Restoration Sites Research Articles

Different Mangrove Rehabilitation Statuses Effects to Benthic Bacterial Structure Community in the Northern Area of Java Island

The study proposed identifying the changes in bacterial community and diversity and exploring the potential correlations among sediment parameters and benthic bacterial communities under different mangrove ecosystem rehabilitation statuses. Three sites were investigated, 1. Kampung Blekok (KB) as the long rehabilitation period site; 2. Banyuurip Mangrove Center (BMC) as the short rehabilitation period site; 3. Pulau Lusi (PL) as the reclamation site. The physicochemical parameters and benthic bacteria from the mangrove sediment of the three locations were observed. The data were analyzed statistically to determine the sites' variation and the correlation between parameters. The results found that the physicochemical parameters among restoration sites varied. Soil organic matter (SOM) in long and short-rehabilitation period sites was more than 1.5-fold higher than those in the reclamation site. Cation exchange capacity (CEC), calcium and potassium ions, and soil conductivity of the restoration site have higher values and can reach more than 1.3 fold compared to the other sites. According to diversity indices and taxa richness, benthic bacteria in the restoration were the most diverse. Proteobacteria dominated in natural and restoration sites; meanwhile, Firmicutes dominated in the reclamation site. Sulfurovum aggregans were found abundant in the long and short rehabilitation sites; meanwhile, Mesobacillus subterraneus was the dominant species in the reclamation site. Furthermore, the bacterial taxa richness was positively correlated with SOM and the bacterial diversity was correlated with CEC and conductivity.

Developing a habitat suitability index with field data and hydraulic models

AbstractLinking habitat availability with hydraulic models integrates river engineering in the ecological field. Field observation for species presence and physical habitat availability mapping is inherently limited due to time and access constraints for field data collection. This study leverages hydraulic modeling to supplement larval fish population monitoring data, effectively expanding mapped physical habitat and allowing for monitoring bias analysis. The inundation extents and character of streamflow from hydraulic modeling were used to refine habitat suitability indices relative to total habitat availability from discrete fish monitoring events. Given the flexibility in hydraulic modeling to simulate a range of flows, the habitat suitability index is then translated to an effective habitat curve according to areal inundation and hydrologic frequency. With this framework, forecasting the impacts of long‐term trends, such as geomorphic or hydrologic change, can be reasonably and quantitatively assessed. This manuscript uses a case study of Rio Grande silvery minnow monitoring at restoration sites where the floodplain has been lowered via earthwork. Comparisons are made for habitat suitability indices developed from field observation data alone and field observation supplemented by hydraulic modeling. Known biases of field sampling data (targeting slow, shallow areas where fish are most often found) were confirmed based on simulated hydraulic conditions across entire restoration sites. In the case of Rio Grande silvery minnow, a heavily studied species, such field monitoring biases are an effective use of resources. However, this framework may be helpful for assessing alternative management approaches and monitoring strategies of species that are less studied.

Reviews and syntheses: A scoping review evaluating the potential application of ecohydrological models for northern peatland restoration

Abstract. Peatland restoration and rehabilitation action has become more widely acknowledged as a necessary response to mitigating climate change risks and improving global carbon storage. Peatland ecosystems require restoration time spans of the order of decades and, thus, cannot be dependent upon the shorter-term monitoring often carried out in research projects. Hydrological assessments using geospatial tools provide the basis for planning restoration works as well as analysing associated environmental influences. “Restoration” encompasses applications to pre-restoration and post-restoration scenarios for both bogs and fens, across a range of environmental impact fields. The aim of this scoping review is to identify, describe, and categorize current process-based modelling uses in peatlands in order to investigate the applicability and appropriateness of ecohydrological and/or hydrological models for northern peatland restoration. Two literature searches were conducted using the entire Web of Science database in September 2022 and August 2023. Of the final 211 papers included in the review, models and their applications were categorized according to this review's research interests in seven distinct categories aggregating the papers' research themes and model outputs. Restoration site context was added by identifying 229 unique study site locations from the full database, which were catalogued and analysed against raster data for the Köppen–Geiger climate classification scheme. A majority of northern peatland sites were in temperate oceanic zones or humid continental zones that experienced snow. Over one in five models from the full database of papers were unnamed and likely intended for single use. Key themes emerging from topics covered by papers in the database included the following: modelling restoration development from a bog growth perspective, the prioritization of modelling greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions dynamics as a part of policymaking, the importance of spatial connectivity within or alongside process-based models to represent heterogeneous systems, and the increased prevalence of remote sensing and machine learning techniques to predict restoration progress with little physical site intervention. Models are presented according to their application to peatlands or broader ecosystem and organized from most to least complex. This review provides valuable context for the application of ecohydrological models in determining strategies for peatland restoration and evaluating post-intervention development over time.

