The use of spatially patterned methods for vegetation restoration and management across systems

Abstract

Widespread degradation of natural lands has created an urgent need for restoration. However, the high cost of conventional techniques limits the extent and success of restoration efforts. As a result, practitioners have developed new cost‐effective techniques. Spatially patterned restoration methods, where established clusters of plant species serve as propagule sources across a broad target area, have been proposed as practical restoration techniques. The spatial patterning is expected to reduce initial costs and provide ecological benefits such as increasing habitat heterogeneity. Over the past three decades, multiple spatially patterned restoration methods have emerged around the globe; however, it is unclear whether applications and theoretical foundations have been connected across methods. We conducted a literature review and bibliometric network analyses to (1) examine patterns in focal study systems, cost‐effectiveness, and ecological outcomes for spatially patterned restoration methods and (2) analyze connectivity among the bodies of literature associated with common spatially patterned restoration methods to identify knowledge gaps and synergies. We found the three most commonly studied methods are applied nucleation, slot seeding, and strip seeding. Applied nucleation studies mainly occurred in tropical forests and emphasized plant diversity and seed‐dispersing animal visitation. Slot‐seeding and strip‐seeding studies both primarily occurred in temperate grasslands and emphasized plant establishment and production. Applied nucleation and slot‐seeding approaches had distinct theoretical bases, as evidenced by patterns in reference citation, while strip‐seeding approaches did not draw from a unified body of literature. We discuss the need for full economic analyses and theoretical links between the different methods.