn, followed by monoculture of Leucaena macrophylla and the agroforestry
system. The most abundant families were Lycosidae, Araneidae and Theridiidae, and their abundance
varied according to the treatment. It is well proved that Araneidae and Lycosidae are biological control
agents in temperate zones, but not as good proved in tropical ones. Digital images of leaves were
analyzed to estimate herbivory level, using ImageJ program. Results showed no significant differences
in herbivory (d.f= 134, p= 0.38) between monoculture of corn and agroforestry system, nevertheless
there was a significant difference (d.f= 158, p< 0.001) between monoculture of Leucaena macrophylla
and agroforestry system plots. Our results indicate that spider's presence could be best explained by
the intermediate disturbance hypothesis stating that higher levels of biodiversity are not at equilibrium
state in these plots. It should be noted that herbivory levels were lower in the mixed system for both,
corn and L. macrophylla. We hypothesize that for restoration purposes it must be considered that
agroecological techniques may reduce herbivory levels in agroecosystems and enhance diversity
equilibrium within a community of top predators such as spiders.
O54.3
Learning to live with belowground novelty: Integrating exotic earthworms into the restoration
of abandoned agricultural lands
M.J.M. McTavish, H.A. Cray, S.D. Murphy
Environment & Resource Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
A growing number of North American ecosystems have been invaded by exotic earthworms. Through
physical and chemical modification of the soil and direct interaction with plants, earthworms act as
ecosystem engineers with dramatic impacts. While management can limit further earthworm spread,
there are few practical removal options. However, restoration projects in invaded ecosystems have yet
to incorporate the ecological implications of these influential species into existing restoration plans.
This study is a part of a restoration project attempting to convert abandoned agricultural fields to
tallgrass prairie at Glenorchy Conservation Area in Ontario, Canada. These former agricultural lands
contain abundant exotic earthworm populations dominated by the nightcrawler earthworm (Lumbricus
terrestris). This study used laboratory and greenhouse experiments to examine the impacts of L.
terrestris on the different tallgrass plant species used in the seeding of the Glenorchy project. Plugs of
each plant species were grown in greenhouse pots in the presence and absence of earthworms to
determine net impacts on plant growth. Laboratory mesocosms were used to study earthworm
interactions with the seeds of each species, quantifying impacts on seed survivorship, burial, and
germination. Overall, earthworm impacts were found to vary greatly between different plant species,
suggesting that some of the species used in the Glenorchy restoration will be advantaged by the
presence of exotic earthworms while others will be negatively impacted. Future restoration in
earthworm-invaded ecosystems may therefore benefit from consideration of the ecological
consequences of these novel engineering species when planning restoration details such as species
lists or seeding techniques. More broadly, by integrating effectively irremovable or naturalized species
into restoration plans, it may be possible to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of restoration in
the growing number of invaded global landscapes. Funding was provided by the National Sciences
and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
O54.4
The effect of biochar on agricultural soil quality
W. Hartley, J. Waterson
Crop and Environment Sciences Department, Harper Adams University, Shropshire, United Kingdom
The biomass generated from forest clearing operations results in the production of excess carbon to
the atmosphere as a result of burning the waste materials. Several biochars, produced by pyrolysis of
this waste biomass, including soft wood and rhododendron, were evaluated for their effectiveness at
improving soil quality of an impoverished sandy loam agricultural soil. Previous studies have
demonstrated both beneficial and detrimental effects on soil properties from biochar addition. A pot
trial was used to investigate aggregate stability, trace element mobility, spring wheat establishment
and microbial activity after incorporation of various biochars mixed into the soil at a rate of 5% v/v.
Aggregate stability and associated microbial activity are important factors in assessing soil
sustainability and both increased during the course of the investigation. Nevertheless soil pore water
pH and dissolved organic carbon concentrations raised some concerns. It was concluded that addition
of biochar enhanced aggregate stability but may produce detrimental effects on plant growth.
O55.1
Orchid restoration in urban, rural and wild habitats in the Southeastern United States
J.M. Cruse-Sanders1, M. Richards1, R. Pruner2, M. Owen3, D.J. Giardina4, H. Liu5,6
1
2
Conservation Research, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, United States, Division of Recreation and
3
Parks, District 1, Department of Environmental Protection, Panama City, United States, Fakahatchee
4
Strand Preserve State Park, Copeland, United States, Division of Habitat and Species Conservation,
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Naples, United States, 5International Center for
Tropical Botanicy, Department of Earth and the Environment, Florida International University, Miami,
6
United States, Kushlan Tropical Science Institute, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables,
United States
The Atlanta Botanical Garden uses botanical expertise and conservation horticulture to safeguard and
propagate more than 250 rare plant species of the southeastern U.S. Applying combined experience
in growing rare plants and identification of appropriate microsites for reintroduction or augmentation,
Garden staff work with land managers and conservation agencies to restore priority plant species into
a variety of habitats. Among the signature plant groups at the Garden is a world-class orchid
collection. Conservation staff developed techniques for propagating orchids without symbiotic fungal
associates in the micropropagation laboratory. These techniques are applied to propagation of native
orchid species from across the southeastern U.S.
1) The white fringeless orchid (Platanthera integrilabia) is currently a candidate for listing under the
Endangered Species Act. Its natural range occurs from Kentucky to South Carolina. Through
collaboration of partners, volunteers and students, 10 acres of wetland habitat for this species in
Georgia are being restored as part of the Urban Habitat Restoration project in metro Atlanta.
2) Restoration of wetlands in Florida State Parks, just outside popular destinations along the Gulf
Coast, has resulted in restoration of more than 4,000 plants in 2013-2014, including two orchid
species.
3) At the southern end of Florida in the wild habitat of the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park,
often described as the “Amazon of North America” partner organizations are restoring the epiphytic
cigar orchid (Cytropodium punctatum).
Its population in the Fakahatchee Strand was reduced to only 23 plants as a result of collection and
past clear-cut logging impacts. Recent efforts to restore this orchid have resulted in approximately
1000 cigar orchids reestablished into the Park. Funding sources: National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Association of Zoological Horticulture, Naples Orchid
Society and Friends of the Fakahatchee.
O55.2
The challenge of re-introducing rare arable plants: coping with crop density and rotation
M. Lang1, J. Kollmann1, J. Prestele1, K. Wiesinger2, H. Albrecht1
1
2
Chair of Restoration Ecology, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany, Institute for
Organic Farming, Soil and Resource Management, Bavarian State Research Centre for Agriculture,
Freising, Germany
Agricultural intensification has caused great losses in agro-biodiversity: Arable plants are the most
threatened group of plants in Europe. Due to their value for functional biodiversity in agro-ecosystems,
it is important to conserve these species. Organic farming offers suitable conditions, because of
reduced fertilisation and no herbicide applications. However, as most rare arable species are almost
extinct they need to be re-introduced. We have investigated methods to optimize the re-establishment
of three endangered arable plants (Legousia speculum-veneris, Consolida regalis, Lithospermum
arvense). On an organic farm the impact of cover crops and tillage was studied over three years SW of
Munich, Germany. In autumn 2011, a mixture of the target species (850 seeds m-²) was sown with an
experimental design of five replications and 16 combinations of densities and rotations of cover crops
(clover-grass, pea, rye, spelt, triticale). Crop density in the first year varied between no crop, and spelt
or rye in reduced and regular densities. In the second year other crop types were sown, followed by
rye in the third year; tillage included cultivation and ploughing. Establishment of the rare arable plants
was measured as seed production before harvest, and density of the resulting soil seed bank.
Establishment was species-specific and differed among crop densities and rotations. Optimal results
were found for sowing the arable plants without crops. Summer crops, especially clover-grass, during
the second year decreased the re-introduction success. Highest establishment was found for L.
speculum-veneris. We conclude that re-introduction of rare arable plants on organic farms with
favourable management provides an efficient tool to promote threatened plants in agricultural
landscapes. However, successful conservation may also necessitate a spatially differentiated crop
rotation where management is adapted to the requirements of the respective species.
The project was founded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BÖLN 06OE355, 06OE356).
O55.3
Investigating potential altitudinal-environmental variation on recruitment, regeneration and reestablishment of Juniperus seravschanica in Northern Oman
K. Al Farsi1,2, R. Cameron2, D. Lupton1
1
Oman Botanic Garden, Diwan of Royal Court, Muscat, Oman, 2Department of Landscape, University
of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
Juniperus seravschanica is a key component of woodland above 2200m in the northern mountains of
Oman. The species appears to be declining in the area, particularly at lower altitudes, with little or no
regeneration being recorded. One hypothesis is that alterations in temperature and soil moisture
status due to climate change are responsible for this decline. The aim of this study is to investigate the
decline and potential re-establishment of Juniperus seravschanica in Oman. Experimental plots were
set up on Jabal Shams (highest mountain in Oman). Mature juniper trees (180 in total) were randomly
selected within three different altitudinal populations, with the aim of measuring the ecological status,
phenology and growth performance of these populations over the forthcoming years. In addition, both
in-situ seed propagation and nursery grown tree planting trials were established in 2014 to assess the
potential for reintroduction in key locations. Nine plots were randomly selected and fenced at three
different altitudes (2200m, 2300m, and 2560m asl). Ten thousand juniper seeds were sown across all
plots. To assess the impact of abiotic factors on the establishment of Juniperus, 135 individual
specimens (five-year-old) were planted at the three different altitudes. The planting experiments are
subjected to three irrigation regimes; i.e. every 15 days, 30 days or zero irrigation (Control). These
studies are supplemented by nursery experiments under controlled conditions at Oman Botanic
Garden e.g. on seed germination. Germination trials will assess the influence of altitude and tree age
on seed viability. This PhD study will contribute significantly to understanding plant eco-physiology
within Oman and providing a better understanding of the country's biodiversity and environmental
problems. The assessment of regeneration potential for Juniperus in the Northern Mountains will help
direct alternative conservation strategies for this species and highlight the value of ex-situ plant
collections in practical conservation.
O55.4
Distribution, traditional knowledge and ecological importance of the underutilized species
Hyphaene thebaica (L.) Mart in Benin (West Africa)
1
1
L.M. Atindehou , R.A. Idohou , A.E. Assogbadjo
2
1
Management of Natural Resource, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin, 2Laboratory of
Applied Ecology, University of Abomey-Calavi, Calavi, Benin
Wild edible plants have traditionally been used by rural communities in Saharan Africa for subsistence
and trade. Sustainable conservation of those species turns out to be crucial as it will participate in their
availability for rural people needs. The present study focused on Hyphaene thebaica (dum palm) an
agroforestry tree. It aimed at: establish the potential distribution of H. thebaica in Bénin, assessing
differences in knowledge, use values and assess how traditional systems of land use affect the density
and survival of the species in the Northern part of Benin. 56 occurrence records of H. thebaica were
used to model the species potential ecological niche. Based on certains of 19 environmental data
layers (Worldclim), predictions were generated using a modeling approach based on the principle of
maximum entropy (Maxent). The ethnobotanical survey was implemented on 181 respondents. Data
were collected using semi-structured interviews and were analyzed using quantitative ethnobotanical
methods. Finally, we make an inventory of the species in its habitats and we assessed regeneration of
the species in these habitats. Six bioclimatic variables were used to model the distribution. Globally,
the habitats very favorable actually to Hyphaene thebaica were principally located in certains regions
of Sudanian zone. The knowledge on the species was fairly distributed among the community. Overall
64 different uses were mentioned for the tree. H. thebaica contributed to treat 19 diseases. The
density of H. thebaica didn't vary significantly neither between localities, nor between traditional
systems of land use. However it appeared that farm influence significantly the density. In view of its
value to the communities in northern Benin, H.thebaica should be prioritized and integrated into
management policies. Further studies on the nutritional composition of the species related according
to the provenance, may be crucial for a better valorization strategy.
Keywords: Benin, Hyphaene thebaica, conservation.
O56.1
Large scale restoration planning: a study case in three public water reservoirs in Northeastern
Brazil
J.R.A. Mangueira1, R.R. Rodrigues2, A.G. Nave3, A. Sabino4, M.L. Lima4
1
Plant Biology Post Graduation Program, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - Unicamp, Campinas,
2
Brazil, Department of Biological Sciences, ESALQ, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil,
3
Bioflora Tecnologia da Restauração Company, Piracicaba, Brazil, 4River Basins Revitalization
Department, Agência Pernambucana de Águas e Clima (APAC), Recife, Brazil
In tropical landscapes, large scale restoration plans are necessary to improve the quantity and quality
of natural habitats, increase the provision of ecosystem services, together with the management of
rural properties. In this project, different stakeholders were involved in the development of restoration
plans for the surroundings of three public water reservoirs, which are also responsible for restraining
the overflow of the Capibaribe river, one of the most important rivers of the northeastern Brazil. A
social economic and environmental assessment was conducted and the areas indicated for restoration
were prioritized, in order to make the implementation of the restoration projects feasible. In this region,
there are few large forest remnants, because of the historical process of deforestation and sugar cane
production. The main indication was to increase the areas of existing forest remnants and restore the
margins of reservoirs, which are protected by the Brazilian law but even though have been deforested
and are still used for agriculture. In total, 1,419.24 hectares were indicated for restoration, 719.72 of
which should be restored by plantation and 672.92 by agroforestry systems. 351.84 hectares were
considered high priority for restoration, and should be restored within the next three years. 762.03
hectares have intermediate priority and the restoration projects should be implemented in the next
nine years. 283.94 hectares have low priority for restoration and should be restored along the next ten
years. The implementation of these restoration projects surrounding the reservoirs in the Capibaribe
river basin depends on a partnership of different stakeholders and the communities should be
supported along the process. These projects will, in the long term, maintain the offer of water
resources to the population, increase the area of natural vegetation, and increase the resilience of this
human modified landscape. This project was funded by the World Bank (IBRD).
O56.2
Advanced planning and measurable outcomes: restoration success in Southern Colorado
D.R. Chenoweth, J. Schneider
Western States Reclamation, Inc., Frederick, United States
In the 1970's, reclamation was performed along a pipeline alignment which runs adjacent to the now
constructed Southern Delivery System (SDS) in southern Colorado. The revegetation and stabilization
of the 1970's alignment was slow and created not only environmental problems but also aesthetic
problems for the surrounding landowners. As a result of these prior efforts, land owners in the area
became reluctant to have additional disturbances to their land. As plans were being unveiled for the
SDS pipeline by Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), the surrounding landowners made sure to voice
their expectations. The SDS team heard the public's voice and in turn developed a sophisticated
reclamation program.
In order to address stakeholder's concerns an innovative and science based reclamation program was
developed for the SDS alignment. The reclamation program that was developed had seven key
features.
1. Involvement of environmental consultants and professionals
2. Establishment and analysis of revegetation test plots
3. Soil analysis
4. Establishing pre-construction baseline vegetation surveys
5. Pre-qualified contractors
6. Budget development
7. Public education
In 2012, Western States Reclamation, Inc. (WSRI) was awarded the construction of the project based
on a technical and price proposal. A key element to WSRI's proposal was an extensive temporary
irrigation system. Another aspect was WSRI's ability to provide an in-house environmental team to
conduct soil, vegetation and stormwater quality analysis.
As the 3 year maintenance and monitoring period comes to a close in 2015, WSRI is confident in
meeting the 90% pre-disturbance re-establishment goal. It is the team's belief that a program designed
similar to the one established for the SDS could benefit many restoration projects. The team didn't
take an off-the-shelf specification and apply it to a project, they took the necessary steps to calculate
what the project needed to complete reclamation successfully the first time.
O56.3
Which reference for wetland rehabilitation evaluation: single «control site» vs. multiple
«reference relevés»
S. Gallet1, J. Chevalier1, J. Thiry1, A. Dausse2
1
2
Department of Biology - EA 2219, University of Brest, Brest, France, CAMA 29, Brest, France
In the framework of an experimental network for wetland restoration initiated in the Finistère (Brittany,
France), five sites were submitted to rehabilitation operation. These sites were characterized both in
term of vegetation, fauna, soil parameters and hydrology.
Site are drained wet grassland, peatland and a previous corn culture (drained and backfilled).
Restoration operations consist in ditch erasing (or control), soil stripping and sowing, according to
each site characteristics and stakes.
In order to evaluate the future evolution of the ecosystems a “control site” was chosen for each
restored site and was surveyed in the same way. These sites are generally un-degraded part of the
experimental site, or sites located very close and presenting similar hydrogeomorphological condition.
Nevertheless, differences can exist between “control” and “rehabilitated” sites and these differences
can interfere with evaluation of vegetation dynamics. In the cases of wet grasslands, this approach
was completed with the acquisition of a larger set of data on a panel of sites similar to experimental
sites (notably ecological, hydrogeological and topographic context). Thus, data concerning vegetation
and soils (pH, bulk density and organic matter content) were obtained on a panel of 20 sites in which
several relevés were made (about 60 in total) in 2014 and 2015. This allowed us do define a “normal
range” of values for each studied parameter. Restoration will be considered a success if each followed
parameters reach this range in the rehabilitated sites.
Results of the two approaches will be presented and discussed in order to contribute to the definition
of the best strategy of rehabilitation evaluation. This evaluation also needs to be replaced in the
framework of a larger evaluation process that includes hydrological functioning, fauna evolution, but
also socio-economical parameters.
O56.4
Application of the restoration opportunities assessment in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil
A. Padovezi1, M.A. Moraes2, R.M. Benini3, M. Sossai4, J. B.B Sansevero5, M. Oliveira6
1
World Resources Institute (WRI), Atibaia, Brazil, 2IUCN, Brasilia, Brazil, 3The Nature Conservancy,
4
5
Porto Seguro, Brazil, SEAMA-ES, Vitória, Brazil, Insituto Internacional para a Sustentabilidade, Rio
6
de Janeiro, Brazil, World Resources Institute (WRI), São Paulo, Brazil
Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) is defined as a planned process that aims to regain ecological
integrity and enhance human well-being in deforested or degraded landscapes. Is a way to achieve a
balance between human needs and forest functions, accepting its trade-offs within a landscape.
Based in several applied experiences around the World, IUCN and WRI have recently published the
Guide to Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology (ROAM), a set of tools to evaluate
restoration opportunities in a given territory. The new version of the Brazilian Forest Act (BFA) brought
several challenges and opportunities for the national FLR agenda. Considering this an timely moment
to deploy a large restoration effort in Brazil, a group of Brazilians leaded off to apply the ROAM at subnational level. Espírito Santo was the first Brazilian State chosen, due to its well-structured program of
forest restoration and payment for ecosystem services - the Reflorestar Program. Furthermore, its
territory is totally covered by Atlantic Forest, one of the most biodiverse and threatened biomes in the
World. The first rough estimates undertaken to quantify the FRL opportunities in Espírito Santo
identified 437,000 hectares to be restored, for an estimated cost of U$ 1.3 billion, 25% of the expected
State budget in 2015. Even being diluted in 20 years, as stipulated in BFA, such investment may not
be prioritized by the State authorities whether the financial mechanisms and the potential return of
FLR investments remains unclear. In this sense, the ROAM has shown to be a powerful set of tools to
translate the underlying benefits associated to forest restoration investments, especially economic.
Moreover, the methodology has the potential to assess future markets of timber and non-timber
products, as well the long-term value of this natural capital to provide natural benefits as clean water
and climate regulation.
