Benefits Of Restoration Research Articles

Application of Fixed Implant Superstructures following Multi- Stage Maxillary Reconstruction in Osteosarcoma Patients: A case report.

Extensive resections of the maxillary bone often result in significant defects that affect oral functions such as speech and chewing. Although dentomaxillary prostheses are common, they frequently lead to instability and reduced chewing ability. Vascularised bone grafts, including the fibula, are increasingly used to address these challenges due to their anatomical suitability and functional restoration benefits. Despite advances, problems remain, including insufficient bone height for stable implantation. A 60-year-old Japanese woman presented with swelling of the right maxilla and nasal obstruction and was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. Following chemotherapy and partial maxillary resection, she experienced discomfort with dentomaxillary prosthetics, prompting subsequent reconstruction with fibula and particulate cancellous bone and marrow (PCBM) grafts. This patient was taking methotrexate regularly for rheumatoid arthritis, so there was concern that she would be immunosuppressed. Therefore, we did not choose a zygomatic implant, which would be difficult to control in the event of infection. In addition, the fibula alone was insufficient for reconstruction; sufficient vertical and horizontal bone augmentation was required, and we chose a combination of titanium mesh and PCBM that met these requirements. Sequential implant procedures culminated in fixed superstructures that significantly improved occlusal function and prosthetic stability over a 6-year follow-up period. This case highlights the challenges of prosthetic instability following maxillary resections and demonstrates the effectiveness of multi-stage reconstructions using fibula grafts and PCBM for alveolar ridge augmentation. The structured approach to maxillofacial reconstruction provides valuable insights into optimizing functional outcomes following surgical procedures and highlights the importance of tailored treatment strategies in complex maxillofacial cases.

Forest restoration improves habitat and water quality in tropical streams: A multiscale landscape assessment.

Forest restoration has been a common practice to safeguard water quality and stream health but it is unclear to which extent and pace forest restoration recovers stream ecosystem structure and functions. Also, stream health might be affected by the forest restoration type and the quality of the interventions. Here, we sought to evaluate the recovery of stream habitat and water quality through forest restoration in catchments dominated by pasturelands, and explored the relationship between landscape structure and stream ecosystem recovery. We sampled a total of 30 catchments during the dry season of 2023, covering six different classes (five catchment per class), based on the type and extent of forest cover: (i) all catchment area covered by native forest remnants, (ii) catchments mostly covered by old (26-37years) restored forests, (iii) catchments mostly covered by young (5-25years) restored forests, (iv) catchments in a pasture matrix with forest remnants around springs, (v) catchments in a pasture matrix with riparian buffers covered by pioneer vegetation (mostly herbs and shrubs), and (vi) catchments mostly covered by pastures. Data on stream water (e.g. temperature, nutrients and sediments) and habitat (e.g. substrate heterogeneity and volume of wood debris) quality were sampled and landscape metrics calculated by GIS at reach, riparian and catchment scales. In catchments covered by remnant and old restored forests, the water temperature and nutrient concentration were lower, and instream leaf banks were higher, whereas the number of large wood debris was higher in forest remnant catchments. Water temperature and ammoniacal-N correlated with Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) at reach scale. Substrate heterogeneity and volume of woody debris correlated strongly with NDVI and proportion of forest over 38years old at the catchment scale. This outcome shows the potential application of forest structure (NDVI) and age for monitoring the stream ecosystem benefits of forest restoration. Overall, we found a gradient of recovery of both water and habitat quality progressing from more degraded (pasture-dominated catchments, pasture-dominated with forest remnants around springs, pasture-dominated with pioneer vegetation in riparian buffers) to more conserved catchments (young forest restoration, old forest restoration and old-growth conserved forests). In conclusion, the Atlantic Forest restoration contributed to improve water and habitat quality in streams, however these benefits were dependent on forest restoration age, extension and location.