Fantastic wetlands and why to monitor them: Demonstrating the social and financial benefit potential of methane abatement through salt marsh restoration.

Salt marsh restoration has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions thereby providing an opportunity for blue carbon crediting, but implementation has been limited to date because of insufficient data and validation. In this paper, we demonstrate the potential scale of methane emissions that could be avoided if salinity-reducing impairments are mitigated by applying findings from six salt marsh restoration sites in Massachusetts combined with a previously demonstrated application of the salt marsh salinity-methane relationship. We used calculations of these avoided emissions to estimate the social benefit of salt marsh restoration by calculating avoided costs. Of the six sites selected, restorations at two sites were successful in improving salinity which we used as a methane proxy. Our approach and findings demonstrate the potential benefits in developing consistent accounting methodologies to better track, prioritize, and implement wetlands restoration strategies to mitigate methane emissions and contribute toward state-level emissions reduction targets across some of the 475 Massachusetts salt marches with an existing tidal restriction. We found the potential for $12 -$26M in added social benefit from 176 tons of avoided methane across 932 hectares of degraded salt marsh in Massachusetts. A significant limitation in estimating benefits, however, is the lack of coordinated, widespread monitoring strategies to infer methane and other GhGs at scale. While not insurmountable, these challenges will need to be addressed for GhG emissions reduction and/or sequestration through salt marsh restoration to be accepted as an effective strategy. We conclude that while carbon crediting may offer benefits to marsh restoration and state greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, there remain significant limitations because of a lack of project monitoring and data validation. In the worst case, this could result in the offsetting of actual greenhouse gas emissions with credits that are supported by indirect and less-than-rigorous monitoring data.

Architectural Heritage Buildings and Tourism Sustainability in Karangasem Bali

Objective: This study aims to explore and understand the interrelationships between cultural tourism and architectural heritage sites through tourist image and perception. These interrelationships must balance community needs, available resources, executive efforts and regional planning while protecting the environment. Theoretical Framework: Historic buildings are considered important elements in cultural heritage, and architecture is further considered to be one of the most important aspects that attract tourists. As a significant part of cultural heritage and tourism resources, architectural heritage is the most important commemorative, secondary architectural buildings and its natural and artificial environments in ancient areas and characteristic villages. Method: This study's method is based on mixed-method research, which is known as triangulation. This approach entailed gathering initial data, conducting interviews and surveys, and creating house maps. Traditional architectural documentation tools, such as drawings, plans, sections, elevations, and photographs, are required in all three process stages. Results and Discussion: Bali has a diversity of forms and varieties of traditional architecture. East Bali, part of the Karangasem kingdom called puri during the Mindle era of Bali, has preserved several unique architectural masterpieces. In this context, architectural heritage is critical in increasing property values. Preserving architectural heritage is considered environmentally friendly for cultural tourism. Research Implications: This study explores to what extent heritage architecture can be utilized as cultural heritage ideally and efficiently. This can be achieved by building sustainable restoration of archaeological and heritage sites to achieve sustainable heritage tourism. Originality/Value: This research utilizes experiments in countries with cultural heritage to obtain lessons, values and concepts that contribute to achieving an efficient program for sustainable tourism development based on the preservation of heritage areas.