O56.5
The importance of small urban conservation reserves
D. Kendal1, J.W. Morgan2, B. Zeeman2, M.J. McDonnell1
1
2
ARCUE, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Melbourne, Australia, School of Life Sciences, La Trobe
University, Bundoora, Australia
There has been much debate about the effectiveness of different sized conservation reserves in
theoretical ecology, and large reserves are thought to have better conservation outcomes under some
conditions (such as the nestedness of species) or desired outcomes (such as protection of large
carnivores). However, in human dominated landscapes such as cities there are often existing
conservation reserve systems that have not been planned using ideal conservation planning
principles. This can result in reserve systems that are small, fragmented and disconnected. A few
studies have shown that small reserves can be important for some organisms in some contexts.
However, there has been little empirical investigation of the ecological value of existing small reserves
in
1) an urban context and
2) for grassland flora. In this study, we did a floristic survey of 77 grassland conservation reserves
occurring within the boundaries of a large urban centre.
Species accumulation curves and species area relationships were explored to compare the unique
contribution made by different sized reserves. We found that small reserves made an important
contribution to the conservation values of the reserve system. 87% of all native species were found in
reserves < 10ha in size, and cover of native species in small reserves was no different to cover in
large reserves. However, large reserves harboured more uncommon species than smaller reserves.
This highlights that small reserves can contain important ecological values, and should not be
abandoned just because they are small. Also, a conservation system consisting of many small
reserves may confer resilience on the system as a whole, as loss of any individual reserve due to
environmental or political changes will have relatively less impact on the system than one composed
of a single or several large reserves.
O57.1
Building urban habitat through restoration of the native tree canopy
P.M. Harris, S.H. Sage
Atlantic States Legal Foundation, Syracuse, United States
Many U.S. cities, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest, continue to suffer from the effects of past
depopulation, outsourcing of manufacturing jobs, and consequently, a glut of vacant and formerly
developed land. Creative reuse of these properties for the benefit of the environment and city
residents is often a good or better alternative to conventional redevelopment. The Atlantic States
Legal Foundation (ASLF) has created a program that revegetates urban land as a means to restore
ecological health to urban communities, among other things. Utilizing native, genetically local stock,
these planting sites provide “oases” of habitat that assist migratory wildlife and support threatened
species, as well as retain stormwater, reduce air pollution, and support native pollinators. Currently
there are projects being implemented in Syracuse, NY, but ASLF intends to expand the program as
part of a larger model for restoring ecological and economic health to blighted urban areas in other
locations.
O57.2
Technology for restoring meadow communities in urban environment: lawns composed of
local wild plants (by the example of Moscow)
L.B. Volkova1, N.A. Sobolev2
1
Laboratory for Synecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences,
Moscow, Russian Federation, 2Laboratory for Biogeography, Institute of Geography, Russian
Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
Restoration of natural communities in residential quarters and along various communications in urban
areas aims improving stability of a local environment and integrity of a city green infrastructure. As
opposed to this, actual Moscow city Rules for green place management focus on its intensive and
expensive regulation primarily for decorative purposes. Resulting lawns comprise of a few grass
species, cannot support viable populations of important consumers, and therefore loss ecological
functions.
Restoration technology for lawn management refers to natural meadows and their traditional use in
Central Russia with modifications according to actual objectives and climate change. The concept
framework includes:
multispecies community composed of local wild herbs;
high diversity of entomophilous herbs ideally making a «flowering conveyor» during the vegetation
season;
mosaic (small plot) mowing one time per year covering in total one third or a half of a lawn size.
Parameters of mowed plots and the mowing period depend on the year climatic features as well as on
the requirements of target species. In general, the mowing is done in fall but may be in middle summer
if retaining lawn green and flowering by September.
The resulted semi-natural meadow community supports populations of dominant and subdominant
insect species: six common and several rare bumblebee species, at least 10 butterfly species and
others. As consumers are critical ecosystem component in cities, the suggested scheme provides
lawns with a capacity for self-regulation on a basic level.
Species that are more sensitive use such lawns for migration and foraging, and even as habitats of
temporary subpopulations. Thus, a system of lawns become a transition component (corridors) of the
city ecological network.
Some our proposals have already been included in the Rules for green place management and
encouraged practical initiatives of Moscow citizens. Currently we develop proposals for further
updating the Rules.
O57.3
Transforming science into best practice: tools for restoring native pollinator habitat in pacific
nw urban forests
M. Schwartz
School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
As climate change causes increased phenological mismatches between native plants and pollinators,
the need to bridge the gap at the interface between scientific research and practice, is urgent. In many
discontinuous urban forests, restoration efforts cannot target habitat creation for large wildlife species.
However, habitat for vertebrate and invertebrate pollinators, several of which are endangered in the
Pacific Northwest of the USA, has critical potential in urban restoration projects.
This endeavor aims to re-establish mutualisms between native plants and native pollinators in Kincaid
Ravine, a historically neglected 4 acre urban forest on the University of Washington Seattle campus.
Restoration of this essential ecological process will enable autogenic regeneration through positive
pollination feedback loops, encouraging a more diverse plant gene flow with neighboring forest
fragments. Efforts to establish neighboring pollinator corridors and stepping stone habitats, such as
Whitman Walk, are underway by fellow SER-UW members.
Methods involve an integrated 4 tool approach.
1) Specific, locally pertinent information: Research methods focus on literature reviews into native
plant associations, traits and growing conditions as they relate to local pollinator abundance and
diversity. The resulting plant combinations are out-planted at Kincaid Ravine in 'pollinator patches'. A
10 page educational handbook, “Pollinator Habitat for Restoration Projects: Puget Sound Lowlands”,
stemmed from this investigation, including detailed lists of 'pollinator plant packages'.
2) Technological tools: Data on plant spacing, associations, bloom time and bloom color is creatively
mapped using ArcGIS.
3) Resource economy: Pollinator plant packages will be available at several local nurseries to facilitate
practitioner implementation.
4) Education: Surveys of local restoration project managers from the private and public sector assisted
pre-publication to conform the handbook to the most relevant and applicable information possible.
Outreach to these organizations post-publication is planned to include presentations and distribution of
the handbook.
O57.4
Standardization of propagation techniques and field transplantation in selected native plants of
Kuwait
L.A.O.M. Ali, M.K. Suleiman, N.R. Bhat, M.A. Islam, S. Jacob
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait, Kuwait
Kuwait is an arid country with limited water and other natural resources. Intense human pressure and
invasion and subsequent liberation war have resulted in land degradation and severe degradation of
terrestrial ecosystem, which cover over 80% of Kuwait land area. Hence, KISR initiated several
sustainable restoration and rehabilitation projects to halt the desertification process. Native plants are
being used to restore the damaged terrestrial ecosystems; however, limited numbers of native plants
and the lack of restoration seed bank for supplying the required quantities of seeds, makes it a real
challenge in successful implementation of restoration projects.
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) is making concerted efforts to standardize mass
propagation techniques for a number of native plants. Presently propagation technique has been
standardized for eight native plants, viz., Farsetia aegyptia, Gynandriris sisyrinchium, Horwoodia
dicksonia, Lysium shawii, Nitraria retusa, Ochradenus baccatus, Peganum harmala, and Rhanterium
epapposum, field transplantation and the field performance of nursery-raised plants has been
evaluated. Seed viability and seed germination studies were done to evaluate the quality of seeds for
two species of those propagated native plants, after eight years of transplantation. The results of these
studies will be discussed in this presentation. The project team extends acknowledgement and
appreciation for the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences and Kuwait Institute for
Scientific Research, for funding and supporting this project.
Keywords: Rehabilitation, restoration, native plants, biodiversity conservation, desertification.
O57.5
Recombinant ecology - how eco-fusion of alien and native provides a new conceptual
framework for urban ecology
I.D. Rotherham
Natural & Built Environment, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom
Urbanisation, globalisation, climate change, and human cultural influences are rapidly generating
changed ecology and ecosystems. Long-term human interactions with nature in agriculture and
forestry, and increasing impacts of urbanisation and other environmental changes force and facilitate
hybridisation of nature; a process, which accelerates with globalisation and climate change (both
human-induced and natural). Human activities generate disturbance, nutrient enrichment, habitat
replacement (through formation and destruction), and planetary scale species dispersal. Ecological
processes driving changes are 'natural' mechanisms of ecological succession, with species and
ecosystem hybridisation and adaptation. Species mixing is at a rate unprecedented in the history of
biodiversity evolution. In the so-called 'Anthropocene', the latest great evolutionary epoch, nature is
adapting to new canvases and changed ecological templates.
These human influences result in hybridisation of species and of ecology. 'Eco-fusion' is most readily
observed and recognised in increasingly urbanised environments (though it occurs more widely, in
forestry and agricultural landscapes). With new environmental conditions forged, plants, animals, and
fungi move and mix beyond natural distributions and limits, with old and new, native and exotic,
enmeshed in recombinant communities and hybrid ecosystems. Especially in the urban heartlands,
this new ecology of native and alien jostle for position with novel interactions and dependencies
established.
Novel concepts of recombinant, hybrid ecology and eco-fusion are discussed along with implications
for future ecologies. Alongside debates on 'wilding'/'re-wilding', ecological fusion and hybrid ecology,
provide key conceptual frameworks for future landscapes and ecological paradigms. The concepts
have significant implications for restoration ecology.
Indicative references:
Rotherham, I.D. (2014) Eco-history: An Introduction to Biodiversity and Conservation. The White
Horse Press, Cambridge.
Rotherham, I.D. (2015) Recombinant Ecology - a hybrid future? Springer Briefs in Ecology, Springer
Publishing, Dordrecht
Rotherham, I.D. & Lambert, R.A. (eds) (2011) Invasive and Introduced Plants and Animals: Human
Perceptions, Attitudes and Approaches to Management. EARTHSCAN, London.
O58.1
Restoration of native forest cover from non-harvest exotic conifer plantations in New Zealand
A.S. Forbes, D.A. Norton
School of Forestry, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
Commercial plantation forests comprise homogenous communities with limited biodiversity value
compared to native forests. However, environmental conditions within mature plantation forest interiors
can be suitable for recruitment of native forest species and in some circumstances plantations will not
be harvested and as such present opportunities for restoration of native forest communities.
We investigated the potential of non-harvest Pinus plantations in New Zealand as sites for restoration
of native forest cover, along with potential management interventions to promote native forest
succession.
A natural secondary forest succession was surveyed within an 89-year Pinus radiata plantation
chronosequence. Creation of canopy gaps to promote seedling growth of late-successional native
forest trees was tested experimentally within a Pinus radiata plantation. Underplanting was evaluated
as a restoration technique by survey of a 51-year trial of underplanted late-successional native forest
trees within a degraded Pinus ponderosa plantation. Facilitative and inhibitive effects of tree-ferns on
forest succession were assessed by survey of epiphytic establishment and through a tree-fern thinning
experiment within a Pinus radiata plantation.
Although native late-successional canopy species were naturally recruited within some Pinus stands,
understorey composition was dependent on both plantation age and proximity to native forest seed
source. Canopy gap interventions significantly increased native late-successional seedling growth,
although growth in large gaps was affected by animal browse. Underplanting ensured native canopy
dominants within the forest succession and significant differences were apparent in both the growth of
underplanted species and the understorey composition among underplanted stands. Shade cast by
tree-ferns significantly limited native seedling height growth and most facilitative benefits associated
with epiphytic seedling establishment were limited to stands >60-years of age.
While non-harvest Pinus stands may present valid restoration sites, management interventions to
address competition for light and dispersal limitation will be required to promote the switch to native
dominance.
O58.2
Forest management in high density pine stands to increase biodiversity and ecological
functionality
1
1
2
3
D. Arizpe Ochoa , S.E. Huesca Calatayud , G. Romero Cuenca , A. Marzo Pastor
1
Centre of Applied Forest Research (CIEF), VAERSA-Generalitat Valenciana, Quart de Poblet, Spain,
2
Forestry Service Castellón Province, Generalitat Valenciana, Castello, Spain, 3Directorate General for
Environment, Generalitat Valenciana, Quart de Poblet, Spain
This communication will present the results of the restoration project LIFE11 NAT ES 706 'Renaix el
Bosc' ('Rebirthing the forest'). This project has as main objective the strengthening of the
Mediterranean lime forests through a set of actions focused on correcting its extreme fragility state,
bringing thus back one of the most valuable and singular botany treasures to the Tinenca de
Benifassa Turmell i Vallivana and Alt Maestrat Sites of Community Interest in eastern Spain. Farming,
over-pasturage and traditional forest management focused on wood production from pine forest and
coal production from oak forests caused a progressive regression of the above mentioned cores/spots
and increased their fragmentation level, turning this habitat into one of the most threatened of the
Valencian forests. The main management action proposed by this project is the re-naturalization of
hiperdense spots of Pinus nigra subsp salzmanii, regenerated in old abandoned farm terraces close to
the Tilio-Acerion spots. These measure will improve the structure as well as the dynamics of mountain
pine forests while facilitating the increase of diversity levels. Together with this in situ recuperation and
conservation actions, seeds of 25 species will be harvested in these habitats. A part of this germplasm
accessions will be used for plant production and reintroduction and reinforcement project actions,
while the rest of the materials will be stocked in the Forest seed bank of the Generalitat Valenciana as
a mid/long term conservation reserve.
O58.3
Forest restorations can successfully recover natural level genetic diversity
1
1
2
3
4
5
P.S. Sujii , K.D. Schwacz , P.H.S. Brancalion , R.R. Rodrigues , J.B. Pinheiro , M.I. Zucchi
Department of Genetics, Evolution and Bioagents, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas,
Brazil, 2Department of Forest Sciences, ESALQ, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil,
3
4
Department of Biological Sciences, ESALQ, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil, Department
1
of Genetics, ESALQ, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil, 5Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos
Agronegócios, Pólo Centro-Sul, Piracicaba, Brazil
Forest degradation and fragmentation have lead to extinction of many local populations and potential
changes in ecological processes and genetic diversity. Ecological restoration has been efficient to
recover native species populations, forest physiognomy and connectivity. Nonetheless little is known
about genetic diversity of restored populations, which is essential for long term viability. We evaluated
if it is possible to obtain populations in ecological restoration areas with genetic diversity and structure
similar to the observed in natural forest fragments. Based on common practice in older forest
restorations to use seedlings from a small number of trees-matrix, our hypotheses were:
1) restored populations have lower genetic diversity than the remnants populations due to founder
effect; and
2) there is genetic structure among populations from different sample sites.
We studied populations of two tree species (Centrolobium tomentosum, Myroxylon peruiferum) in two
restoration project (RP) areas and two natural conserved remnants (CR) in Brazilian Atlantic
Rainforest, using microsatellite markers. We estimated allelic richness (R), private alleles richness,
and inbreeding coefficient for each population and compared between RP and CR populations.
Population genetic structure was assessed using pairwise FST analysis and Discriminant Analysis of
Principal Components (DAPC). Most parameters estimates are not different among populations (C.
tomentosum: RCR = 3.4, RRP = 3.95; M. peruiferum: RCR = 3.8, RRP = 3.3). Private allelic richness was
lower in restoration populations of M. peruiferum, indicating effects of genetic drift. We observed
genetic structure in both species and the DAPC analysis showed evidences of gene flow from
neighbour populations for M. peruiferum. Genetic diversity in restoration areas was not lower than in
natural remnants and the similar genetic diversity in all areas can be a result of high diversity in initial
planted populations or gene flow from neighbour areas or both.
Funding Body: FAPESP/Biota Program (2010/00170-5, 2011/50296-8, 2012/03246-8)
O58.4
Soil mycobiome informed sustainable nursery production for UK Scots pine afforestation
1
1
2
2
R. Sen , D.R. Elliott , T.P. Vincett , A.P. Steepe
1
Division of Biology and Conservation Ecology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester,
United Kingdom, 2Abbots Moss Forest Nursery, Forestry Commission, Delamere, United Kingdom
Concerns are mounting at the increasing loss of economically important native and introduced UK tree
species to fungal diseases. Key examples are ash dieback in European ash and red band needle
blight in Scots pine from the respective fungal disease causing ascomycetes, Chalara fraxinea and
Dothistroma septosporum. Identification of disease resistant genotypes are now being prioritised for
future propagation in forest nurseries. Current silvicultural practices involving NPK fertiliser and
pesticide application can be counter-productive with regard to the wider environment and ecosystem
services. We report on a three-year pilot project targeting low-input production of Scots pine seedlings
in nursery beds amended with factorial combinations of spent compost, bark or the ectomycorrhizal
fungus Suillus bovinus. Seedlings grown in un-amended nursery beds and under standard nursery
practice served as controls. Improved rooting and weed control in the organic amended treatments
after 2 year's growth highlighted short-term nursery and potential longer-term out-planting benefits in
afforestation. Soil samples were taken for genetic analyses from all nursery treatments and a local
clear-cut site transplanted with nursery test and control seedlings. DNA extracted from soil was
subjected to high-throughput sequencing of a phylogenetically informative rRNA gene sequence (ITS),
enabling characterisation of the soil fungal community (mycobiome). Multivariate analyses of the
mycobiome highlighted clear community differences between standard practice and organic
amendments which were intermediate to clear-cut forest soil previously supporting Corsican pine.
Fungal representation with respect to both beneficial and pathogenic species in the different
treatment-specific mycobiomes will be discussed in relation to vegetation development (i.e. target vs.
non-target plant communities) and soil edaphic factors. Potential mycorrhizal biocontrol of D.
septosporum disease in Scots pine is also being monitored following recent identification of
heightened systemic immunity from symbiotic root colonization by related ascomycete species.
Funded by Manchester Metropolitan University and Forestry Commission, Delamere.
O59.1
Is "resilience" the missing tool for evaluating success in forest restorations?
G.L. Rapson
Ecology Group, Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North, New
Zealand
Restoration is the preferred approach for improving biodiversity outcomes in most anthropically
disturbed ecosystems. However, the success of restoration projects is seldom evaluated, especially
with reference to natural vegetation. Comparison of successional trajectories of forest restoration
plantings in New Zealand with those of existing secondary vegetation suggests they do not substitute
for natural processes. But the difficulty is in baselining expectations of restoration plantings, so that
success with respect to a desired local vegetation type cannot be clearly evaluated.
Ecological "resilience" describes the stability of a system in response to extra-system perturbations.
Since the aim of restoration is to create a self-perpetuating vegetation, a system´s "resilience",
especially as the wider ecology changes around it, seems the most appropriate tool to use to evaluate
restoration success.
A simple concept, resilience is hard to assess. In large, dynamic systems resilience can be derived
from recovery times to natural disturbances, but this is inappropriate in systems of limited extent but
high biomass and value, such as forest remnants. The approach taken here is to compare the
responses of seedlings to naturally occuring canopy gaps, though initial results indicate low frequency
of gaps with high variability. However small gaps can also be experimentally induced, even in
conservation estate, as a simple resilience measure.
A major (70ha) restoration project is under development along the riparian zone of the Kahuterawa
Stream, Manawatu. It includes remnants of variable quality, and is adjacent to the high-value remnant
of Keeble´s Bush (22ha), which is privately-owned and reserved for scientific purposes only. Initial
plantings (20,000 plants) are about 6% of the planned total. Several experimental layers, at several
scales, are being built into this restoration along with replicated block designs. Opportunities to trial
other means of measuring resilience will arise within this project, referenced to the forest of Keeble´s
Bush.
O59.2
Laboratories for restoration science - developing the evidence base for cost-effective and
resilient landscape restoration
1
1
1,2
N.J.C. Gellie , M.F. Breed , A.J. Lowe
1
School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia, 2Department of
Environment Water and Natural Resources, Adelaide, Australia
Globally, an estimated 2 billion ha. of land and soil are categorized as 'degraded' - an area larger than
Russia. This appalling statistic has stimulated multilateral agreements with ambitious conservation and
restoration targets, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Aichi Target 15, the aims of
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for Reducing Emissions
from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), and the Rio+20 land degradation neutral goal.