Is more vegetation always better? Evaluation of restorative benefits and preference for window views

Is more vegetation always better? Evaluation of restorative benefits and preference for window views

Methodological Accounting of the Ecosystem Services Benefits of Community-based Restoration

Methodological Accounting of the Ecosystem Services Benefits of Community-based Restoration

Impact of Mining Area Steep Slope Conditions on the Soil and Water Conservation Benefits of Ecological Restoration

Steep slopes, characterized by their high gradient and limited soil and water resources, pose significant challenges to plant colonization. Consequently, the ecological restoration of steep slopes is one of the major challenges in the field of mine site rehabilitation. This study evaluated the impact of slope conditions on the restoration effectiveness during the early stages of ecological restoration. Two ecological restoration slopes with different slope conditions, excavated slope and filled slope, were selected, and restored by hanging net and soil spraying measures. The unrepaired slope was used as the control. The results showed that ecological restoration has a significant effect for soil and water conservation; runoff and sediment were reduced by 61.38% and 99.28%, respectively, and infiltration increased by 104.26%, compared to untreated slopes. Furthermore, ecological restoration could effectively reduce runoff erosion dynamics and soil erodibility, and alter the runoff–sediment relationship on slopes, thereby substantially influencing the yield processes of runoff and sediment of the slopes. Notably, the reduction effect of ecological restoration measures on runoff and sediment was more significant on excavated slopes than on filled slopes. The runoff and sediment yield of excavated slopes were 19.06% and 53.77% lower than that of filled slopes, respectively. From a soil and water conservation perspective, the ecological restoration measures of hanging net and soil spraying were more suitable for application to steep excavated rock slopes. However, further research is needed to evaluate its applicability to filled slopes.

Higher severity fire increases the long-term competitiveness of pyrophytes in an upland oak-pine forest, Kentucky, USA

BackgroundIn eastern North American forests and woodlands, formerly dominant oaks (Quercus spp. L.) and pines (Pinus spp. L.) are experiencing widespread regeneration challenges. These challenges are due to past land use and fire exclusion facilitating positive feedbacks that reduce the effectiveness of low-severity prescribed fire. High-severity fires (wildfires and potentially prescribed burns) offer promise to overcome these feedbacks and assist in ecosystem restoration. In 2010, a 670-ha mixed-severity wildfire burned in the Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky, USA, providing a rare opportunity to track oak-pine community recovery across a wide fire severity spectrum for 12 years. We examined the effects of burn severity on species diversity, forest structure, community assemblage, stem recruitment into the midstory (2–10 cm diameter at breast height [DBH]) and canopy (10 + cm DBH), and non-native invasive plant (NNIP) populations, and compared these effects to previous results published after 6 years post-fire.ResultsThe relative importance of midstory pyrophyte species (e.g., Quercus spp. and Pinus spp.) was positively related to field-measured burn severity, while mesophytes (e.g., Acer rubrum, Betula lenta) displayed a weaker negative relationship. After 12 years, higher burn severity yielded greater midstory recruitment of pyrophytes; however, this was only observed for yellow pines (P. echinata Mill., P. rigida Mill., P. virginiana Mill.) and non-oak-pine pyrophytes. Oaks’ and mesophytes’ midstory recruitment displayed no relationship with burn severity. Increased burn severity strongly increased invasive species presence, particularly Chinese silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis Andersson).ConclusionsSix years after fire, oak midstory recruitment was positively related to burn severity. By year 12, higher burn severity was no longer associated with oak midstory recruitment but was associated with increased recruitment and importance of other pyrophytic species, particularly yellow pines. Our results also suggest that a single high-severity fire can increase the long-term competitive status of pyrophytes relative to mesophytes. As such, higher-severity fire may be an important tool in restoring fire-adapted communities where low-severity fire lacks the ability to produce meaningful forest structure and community changes. However, NNIP proliferation in high-severity burn areas can undermine the restoration benefits we observed.

