Challenges in the Restoration of Quartzitic and Ironstone Rupestrian Grasslands

Abstract

Actively restoring ecosystems that have “been degraded, damaged or destroyed” became imperative in face of worldwide human impacts on nature. For rupestrian grasslands which are so peculiar and restricted in range, but also subjected to strong impact pressures, this seems to be even more important. Making use of ecological knowledge is fundamental to cope with the many uncertainties inherent to the process of ecological restoration. The overview on the ecology of rupestrian grasslands provided by this book thus is of utmost importance for the progress on this ecosystem’s restoration and conservation. We benefit from this by invoking other chapters to base our assumptions and then present extant and possible ways of applying the ecological knowledge gathered. We summarize the academic background on restoration related to rupestrian grasslands, including examples of scientific restoration experiments, plant species with potential for restoration, among other aspects. We then point out potential restoration techniques and potential indicators of functional recovery during the restoration process. The problems imposed by invasive species on the process of restoration are highlighted due to its striking importance for restoration success and sustainability over time. Finally, we outline current gaps and challenges and indicate future directions to the ecological restoration of these ecosystems. This chapter represents the first attempt to review the efforts towards the ecological restoration of rupestrian grasslands at both scientific and technical perspectives.