Such a projected scale of worldwide landscape restoration provides an unparalleled opportunity to
create a global laboratory of networked field experiments, embedded within restoration projects, to
further our understanding of restoration processes and ecosystem science. We have successfully
integrated experimental plantings into large-scale revegetation through active collaboration with NGOs
in the restoration sector. We have established this collaboration with an empirical test of local
adaptation of Eucalyptus leucoxylon - a core woodland species of South Australia routinely used in
restoration. We demonstrate significant local maladaptation of this species in this provenance trial by
measuring 4 fitness proxies across 3 provenances collected along an aridity gradient (local
provenance was the most mesic). Establishment rate and growth rate were both lower in the locally
provenanced plants which also exhibited a higher rate of insect herbivory and indications of
physiological stress than more distant provenances. Our data suggest that strict use of locally
collected provenance for this species would provide poor restoration outcomes, and also indicates a
complex history of selection and possible recent environmental change.
O59.3
Operationalizing ecological resilience at a landscape scale: a case study from Silicon Valley
1
1
1
1
2
3
E. Beller , A. Robinson , R. Grossinger , L. Grenier , A. Davenport , D. Stephens
1
Resilient Landscapes Program, San Francisco Estuary Institute, Richmond, United States, 2Google
Ecology Program, Google, Inc., Mountain View, United States, 3H. T. Harvey & Associates, Los Gatos,
United States
Adaptation to climate change requires redesigning our landscapes - from urban areas to wildlands - to
maximize ecological resilience. However, it can be difficult for environmental managers and designers
to access, interpret, and apply resilience theory at meaningful scales and across a range of settings.
To address this gap, we produced a framework that synthesizes the latest science on the resilience of
ecological functions to climate change and other large-scale drivers of change in order to help
translate resilience principles into actionable ecosystem conservation and restoration
recommendations and adaptation strategies. The goal of this framework is to create a concise but
comprehensive list of considerations that will help integrate resilience thinking into urban design,
conservation planning, and natural resource management.
The landscape resilience framework is composed of seven principles that represent core attributes
which determine the resilience of ecological functions within a landscape. These principles are:
setting, process, connectivity, redundancy, diversity/complexity, scale, and adaptability. For each
principle we identify three to four key operationalizable components that help illuminate specific
recommendations and actions that are likely to contribute to landscape resilience for locally
appropriate species, habitats, and biological processes. We are currently using the framework to
develop landscape-scale recommendations for ecological resilience in the heavily urbanized Silicon
Valley, California, in collaboration with a team of regional experts. The resilience framework is being
applied across the valley, including urban, suburban, and wildland areas. Ultimately, the framework
will underpin the development of strategies that can be implemented to bolster ecological resilience
from a site to landscape scale. Initial pilot areas include Google's campus in Mountain View, where
plans released in February 2015 include substantial habitat restoration based on these principles (see
Stephens et al. presentation, this conference). This project was funded through charitable
contributions from Google's Ecology Program.
O60.1
Urban power line corridors as novel habitats of grassland plants and introduced alien plants
J. Lampinen, K. Ruokolainen, A.-P. Huhta
Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Power line corridors in urban landscapes provide novel habitats for grassland plants and introduced
alien plants. This is due to the early-successional conditions on the corridors created by regular
corridor management. However, the factors that support the establishment of grassland plant
communities or alien plant communities are not fully understood. Increased understanding of these
would help in utilizing power line corridors more efficiently in both grassland conservation and invasive
species control in urban areas.
This study aimed to identify the environmental factors that best predict the number of grassland plant
and introduced plant species on urban power line corridors. Secondly, the aim was to determine which
of the same factors influence the compositional similarity in parallel communities formed by these
species. We used generalized linear models and multiple regression on distance matrices to analyze
data of the vegetation and environmental conditions on a 43 km long urban power line corridor
network in SW Finland.
Preliminary results suggest that increasing soil moisture decreases the numbers of both grasslandand introduced species, while increasing soil productivity results in the opposite. Further, increasing
time since last management cycle decreases the number of species in both groups. As for
compositional similarity, soil moisture and corridor width are two of the most important factors that
determine the compositional similarity in communities of both species groups.
In conclusion, many determinants for the number of species and compositional similarity of both
grassland- and introduced alien plants on power line corridors are similar. This implies that corridors
suitable for grassland plants are also suitable for introduced alien plants. This has implications for
grassland conservation and invasive species control in urban areas. The study was funded by The
Finnish Foundation for Nature Conservation and The Kone Foundation.
O60.2
Plant trait-based restoration of ecosystem services in semi-natural grasslands
J.A. Hodge
School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
The restoration of functional group diversity in semi-natural grasslands is surmised to enhance the
delivery of ecosystem services and goods. Literature surveys defined a suite of plant functional traits
relating to five essential grassland ecosystem services (livestock production, pollination services,
carbon sequestration, biomass production and biodiversity conservation). Species abundance data
from the long-term experiment PARKGRASS (Rothamsted Research, United Kingdom) was acquired
to perform the analyses, and treated as a model system for semi-natural grasslands in the UK.
Species-specific functional trait data was extracted from online databases and clustered into functional
trait groups for each ecosystem service using a hierarchical cluster analysis. A linear discriminant
analysis was conducted to ensure maximum variance between groups, and to legitimize the
appropriateness of the allocation. Analysis of variance was used to support the division of groups. The
outcome presents a model composition of functional trait groups for each ecosystem service that can
be utilized as a predictive tool to assess the delivery of said service from extant semi-natural
grasslands and from hypothetically restored semi-natural grasslands from commercial seed stocks.
O60.3
Ecological re-creation of wet grassland for agricultural use by filling of a gravel pit: first results
of floristic survey
1
1
2
1
A. Boigné , F. Bureau , L. Quillet , E. Langlois
1
2
Laboratoire ECODIV- EA 1293, Normandie University, Mont-Saint-Aignan, France, Laboratoire
LMSM - EA 4312, Normandie University, Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
The low valley of the Seine Estuary is home to many wetlands rich in biodiversity, and numerous
ecological functions and ecosystem services. However, the high level of human activity within the
estuary created one of the most industrialized axis in France. In this highly disturbed landscape, the
preservation of seaworthiness requires a regular dredging of the Seine channel; sediments are usually
deposited in riparian zones. Furthermore, sand and gravel extraction is an important economic activity
in the floodplain, creating numerous gravel pits.
In this context, a sediment extraction company set up an original experiment to restore wet grasslands
trying to reach back pedological and floral patterns that were destroyed, by filling gravel pits with
dredged sediments and peat. Since 2008, two experiments have been set up; first results allowed to
refine the filling technology and underlined the choice of pedological material as a key factor in
restoring the structure and functions of the ecosystem.
To complete this knowledge, a new gravel pit has been filled in 2013 with dredged sediment, and then
covered with a peat layer and a further layer of pedological material. We tested four different types of
material, each originating from the local floodplain. The objectives are to follow vegetation colonization
dynamics on the four different re-created soils along a topographic gradient and to measure ecological
functions (carbon storage, denitrification) associated with this wet ecosystem.
First results show a rapid colonization by the vegetation during the first year, and 128 floristic species
were identified on the whole site. Floristic communities show high Jaccard's similarity index along the
topographic gradient for all four substrates; Jaccard's indices tend to be lower when comparing floristic
communities from the different substrates. Overall, a difference appears between the floristic
communities from re-created soils and the community from control, a non-disturbed wet grassland.
O60.4
Challenges for the restoration of dry calcareous grasslands in quarries: does nature need
help?
C. Pitz1, J. Piqueray2, A. Monty1, M. Harzé1, S. Boisson1, M. Séleck1, G. Mahy1
1
University of Liege, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Gembloux, Belgium, 2Natagriwal, Louvain-la-Neuve,
Belgium
In order to maximize the biodiversity potential of dry calcareous grasslands in former quarries two
options are available to managers:
(i) allow species to spontaneously recolonize the site,
(ii) implement technical support for ecosystem restoration.
This study aimed at characterizing the spontaneous communities established in dry area of
unexploited quarries and at comparing communities encountered to the succession panel of dry
grasslands.
To evaluate the ecological succession in quarries, three successional stages where defined:
(i) less than three years;
(ii) three to 20 years; and
(iii) more than 20 years after exploitation.
2
For each successional stage, six parcels were selected and 20 1m plots were randomly marked in
each parcel. All selected parcels presented dry grasslands abiotic conditions: filtering and stony soils
and south orientation. During the 2014 vegetation period, percentage cover of higher plant species
was recorded in each plot. Explaining environmental variables including coordinates, altitude, slope
(degrees), soil depth, exposure, maximum vegetation height, bare ground cover, moss cover, and
shrub cover (%) were measured.
Our main results showed that, over decades of time, the ecological succession in dry area of
unexploited quarries does not approach a typical formation of dry calcareous grassland. Most
recolonizations tended to form meadows communities, except for three sites belonging to a specific
landscape context. Potential implications for future quarries restoration will be discussed.
O61.1
Airports in an environmental constrained world: re-envisioning the air transport system within
the urban region
P. Ferrulli
Dipartimento di Architettura, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
Airport infrastructures are increasingly constrained by environmental issues which restrict current
operations and limit future potential growth. Moreover, airports - at least in developed economies tend to be located in the green belt: close to where the demand arises (reducing emissions from
ground transport access), but away from the centre of the city (reducing noise impacts). But green belt
areas need to be protected for ecological reasons.
The environmental challenge for airports is exacerbated by the global nature of the industry and its
regulation, the interdependencies of technologies and complex commercial activities associated with
airports that determine infrastructure design.
Airports have evolved from a simple runway, terminal, car park to sites that encompass conference
centres, hotels, rail stations. The concept of “aerotropolis” has been developed to define the aviation
activities embedded within complex infrastructure which tries to replicate the patterns of the city
planning within the airport site. But these criteria do not fully take account for the environmental
consequences of the airport site growth, nor the resilience to future changing conditions.
This trend of growing infrastructure and increasing complexity of functionality at an airport calls into
question the sustainability of current models of airport development. Most airport infrastructure has a
significant ground footprint and therefore ecological. However, not all airport activities have to take
place at the same site, however. Some of the airport functions are already relocated and spread
across the city (e.g. remote passenger check-in online). Forecasts and operators policies suggest that
there will be a growth on this trend through the application of information technology. So why don't we
stop expanding airports in their current form and move as many functions as possible into the city and
just have minimal infrastructure in the green belt?
O61.2
Earthworm community development within translocated grassland soils at Manchester Airport
(1998-2014)
1,2
3
K.R. Butt , T. Walmsley
1
Applied Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom, 2Environmental
Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa, 3Manchester Airport,
Manchester, United Kingdom
Construction of a second runway at Manchester Airport (1997-2000) included a £17 million
environmental package concerned with habitat restoration, relocation of species and translocation of
valuable habitat components. One focus was on legally protected vertebrates such as great crested
newts and badgers. To this end, a monitoring programme was established to assess earthworm
communities (significant prey items for the given protected animals) within areas of translocated
grassland. Major upheaval of turf can have negative consequences on soil biota, so its integration with
receptor subsoil was essential. The work reported here relates to annual (autumn) monitoring (19982014) of 4 translocated grassland areas. Digging and hand sorting of soil, followed by vermifuge
application to replicated plots was used to extract earthworm specimens. Twelve species of earthworm
were recorded, representing litter dwelling, shallow, and deep burrowing ecological groups. Presence
of Lumbricus terrestris in vertical burrows showed these grasslands have been integrated into their
new locations. Total earthworm numbers fluctuated during the monitoring period, with lowest density at
4 per square metre and highest more than a hundred times larger. Similarly, biomasses have ranged
between 1g to 110g per square metre. Significant differences can be attributed to a number of factors
including type of translocation undertaken (turf transfer vs. soil alone) and also between grassland
sites (wetter lower lying, vs. constructed hillocks). Meteorological data suggests that the most
significant environmental aspect during monitoring was rainfall, with dramatic earthworm reductions in
2003, a year with a particularly dry summer. Great crested newts have been located from soil pits
when sampling for earthworms at one of the areas. Earthworm community composition has been
dynamic over the monitoring period suggesting that this and population size need to be appraised over
realistic timescales.
O61.3
Woodland translocation: Manchester Airport new runway
T. Walmsley1, P. Putwain2
1
2
Environment, Manchester Airport Group, Manchester, United Kingdom, School of Environmental
Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
The translocation of species assemblages is a last resort when a change of land use results in the loss
of valuable ecological communities. This may occur when a major construction project is undertaken
such as building a new high speed rail line, or at Manchester Airport, the construction of a new
runway. In this case the loss of ancient woodland with high conservation value was inevitable. The aim
of the translocation was 'to establish semi-natural vegetation communities which in some way
resemble the semi-natural original, although not necessarily to re-create their full diversity'. It is
intended that the translocated community will eventually resemble the pre-translocated state as
closely as possible.
Prior to construction of the new runway, a baseline survey of airport woodlands was made (1995) and
this work provided the basis for translocation of woodland soils and associated seed banks from
ecologically valuable ancient woodland areas located on the steep clay slopes of the Bollin valley to
receptor sites nearby, but on the opposite side of the valley. Woodland translocation was undertaken
between late October and early December 1997. Coppiced stumps of trees and shrubs and soil blocks
were labelled, moved and placed in precisely recorded locations. Baseline sampled areas were
monitored in the receptor areas over a period of 17 years. Six woodland plots were monitored, four
were translocated material, two were control plots located close to the donor woodland.
To gain an objective assessment of the developing vegetation communities sampling included forty
50x50cm quadrats and five 2x2m quadrats. A species-rich field layer typical of old woodland has
developed in the majority of translocated plots that is similar to the Fraxinus excelsior - Acer
campestre - Mercurialis perennis NVC W8 woodland type and with greater population density of many
woodland species than the reference sites.
O61.4
Ecological restoration on large-scale solar projects: making green projects greener
1
2
M. Marcus , K. Hartzell
1
New England Environmental, Inc., Amherst, United States, 2Ecological Restoration, New England
Environmental, Inc., Amherst, United States
Large commercial solar projects are becoming an increasingly popular form of developing new
renewable energy worldwide. Siting these projects may require clearing trees, or loss of habitat as a
form of ecological trade-off for renewable energy production. This paper describes methods we have
used in the United States to provide ecological restoration on large commercial solar renewable
energy projects.
It is desirable to develop new solar projects onto previously developed locations such as building
rooftops, paved parking lots, or industrial sites such as airports, gravel pits, quarries and former factory
sites and thereby providing additional use for these facilities without degrading habitat or ecological
landscape features. Sanitary landfills, and contaminated properties are also examples of siting solar
projects in locations which provide renewable energy benefits, without habitat degradation. Within
these previously developed sites both internal and external restoration of grasslands and wooded
habitat may be incorporated into the solar landscape plan to improve ecological conditions. For
instance, on a solar project built on a former airport, the paved runways were removed, and planted
with native grasses, thereby reducing storm water runoff, and improving water quality.
Solar projects constructed on farmlands may be planted with native grasses and forbs to promote
pollinators and habitat use by small mammals and birds. Sheep grazing is compatible with solar
development. Access to solar fields by terrestrial animals (e.g. turtles) may be achieved by raising the
elevation of the fencing, and then developing a mowing program which avoids work during the times of
the year when animals are active.
Examples are provided of planting native shrubs and small trees, using native seed mixes as cover
crops, planting stream buffers, removing culverts, and restoring degraded habitats in conjunction with
large scale solar projects, and providing case studies of the methods used to make green energy
greener.
O61.5
Ecological restoration for bioengineering
N. Coppin
Freelance Reclamation Ecologist, Truro, United Kingdom
Ecological restoration usually assumes a mainly biodiversity objective, which in turn implies restoring
or creating natural or semi-natural communities (usually defined by phyto-sociologically associations
and the habitats that are valued most highly). However, ecology is about much more than biodiversity
and nature conservation. Of course biodiversity is important and is a crucial consideration when fully
assessing and valuing (not necessarily in monetary terms) our ecosystems and natural capital for
Cultural or Supporting services. However, it is not necessarily important for Regulating services, where
ecosystem structure and function are arguably more important than species composition.
This paper will examine how these Regulating services can be balanced with Provisioning and
Cultural/Supporting services, and will review current understanding and application of how the
principles of ecological restoration can be applied through Bioengineering to provide Regulating
services as the principal function of an ecosystem.
Bioengineering (sometimes also referred to as biological or ecological engineering, biotechnical
engineering or ecotechnics, and not to be confused with medical biotechnology) is the application of
the functional aspects of vegetation to enhance engineered and landscape structures and other
development. It is in fact the art of maximising the Regulating (and Supporting) services of a
vegetation cover or ecosystem within an anthropogenic (developed or human influenced) environment,
or following a significant disturbance to an ecosystem. Examples of the application of Bioengineering
include:
* Mediation of wastes, toxics and other nuisances through phytoremediation, mediation of water
quality in catchments, green infrastructure;
* Mediation of flows - mass, liquid and gaseous, through soil erosion control, shelter, filtration of
sediments, flood prevention, urban microclimates, waterway and bank protection;
* Maintenance of physical, chemical and biological conditions, soil formation, water and atmospheric
conditions through influencing soil trafficability, slope stability, bank protection, urban microclimates.
O62.1
The old and the new: combining novel restoration techniques and chronosequences to guide
restoration of coastal dune wetlands
1
2
3
4
L. Jones , H. Wallace , S. Edmondson , G. Williams
1
2
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), Bangor, United Kingdom, Ecological Surveys (Bangor),
3
Canon Pyon, Herefordshire, United Kingdom, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, United Kingdom,
4
Natural Resources Wales, Bangor, United Kingdom
Dune wetlands are a threatened and highly biodiverse habitat, home to many rare species including
plants, insects and amphibians. A key issue in these seasonal wetlands is over-stabilisation by
vegetation and a lack of the early-successional habitat phases which generally support the rarer
species.
Recent restoration techniques in dunes have involved a shift in emphasis towards working with natural
processes (WWNP). The aim is to re-instate mobile dunes and bare sand to encourage the formation
of new dune slack wetlands by deflation. This is achieved by stripping vegetation from existing dune
landforms and allowing wind-scour of sand to create the early successional wetland habitats with little
follow-up management required. The technique adds some resilience to climate change, with windscour naturally chasing a falling water table.
However, the longer-term trajectories of restoration are poorly understood in dune wetlands, and
particularly the role of hydrological regimes and soil conditions. This is where chronosequence studies
can help. We present early results from some novel restoration schemes in the wider context of a
chronosequence of restored and non-restored sites, to explore the effects of soil pH, hydrology and
site management on plant community development. Understanding the factors that govern both the
direction and the timescales of development of ecological communities is essential to planning
effective restoration in these habitats.
O62.2
Importance of a soil functioning survey to assess the success of wetland restoration in the
Seine estuary (France)
C. Mchergui1, M. Aubert1, B. Buatois2, M. Akpa-Vinceslas1, E. Langlois1, C. Bertolone1, R. Lafite1, S.
3
1
Samson , F. Bureau
1
2
3
Normandie University, Mont Saint Aignan, France, CEFE, Montpellier, France, Service
Environnement du Grand Port Maritime de Rouen, Mont Saint Aignan, France
The creation and restoration of new wetlands to mitigate wetland losses is a newly developing science
whose success still needs to be assessed. This study focuses on the ecological restoration of a
gravel-pit in the low valley of the Seine estuary (France). Restoration consisted in filling the gravel-pit
using a hydraulic technique with dredged sediments from the Seine river and covering it with alkaline
peat from adjacent wet meadows. Our objectives were to survey the functions of recreated soil 3 years
after the gravel-pit was filled and assess whether it regained typical wetland functionality and to
determine which soil functioning parameters are the most efficient for assessing restoration success.