Reconciling global and local benefits of forest restoration: A shared interdisciplinary perspective

Reconciling global and local benefits of forest restoration: A shared interdisciplinary perspective

Evaluating the Restorative Potential of Different Green Strategies in Streets

The contemporary urban lifestyle, marked by heightened stress levels, contributes to a global surge in mental health issues. Urban sidewalks, where daily interactions occur, offer potential respite, making the design of restorative urban streets crucial for enhancing mental well-being. While previous research acknowledges the restorative value of urban green spaces, there is a pressing need for new studies to identify effective green strategies for mental health promotion. This study focuses on identifying urban green spaces positively affecting mental health and assessing various green strategies from the pedestrian perspective. Using virtual reality (VR), participants evaluated 3D model urban scenes on mobile screens within VR glasses, featuring different sidewalk vegetation and building facades, resulting in 16 experimental conditions. Participants, including individuals from architectural and non-architectural backgrounds and undergraduate students and professionals, expressed unanimous preference for green areas on sidewalks and building facades. The most restorative model featured trees on sidewalks and open front yards on building facades. Additionally, a positive correlation emerged between "Restorative Potential" and Attention Restoration Theory (ART) components, shedding light on factors influencing urban green space preferences. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into designing urban green spaces for promoting mental well-being. Policymakers and planners can leverage this evidence to craft urban environments offering restorative benefits, enhancing residents' overall quality of life in cities worldwide.

Evolution and Attribution Analysis of Habitat Quality in China’s First Batch of National Parks

In October 2021, China established its first group of national parks, representing a milestone in enhancing the country’s nature reserve system and aligning with global trends in ecological conservation. This study aims to assess habitat quality changes and identify the driving factors in five national parks using multi-temporal land use data from 2000 to 2020. By integrating the land use transfer matrix with the InVEST model, we quantified habitat quality changes, while the geographical detector method was employed to analyze the key natural and socioeconomic drivers. Results showed that grassland and cultivated land were predominantly converted into forestland, leading to improvements in habitat quality in some parks. Specifically, Wuyishan National Park exhibited the highest and most stable habitat quality index, while Three-River-Source National Park experienced significant improvement (+34.10%). However, the Giant Panda, Northeast China Tiger and Leopard, and Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Parks experienced habitat degradation, with decreases of 15.15%, 14.50%, and 13.90%, respectively. Key drivers, such as NDVI, temperature, precipitation, elevation, and population density, were found to significantly influence habitat quality across the parks. This study highlights the ecological benefits of forestland restoration and the risks posed by the conversion of forest to cultivated or construction land, providing valuable insights for optimizing conservation strategies in China’s national parks.

Restoration Evaluation of National Forest Park in Greater Khingan Mountains Region, China

As an important part of ecological civilization construction and harmonious coexistence between man and nature, the importance of restorative environment construction in national forest parks is self-evident. In this paper, the national forest park in the Greater Khingan Mountains region covering a large area of primary forest is taken as the research object. Based on visual perception, PRS, skin conductance level, and eye tracking technology are used as evaluation indexes to conduct restoration experiments on individuals. Among 60 participants, the PRS total scores for lawn space, shady space, dense forest space, and hard space were 166.63, 164.63, 168.43, and 158.93, respectively, indicating good restorative benefits, with hard space scoring lower. SCR decreases for dense forest space (M = 0.52) were significantly greater than for hard space (M = 0.38), suggesting better stress reduction. Eye tracking data showed that dense forest space had the longest total fixation duration (M = 42.57) and hard space the highest fixation count (M = 42.73). The results show that the national forest park is beneficial to the recovery of individual psychology and physiology, and can reduce the pressure of people’s visual perception. The psychological and physiological restorative benefits of different spatial scene types are different. Moreover, there is correlation between the eye movement index, psychological evaluation index, and physiological evaluation index, which confirms the possibility of introducing the eye movement index into the study of restorative environments.

On The Discount Rate in Environmental Damage Cases

In a variety of environmental and natural resource policy settings, negative impacts of investment projects or accidental events on natural resources must be mitigated or offset in-kind. An important example is natural resource damage assessment (NRDA), which addresses impacts of unpermitted releases of oil or hazardous substances. NRDAs often include injuries from the distant past and restoration benefits into the distant future. Hence, the discount rate is a key parameter determining the scale of restoration. For some types of impacts (direct human use of resources) monetization of service changes typically occurs, while for others (effects on nonuse services), service changes are denominated in their natural biophysical units. These call for different approaches to discounting and methods for estimating the appropriate rate, which heretofore has not been addressed in the NRDA literature. This paper reviews the issues and offers practical guidance for specifying discount rates in natural resource damage cases.