Interactive effects of fungal community structure and soil moisture on Wyoming big sagebrush performance

Abstract Aims Local adaptation of plant populations to soil biotic conditions may complicate ecosystem restoration if seeds used in reseeding efforts are sourced from a different population than the one that succumbed to disturbance. Furthermore, climatic conditions may mediate the interaction between plants and soil microbial communities. This study aimed to assess how the composition of the local soil fungal community affects Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis) growth and its resource allocation to shoot and root growth under different moisture-availability conditions. Methods We explored sagebrush growth responses to inoculation with wet-adapted versus dry-adapted sagebrush-associated fungal communities in a 7-month greenhouse experiment. Seeds were planted with inoculum isolated from rhizosphere soil from either a relatively wet or a dry sagebrush-dominated site and subjected to a moisture regime representative of either the wet or dry site. Biomass, root morphology, and fungal community composition were assessed. Results Wet and dry sites hosted distinct in-situ fungal communities, and inoculum derived from different sites generated compositionally different fungal assemblages in the seedlings’ rhizospheres during the growth period. Compared to sterilized inoculum controls, live inoculum from either site enhanced seedling biomass, but only when soil moisture simulated that of the inoculum’s source site. Dry-site inoculum also produced longer, finer roots under dry-site conditions. Conclusions Moisture similar to the fungal inoculum’s source was necessary for fungi to positively impact sagebrush growth and root characteristics. Applying fungal inoculum adapted to an intended restoration site’s moisture could help seedlings optimize water uptake and productivity, encouraging sagebrush establishment.

A deep learning approach for high‐resolution mapping of Scottish peatland degradation

AbstractPeat makes up approximately a quarter of Scotland's soil by area. Healthy, undisturbed, peatland habitats are critical to providing resilient biodiversity and habitat support, water management, and carbon sequestration. A high and stable water table is a prerequisite to maintain carbon sink function; any drainage turns this major terrestrial carbon store into a source that feeds back further to global climate change. Drainage and erosion features are crucial indicators of peatland condition and are key for estimating national greenhouse gas emissions. Previous work on mapping peat depth and condition in Scotland has provided maps with reasonable accuracy at 100‐m resolution, allowing land managers and policymakers to both plan and manage these soils and to work towards identifying priority peat sites for restoration. However, the spatial variability of the surface condition is much finer than this scale, limiting the ability to inventory greenhouse gas emissions or develop site‐specific restoration and management plans. This work involves an updated set of mapping using high‐resolution (25 cm) aerial imagery, which provides the ability to identify and segment individual drainage channels and erosion features. Combining this imagery with a classical deep learning‐based segmentation model enables high spatial resolution, national scale mapping to be carried out allowing for a deeper understanding of Scotland's peatland resource and which will enable various future analyses using these data.

Evaluation of the Restoration Effects of Rooftop Greening Areas Created by Applying an Ecological Restoration Method

Green roofs provide various ecosystem services, including habitats for diverse organisms in urban areas where natural space is very scarce. This study aims to evaluate the restoration effects of green roofs created by applying an ecological restoration method to reinforce habitat function. The reference ecosystem selected for the ecological restoration of a roof was a Korean red pine stand established on Mt. Bulam, considering the soil depth, light, moisture conditions, etc., compared with the roof’s environmental conditions. Ecological restoration was carried out by planting two-year-old pine seedlings and scattering surface soil collected from the pine stands. The pine trees showed geometrical growth in height and diameter and a high water-use efficiency. The ecological restoration of the green roofs demonstrated an ecological function for improving the urban climate through the mitigation of the urban heat island effect and high productivity, showing different functions depending on the greening method. The composition and diversity of vegetation and insects at the ecological restoration site were similar to those at the reference site, whereas the landscape architecture sites, which were created using the landscape architecture method, were different from the reference site. These results confirm that applying the ecological restoration method for rooftop greening resulted in better biological habitat function than applying existing landscape architecture methods.

Can multi‐species plantings alleviate abiotic stressors to enhance Bald cypress restoration?

Restoration researchers and practitioners alike advocate for novel restoration approaches, informed by ecological theories and principles, to enhance the likelihood of meeting restoration goals. Forested wetland restoration has historically focused on creating abiotic conditions that support the tolerance thresholds of desired species, but the stress gradient hypothesis provides guidance for potential new strategies that use biotic interactions to ameliorate stressful abiotic conditions. In this study, we tested whether multi‐species planting approaches can be used to enhance the survival and growth of a target restoration tree species, Bald cypress, along multiple abiotic gradients. We conducted a fully factorial controlled greenhouse experiment which manipulated above‐ and belowground interactions between two species (Bald cypress and Soft rush), as well as light availability and depth of inundation. Our findings showed that co‐planting Bald cypress seedlings with Soft rush did not increase tree biomass production or growth metrics (e.g. stem height and leaf area) under any exposed stress combination. Importantly, we found that full‐sun irradiance negatively impacted functional traits associated with the tree seedlings' health and ability to photosynthesize. Our findings are important for consideration by practitioners as light is rarely the focus of wetland ecosystem restoration and degraded forested wetlands or restoration sites often have open canopies.