To address these questions, a diachronic approach combining analyses of in-situ and ex-situ soil
functioning was used. The survey was conducted on Recreated Soil (RS) as compared to Control Soil
(CS). For the RS,
4 zones were sampled taking into account the waterlogging conditions: Hemic Histosol without
waterlogged periods (HH), Hemic Histosol with temporary waterlogged periods (HH+), Hemic Histosol
++
with the longest waterlogged periods (HH ) and Interstratified Histosol without waterlogged periods
(IH). Soil respiration and SIR results showed that large stocks of organic matter are maintained after 3
years of restoration and proved able to sequester C in RS. 3 years after restoration, nitrogen removal
function measured through denitrification technique was restored in HH++. 65 % and 44 % of net
++
nitrification was consumed (daily average from June-July 2010), in the HH soil and CS, respectively.
Therefore, in situ denitrification rates and SIR/soil respiration ratios could be potentially interesting
indicators to monitor restoration from the start and compare restored or created sites to reference
sites.
O62.3
Ecosystem recovery in oligohaline tidal wetlands of the Columbia River Estuary, USA
S. Kidd, A. Yeakley
School of the Environment, Portland State University, Portland, United States
The objective of this study is to identify rates and drivers of ecological development in tidally
reconnected oligohaline (salinity 0.5-5 ppt) wetlands, specifically focusing on the recovery of native
plant communities and wetland soil conditions. Understanding the mechanisms and timelines driving
the development and recovery of tidal wetland ecosystems is relevant in this time of global change
and critical for anticipating the ecological impacts of coastal sea-level rise and ongoing estuary
restoration efforts. To identify whether tidal reconnection results in the recovery of reference
oligohaline tidal wetland conditions over time, a 54 year chronosequence of tidal wetland restoration
sites were evaluated. The chronosequence was composed of 11 sites varying in age from 1 to 54
years after tidal reconnection, in addition to two diked pastures (pre-restoration condition) and four
natural reference wetlands in the Young´s Bay watershed in Oregon near the mouth of the Columbia
River. Data collection included plant community (species abundance, diversity) and soil (salinity, bulk
density, organic matter, and total N & P nutrient levels) surveys in addition to ground elevation and
tidal flooding. Although the existence of restoration trajectories is highly debated, data from this study
indicates that trajectories towards reference plant community and soil conditions were detectable
within the study´s 54 yr chronosequence. However, preliminary results also indicate that non-native
plant species abundance among a number of the sites may be impeding the development of desired
native wetland plant communities. Further work is currently underway to evaluate the mechanisms
driving these different restoration outcomes. Understanding the development and delivery of tidal
wetland ecosystem services during the restoration process is essential to successful restoration
management. This research was generously funded by the National Science Foundation grants
#0966376, #0948041, in addition to student grants from the Society for Ecological Restoration and the
Society for Wetland Scientists.
O62.4
Restoration of the Baltic Boreal coastal meadows in Estonia: changes in soil and vegetation
after ten years of management
M. Kose
Botany, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
The Baltic Boreal Coastal Meadows are a declining habitat around the Baltic Sea and the
largest and most consistent meadows can be found in Estonia. Therefore the focus of the European
Union according to this habitat type is directed to Estonia and its success in maintaining and retoring
these communities is crucial.
The total area of the coastal meadows in Estonia is 18000 ha, but only 8000 ha are under
management or restoration.
In 2001-2005 a large number of meadows were undertaken for restoration, especially fighting the reed
stands and other type of degradation. In several cases the restoration activities have not shown the
expected results while in other cases the vegetation has recovered and representatives of
characteristic fauna have returned.
The restoring effectiveness is difficult to measure and it is mainly regularly done by monitoring birds or
insects, more seldom by evaluating the changes in vegetation or soil in larger scales and longer
timespan.
Our study is focused on 14 coastal areas in Estonia, which were investigated thoroughly in 2005 and
ten years
later, 2014. Vegetation analyses, soil samples and management regime were described and analysed.
The presentaton will discuss the following issues: The changes in land use in seashore meadows
(restoring and grazing) do not bring along a rapid decline in C store in soil as the conditions for
mineralization of organic matter are unfavourable (moistness).
Formation of plant communities (during restoration) and favourable conservation status of rare species
is strongly depending on management regime, including the species of grazing animals as well as
grazing pressure.
O62.4
Back on a decade of collaboration between researchers and practitioners for maritime cliff-top
ecological restoration in Brittany
J. Sawtschuk, B. Frédéric, S. Gallet
Géoarchitecture EA 2219, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Brest, France
In the last decades, sea cliffs landscape became major touristic attractions in Brittany. In many sites,
uncontrolled access to maritime grassland and heathland habitats has led to ecosystems degradation.
Since the mid-eighties, restoration operations were initiated by land-managers. A limitation of the
access was applied to allow spontaneous succession, punctually completed with various ecological
engineering methods. The multiplication of restoration projects all along the Brittany's coast and of the
concomitant implementation of diachronic vegetation surveys gave opportunities for development of
research works in restoration ecology during the last decade.
In this framework, collaboration with practitioners has been developed on some pilot sites allowing
experimental studies for ecological engineering technics comparison.
Long-term vegetation dynamics were therefore analysed on various sites in order to construct
succession models that display multiple restoration trajectories depending on environmental condition
and initial degradation level.
Results confirmed the efficiency of spontaneous succession as a restoration tool that allowed quite
fast vegetation recovery process (5-15 years). More active restoration technics (geotextile, scrapping,
soil litter transfer…) appeared generally not ecologically needed for ecosystem restoration in degraded
place. However these methods can be useful to create quick visual effect needed to control visitor
circulation or to limit erosion risks. Active methods can also be necessary to restore ecosystems that
were entirely destroyed (urbanisation, closed landfill). Nevertheless, they must be applied with
precaution as they can lead to undesirable vegetation trajectories, according to local conditions.
Results and methodologies that were developed in these researches were shared with practitioners,
both by direct exchange, publication and presentation in workshops. It allowed the emergence of
research collaborations on new sites for restoration operation design or for the evaluation of on-going
projects. It brings new research questions on long-term evolution of restored ecosystem, or on
vegetation surveys efficiency at various spatiotemporal scales.
O63.1
Large scale seed production of native species for mega restoration projects in Kuwait
J. Al-Taho, M. Al-Qalaf, G. Shabbir
Native Plants Conservation Center, Public Authority of Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources, AlRabiya, Kuwait
Public Authority of Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAF) is the stake holders to implement
Kuwait Environmental Remediation Program (KERP) to restore its terrestrial ecosystems that have
been seriously damaged due to either natural degradation caused by wind and water erosion and/or
by anthropogenic factors related mainly to war activities, camping, over-grazing, off road driving,
quarrying, and urbanization. This is most probably the biggest and the most expensive restoration
project in the world, being carried out on 1600 Sq.km protected area which makes ca. 10% of the
country. It has been estimated that approx. 35 million seedlings and 22 tons of seeds of native species
will be required to establish native species on approx. 85 Sq.km that will serve as seed source for
natural regeneration in the future. In order to meet such a huge demand of seed and seedlings for the
project, PAAF has established two seed farms one in the southern and the other in the northern
regions of the country. Each farm is established at 300,000 m2 area, where 50,000 plants has been
established by planting 10,000 plants of each of the five native species Rhanterium epapposum,
Farsetia aegyptia, Calligonum comosom, Lycium shawii, Panicum turgidum, Pennisetum divisum for
large scale seed production. The plants are irrigated with drip system. Observations so far have shown
that 80% of Rhanterium, 50% of Farsetia, 30% of Calligonum and 100% of Panicum and Pennisetum
plants started seed production after one year of transplanting. More than 1,000 kg of seeds have been
collected from one farm after two years. It has been successfully demonstrated that availability of large
scale native seeds, a major bottle neck for mega restoration projects can be achieved by establishing
artificial seed farms to along with seed collections from wild populations.
O63.2
Do large scale restoration projects reduce within-species trait variability?
M. Harzé, A. Monty, G. Mahy
Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium
Dry calcareous grasslands represent local biodiversity hotspots of European temperate regions. They
have suffered intensive fragmentations due to due to the abandonment of traditional agropastoral
systems and the resulting encroachment, reforestation, urbanization or transformation into arable
lands. In order to preserve and enhance their ecological value, a series of ecological restoration
projects have been implemented throughout Europe (LIFE+). As habitats restoration costs can be
prohibitive, actions should demonstrate their success. In the face of environmental changes, restored
populations should possess attributes necessary for adaptive evolutionary changes allowing them to
persist over the long term.
Intra-population functional variability expresses the range of possible trait values of a species living in
a heterogeneous environment. It results notably from genetic diversity and phenotypic plasticity and
enables species survival, growth and reproduction under various environmental conditions.
In Belgium, three European LIFE projects have taken place between 2000 and 2009, restoring more
than 400 hectares of calcareous grasslands. Restorations have mainly been evaluated in terms of
plant species diversity and community composition. Though it is expected to be of crucial importance
for species evolutionary potential, the restoration of the entire range of environmental heterogeneity
and the resulting intra-population functional variability of restored population have so far not been
assessed.
We compared the intra-population variability of functional traits (specific leaf area (SLA) and maximum
vegetative height) of 10 restored and 10 reference populations of Potentilla neumanniana (30
individuals per populations). We characterized abiotic and biotic conditions by measuring soil depth,
sun exposure, bare ground cover and mean vegetation height around each sampled individual.
Our main results showed that the range of within-species functional variability was restored in our
study area. We will conclude with implications for the evolutionary potential of restored populations
and for future ecological restoration projects.
O63.3
Reflorestar program: large-scale restoration strategy in Espírito Santo, Brazil
M.F. Sossai1, B.M. Rubens2, J.A. Machado Junior3, T.B. Silva4, G.H. Platais5, A.M. Tedesco6
1
Programa Reflorestar, Espírito Santo State Bureau of the Environment and Water Resources,
2
3
Cariacica, Brazil, The Nature Conservancy, Porto Seguro, Brazil, The Nature Conservancy, Vila
4
5
Velha, Brazil, Instituto BioAtlântica, Vitória, Brazil, World Bank, Washington D.C., United States,
6
Espírito Santo State Bureau of the Environment and Water Resources, Cariacica, Brazil
The Espírito Santo State Program for the Expansion of Forest Cover - the Reflorestar Program - was
created based on the experience gained in previous projects. It is a government initiative that involves
the third and private sectors. The Program is statewide and aims to maintain and expand forest cover,
creating opportunities and generating income for farmers by encouraging sustainable land use
practices that focus on maintenance and recovery of environmental services related to biodiversity and
the quality and availability of water. Farmers are the main providers of these services. Payment for
Environmental Services (PES) is Reflorestar´s main strategy since it serves as an incentive for the
implementation and maintenance of sustainable, land use practices. Reflorestar established laws that
created the state PES program and the Espírito Santo State Water and Forestry Resources Fund
(FUNDÁGUA), which receives 2.5 percent of royalties from oil and natural gas on a monthly basis.
The established PES law allows the transfer of up to US$1,185 to farmers to fund the implementation
of environmentally-sound practices and to reconcile income generation with the conservation and
restoration of biodiversity, water and soil. The Reflorestar Program began the restoration work using
sustainable practices in 810 hectares in 21 municipalities, corresponding to more than 150 properties.
In addition, it used geoprocessing techniques to map approximately 300,000 hectares of forest in the
early stages of natural regeneration - those areas will be monitored. In 2015, the program will serve
about 1,500 farms and that will allow the beginning of the restoration of at least 7,500 hectares across
the state of Espírito Santo at a cost of $21.5 million.
O63.4
Restoration of landscape multifunctionality
A. Blaschka, T. Guggenberger, P. Haslgrübler, R. Huber, F. Ringdorfer
AREC Raumberg-Gumpenstein, Irdning, Austria
In Central Europe, need for restoration arises frequently due to agricultural abandonment, defined as
complete withdrawal of agricultural management, changing the perception of the environment as a
cultural landscape over time. More recently, tourism became a major user of the landscape and
economic force throughout the Alps, securing directly or indirectly the income of large parts of local
people. Therefore, representatives from the tourist industry became, besides landowners and farmers,
one of the main stakeholders concerning the landscape, its condition and use.
The working hypothesis of the project presented, located in the Austrian Alps (47.41° N, 13.78° E) was
to verify if by cross-sectoral cooperation (agriculture, forestry, tourism, services) both an economically
viable management and preservation of a traditional cultural landscape is possible for all stakeholders.
The successful strategy was to create a premium product (lamb meat), which gets a good price on the
market. It has to be made clear to all stakeholders, using shrub-infested pastures brings
disadvantages from an animal nutrition standpoint, but all stakeholders benefit in the long-term from
the restoration, especially the tourist industry, as the landscape maintained by traditional land use is its
main product to sell and the flock is an attraction for visitors.
An economic evaluation based on final ecosystem services shows the importance of tourism:
Pasturing with sheep creates a value of 115 euro per ha pasture, including external payments and
subsidies. Forestry shows a value creation of about 286 euro/ha forests, summer tourism creates 504
euro/ha for the whole study area, per summer season.
Within the project, it was possible to create a system consisting of agriculture, tourism and ecology,
fulfilling requirements of all stakeholders. This was only possible because everybody involved
identified himself with the project and its aims and was willing to contribute, but also to make
compromises.
O63.5
The restoration of critically rare plants in Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
G.D. Gann
The Institute for Regional Conservation, Delray Beach, United States
As a World Heritage Site and a Biosphere of International Significance, Everglades National Park
(EVER) is charged with protecting a unique and diverse ecosystem known worldwide. However,
previous research by The Institute for Regional Conservation (IRC) documented that approximately
one in four native plant species in south Florida was critically imperiled or possibly extirpated from the
region, including about 50 species known from EVER. In response, EVER and IRC began a series of
collaborations to address this problem that has now exceeded 10 years in length. As part of this
process, a review of the entire native flora of EVER was conducted by IRC (Gann 2015). Fifty-nine
vascular plant Species of Management Concern (SOMCs) were identified and divided into ten logical
groups (e.g., trees, ferns, graminoids). Species accounts for the 59 SOMC plants were compiled,
including historical background, conservation status, history in EVER, and a summary of
recommendations for research and management, including restoration. In this presentation, results of
this study will be presented and expanded upon to elaborate on previous and current restoration
programs affecting rare plants in EVER. Both the direct restoration of depleted or extirpated
populations and the interface between rare plants and large regional restoration projects will be
discussed. Both upstream (freshwater flow) and downstream (coastal freshwater/brackish systems
impacted by salt water intrusion) hydrological restoration will be covered, along with the need for
expanded invasive species control and other restoration-related activities. Current and projected
impacts from sea level rise in coastal areas will be addressed, along with potential adaptive measures
using restoration technology, including the managed relocation of rare plant populations (i.e., assisted
migration) into what is currently the interior of the park.
O64.1
Old ornamental park systems of rural manors - the transformation of cultural heritage
landscape into refugia of woodland biodiversity
J. Liira, K. Lõhmus, R. Kalda, T. Paal, I. Jüriado, A. Suija
Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
Centuries of forest use have degraded and fragmented ancient forest ecosystems and replaced them
with crop land or afforestation monocultures. The restoration of forest community is a combined
function of site's historical continuity and spatial connectivity. Assumingly weak dispersal ability of
many forest-dwelling species is minimized in long-term, but requirements for environmental conditions
(habitat quality) still continue to limit the immigration into surrogate habitats. We addressed the
stochastic formation of forest biodiversity in agriculture dominated rural landscape.
Old manor parks are widely accepted as cultural heritage and habitats of aesthetic value. They have
been valued as landscape diversifying elements and arboretum collections. Over a century, old
landscape style plantations in distant parts of parks have been transformed into dense canopy stands,
which are connected to the surrounding forest land via alleys or other woody corridors. Those shady
manor parks and various linear woody habitats in open agricultural landscape are as useful model
systems to quantify their potential as dispersal sinks during natural restoration of woodland
communities. We used various mature and old-growth stands in the neighbourhood as the best local
reference of forest habitat. We made a survey of various taxonomic groups, having contrasting
dispersal and habitat use, specifically herbs, epiphytic cryptogams and bats.
We show that the habitat quality of shady old park fragments does resemble or even exceed
contemporary deciduous forest. Therefore, old parks and alleys have a potential to become seminatural surrogate habitats for many forest-dwelling species, and function as refugia or dispersal
enhancing step-stone habitats in agriculture dominated landscape.
Intensive management can jeopardize the accumulating biodiversity and hence conservation value of
a habitat. During the renovation of old parks and degenerating alleys, the continuity of existing shady
habitat should be preserved by preferring mixed-age planting of native tree species.
O64.2
Common tree species in rural China: disappearing local biodiversity and culture
1
1
2
1
S. Zhang , Z. Guan , L. Chen , R. Wang
1
2
School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China, Small Cities & Towns Development &
Research Center, China Town Planning & Research Institute, Beijing, China
As the important transition and buffering area connecting the urban and the wild, the rural areas are
more dependent on the local indigenous tree species to sustain local biodiversity and ecosystem
services. However the local tree species are facing challenges of globalization and urbanization, which
have brought many alien species and urban ornamental species and/or varieties into the rural. The
rural of China have been undergoing rapid urbanization and globalization in past three decades, but
the impacts of which on the tree species composition of the rural were poorly understood. By
investigating top ten common tree species for greening neighborhoods and their surroundings of 297
villages of China, we focus the following questions.
(1) What are the impacts of alien and urban ornamental tree species?
(2) What is the situation of traditional important local native tree species?
The results showed that the common tree species of rural China tend to be homogenized and less
diverse. The alien tree species were 19% of total recorded species. The fast growing poplars (Populus
ssp.), pines (Pinus ssp.) and willows (Salix ssp.) ranked the top three. Many fruit tree species do keep
their roles but mostly in the orchards rather than in the neighborhoods. Some traditionally important
common tree species, such as white mulberry (Morus alba), elms (Ulmus ssp.) and oak (Quercus
ssp.), are disappearing. The local culture depending on these traditional indigenous species is
weakening. Our findings revealed the consequences of introducing alien and urban tree species into
the rural of China. It suggested the importance of local indigenous tree species and their conservation
must be taken account into the rural planning in the context of urbanization.
Keywords: Tree species, alien species, indigenous species, rural, urban, local biodiversity, culture,
China
Funding body: National Key Technology R&D Program of China (2013BAJ10B0403).
O64.3
Reframing restoration - Rwanda re-photographed 100 years later or the reconstruction of
landscape memory
P.T. Augenstein
artec-Research Center for Sustainability Studies, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
In the past 100 years the Rwandan landscape has experienced historically singular restructuring
processes that altered ecosystemic condition of all biomes. Currently, directed by centralized political
landscape reinterpretation and restructuring this landscape transforming process formulates itself in an
attempt for countrywide ecosystem restoration.
Whereat, despite the lack of scientific long-term measurements and the loss of human expertise
during the genocide, a mainstream narrative established itself about semi-pristine diversified precolonial landscapes. Presumably, the continuous increase of human populations has degraded the
state of present day ecosystem prior to its restoration.