Ecological benefits of artificial vegetation restoration on local climate condition in abandoned mining area

Ecological benefits of artificial vegetation restoration on local climate condition in abandoned mining area

Improving human well-being through community-led coastal restoration

Improving human well-being through community-led coastal restoration

Restoration and evaluation for severed streams in high-density urban areas based on a multi-objective framework: A case study of Heping Stream in Nanjing

Restoration and evaluation for severed streams in high-density urban areas based on a multi-objective framework: A case study of Heping Stream in Nanjing

How Public Urban Space Enhance Restoration Benefits Through Combined Multisensory Effects: A Systematic Review

Rapid urbanization has heightened attention fatigue and physiological stress among urban residents. However, high-density urban construction, mainly covered by streets, squares/plazas, and buildings, in particular, poses a challenge to traditional restoration dominated by green infrasturcture. This research aims to conduct a systematic review of the available body of knowledge regarding the relationship between public urban spaces and restorativeness based on combined multisensory effects. First, a conceptual framework was proposed to connect spatial properties of public realms, sensorial mechanisms, and restoration benefits. As a result, detailed spatial elements and organization affecting multiple sensory modalities combined via additive, antagonistic, and synergistic effects were extracted, which essentially act on urban restoration, including attention, stress, and emotional recovery. Last, but not least, compared with previous research, restoration design strategies of public urban spaces accelerating multisensory integration were drawn to contribute new insights for future high-density urban development.

Exploring the Impact of Climate Variables and Scenario Simulation on Ecosystem Service Value Profits and Losses in China

Ecosystem restoration can yield multiple benefits, and the quantitative accounting of ecosystem service value (ESV) profits and losses is of significant importance to the economic benefits of ecosystem restoration. This study reveals the dynamic impacts of climate change on ESVs by analyzing the effects of climate variables on ESV profits and losses across different periods and scenarios. The research findings are as follows: (1) From 1990 to 2020, and extending to simulated projections for 2030, China’s ESV exhibits a high distribution pattern in the southern regions. In 2030, under the natural development scenario (NDS), the southwestern region shows a coexistence of high and low ESVs. Under the ecological protection scenario (EPS), ESV in the southwestern region increases, whereas under the urban development scenario (UDS), ESV in the southwest decreases. (2) In both the NDS and UDS, the trends in ESV profits and losses continue from 2010 to 2020. Under the EPS, there is a significant increase in ESV in the southwestern region. The largest contributors to ESV loss are the conversion of grassland to unused land and forest to farmland. The southwestern region shows the most significant spatial differences in ESV profits and losses, with an increase in ESV profits in the northeastern region. In contrast, other regions show no significant spatial differences in ESV profits and losses. (3) From 1990 to 2000, Bio13 (the precipitation of the wettest month) and Bio12 (annual precipitation) had a significant positive impact on ESV profits and losses, indicating that increased precipitation promotes the functioning of ESVs. This study indicates that fluctuations in precipitation and temperature are significant climate factors influencing the value of ESV. Due to climate change, precipitation patterns and temperature swings are now key determinants of ESV changes. By carefully studying ESV profits and losses and their driving factors, this research can serve as the scientific basis for ecosystem restoration and management strategies.

A national scale floodplain model revealing channel gradient as a key determinant of beaver dam occurrence and inundation potential can anticipate land-use based opportunities and conflicts for river restoration

A national scale floodplain model revealing channel gradient as a key determinant of beaver dam occurrence and inundation potential can anticipate land-use based opportunities and conflicts for river restoration

Concrete refuges and the influence of temperature on artificial refuge occupation by terrestrial lizards

