Restoration Ecology

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Restoration Ecology
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Restoration Ecology- human involvement in
recovering from a disturbance.
Fig 56.21
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Ecological Restoration and Global Climate
Change J. Harris, R. Hobbs, E. Higgs, and J.
Aronson Restoration Ecology Vol. 14, No. 2, pg.
170176 June 2006
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Mismatches an example

• Great tit (relative of the chickadee)
• Common in Europe
• Studied in detail since the 1950s by scientists
  at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology.

Information Grossman, D. 2003, Spring Forward,
Scientific American, 85-91. http//www.sciencenews
forkids.org/articles/20030723/a106_1511.jpg
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• Tits lay eggs at the same time that they did in
  1985 mid-spring (4/16 to 5/15)
• Since 1985 spring temperatures have risen about
  2oC
• Tits primary food is the winter moth caterpillar
  (below)
• Caterpillar production is 2 weeks earlier in 2002
  than in 1985

Grossman, D. 2003, Spring Forward, Scientific
American, 85-91.
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Grossman, D. 2003, Spring Forward, Scientific
American, 85-91.
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Restoring a disturbed ecosystem to historical
conditions may not be valid as ecosystems change.
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It is increasingly likely that the next century
will be characterized by shifts in global weather
patterns and climate regimes.
precipitation changes
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The past is no longer a prescriptive guide for
what might happen in the future.
precipitation changes
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What are the two most basic resources necessary
for biodiversity?
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Restoring ecosystems must begin with the basics
water and space
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Fig56.23
Truckee River, Nevada- Water diversions reduced
flow. Increased flows during willow and
cottonwood seed release season allowed recovery
of riparian ecosystem.
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Fig56.23
Kissimmee River, Florida- Had been turned into a
90 km canal. About 24 km of the river has been
restored.
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Fig56.23
Rhine River, Europe- dredging for ships reduced
biodiversity. Side channels are being
reintroduced to allow species to recover.
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Fig 55.14
Water cycle
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Stream restoration in urban catchments through
redesigning stormwater systems looking to the
catchment to save the stream C. Walsh, T.
Fletcher, and A. Ladson J. N. Am. Benthol. Soc.,
2005, 24(3)690705
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Restoration of streams degraded by urbanization
has usually been attempted by enhancement of
instream habitat or riparian zones.
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Restoration of streams degraded by urbanization
has usually been attempted by enhancement of
instream habitat or riparian zones.
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Restoration of streams degraded by urbanization
has usually been attempted by enhancement of
instream habitat or riparian zones.
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Recent studies of urban impacts on streams in
Melbourne, Australia, on water chemistry, algal
biomass, diatoms and invertebrates, suggest that
the primary degrading process to streams in many
urban areas is effective imperviousness.
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The direct connection of impervious surfaces to
streams means that even small rainfall events can
produce sufficient surface runoff to cause
frequent disturbance.
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Where impervious surfaces are not directly
connected to streams, small rainfall events are
intercepted and infiltrated.
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http//www.brevstorm.org/watershed.cfm
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A wet retention pond to filter pollutants and
buffer and maintain stream flow
http//www.brevstorm.org/watershed.cfm
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Roadside ditches can increase water filtration
http//www.brevstorm.org/watershed.cfm
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Inlet screens for filtering large debris
http//www.brevstorm.org/watershed.cfm
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Baffle boxes to remove sediment
http//www.brevstorm.org/watershed.cfm
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Restoration of streams degraded by urbanization
has usually been attempted by enhancement of
instream habitat or riparian zones.
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The use of alternative drainage methods, which
maintain a near-natural frequency of surface
runoff from the catchment, is the best approach
to stream restoration in urban areas.
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Stream restoration in urban catchments through
redesigning stormwater systems looking to the
catchment to save the stream