Diametrical to this linear model and conventional wisdom are the results of an in-depth re-examination
of the earliest landscape imagery (1892 - 1916) within the borders of today's Rwanda. These images,
taken by German missionaries, military personal and geographers, provide an alternative perspective
where historic environmental change is not necessarily equal to an increase in degradation. The
baseline displayed there is neither pristine nor does it represent land-use in equilibrium.
By re-photographing 62 selected viewsheds from landscape imagery, reevaluating them with expert
groups and discussing them with the oldest person in-situ within the viewshed area itself, a
differentiated reading of the landscape can be derived. Whereby an increase in population also
brought a visible increase in biomass and vegetation cover. Or, said differently in Tiffenian
conciseness: More people - more afforestation.
Understanding drivers of change and visualizing historic ecosystem conditions of a Rwanda 100 years
ago, at a time when one tenth of today's population resided on the mountainous topography, are
conducive to further verify the government's vision and policies for a countrywide restoration
framework. These practices are to define and alter the face of the landscape in a likely even more
radical way than the previous 20th century did.
Keywords: Ecosystem Restoration Narratives, Historical Baseline Conditions, Landscape Imagery,
Rwanda
O65.1
Enhancement of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes by successful establishment of flower
strips with native species
A. Kirmer1, S. Mann1, M. Schrödter2, S. Tischew1
1
Nature Conservation and Landscape Planning, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Bernburg,
2
Germany, State Institute for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture Saxony-Anhalt, Bernburg, Germany
In the last decades, in many parts of Europe, land consolidation and intensive farming practice is
leading to a steady decline of structure- and species-rich habitats, resulting in an ongoing loss of
biological diversity. Many countries implemented agri-environmental schemes to enhance biodiversity
and ecosystem services, e.g. the establishment of perennial flower strips on arable land. But in the
past, a combination of unsuitable seed mixtures and management practices have often led to failures.
Therefore, we compared the development of a conventional mixture and six site-specific native flower
strip mixtures under an adapted management.
In Bernburg-Strenzfeld (Saxony-Anhalt/Germany), we installed a block trial (168 m x 10 m) with seven
variants and four repetitions: 3 seed mixtures containing native biennial and perennial forbs (25-32
species, sown in September 2010), 3 seed mixtures containing native annual, biennial and perennial
forbs and some ornamental plants (22-36 species, sown in April 2011), and 1 conventional mixture
containing only cultivars and non-native species (9 species, sown in April 2011). Each year, the trial
was mulched in March (whole site) and in June (half) or July (other half).
From the second year on, sown native species reached more than 90 % on total cover. The number of
sown native perennials was increasing but the number of sown cultivars and ornamental plants as well
as annual and biennial native forbs was decreasing with ongoing time. In 2014, 87-100 % of the sown
native perennials were still present on the sites. The specific management ensured a diverse and
long-lasting flowering aspect of the variants sown with native species. In contrast, already in the
second year, the conventional variant was dominated by competitive grasses.
Within the four-year observation period, variants with native seed mixtures proved to be very
successful in maintaining high biodiversity and providing habitats for many animal species.
O65.2
The importance of ecotypic plant materials collection and increase for site specific restoration
1,2
R.H. Mandel
2
Senior Restoration Ecologist, Golder Associates Inc., Denver, United States, President, Central
Rockies Chapter, Society for Ecological Restoration, Fort Collins, United States
1
Thirty plus years of ecotypic (local native) plant materials collection and increase for site-specific
restoration projects will be discussed, including primary lessons learned and recommendations.
Included projects range in diversity from oil sands in Northern Alberta, to large open pit mines in the
South American Andes, to multiple National Park Service, US Forest Service, and private lands
throughout the Rocky Mountains. Project motivators include flood recovery, large-scale mining and
petro-chemical reclamation, restoration of pristine ecosystems, and improved functionality of existing
sites. Discussion of the primary lessons learned will focus on the importance of local ecotypes in
regard to successful establishment and survival, long-term resiliency, and overall genetic
fitness/plasticity. The discussion will also include the importance of inoculation with site-specific soil
symbionts in regard to successful vegetative establishment and environmental integration. The
presentation will conclude with a discussion of the need for genetic sequencing studies to help verify
genetic integrity for ongoing and future work.
O65.3
Seeding native species for restoration - the importance of soil types and neighbors for early
establishment
D. Hagen1, K. Rydgren2, A.L. Aradottir3, B. Pedersen1, L. Rosef4
1
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway, 2Faculty of Engineering and Science,
Sogn og Fjordane University College, Sogndal, Norway, 3Faculty of Environmental Sciences,
4
Agricultural University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland, Dept. of Plant Science, Norwegian University of
Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
Seeding with introduced grass species has traditionally been a standard procedure to encourage
establishment of a vegetation cover following disturbance in alpine areas. Long-term studies have,
however, documented that the introduced species can inhibit rather than facilitate recovery of native
vegetation. As natural recovery in alpine areas is often very slow, and there is a need to explore native
seed-mix alternatives for improved recovery of vegetation in disturbed sites. We lack knowledge about
how species composition of the mixtures influence the development of the cover of the different
species in the mixture, as well as how the environment, e.g. the soil type, impact the outcome. Such
knowledge can be of outmost importance for the composition of species mixtures for restoration
purposes.
Native seed of Festuca rubra, Luzula multiflora ssp. frigida and Poa alpina was propagated by
commercial seed growers. We tested the effects of soil type (fine and coarse mineral soil, organic peat
soil, and organic top-soil), species, seeding (pure vs mix) on vegetation cover and species abundance
over three growing seasons in an experimental setup.
The seeded native species performed well in the experiment, in particular when seeded on peat soil.
The common pioneer species F. ovina established quickly and outperformed the other two species in
mixtures. On the other hand, cover and frequency of L. multiflora ssp. frigida varied a lot between plots
and within treatments, and its cover was particularly low when seeded in mixtures. The results are
important when developing native seed mixtures for commercial purposes.
O65.4
Use of competitive dynamics to inform species selection for restoration
K.G. Lyons1, K. Schultz1, A. Adams1, E. Tansey1, S. Elaydi2, E. Kwessi2
1
Department of Biology, Trinity University, San Antonio, United States, 2Department of Mathematics,
Trinity University, San Antonio, United States
Selection of native species for restoration following invasive species removal is based on criteria such
as availability and abundance, successional status, increasing biodiversity, and provisioning for
wildlife. In the presence of an invasive species, it is also critical that restored species be competitive.
Nonetheless, is often difficult to imagine any residential species having high enough fitness to
compete with an invasive species or successfully partitioning resources in its presence. The niche is a
useful concept to describe how species might coexist through resource partitioning and has been
employed in restoration to assess the role of functional group overlap as biocontrol for invasive
species. In this project, we aim to determine if partitioning of niche space allows restored species to
coexist with an invasive species. We focused our study on C4 grasses of Central Texas USA using KR
bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum) as our focal invasive and sideoats grama (Bouteloua
curtipendula) and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) as our focal restored species. We employ
a two-way factorial growth chamber experiment with species composition and light condition as
factors. The native species were grown in competition with KR bluestem from seed in 100:0, 50:50 or
0:100 ratios. Once germinated and established, the seedlings were exposed to one of two light
conditions (300 or 1000 µmoles), representing shade and sun field conditions. Growth rate data were
collected and applied to a modified version of the competition model published by Carroll et al. in
2011. This model defines niche difference and relative fitness difference as a function of sensitivity, or
the proportional reduction in growth rate due to interspecific competition. We demonstrate how this
model, with some modification, can be used to predict competitive dynamics and assist managers in
species selection for restoration. Funding: US National Science Foundation, Program in Integrated
Research in Biology and Mathematics.
O65.5
Seed origins used for grassland restoration: genetic differentiation, regional adaptation and
effect on interacting organisms
A. Lampei Bucharova1, N. Hölzel2, W. Durka3, J. Kollmann4, M. Frenzel5, O. Bossdorf1
1
University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany, 2University of Münster, Münster, Germany, 3Helmholtz
4
Centre for Environmental Research, Halle, Germany, Technische Universität München, Freising5
Weihenstephan, Germany, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Germany
One of the key questions in ecosystem restoration is the choice of seed materials for restoring plant
communities. More and more scientists and practitioners are currently advocating the use of regional
seed sources, based on the argument that plants are often adapted to local or regional environmental
conditions, so that regional seed sources should provide the best restoration success. However, there
is still substantial debate on this approach, partly because we do not have enough sound empirical
tests of it.
We focused on seven grassland species commonly used in restoration originating from eight seed
zones across Germany. First, we evaluated their genetic differentiation. Second, we conducted a
multi-species reciprocal transplant experiment in which we compared their performance in four
experimental sites across Germany. Third, we evaluated effect of plant origin identity on their
herbivores and their parasitoids.
We found substantial genetic differentiation within species corresponding to delimitated seed zones.
Further, on average, plants of regional origins produced 30% more inflorescences and 8% more
biomass than those of foreign origins. In most of the studied species, fitness decreased with
increasing geographical distance and with increasing climatic differences between plant origins and
experimental sites. We also found significant differences in phenology among plant origins. Since
phenology is important for interactions with pollinators or seed predators, this suggests that using
foreign seed sources may have cascading negative effects on local ecosystems. Indeed,
inflorescences of Centaurea jacea from different origins differed in their probability of being attacked
by seed herbivores and in composition of community of herbivores and their parasitoids.
In summary, our study provides strong evidence that genetic differentiation and local adaptation is
common in seed materials used for grassland restoration, and that using non-regional seed sources
will not only decrease the performance of the plants but also affect their biotic interactions.
O66.1
Restoring forests with the help of natural regeneration in small properties of forest dominated
landscapes
A.F. Boeni, S. Gandolfi
Ecology and Forest Restoration Laboratory, Esalq/University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil
The main advantage of using natural regeneration as a forest restoration method is the low cost,
however, some ecological attributes may be insufficient. Since global targets to restore million
hectares were defined, it has become important to study the performance of natural regeneration in
front of other restoration methods.The present study aimed at evaluating floristic and structural
parameters of two sites undergoing restoration in a forest dominated landscape: one developed only
from natural regeneration and the other was planted with native tree species. Both areas used to be
old Eucalyptus stands, which were harvested approximately 8 years ago, leaving open deforested
areas.The study was performed in the municipality of Canela, southern Brazil. We systematically
allocated 20 plots of 100m² in size at each restoration site, where all individuals with diameter at
breast height (dbh)≥5cm were measured for height and dbh. There were 56 species in planted sites
and 52 in natural regeneration. The Jaccard similarity index among treatments was 0.56, indicating
similar communities. The Shannon diversity index for planting was 3.21nats/ind and for natural
regeneration 2.96nats/ind. The proportion of successional groups (considering total abundance per
species) for the plantation was 69% pioneers, 25% early secondary and 5% late secondary; as for
natural regeneration the results were 62%, 27% and 6%, respectively. The mean height and dbh in
planted site were 6.3m and 8.9cm, respectively; and for natural regeneration, 6.4m and 8.2cm.The
results from this preliminary analysis showed that in this favorable landscape matrix, and in sites
where there was already a seed bank in the forest understory, restoration methods performed in a
similar way. It is expected that sites undergoing natural regeneration may show a positive succession
trajectory. As it requires lower financial and field costs it might be the best ecological and economical
alternative to assist local forest restoration.
O66.2
Effects of litter amounts on the seedling emergence of understory species in semi-open
woodlands
1
2
1
S. Yamada , S. Minami , M. Nemoto
1
2
Sustainable Agro-Ecosystem Services, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, Graduate School of
Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Application of seed-containing plant material is a successful technique to transfer plant species onto
restoration sites. This restoration method is almost confined to semi-natural open habitats (i.e.
grasslands). Since semi-open woodland is a surrogate habitat for species in grasslands, possibility is
that the seed-containing plant material is also useful for the restoration in such woodlands.
Nevertheless, availability of the plant material is unclear especially for shade tolerant species (i.e.
forest species). Plant material mown from a secondary Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii Parlat.)
forest was taken for a garden experiment to investigate seedling emergence from the plant material,
and from artificially sown seeds of several grassland- and forest-species. After mown in the middle of
October 2013, harvested material was scattered onto a total of 20 33 × 50 cm trays. Four levels of
2
litter amount (200, 400, 800 and 1600 g/m ) were examined with five replications. In results, 200 and
2
400 g/m of litter amounts hardly inhibited seedling emergence of sown species, whereas 1200 g/2 of
litter amounts substantially suppressed the seedling emergence. 800 g/m2 of litter also hampered the
seedling emergence, whereas inhibition was not severe for species with relatively large seeds. No
difference in the ratio of seedling emergence was found between grassland species and forest species
in each level of the litter amount. Among eight grassland species and 13 forest species observed in
vegetation in the source communities five and four species were emerged at least one tray out of five
2
trays with 400 g/m of litter amount, respectively. Forest species were likely to be low fecundity, or
even produce few seeds, which should be an explanation for relatively low transfer rate. Transfer of
plant material should be combined with other restoration measures to restore understory plant
communities in semi-open woodlands.
O66.3
Invertebrate indicators of restoration success of a sand plain forest in New Zealand
1
1
1
1
1
2
M.H. Bowie , S. Boyer , N. Dickinson , J. Hahner , C. Mountier , C. Smith
2
Ecology, Lincoln University, Christchurch, New Zealand, Soil & Physical Sciences, Lincoln
University, Christchurch, New Zealand
1
One outstanding issue in restoration ecology is the need to set measurable goals. Restoration
practitioners seek few simple indicators of restoration success by quantifying species, population or
ecosystem gains. Current research undertaken by Lincoln University at the Punakaiki Coastal
Restoration Project (PCRP) focuses on identifying the best early indicators of restoration success.
The PCRP is a partnership between Rio Tinto, Conservation Volunteers New Zealand and the
Department of Conservation, that aims at restoring the sand plain forest habitat on the Barrytown flats
4 km south of Punakaiki Township. On this site, most of the native vegetation has been cleared for
agriculture and was subject to extensive grazing.
A comprehensive set of potential indicators are being monitored and compared between unplanted
exotic grassland, replanted areas (four year old) and mature reference sites from the directly adjacent
Nikau Reserve. These indicators include recolonisation by invertebrates monitored using pitfall traps,
wooden refugia, soil and leaf litter sampling, weta motels and light trapping for moths.
Results indicated that some species were able to re-colonise quickly after restoration, these included
carabid beetles, weevils and leaf-litter mites for which the number of species increased significantly in
replanted areas after just four years. The proportion of endemic to exotic earthworm species also
increased in replanted areas when compared to unplanted sites. Such species could therefore be
considered as good early indicators of restoration success in this ecosystem, but could also be applied
elsewhere successfully.
We acknowledge funding by Rio Tinto.
O66.4
Influence of forest road removal method for restoring ecosystem structure, function, and
resilience
1
2
2
R.A. Lloyd , C.R. Nelson , D.A. Forestieri
1
2
Systems Ecology, University of Montana, Missoula, United States, Department of Ecosystem and
Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, United States
Road networks represent the largest anthropologic footprint in the western United States, even in
relatively unpopulated areas. There are over 850,000 km of roads on public lands with the bulk of
these on United States Forest Service lands. Detrimental effects of resource roads on both terrestrial
and aquatic ecosystems are well documented. Concern over these impacts leads resource managers
to spend millions of dollars each year to stabilize and reclaim roads to restore degraded landscapes
and protect habitat. Despite this investment in restoration, there is very little information on best
practices for how to effectively remove a road to restore ecosystem processes; consequently,
prescriptions for road removal and reclamation vary widely from abandoning a road, allowing passive
restoration over time without intervention, to the other end of the treatment spectrum, active
restoration, which requires the use of heavy equipment to fully excavate the road prism and recontour
the hillside.
Initial results from research suggest the method of road removal determines the recovery trajectory of
ecosystem structure and function and may ultimately control ecosystem resilience to future
disturbances. Infiltration rates, soil carbon content, and nitrogen cycling rates on recontoured roads
increase with restoration age and are significantly higher than on abandoned roads. Vegetation
structure and succession on recontoured roads follows recovery of forests in never-roaded areas more
closely than vegetative recovery on abandoned roads. It appears the effects of road building and
traffic still exist after 50 years of passive restoration. Recontouring roads may be the only way to
restore ecosystem structure and function, accelerating the recovery of these forest ecosystems by
decades to millennia The diminished nutrient storage, nutrient cycling, and water storage capacity of
abandoned roads may ultimately leave areas vulnerable to future disturbances from invasive plant
encroachment to the effects of a changing climate.
O66.5
Trait-based plant functional types and their composition along a vegetation restoration
gradient in a forest-steppe zone in Loess Plateau, China
Z. Wen, Y. Zheng
Northwest A&F University,Yangling, Yangling, China
Ecological success under different environmental conditions may require plants to share certain
common functional traits, allowing for the classification by plant functional type (PFT). The objective of
this study was to explore the adaptation strategies of different PFTs and the composition of PETs
along a vegetation restoration gradient in a forest-steppe zone in the Yanhe River catchment,
Shaanxi, China. We measured four leaf traits (thickness [LT], specific area [SLA], tissue density [LTD],
and nitrogen concentration per unit mass [LN]) and three fine root traits (specific length [SRL], tissue
density [RTD], and nitrogen concentration per unit mass [RN]) for each of the 39 species in 33 plant
communities along five vegetation restoration stages. We classified all species into one of the three
PFTs based on these functional traits, and analyzed adaptation strategies for each PFT and the
functional type compositions with the vegetation restoration stages. The results showed that (1) Plants
in PFT-I had higher LTD and lower LT, LN, and RN; plants in PFT-II had higher RTD, LN, and RN. (2)
Plants in PFT-I had higher LTD and lower LT, LN, and RN; plants in PFT-II had higher RTD, LN, and
RN and lower SLA and SRL; and plants in PFT-III had larger LT, SLA, and SRL and lower LTD and
RTD. (4) Based on the C-S-R triangle theories of Grime, PFT-I adopted the “stress tolerance-ruderals”
strategy, PFT-II adopted the “stress tolerance-competitiveness” strategy, while PFT-III belonged to the
“competitiveness” strategy. (5) PFT-I was dominant in all restoration stages and increased from 61%
to 80%, while the percentage of PFT-II decreased from 25% to 15% and that of PFT-III from 14% to
5%. Although the nutrient content of the soil increased, the environment has not been sufficiently
improved to eliminate stress during the 40 or 50 years of early vegetation restoration.
O67.1
Restoration, resilience and climate change: restorative actions as integral to building
sustainable and resilient landscapes. An example from Montana
D.T. Spencer
Environmental Studies, University of Montana, Missoula, United States
Anthropogenic climate change, combined with increasing human population, ongoing ecological
degradation and habitat loss, presents formidable challenges for building sustainable and resilient
landscapes worldwide that integrate ecological integrity and protection of biodiversity with human
inhabitation. Restorative actions - rooted in but not limited to ecological restoration - are key to
integrating different pieces of a landscape mosaic to build both ecological and cultural resiliency and
sustainability at a landscape scale to prepare proactively for the effects of climate change. Restoration
ethics rooted in an ethic of reciprocity and reparation, and guided by a virtue ethic of restoration, can
ground such landscape-level efforts. This paper begins by defining the problem of building resilient
and sustainable landscapes in the face of climate change, and then outlines an ethic of restoration to
ground and guide these efforts. Current broad-scale restorative efforts in western Montana illustrate
the mosaic approach to building sustainable landscapes by discerning different uses for different parts
of the landscape. Key is making sure each piece integrates into the larger landscape to build
resilience and sustainability at a landscape level. Centered on the ongoing remediation and restoration
of the Upper Clark Fork watershed, other elements include conservation ranching, agroecology and
permaculture, wilderness preservation of headwaters, forest and riparian restoration, and smart growth
in urban areas. Tensions include ongoing debates between restoration vs. natural resource extraction
economies, unplanned population growth and development, and habitat loss and fragmentation. While
every landscape-level restoration poses a unique set of issues, lessons learned from western Montana
may suggest approaches helpful to other areas.