ABSTRACT Artificial refuges are commonly used to sample small reptiles and to provide supplementary shelter. For refuges to be effective, they should be safe and acceptable to reptiles. Current designs used for New Zealand lizards are vulnerable to trampling and degradation, restricting where they can be used without risk to lizards. We tested the usage of a new trampling-resistant concrete refuge, containing an internal crevice and basking ledge, by terrestrial lizards on the Port Hills in Canterbury, South Island. Twice a month we inspected 40 refuges on 20 occasions over one year which resulted in 420 gecko and 39 skink encounters. Geckos consistently used refuges throughout the year while skinks were infrequently found. Internal refuge surface and ambient air temperature data suggests that both overnight and day-time temperatures in the refuges were favourable for year-round occupation by geckos at the study site. Due to the low number of skinks, their occupancy was not analysed. Our refuge design appears to be a robust and effective design, particularly for crevice-dwelling geckos in trampling-prone and rocky habitats. Additional research is needed to investigate gecko movements in refuges at more extreme temperatures, test our design on other reptile species and assess potential restoration benefits. Zoobank LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:71482E37-D73D-4362-AAE8-4AA15BE33A7F.

Identification of key areas for Territorial Ecological Restoration: focusing on ecological security and restoration potential

Implementing Territorial Ecological Restoration is a crucial approach to achieving ecological stability and regional sustainable development, and it also serves as an important measure for promoting the coordinated development of socioeconomic and ecological environments in the Yellow River Basin. However, effective identification of key areas for Territorial Ecological Restoration remains challenging in planning ecological restoration projects. This study focuses on ecological security and restoration potential, taking Linxia Prefecture in the ecologically fragile area of the upper Yellow River as an example. By evaluating six types of ecosystem services in this area, utilizing morphological spatial pattern analysis models and circuit theory, we identified the structural elements of ecological security patterns and assessed the potential for ecological restoration, identifying key areas for regional ecological restoration.The findings indicated that (1) 13 ecological patches were identified in total, predominantly distributed in the southwest and central regions of Linxia Prefecture. 25 ecological corridors were identified, demonstrating a high level of spatial coherence in terms of significance and connectivity, establishing a closely integrated ecological security network primarily in the southwest of Linxia Prefecture. (2) Thirteen ecological pinch points and seventeen ecological barrier points have been identified, concentrated in the central and southwestern regions of Linxia Prefecture. (3) Based on the characteristics and urgency of key areas for Territorial Ecological Restoration, they are classified and graded as “point-line-surface” and “primary-very important-important.” The primary restoration areas of the point type are mainly located in the central part of Linxia Prefecture, while the primary restoration areas of the line and plane types are mainly in the southwestern part of Linxia Prefecture. This paper emphasizing a holistic approach that prioritizes ecosystem integrity and social support to guide targeted restoration strategies across various ecological features, ultimately aiming for sustainable regional development and maximizing restoration benefits in ecologically fragile areas.

The synergy of renewable energy consumption, green technology, and environmental quality: Designing sustainable development goals policies

AbstractGreen technology (GT) and the utilization of renewable energy (RE) are widely acknowledged as a catalyst for energy efficiency, economic growth, and a tool for combating environmental degradation. Although various studies have examined the ecological repercussions of these two improvements, they have primarily used traditional pollution indicators (namely, carbon emissions and ecological footprint) and ignored nations with the highest cleaner energy adoption. To bridge this gap, the present research seeks to analyze the relationship between GT, RE consumption, economic growth, trade, and load capacity factor in the top‐10 renewable economies. In addition to environmental pollution indicators, the study utilizes the load capacity factor as a novel proxy for environmental quality and investigates the load capacity curve hypothesis using the Cross‐sectional‐autoregressive distributed lag model from 1990 to 2021. According to the empirical findings, all explanatory variables have a significant long‐term effect on the load capacity. More precisely, GT and RE consumption contribute to the sustainability of the ecosystem, while trade increases the ecological deficit. Furthermore, the findings do not support the validity of the load capacity curve hypothesis, implying that the environmental restorative benefits of economic well‐being may not manifest in the latter stages of economic growth. Given these findings, policymakers in the top‐10 renewable economies should seize the environmental prospects offered by GT and RE and update trade and growth policies in a way that promotes biocapacity while simultaneously reducing the ecological footprint to reach the long‐term sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly SDGs 7 and 13.