O67.2
Planting for ecological resilience: will Durban's Buffelsdraai Reforestation Project also reach
its anticipated biodiversity targets?
1
1
1
2
2
K.E. Roy , K.P. Kirkman , H. Adie , E. Douwes , D. Roberts
1
School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, South Africa, 2Environmental
Planning and Climate Protection Department, eThekwini Municipality, Durban, South Africa
Adaptation is the stated political priority in Africa because of the continent's high levels of vulnerability
to climate change. Given the challenges of underdevelopment and a shortage of resources, tackling
the climate change challenge in Africa must ensure developmental co-benefits and overall costeffectiveness. The City of Durban (eThekwini Municipality, South Africa), has embarked on a novel
Community Ecosystem Based Adaptation (CEBA) approach as part of a carbon offset project. The
outcomes of the Buffelsdraai Landfill Community Reforestation Project (BLCRP), initially established to
offset a portion of CO2 emissions generated during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, were expanded to
include the CEBA concept. This ensured prioritisation of both biodiversity enhancement and
community engagement, and a stated target to attain comparable levels of biodiversity with that of a
reference forest site.
This study interrogated and then compared the on-site species composition, diversity, richness and
functional diversity with that of a local intact forest. Tree density, diversity and richness were lower
than that of the reference site, while species composition differed markedly. Although the spread of
functional traits measured for the 10 most important species at each site was similar, an examination
of all species showed a considerably higher number of bird-dispersed species in the intact forest as
compared to the restored sites. Overall results confirmed that the restored BLCRP sites showed low
similarity with the reference forest.
Recommendations for the restoration project include an increased suite of species and higher tree
planting densities throughout the site. Adoption of these suggestions should enhance biodiversity and
increase canopy closure. Additionally, a wider representation of bird-dispersed tree species could
encourage greater numbers of avian dispersal vectors, and result in increased seed dispersal.
Improved, continuous monitoring through adaptive management is also recommended. The
researchers acknowledge eThekwini Municipality and the NRF for provision of funds.
O67.3
Climate change adaptation at the site level - using restoration and management to enhance
ecological resilience
J. Shuey
The Nature Conservancy, Indianapolis, United States
Climate change will have a dramatic impact on biodiversity and conservation in Indiana. Models agree
that Indiana will be warmer with an annual increase in precipitation. Precipitation will increase primarily
during the cooler months with a tendency for extreme events. Models consistently predict that
increased summer temperatures combined with annual patterns of precipitation will significantly
increase drought stress during the late growing season. From an ecological standpoint, these changed
climatic patterns will create “winners and losers” - our restoration strategies capitalize on creating
“resilient winners”. Using black oak savannas and oak-hickory forests as examples, we discuss how
IN-TNC “places our bets” with adaptation strategies designed to anticipate future predicted climate
regimes. Climate change will like have two primary impacts in these systems;
1- drought induced plant mortality and,
2- altered near surface hydrology impacting mesic and hydric habitats.
To increase resiliency in uplands, we are emphasizing “managed transformation” of fire suppressed
woodlands towards open oak barrens / aok woodlands habitats. These are assumed to be drought
resistant relative to mesic closed canopy conditions. Our target transitional states are natural
assemblages that once characterized habitats in the region before fire suppression. In savanna areas,
water table restorations in agricultural fields adjacent to the conservation area are designed to lessen
the impact of severe drought on mesic grasslands and wetlands, especially relative to breeding
habitats for herptiles. Together these two simple strategy adjustments are designed to increase
internal resilience to predicted future environmental perturbations - an important first step towards a
more resilient future.
O67.4
Resilience ecology: the art of restoration
D.H. Haley
MIRIAD, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
'The most radical thing any of us can do at this time is to be fully present to what is happening in the
world.” (Macy).
For many years SER has been at the forefront of addressing degraded ecosystems, and defining the
roles of landscape remediation, however this activity continues to generate more questions than
answers. We move from conservation and restoration to regeneration and renewal, to reinvention and
now to resilience. This paper presents interpretations and applications of ecological resilience that
offer different approaches for understanding ecological restoration. These emerging methods may
provide useful perspectives in developing 'capable futures' rather than problem-based solutions, or
outmoded notions of 'sustainable development'.
Resilience ecology may, also act as a necessary critique of 'offsetting', 'Ecosystem Services Approach'
and 'Natural Capital', to include reparations as a fundamental right, understanding the wider
implications of social and environmental justice. What rights determine the fate of a landscape, a
people, a culture or a species, and how do we choose between their fate? Could reparations give way
to effective ecological resilience.
Expanding the concept of ecological restoration in the context of Climate Change, this paper will
further consider the potential for resilience as the long-term concept for adaptation. Over time, what
might be the full economic, social, cultural, and psychological costs of cognitive dissonance, hypocrisy,
and mendacity regarding 'ecocide'? Science, policy and legislation offer important strategies based on
material rationality, but they have done little to change the status quo of 'the industrial growth society'
and its trajectory of destruction and extinction. It is, perhaps, time to acknowledge the need for a
cultural paradigm shift. Indeed, it is time to adopt transdisciplinary methods, if we are to achieve ecophilosopher, Joanna Macy's 'The Great Turning' - making time a matter of urgency, and ecological
resilience the art of restoration.
O67.5
Ecological restoration during a time of rapid environmental change: using restoration as a
bridge to the future
S. Allison
Biology, Knox College, Galesburg, United States
Ecological restoration began with a desire to rebuild damaged ecosystems so that the species present
before human disturbance would return to the site. Over many years of restoration practice,
restorationists came to recognize that a strict program of restoration of historical conditions was not
always possible and not always desirable. But even with a broadening of the range of activities
considered ecological restoration, the practice still largely reflects a look to the past. Although we have
been aware of the ability of humans to modify and damage ecosystems for a long time, it is only in the
st
21 Century that we truly recognized the increasingly rapid pace of global environmental change. As
human populations grow and industrial age activity increases, we are observing an extremely rapid
change in environmental conditions due to habitat transformation and degradation, human induced
changes to atmospheric conditions and climate patterns, and long distance transport of species
around the world. Given that background, it becomes obvious that the goals and practice of ecological
restoration must change in order to accommodate the shifting conditions on the ground. Ecological
restoration must be conducted with an eye to the future, planning for ways for the restored site to
adapt as the environment around it changes. Restoration can be a bridge to the future if it is used to:
1)maintain biodiversity, ecosystem structure, composition and function; 2)reduce the effects of
disturbance and environmental stress; and 3)nurture or create refugia, redundancy and connectivity
among ecosystems. Broad-based, forward looking restoration will be vital tool as we respond to
environmental change and prepare ecosystems for the future.
O68.1
Floodplain meadows: a case for restoration
1
1
2
3
E.C. Rothero , D.G. Gowing , J.O. Mountford , A.C. Skinner
1
2
Earth, Environment and Ecosystems, Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, Community
and Restoration Ecology, NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, United Kingdom,
3
Conservation, Environment Agency, Bristol, United Kingdom
Floodplain meadows are a rare yet species-rich habitat now found on less than 1500 ha in the UK.
Before agricultural intensification, such grasslands would have been the major land use on most
lowland river floodplains in England. Their rarity and concerns over their condition and management
prompted the formation of the Floodplain Meadows Partnership (FMP) in 2007, with the objective of
encouraging the restoration and long term monitoring of the major UK floodplain meadow sites. The
Partnership carries out a programme of survey and monitoring, research, outreach and training and
through its partners the group has access to a body of older work that allow long-term trends to be
demonstrated.
Eight years on from the formation of the Partnership, we have an extensive dataset of botanical,
hydrological and soils information on floodplain meadows from around the UK that is being used to
develop our understanding and best practice for the management and restoration of these systems.
This is being written up into a comprehensive handbook for practitioners.
This talk will draw upon the Partnership's monitoring data and showcase a series of case studies using
a range of different methods to restore floodplain meadow habitat in a cost-effective manner. It will
propose the restoration of species-rich floodplain-meadows as a preferred land use for floodplains,
arguing that they can deliver multiple ecosystem services and benefits to society. Not only do they
provide an important repository for biodiversity, they can also mitigate flood risk, remove fine
sediments and absorb nutrients from the wider catchment, converting them into a sustainable
agricultural product with a significant economic value. Furthermore they offer carbon storage in the soil
and deliver habitat that supports many pollinating insects. Extant meadows have a rich cultural history
and offer inspirational places for relaxation, spiritual restoration and enjoyment of the natural world.
O68.2
Restoration of Lizardhill sandmine using sand seepage wetlands
J. Berg
Biohabitats, Inc, Baltimore, United States
An approximately 30-ac exhausted sandmine was 'restored' to a stream flowing through an uplandwetland mosaic of sand seepage forested wetlands, shallow open water wetlands, and forested
uplands. This was accomplished by covering the clay bottom of the sandmine with a 3-ft thick layer of
imported sand and mulch to create the opportunity for hyporheic zone flow across the site. The
treatment approach uses water stage differences to support seepage flow through a 3-ft thick layer of
coarse sand combined with a carbon source (coarse mulch) at a 5:1 volume ratio to establish and
drive denitrification and other microbially mediated water quality improvement processes. Water
moves through the hyporheic sand seepage treatment bed discharges into the stream through
subsurface seepage. There it forms a pool and supports another seepage reservoir driving hyporheic
treatment in a repeating sequence until the water exits the site and enters Buntings Branch, a tidal
tributary of the Saint Marten's River, draining to the Ocean City Sound before entering the Atlantic.
The primary project goal was to provide wetland water quality treatment and stream conveyance for
approximately 400-ac of ditched agricultural fields normally used to 'waste' chicken manure from
broiler houses. This project site is located in one of the worst nutrient-contaminated drainages in the
coastal bays of Maryland and Delaware. In addition to the water quality benefits, this design approach
has demonstrated significant stormflow peak attenuation, reduced water temperature, and increased
duration of flow. This project won a national restoration award from the Federal Highway
Administration in 2012. We have recently been involved in evaluating a similar approach for Portland's
Clean Water Services as a means to protected treated discharge water from thermal gain using
subsurface hyporheic zone seepage flow as the discharge to the receiving stream.
O68.3
Assessment of ecosystem function for rehabilitation planning in the Lions River Wetland,
South Africa
H. Ndlovu, D. Kotze, G.P.W. Jewitt
Centre for Water Resources Research, University of KwaZulu Natal, Pietemaritzburg, South Africa
Wetlands provide important ecosystem services, including the purification of water. The uMngeni
catchment provides water to eThekwini, a major economic hub. However, there is concern over the
deterioration of water quality in Midmar Dam, the main water supply dam for the catchment. The Lions
River, a major tributary to Midmar Dam, transports high concentrations of pollutants into the
impoundment from upstream agricultural activities and includes the important, but degraded, Lions
River Wetland. This study aims to establish the baseline ecological integrity and effect on downstream
water quality, to provide a guide for the planning and implementation of rehabilitation interventions on
the wetland. A comprehensive biogeochemical and hydrological assessment of the wetland was
undertaken. Vegetation and soil was surveyed, sampled and described at 50 metre intervals over five
transect lines. Water quality samples were also collected on a bi-weekly basis at five sampling points
through the wetland's main channel for one year. Information gained from the analysis was collated,
mapped and compared with historical aerial photographs to provide an interpretation of land use
change within the wetland and the impacts thereof. This study highlighted the importance of detailed
field studies and understanding for rehabilitation planning and concluded that drier areas in the
wetland were most disturbed. A deeply incised main channel limits bank overspill, thus lateral water
inputs are important for maintaining this wetland. The wetland plays a role in the mitigation of
pollutants from lateral source from entering the channel. Rehabilitation efforts should be focused on
areas which have been historically wet but have subsequently dried out. This work is funded by the
Water Research Commission and Sappi Southern Africa Limited - Forests.
O68.4
Initial growth and survival of native tree species in the restoration of a swamp forest in
southeastern Brazil
N.C.A. Fagundes, Y.R.F. Nunes
Laboratório de Ecologia Vegetal - Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros UNIMONTES, Montes Claros, Brazil
Few studies show the survival and growth of seedlings in field conditions in restoration projects,
especially in wetlands, which complicates the conservation and restoration of theses fragile
ecosystems. This study evaluated the survival and growth of saplings of native species implanted in a
stretch of swamp forest in the Vereda do Acari Sustainable Reserve (Chapada Gaúcha, north of Minas
Gerais, Brazil) under different water conditions. The study area was isolated from cattle, and 7,604
seedlings of 36 species were planted, in 16 plots of 80 m × 40 m. We classified the saplings according
to their regeneration guild and measured the diameter at ground height and total height, and the water
condition was recorded
(CH1 - dry and soggy; CH2 - intermittent flooding; CH3 - permanent flooding), quarterly until 18
months after planting. The survival and growth of saplings were smaller where the flooding was
permanent. Survival and growth was greater, respectively, in light demanding species and shadetolerant species. The initial size directly affected the growth and survival of saplings, and the largest
saplings showed higher growth and survival. Besides the results, each species had different
adaptations regarding different water conditions and some of them are recommendable for restoration
of this environment, like Cecropia pachystachya, Calophyllum brasiliense, Myrsine umbellata and
Mauritia flexuosa.
O69.1
Effects of prescribed fire on aspen and grassland restoration in a wolf, elk, aspen system in the
Canadian Rocky Mountains
C. Eisenberg1, D.E. Hibbs2, D. Donato3
1
2
Earthwatch Institute, Boston, United States, Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State
3
University, Corvallis, United States, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Bellingham,
United States
We studied aspen (Populus tremuloides) and elk (Cervus elaphus) response to a 2008 prescribed fire
(1200 ha) in Waterton Lakes National Park, AB. Parks Canada set the fire in an aspen parkland in elk
winter range, to restore aspen and rough fescue (Festuca spp.). At this site, which contains 1-2 wolf
(Canis lupus) packs, aspen provide a key elk food, and elk are the dominant herbivore by biomass.
Previous research in non-wolf systems found a strong positive relationship between aspen sprouting,
fire severity, and elk browse, with little to no aspen recruitment. We hypothesized that in a wolf-elkaspen system, elk would avoid areas of highest fire severity, due to the high predation risk created by
thick vegetation and coarse woody debris at such sites. We measured aspen and elk response to the
fire annually for 6 years (2008-2013). We used an information theoretic approach to test our
hypothesis, generating predictive models to examine the influence of fire severity (snag basal area),
site index
(a measure of productivity), shrub cover (proportion), aspen sprout density (per ha), and distance to
edge of the aspen parkland (m) on the proportion of aspen sprouts browsed. We used GPS-collar data
to confirm elk use of the parkland and camera traps to confirm wolf activity. Elk browse declined with
increasing distance from the edge of the parkland (p=0.0008). Fire severity (p=< .0001), aspen sprout
density (p=< .0001), and site index appeared in the best-fitting models < 4 ∆ AIC values, with
increases in these variables linked to a decrease in elk browse. Elk avoided areas with the highest
sprout density, productivity, or fire severity. This avoidance may be associated with avoidance of wolf
predation. Given this trophic cascades mechanism, a re-burn would be necessary to both control
aspen expansion onto the grassland and maintain aspen vigor.
O69.2
Is fire essential in the restoration of pyrogenic ecosystems? Effects of mechanical surrogates
and prescribed burns on Florida scrub rehabilitation
S.A. Smith1, G.L. Clarke2, M. Rickey3, S.J. Haller Crate1, E.S. Menges1
1
Archbold Biological Station, Venus, United States, 2Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, United
3
States, EMPSi Environmental Management and Planning Solutions, Inc., Boulder, United States
Fire has been an important evolutionary force in maintaining landscapes worldwide. However, when
historic disturbance regimes are altered, reintroduction of fire may require mechanical assistance.
While use of mechanical pre-treatments or substitutes for fire in restoration has logistical benefits,
research is lacking on the long term ecological effects of these treatments. In this study we investigate
the efficacy of using a gyrotrac chopper, either as a surrogate or pre-treatment to fire. We
accomplished this experiment in pyrogenic Florida scrub, a shrubland with extraordinarily high
endemism. Pre-experiment goals included promoting habitat for rare and endemic species by reducing
canopy, subcanopy, shrub, and litter cover, increasing herb abundance and bare sand cover, and
ultimately, increasing rare plant occupancy and density. Treatments included a control (no treatment),
fire only, chop only and chopping followed by fire. We sampled prior to treatments, and one- two- and
six years after treatments. All treatments were effective at reducing canopy, subcanopy, and shrub
cover in the short-term, only fire treatments sustained effects for six years. Chopping with fire was best
at creating bare sand areas; however, fire alone produced similar results. All treatments reduced litter
depth for up to two years, with depths at six years returning to pre-treatment levels. Herb abundance
and cover increased in all treatments through six years, although burn only treatments had the largest
effect on abundance, while chopping with fire had a greater impact on cover. Rare species abundance
varied among years but was not affected by treatment, however, burning (with or without chopping)
was more effective than chopping alone in promoting conditions required for the recruitment of rare
and imperiled Florida herbs. In ecosystems with a long history of fire, management treatments that
include fire are likely to have the best chance of achieving restoration goals.
O69.3
Landscape-scale patterns of fire and drought in the High Plains, USA
P.L. Ford1, C.P. Jackson2, M.C. Reeves3, B.J. Bird4, D.L. Turner5
1
Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Albuquerque, United States, 2Department
3
of Geography, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, Mexico, Wildland Analytics, Missoula,
4
United States, Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Fort Collins, United States,
5
Cove NDR LCC, Lewiston, United States
We examine 33 years (1980-2012) of temperature, precipitation and natural wildfire occurrence to
determine patterns of drought and fire on the High Plains of the western United States. The region is in
the midst of ongoing extreme drought, experiencing below normal precipitation and above normal
temperatures for the past several years. Drought is expected to persist or intensify, and climate
change is predicted to have multiple effects on fire regimes. Our goal is to relate the frequency and
size of wildfires to precipitation, temperature and latitudinal gradients to increase understanding of fire
and drought interactions in the face of climate change. Annual and seasonal climate trends were
quantified using climate model datasets. Changes in fire frequency and size were tested with Poisson
and normal GEE models. Preliminary results indicate average annual precipitation decreased across
the High Plains by 2.8 mm yr-1(+/- 1.3 mm), and was especially pronounced during the period of June,
July and August. Annual average maximum temperature increased by 0.03° C yr-1(+/- 0.015 °C),
while minimum and average temperatures remained relatively unchanged. Overall there was a
significant increase in number of fires from 1980 until 2005. After 2005 there was a slight decrease or
leveling off in the number of fires. Total acres burned increased until 1991-92, and then acres burned
plateaued until 2007, when it began to increase again. On average there does appear to be a
significant increase in total acres burned over the entire 33 years. Results point to trends in reduced
precipitation and increased temperatures, with more and larger fires in the region over the last three
decades. Our results will be used to improve predictive forecasts of fire in the Great Plains to support
restoration efforts currently prone to uncertainties related to climate projections and a paucity of
information on grassland fire-climate relationships.
O69.4
The impact of seasonal anthropogenic bush fires in West African savannah/parklands. A case
of the Northern region
1
2,3
3
E.E. Amoako , S. Misana , J. Gambiza
1
Ecoutourism and Environmental Management, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana,
2
Geograghy, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic of,
3
Environmental Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
Anthropogenic fires have become very rampant in the northern part of Ghana. People burn bushes
and forest indiscriminately for different purposes during the dry season. These fires are mostly not
controlled, coupled and with the hash harmattan winds and other environmental conditions, which
facilitate the production of high biomass fuel for burning thus, the fires become more devastating than
the intended benefit. The study investigates the impact of the fires on seed diversity in the soil,
vegetation richness and abundance thus determining the impact of fire intensity and regime on
apparent diversity and soil seed storage effect.
The diversity of plants species on the burnt and unburnt areas are determined. Standardized methods
for the species identification, density and composition are used. In addition, the research involves field
observations, laboratory analysis and experiments that include construction of experimental setups
and analytical measurements.
The presence of a seed bank apparently determines the species richness and abundance of every
terrestrial ecosystem. The study of the impact of anthropogenic fires on soil seed bank, species
diversity is very relevant in savannah ecosystems management. The study analyzes the apparent and
hidden diversity. The hidden diversity will bring to fore the natural storage of seeds in the soil, which
are often dormant under different fire regimes. This will also determine at what temperature is fire
beneficial or harmful to West African savanna soils. The natural regenerative ability of degraded lands
can be determined to inform what restoration methods will be recommended for reforestation and
afforestation projects as trees, shrubs and grasses are very important for carbon sequestration.
O69.5
Forest landscape changes of restoration areas after wild fires in the eastern coast of Korea
C. Park, J. Kwon, M. Shin, J. Kim, J.H. Lim
Division of Forest Soil and Water Conservation, Korea Forest Research Institute, Seoul, Korea,
Republic of
The eastern coast of Korea experienced a forest fire in 1996, burnt 3,672 ha and it was followed by
forest fires in 2000, burnt about 23,794 ha. These forest fires brought up some issues on how to
restore the burned areas. An interdisciplinary research group was organized to investigate the effects
of the fire and to research how to restore and manage the burned areas where pine forest had been
mostly dominated before the fires. With the consideration of several important environmental factors
such as fire regime and severity, two kinds of basic restoration projects: natural restoration and
artificial restoration were implemented for the areas. Also, it has been researched and monitored the
changes of forest ecosystem elements including vegetation, soils, insects, birds, fishes, animals and
microorganism that play a crucial role in the restoration process.
In the naturally restored area, pine seedlings were mostly found on rocky lands or ridges where the
soil conditions were generally arid and barren. On the other hand, Oak trees have dominated most of
the areas through regenerating by sprouts. As a result, the areas have rapidly altered from pine forests
to oak forest.
To be recovered fishes, aquatic invertebrates, and ants as much as they were before the fire, it has
respectively taken 3, 9, and 12 years from the fire. In the artificially restored areas, Apodemus
agrarius, a small mammal that prefers to live in an open field, had dominated for 7 years after the fire
and then Apodemus speciosus, a kind of forest mammals, has started dominating the areas.
After 15 years from the fire, soil pH and Cation Exchange Capacity has slightly increased while
organic matter and total nutrient contents in the soil has slightly decreased.
O70.1
Overcoming critical recruitment bottlenecks limiting seedling establishment in degraded
seagrass ecosystems
1
1
2
3
3
4
1
J. Statton , L. Ruiz-Montoya , R.J. Orth , D. Merritt , K.W. Dixon , C. Duarte , G.A. Kendrick
1
University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia, 2Virginia Insititute of Marine Science, Gloucester
Point, United States, 3Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Perth, Australia, 4King Abdullah University
of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
Processes that influence the establishment of seedlings are often diverse and complex, with seeds
and seedlings navigating a landscape of biotic and abiotic bottlenecks. A clear understanding of those
environmental factors limiting recruitment is a critical step in understanding which intervention
approaches would deliver more effective restoration outcomes. Here we identify recruitment
bottlenecks limiting seedling establishment in degraded seagrass ecosystems. We determined the
degree to which early life-stage transition rates vary spatially and temporally along ecological
gradients by planting germinated seeds of Posidonia australis at locations with a history of seagrass
2
-2
loss and recovery. In year one, 100 seeds were planted into three 9 x 1m (100 seeds m ) plots
assigned to one of three caging treatments; (i) uncaged (control), (ii) caged and (iii) half cage at 24
sites then monitored for survival at 1, 2.5, 4.5 6.5 months, and 1 year after planting. In year two, 5000
2
-2
seedlings were broadcast into each of 3 x 25m plots (200 seedlings m ) repeated at 9 sites and
monitored for survival every month. In year 1, there were high rates of mortality across all treatments
and all sites with most sites experiencing 100% mortality in the first month of development. However,
seedlings that did establish in year one (0.07%) have persisted for 2 years. Seedling recruitment in the
second experiment was also low (2-5% for 2 month survival), suggesting sites are not limited by the
availability of seed. Seedling mortality appears to be driven by bottlenecks to recruitment: high
biological (crab predation, bioturbation) and hydrodynamic activity (winter swell). Long term
persistence of seedlings may be more a function of 'a recruitment window of opportunity' where lower
levels of grazing, bioturbation and winter storms occur during the same year.
O70.2
Understanding patch-dynamics to inform mechanisms of kelp bed resilience and recovery on
urbanised coasts
S.E. Reeves1, S.D. Ling1, N. Kriegisch1, S. Swearer2, C. Johnson1
1
Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia, 2School of
BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
During the last decade, loss and fragmentation of temperate reef habitat has been documented on
most urbanised coasts from South America, South Africa and Australia to Canada and New Zealand.
Such fragmentation and loss appears to put biogenic habitats at exceedingly high risk of undergoing
distinct regime shifts as well as domination by non-indigenous species. Associated with this is a
change in ecosystem structure and function, often including an overall reduction in native species and
the ability of these systems to rehabilitate either naturally or by remedial actions. In spite of
considerable recognition of issues surrounding habitat loss in the marine realm, studies relating both
the spatial and temporal extent of losses and their effects on resilience of such biogenic habitats are
currently limited.
This study has used a multi-dimensional approach to not only document changes to native kelp habitat
on urbanised coasts, but to also detail, through a series of field surveys and experiments, the nature of
how fragmentation among native kelp beds influences the broader reef ecosystem and how this may
largely determine the resilience of these systems to anthropogenically derived stressors that are
seemingly forcing major and perhaps largely irreversible shifts on temperate reef systems.
Furthermore our study is one of the first examining transplantation of the key kelp species as a
mechanism for outplanting and potential recovery of lost kelp habitat.
Funded by the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment Fund
O70.3
Marine restoration in a continentally distributed clonal species: multiple approaches required?
G.A. Kendrick1, E.A. Sinclair1, S.M. Evans2, K.W. Dixon3, S.L. Krauss3
1
Oceans Institute and School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia,
2
Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences,
University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, 3Science Directorate, Botanic Gardens and Parks
Authority, Perth, Australia
Sourcing of plant material for seagrass restoration programs has received little consideration. Almost
all large-scale restoration programs have not considered the population genetic context: provenance
and maintenance of genetic structure. Seagrass species are widespread globally and it is not
uncommon for single species to be distributed around the coasts of continents. Like many old plant
groups with significant clonal growth, such as Restionaceae and Cyperaceae, seagrasses
(Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae, Hydrocharitaceae and Cymodoceaceae) are also difficult to restore.
Most seagrass restoration strategies have focused on transplanting live harvested shoots of a single
dominant species (as opposed to terrestrial systems where many species are restored), although use
of seeds is becoming more common for some species. The widespread Australian seagrass
(Posidonia australis) occurs in the temperate waters of Australia along approximately 5500 km of
coastline, with meadows in eastern Australia recently listed as IUCN Red Book threatened status.
Measurement of genetic diversity using microsatellite markers found a wide range of clonal diversity
within meadows (clonal diversity R = 0.03 - 0.96), with distinct regional differences in genetic pattern
along the east and west coasts. Eastern Australian meadows are restricted to estuaries, have low
genetic diversity and are highly clonal, whereas Western Australian meadows show high levels of
connectivity, high local genetic diversity and chaotic genetic patchiness, a result of sexual reproduction
and long distance dispersal of seeds. Clearly, issues of provenance need to be considered when
restoring P. australis in these two regions. Also more studies focused on the scale and nature of local
adaptation in and among seagrass meadows will inform restoration efforts. We explore the
implications of variable clonal diversity and provenance on restoration design and sourcing plant
material for this species and other seagrasses and place it in a more general context of plant
reproductive strategies.
O71.1
Gender and ecological restoration: time to connect the dots
N. Broeckhoven, A. Cliquet
Department of European, Public and International Law, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
Although the human dimension of ecological restoration has increasingly been recognized in recent
years, the gender dimension thereof remains largely unexplored. Our presentation aims to address
this issue by providing an overview of the current knowledge on gender and ecological restoration. Our
analysis of specific literature on ecological restoration revealed that scholars have only marginally
addressed gender issues in their publications. However, in restoration practice, various initiatives can
be found that highlight the importance of integrating a women´s rights and gender perspective. These
initiatives seem to indicate that applying a gender approach to restoration practice creates doublebenefits. On the one hand, integrating gender considerations in restoration efforts is desirable from a
human rights and gender equality perspective. On the other hand, different case-studies suggest that
integrating gender considerations can promote the efficiency of restoration work. Integrating a social
and gender dimension into all restoration policy and practice should therefore be recommended. To
guide this integration process, lessons can be learnt from a wider range of literature on gender and the
environment, and from existing practices of gender mainstreaming in this field. Furthermore,
international (environmental) law provides useful policy intentions on gender and restoration that can
be used as entry points. In conclusion, our presentation summarizes the main challenges for
´connecting the dots´ between gender and ecological restoration and formulates some
recommendations for the Society for Ecological Restoration.
O71.2
Assessing restoration opportunities and constrains in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Can people
and environmental needs combine?
1
2
1
2
3
2
A.P. Giorgi , M. Mills , T.N. Azevedo , V.M. Adams , J.A. Cousins , H.P. Possingham
1
2
Earthwatch Institute, Curitiba, Brazil, Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, University of
3
Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, Earthwatch Institute, Oxford, United Kingdom
Spatial prioritizations that map restoration opportunities, as opposed to simply restoration priorities,
move beyond where and when restoration resources should be allocated, towards how specific
actions can be implemented most effectively. Mapping restoration opportunities offers an
understanding of the factors that contribute directly to effective actions and improves identification of
candidate areas where restoration efforts can be implemented feasibly. With over half (53%) of
Brazil`s native vegetation occurring within private properties, restoration efforts depend on initiatives
taken by individual landholders. However, participation in such initiatives involves both costs and
benefits, and while approaches to make restoration more attractive have been suggested, there is little
guidance of what approaches work in different socio-ecological systems. Multiple theories explain why
people engage in different pro-environmental practices, informing opportunities and constraints in
implementing restoration initiatives. Still, these are rarely used to guide implementation. The
Landscape Partnerships project implemented a three-stage framework for conservation planning to
conduct restoration actions in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil (AF). First, we used high resolution imagery
(0.5m) to analyze the impacts of Brazil`s recently changed Forest Code within a case study region. We
identified areas at risk of deforestation and areas to restore by mapping 15 watersheds (67,000 ha)
throughout a National Park buffer zone. Second, we conducted interviews with local small-scale
farmers to investigate motivations and barriers to participation in restoration, and used the diffusion of
innovation theory to predict the percentage of population likely to adopt different programs and their
adoption rate. Finally, we run biodiversity prioritization models to define priority areas for conservation.
Our opportunities map is built by overlapping the results from the three stages. This is the first finescale study to identify key areas to restore based on Forest Code changes, and we expect to
implement our findings through working collaboratively with key stakeholders.
O71.3
Violence against Coast Salish peoples indirectly affects the structure and composition of
Pacific Northwest forests used as reference ecosystems
D. Mendenhall
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
The old growth forests of the Pacific Northwest were managed by Coast Salish peoples for thousands
of years prior to contact with European Americans. Contemporary land managers and ecologists
wrongly assume that these late successional forests are static reference sites for ecological
restoration. The current structure and diversity of these forests are legacy effects of indigenous land
management techniques, and they exhibit a time-lagged response to Euro-American migration to the
region. The violence and dispossession experienced by Coast Salish peoples during Euro-American
settlement disrupted their ability to manage these forests for food, timber and wildlife habitat. In this
study, I describe a remnant old growth forest located in the Puget Sound basin characterized by a
diverse canopy of deciduous and conifer trees. By comparing the size-class distributions of several
dominant tree species, I identify an overall decline in diversity and a gradual change in forest structure.
In the absence of prescribed burning and selective logging, this ecosystem is transitioning into a
closed-canopy conifer forest dominated by shade tolerant tree species such as western redcedar
(Thuja plicata) and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla). The changing site conditions associated
with this successional pathway are excluding sun loving species such as Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga
menziesii). Land managers and ecologists should consider the historic role of indigenous resource
management when developing goals and strategies for restoration. Further studies could explore how
techniques such as prescribed burning, foraging and selective logging can be integrated into the
restoration of Pacific Northwest old growth forests.
O72.1
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and its use in tropical trees to restore flooded land
F.O. Plascencia-Escalante, A. Martínez-Sánchez, T. Martínez-Trinidad, V.M. Cetina-Alcalá
Colegio de Postgraduados, Texcoco, Mexico
Flooded areas represent a challenge to be restored; in Mexico, lands of Tabasco State every year are
flooded for a period of 3 months resulting in a limitation to establish plantations for restoration or for
commercial purpose. On the other hand, it is well known that the presence of mycorrhizal fungi in
seedlings can help to improve the performance in the field under different kind of stress (drought, low
nutrients, polluted soils, and salted soil). However, there is little research about the performance of
mycorhized seedling under flooded soils. This research was done to know the influence of arbuscular
mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on two tropical trees growth, Tabebuia rosea and Haematoxylum
campechianum (species adapted to flood). The evaluation was done under artificial inundation and no
inundation under a completely randomized experimental design. The aforementioned measurements
were done at 0, 30 and 45 days after inundation. T. rosea and H. campechanium, growing under
inundation showed significant differences (P< 0.05) for absolute growth rate (AGR) in height),
sturdiness ratio (SR) and Dickson Quality Index (DQI) between inoculate seedlings and the control
during the second measurement date (45 days). Meanwhile, under no inundation condition these
species did not show significant difference in height. Relative growth rate (RGR) and AGR in diameter
had statistical differences for both measurement dates. Total colonization rate for T. rosea and H.
campechianum presented a significant difference during the evaluation, showing that after an
inundation stress, the total colonization for T. rosea increase, particularly for the strain Glomus
intraradices. A similar pattern was observed for H. campechanium inoculated with the strain “Zac.19”.
This research gives a broad understanding about the effect of AMF of tropical species under flood
conditions.
O72.2
Large-scale floodplain restoration following dam removal: Milltown Dam, Montana, USA
A. Sacry1, T. Parker1, C. Nelson2, D. Martin3, M. Daniels4
2
Geum Environmental Consulting, Hamilton, United States, University of Montana, Missoula, United
3
4
States, Natural Resource Damage Program, Helena, United States, River Design Group, Whitefish,
United States
1
Dam removal has become a key strategy for restoring aquatic ecosystems throughout the world.
There is still much to learn about ecosystem response to dam removal and a need to share lessons
learned. Milltown Dam was constructed in 1906 at the confluence of the Clark Fork and Blackfoot
Rivers in western Montana, USA. In 1908 a flood of record occurred on the Clark Fork River that
deposited sediments contaminated with metals from upstream mining and smelting operations along
150 miles of river and resulted in the accumulation of six million cubic yards of contaminated
sediments behind Milltown Dam. The widespread contamination led to designation of the upper 120
miles of the Clark Fork River as the largest geographic federal Superfund site in the United States.
Remediation of the site began in 2008 and Milltown dam was removed in 2009. An interdisciplinary
team of restoration professionals collaboratively developed designs for reconstructing the pre-dam
landscape including geomorphic features ranging from the riverbed and side channels to off-channel
wetlands and upland floodplain terraces. Restoration of the site, including reconstruction of 3 miles of
channel and over 250 acres of floodplain occurred between 2009 and 2012. Monitoring of the project
began in 2010 and is planned to continue for 15 years. This presentation will provide a synopsis of the
interdisciplinary restoration planning and implementation effort and provide examples of constructed
restoration techniques with an emphasis on floodplain construction and revegetation. After five years
of monitoring, the river channel remains connected to the floodplain despite some morphological
adjustment, plant communities are establishing from active plantings and natural recruitment, and
residual contamination is causing some challenges for revegetation. Lessons learned from the project
are being applied in remediation and restoration of other reaches of the Clark Fork River currently
being designed and constructed.
O72.3
Restoring woody biomass and carbon storage through tree planting under varying hydrologic
regimes
H.W. Hudson, J. Perry
Biological Sciences, Virginia Insititute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, United States
When restoring riparian buffers, forested wetlands, upland forests, etc., the ecological goals involve
returning woody biomass productivity and carbon storage to the landscape. Tree planting supplements
natural colonization and ensures that these restoration goals are met. Limited information is available
to quantify sapling biomass and carbon accumulation rates for many species in the Mid-Atlantic
Region of the United States. In 2009, a large scale field experiment was planted with seven species
native to this region. 2,772 trees were planted across three hydrologic treatments (precipitation only,
saturated soil conditions and flooded soil conditions). A subsample of living trees were harvested to
develop biomass estimation models relating total dry biomass to ground line stem diameter (n=567)
and determine the carbon content of wood (n=63). These models were then applied to all remaining
trees to determine biomass and carbon accumulation rates over six years. During that time, the seven
species average (and standard deviation (SD)) dry above- and below-ground biomass relative growth
rate (RGR) per tree decreased from 3.42 (n=707, SD=4.53) to 0.26 (n=502, SD=0.55) kg/kg/year in
the precipitation only cell. While in the saturated soil conditions RGR decreased from 1.41 (n=795,
SD=4.39) to 0.51 (n=566, SD=0.98) kg/kg/year and in the flooded soil conditions RGR decreased from
1.05 (n=760, SD=2.14) to 0.13 (n=231, SD=1.04) kg/kg/year. There were differences among species
within each year and among cells for both variables. The average absolute carbon accumulation rate
per tree increased from 0.12 (SD=0.27) to 3.73 (SD=18.76) (kg C/year) in the precipitation only cell,
increased from 0.04 (SD=0.1) to 2.85 (SD=7.68) (kg C/year) in the saturated soil conditions, and
decreased from 0.02 (SD=0.1) to -0.07 (SD=0.95) in the flooded soil conditions. These results suggest
that species selection and environmental conditions are important factors that influence returning
these ecosystem functions to the landscape through forest restoration projects.
O72.4
Regeneration and reuse of nitrogen rich water runoff and drainage in agricultural plots by
constructed wetlands
A. Gallegos1, L. Aguilar1, C. Arias2, P. Caro3, C. Pérez4, J. Morató1
1
UNESCO Chair on Sustainability, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech, Terrassa,
2
3
Spain, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Aarhus, Arhus, Denmark, Grupo TYPSA,
4
Barcelona, Spain, LEITAT Technological Center, Terrassa, Spain
In Spain, the agricultural practices have affecting the 12,7% of the territory, which has been declared
vulnerable to nitrate water pollution (concentration above 50 mgL-1). Constructed Wetlands (CWs) are
used in the project Regeneration and reuse of runoff and drainage water in agricultural plots by
combined natural water treatment systems (REAGRITECH LIFE11-ENV/ES/579), with the aim to
mitigate the environmental impact generated by nitrogen.
A hybrid CW was designed and constructed made of a vertical flow cell of 5.5 m2, filled with coarse
sand of 4 mmD, followed by two 4.1 m parallel horizontal flow cells, filled with namely 32 mmD gravel
and 12 mmD cork granulates. The hybrid CW placed at an irrigated orchard plantation in Lleida
(Catalonia), was built as a compact, modular and mobile system, using 20 ft. shipping containers that
can be transported and installed at research sites. The hydraulic controls allow the remote operation,
monitoring and recirculation of desired flows, resulting in higher removal performance. The modularity
enables the treatment of higher loadings adding more modules. Water is taken from infiltrated water by
means of well pumps. The primary treatment is a two-chambered sedimentation tank. The system has
a dosing tank that allows the variation of the influent water quality. BOD5, all N species, P, pesticides
and fungicides, are being monitored in monthly intervals with three consecutive day campaigns. After
each campaign the operational parameters of the plant such as loadings and hydraulic regimes are
changed, to evaluate the removal capacity and to determine the best design parameters. The
innovative modular system was designed to produce an effluent with concentrations below 5 mgL-1 of
NH4-N and 10 mgL-1 of NO3-N; it will help to determine operational parameters, to compare different
media for the removal of agricultural pollutants and allows the reduction of operational and
maintenance costs.
O72.5
Ecological restoration benefits from understanding early plant community assembly
B. Marteinsdóttir1, Þ.E. Þórhallsdóttir1, K. Svavarsdóttir2
1
Institute of Life and Environmental Science, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland, 2The Soil
Conservation Service of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
For a plant to colonize a new site it must successfully pass through a series of filters. It must produce
propagules that disperse to the site (seed limitation filter) and be able to grow under the local abiotic
(environmental filter) and biotic (species interaction filter) conditions. Restoration efforts often involve
mitigation practices that help species to overcome these filters, either by increasing species dispersal
to the site (e.g. by sowing or transplanting) or manipulating the environment or biotic conditions
(e.g. reducing competition or introducing facilitative species). With these manipulations we can
influence the outcome of plant community assembly at a site. However, to be successful, we must
understand how these filters work in natural ecosystems.
We studied early plant community assembly on Skeiðarársandur, a vast glacier outwash plain in SEIceland. Plant succession on the sandur has been extremely slow with only patches of it developing
vegetation with over 10% cover. Plant community assembly in 47 plots was examined and the regional
species pool of the sandur determined. Information on plant functional traits (i.e. measurable
characteristics of the plant that influence plant fitness) related to species establishment, dispersal and
persistence was gathered for species in the regional species pool. While plant functional traits are
commonly used to explore plant community structure, very few studies have been conducted in
primary successional habitats.
Null-models are used to determine whether and how species traits influence which species from the
regional species pool establish at the local sites. The results give us information on how the different
filters shape the plant communities and which traits a successful colonizer must have. By increasing
our understanding on early species assembly in natural systems we will improve our abilities to
manipulate this process in ecological restoration, increasing our probabilities of getting the desired
outcome.
O73.1
Levels of alien plant invasion across forests in Europe
1
1
1
1
2
2,3
V. Wagner , M. Chytrý , I. Knollová , B. Jiménez-Alfaro , J. Pergl , P. Pyšek
1
2
Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic, Institute of Botany CAS, Průhonice, Czech Republic,
3
Charles University in Prague, Praha, Czech Republic
The management of invasive alien plants as a key objective of the European Union 2020 biodiversity
strategy. An understanding of the patterns and drivers of alien plant invasion across European
vegetation is essential in order to prioritize management actions. Yet, research has so far been limited
by its small spatial scope and missing link to the European habitat classification (EUNIS). We
quantified the abundance and richness of alien plant species across European forests by using data
from 184,977 vegetation plots, collected in 33 countries and stored in the European Vegetation
Archive (EVA) and regional databases. We focused on alien plants that are alien to Europe for which
good information sources exist (DAISIE, USDA GRIN, the unpublished GloNAF database, Flora
Europaea, and Euro+Med). Plots were classified into EUNIS habitat types based on species
composition. The levels of alien plant invasion across forest habitat types were compared both in
terms of the entire species pool, relative alpha-diversity and relative abundance. By increasing our
understanding of alien plant invasion across European forests, our study is assisting the European
Union´s target to combat alien invasive plants and restore native biodiversity.
O73.2
Something old, something new: strategies for controlling Pteridium aquilinum and restoring
habitat of conservation value
R. Marrs, G. Milligan
School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
There is a continuing need for appropriate management strategies to manage ecosystems dominated
by perennial weed species including both a control phase for the weed and a restoration phase to
establish new functioning communities the perennial weed and then in their place. We investigated a
series of old and new control/restoration strategies on Pteridium aquilinum-dominated land with the
intention of restoring an acidic-grassland community. Five P. aquilinum-control treatments were
applied over an eight-year period (2005-2012) and compared with untreated plots. The treatments
were: cutting twice and thrice annually, bruising twice and thrice annually plus an herbicide treatment
(an initial application of asulam plus annual spot-re-treatment of all emergent fronds). P. aquilinum
performance and plant species composition was monitored for eight years between 2005 and 2013.
Data were analyzed using Bayesian mixed-effect models and a range of multivariate techniques.
Cutting twice and thrice yearly and the asulam treatment all reduced frond density to zero; indeed
P. aquilinum was confined in these treatment plots to the plot perimeters. In contrast, both bruising
treatments were ineffective in reducing P. aquilinum. The plant communities in the cut and asulamtreated plots showed clear differences from the untreated and bruised plots. Vegetation recovery at
this site was fastest in the asulam-treated plots, but the cut plots caught up after approximately 5
years. The trajectories were, however different: the asulam-treated plots contained more ruderal
species and the cut plots were more typical of acid-grassland.
There were three important results for land managers:
(i) continuous applications were successful in eradicating the P. aquilinum infestation here,
(ii) this could be achieved using either cutting twice/thrice annually, or a single application of asulam
followed by annual repeat spot-spraying of all emergent fronds,
(iii) bruising on this site did not work and cannot be recommended for general use in conservation.
O73.3
Herbicidal activity of Asphodelus microcarpus against selected weed species (Chenopodium
album) of wheat (Triticum aestivum)
M.M.A.A. Migahid
Biology and Geology, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
The current worldwide demand for cheaper and more environment-friendly weed management
technologies have motivated a considerable number of studies on the allelopathic potential of some
plant species as a resource for weed control in crops. The main objective of the present study was to
evaluate the bio-herbicidal potential of Asphodelus microcarpus L. (AM) on Chenopodium album L.
(CA); a major pest of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., TA). This research was conducted to study the
allelopathic effects of AM crude powder on some growth parameters (fresh weight, dry weight & length
of shoots and roots) and photosynthetic pigments of weed species; CA and the crop species; TA in
both mono and mixed cultures. Moreover, some chemical constituents (soluble protein, free proline
and soluble amino acids) were determined in TA. The results showed a significant reduction in plant
growth parameters in both CA and TA, with considerably stronger allelopathic effects on the growth of
CA as compared with TA in the presence of different concentrations of AM. Photosynthetic pigments in
CA were also significantly decreased. The organs length of CA under control was lower in mixed than
monoculture. This may be an indication of the allelopathic potential of TA on CA. The results also
indicated that, proline and amino acids in TA were accumulated with significant level under the
allelopathic effect of AM. In this respect, TA has more tolerance and resistance to the different
allelopathic treatment when compared with CA especially in monoculture. The study suggested the
suppressive potential of allelopathy against selected weed species, and offered promises for their
usefulness as a tool for weed management.
Keywords: Triticum aestivum, Chenopodium album, Asphodilus microcarpus, Allelopathy
O74.1
Novel ecosystems and social-ecological resilience
M.J. Collier
University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
There persists fidelity among restoration ecology theorists and practitioners to achieve idyllic, historical
analogues. The field of restoration ecology criticises both the level and scale of human values adopted
into management prescriptions, yet it also desires governance as a core tenet of the new approach to
restoration practice. This is epitomised in current debates on novel ecosystem theory. Novel
ecosystems are anthropogenic landscapes that cannot be returned to their original ecological status.
Little is known the social-ecological dynamics of these never-before-seen ecosystems. Less is known
of their implications for society, sustainability and behaviour. This review contends that novel
ecosystems may be regarded as exemplars of social-ecological resilience and that the exploration of
potential threats or utilities of the concept of novel ecosystem is being constrained by a lack of
investigation.
O74.2
Resilience building in urban ecosystem: an experimental research on Chinese urbanization
S. Zhang1, Y. Yang1, H. Hou1, J. Zhang2, J. Zhao2
1
2
Land Resource Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, China, Ningxia
Land Surveying and Planning Institute, Yinchuan, China
Urban ecosystem is a primely artificial ecosystem and it has to rely on external forces to retain its
function, energy flow, nutrient cycling, and system balancing. The potential threats of global climate
change caused by anthropogenic CO2 emission, including the sea-level rise, frequent flood and
drought, the growing of urban heat island effect, the shortage of water resource, the increase of
wastes disposal cost, population expansion or decrease, the shrink of city, are forming great
disturbances to urban ecosystem in 21st century. Therefore, it is important to explore the theory and
practice of urban resilience.
China has been experiencing a rapid urbanization form 19.39% in 1980 to 53.73% in 2013 with urban
population increase by 540 million and urban sprawl by 38,120 square kilometers. Chinese
government has realized that ecological urbanization is unique to mitigate the disturbances from global
climate change, thus local authorities have paid more attention to resilience building. This paper
illustrated three successful practices of urban resilience building, i.e. Xuzhou in eastern China,
Guiyang in central China, and Shizuishan in western China, respectively. The empirical practices
embraced urban planning, infrastructure construction, green building, clean energy, green urban
space, urban mining, urban wastes reuse, sewage water disposal and recycling, etc. The analysis also
indicated that some deficiencies should be overcome in the process of resilience building, such as
insufficient public participation, little cultural ecology, lack of urban individuality, inadequate natural
eco-design, low-level urban landscape, less consideration of counter-urbanization, and so on, and
these problems would affect adversely the resilience in urban ecosystem.
Chinese experiences of urban resilience building might be a better reference to other similar countries.
Keywords：urban resilience; urban ecosystem; Chinese urbanization; resilience building
This study is financially supported by a Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) project
(51474214).
O74.3
Intermittent system function: a key driver for restoring socio-ecological watershed resiliency in
the Southwestern United States
1
1
2
C. Maxwell , R. Davidson , W. Fleming
1
2
Alamosa Land Institute, Monticello, NM, United States, School of Architecture + Planning,
Community & Regional Planning Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States
Extremes drive global arid and semi-arid (dryland) monsoonal systems, increasingly characterized by
widespread flooding and extended droughts. Planning for socio-ecological resilience of a watershed in
southern New Mexico revealed the need for land management practices that allow floodplains to
perform their natural functions of storing and conveying floodwaters. Collaborative pilot study
experiments with stakeholders reconnected floodplains resulting in flood control and increased
productivity and ecological health. Initial analysis revealed that upstream intermittent systems are key,
as they link the dry ecological zones to the riparian systems upon which society relies. Intermittent
systems determine a large part of the flood pulse energy; the dispersal, storage and processing of
water, sediment, and other organic matter; and provide wildlife corridors. Adapting practices commonly
used in perennial flows, pilot studies of reintroduced large wood (log jams) in three upstream
intermittent systems increased infiltration and slowed flow energy by improving the resilience and
diversity of the channel geomorphology. The jams increased roughness, sediment, nutrient and
organic matter deposition, and resulted in vegetation and habitat recruitment. These results are critical
for dryland regions, as concentrated bands of vegetation and other surface storage sinks control
infiltration rates, unlike humid areas where soil storage capacity is the controlling factor. Dryland
intermittent systems do not change linearly with scale, vegetation loss can lead to acceleration over
time of run-off rates and erosion, and cross the threshold of recovery without intervention. Next phase
experiments are designed to identify the extent of floodplain reconnection and policy changes required
to achieve critically-needed benefits. The stakes for the Southwest region could not be higher, most
perennial flow has become intermittent, a trend accelerated by increased aridity and water
appropriation. Areas reliant upon snowmelt will look to monsoonal systems for solutions to adapt as
fewer winter storms and warmer temperatures deliver less snowpack.
O74.4
Towards improved social and ecological urban resilience, via assessment of plant community
nutrient density in protected areas in Kitchener, Ontario
D. Watkins, S.D. Murphy
Environment and Resource Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
Global urbanization and associated impacts on natural areas threaten the provision of ecosystem
services and with them, the resilience of social ecological systems. Biodiversity in urban areas
supports human health and well being, and healthy human communities are better equipped to avoid
mortality associated with disturbance. Access to healthy food supports public health; nutrient-dense
food production has been identified as key area for resilience investigation. This study sought to
evaluate the nutrient density of plant communities within protected areas of high and low ecological
value, in Kitchener Ontario. To date, no local studies have evaluated simultaneous biodiversity
conservation and nutrient-dense food production potential in Kitchener's urban protected areas. In
2014 (year 1 of the current study) line-point intercept herbaceous vegetation sampling and pointcentred quarter tree and sapling sampling was conducted in upland forest, lowland forest and meadow
communities in Kitchener's Huron Natural Area and Springwood Park. Data were compared to
published nutrient values of local native and non-native plant species, revealing the presence of
relatively few native species known to be nutritionally valuable. Native species having nutrient-dense
components included Acer saccharum, Thuja occidentalis, Tsuga Canadensis and Onoclea
struthiopteris. Non-native nutrient-dense species included Allliaria petiolata. Potential exists to improve
social and ecological values of both high and low quality protected areas through targeted removal of
invasive species suitable for human and/or livestock consumption. Increasing density and diversity of
nutrient-rich native plant species has the potential to improve both social (public health) and ecological
(native species diversity) values of ecologically degraded protected areas and recreational spaces
across the wider urban landscape. Additional research is needed to provide a more comprehensive
assessment of plant community nutrient density in urban Kitchener's natural areas, and to assess the
feasibility of pilot projects related to ecosystem management for combined biodiversity, human health,
and resilience benefits.
O75.1
Ecological reclamation within Esquimalt Harbour, British Columbia, Canada
M.A. Adams
Envirowest Consultants Inc., Port Coquitlam, Canada
Ecological restoration is rarely achievable within developed environments. Existing infrastructure
cannot be readily decommissioned to restore an ecosystem to its original condition. As such, the effort
is modified to focus upon the restoration of ecological functions. It attempts to achieve 'the proper
enhancement of an ecosystem that has been degraded or damaged'. The process that defines this
end point is analogous to that of ecological restoration, and may be considered as 'ecological
reclamation'.
Dunn's Nook is a small marine cove located along the eastern shore of Esquimalt Harbour, British
Columbia, Canada. The Harbour is home to Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt. The Township of
Esquimalt occurs along the west shore of the Harbour.
The Esquimalt Graving Dock occurs within the Harbour. The modernization of the Dock included
modification of the marine environment. Modernization works impacted fish habitats as defined by the
federal Fisheries Act. New fish habitats were required to offset impacts in accordance with the Act.
The statutory requirement to offset impacted habitats does not embrace a broad ecosystem approach.
The end point is often habitat features for fish that are disparate with the ecological setting within
which these features occur. The processes that define ecological restoration and ecological
reclamation are not encapsulated by the design of such features.
The design of new fish habitats engaged Dunn's Nook. Ecological functions were impaired by a
causeway constructed at the mouth of the cove in the 1940s. Removal or modification of the
causeway was not a design option. Hence, the cove could not be restored to its original condition.
Accordingly, the design sought to reclaim ecological functions within Dunn's Nook. The reclamation of
functions extends to Esquimalt Harbour. New estuarine features were created. Ecological reclamation
defines the process embraced by the creation of fish habitats within Dunn's Nook.
O75.2
Coral restoration using mass larval reseeding
1
1
2
D.W. dela Cruz , P. Harrison , R.D. Villanueva
1
Marine Ecology Research Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross
University, Lismore, Australia, 2Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon
City, Philippines
Restoring ecosystems are pivotal in mitigating the effects of anthropogenic climate change and
essential in maintaining biological diversity to ensure continuous flow of ecological goods and
services. In the case of coral reefs, innovative restoration technologies aimed for large scale
interventions are viewed as one of the primary solutions to the rapid and increasing worldwide reef
degradation. In this study, a mass coral larval reseeding technique using mesh matting to restore
relatively large, damaged coral reef areas in Bolinao-Anda Reef Complex, Pangasinan, northwestern
Philippines was conducted. Acropora tenuis larvae were cultured ex situ in the spawning season of
2013. Approximately 400,000 competent larvae were transported and reseeded in each of four 6x4 m
plots. An organza-hapa matting (150 µm opening) was used to retain the larvae inside each treatment
plot for 5 days. Four adjacent 6x4 m plots which were unseeded served as control. The settlement and
post-settlement survivorship and growth of larvae on the recruitment tiles (ten 10 x 10 x ~3 cm natural
recruitment tiles cut from dead tabulate Acropora, attached to experimental plots prior to seeding
activity) and natural substrate inside the experimental plots were monitored periodically. Immediately
after the intervention, recruitment in the reseeded plots was significantly higher (27±12 spat per tile)
than in control plots, in which no single recruit was monitored. After 22 months, there is an average of
3
24 A. tenuis coral colony surviving and growing (mean ecological volume per colony = 476 cm ) per
reseeded plot. These colonies may contribute to the larval pool when they become reproductively
matured, jumpstarting the natural coral recovery in the area. This study suggests that mass coral larval
reseeding using mesh matting can be used to enhance larval settlement and recruitment rates on
degraded reef areas, therefore initiating coral population regeneration in short period of time.
O75.3
Comparing methods for restoring staghorn corals: coral nurseries versus direct transplanting
G. Forrester, L. Forrester, D. Conetta, R. Dauksis, S. Alicia
University of Rhode Island, Kingston, United States
Restoration by transplanting coral is a rapidly growing practice for rehabilitating degraded coral reefs.
Many coral restoration projects have directly relocated corals, or coral fragments, to restoration sites
from source reefs that still support remnant wild populations. Another popular approach is “gardening”,
the culture of small coral fragments in nurseries for later transplant to restoration sites. We performed
an experimental restoration to directly compare the success of these two methods. Storm-generated
fragments of Acropora cervicornis (n=815) were collected from source reefs and assigned to one of 3
treatments:
(1) directly transplanted to a restoration site,
(2) moved to one of two nursery sites and “gardened” for 3 months before being transplanted to the
restoration site,
(3) left unattached on the reef as controls.
Once the gardened corals were relocated to the reef, we tracked the individual growth and survival of
all corals for a further 13 months. Both direct transplants and gardened corals grew and survived
substantially better than those in the control group. Gardened and directly transplanted corals had
similar overall rates of growth and survival, but the increased time and effort needed to establish the
nursery meant that direct transplanting yielded a better return per dollar, or per hour of work invested.
When wild populations are extremely small, nurseries have additional benefits that include the ability
to manage genetic diversity and propagate large numbers of fragments. However, when fragments are
available in sufficient numbers, direct transplanting may be a more efficient way to rehabilitate
degraded sites.