Ecosystem restoration can lead to carbon recovery in semi‐arid savanna grasslands in India

Semiarid savanna grasslands (SG) in India deliver enormous benefits to people and nature but are currently undergoing large‐scale degradation. Soil carbon stocks in degraded SGs vary in response to land use and land management changes. Although there is increasing support for restoring grasslands by planting native grass species, its impact on soil carbon recovery is largely unknown. In this study, we undertake a plot‐level investigation of soil and aboveground biomass carbon stocks to provide robust estimates of carbon densities across sites which have undergone restoration over the last 3 years. We compare these restored sites with a no‐intervention control using a space‐for‐time substitution framework and two reference old‐growth grassland sites. We find that SGs store significant amounts of carbon (11.57–26.76 tC/ha across 1‐ to 3‐year restoration sites, respectively), with most of the carbon stored in soils (7.29–15.67 tC/ha across 1‐ to 3‐year restoration sites, respectively). These estimates still remain well below the soil carbon stocks of the reference sites (range of 22.91–39.49 tC/ha). We demonstrate that soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks progressively increase with the age of grass plantings. The 3‐year site shows an increase of 35% in SOC stocks compared to the no‐intervention control and an increase of 30 and 21% in comparison to the 1‐ and 2‐year sites, respectively. Our study demonstrates a robust approach to estimate soil carbon stocks in these ecosystems and highlights that effective conservation and restoration can enable SGs in India to act as natural carbon sinks at scale.

Population recovery of a migratory anadromous fish in a small forest stream following restoration of longitudinal connectivity

Restoration of movement corridors is a key management action used to address threats to migratory and other mobile species. Yet, we lack restoration effectiveness studies that allow for species to reestablish naturally (i.e. without supplementation) following habitat reconnection that capture all phases (dispersal, growth, and regulation) of recovery, and that takes an ecosystems approach. We investigated the natural recovery of migratory anadromous Coho salmon following habitat reconnection across a 5‐km section of Rock Creek, a forested tributary of the Cedar River, Washington, United States, 3 km upstream of Landsburg Dam. The dam blocked upstream fish movement for 102 years until the completion of a fish ladder in 2003. We also evaluated the response of non‐migratory trout, which are closely related to Coho salmon. Juvenile Coho salmon natal to the Cedar River dispersed into Rock Creek for rearing until spawning there in 2007. After restoration, juvenile Coho salmon density (fish/m2) increased 18‐fold, approaching an asymptote (i.e. regulation phase) a decade later. Coho salmon recovery in Rock Creek was spatially variable, however, slowing with distance from the site of restoration. Trout density was also higher after restoration relative to before, likely due to several mechanisms, including increased capacity resulting from the reestablishment of marine organic matter subsidies delivered by spawning anadromous fish. Our study demonstrates that migratory species can recover naturally after the restoration of habitat connectivity and associated movement corridors. Furthermore, our results suggest that such actions can also benefit nontarget species by reestablishing key ecosystem links driven by the target species.

Climate change mitigation potential of restoration of boreal peatlands drained for forestry can be adjusted by site selection and restoration measures

Peatland restoration is seen as a key nature‐based solution to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss. In Europe, nearly 50% of peatlands have been drained during the last decades, which have shifted their soils to carbon dioxide (CO2) sources. Soils of forestry‐drained peatlands are known to vary from CO2 sources to small sinks depending on their fertility and wetness. When peatlands are restored, it can be expected that rates of CO2 and methane exchange will vary depending on site fertility and wetness. We generated seven restoration pathways with different starting and end points and assessed the climate impacts of them. The GHG emission coefficients were compiled from literature, and radiative forcing was calculated for a 500‐year time period since restoration. All seven restoration pathways improved carbon sink capacity; however, the climate impact differed from cooling to warming. The highest cooling impact occurred in a pathway leading from nutrient‐rich drained peatlands toward tree‐covered spruce or pine mires. Warming impacts occurred in a pathway leading from nutrient‐poor drained peatlands toward open peatlands. The results of this study can be used to help identify peatland sites and restoration targets to maximize climate change mitigation from restoration. In practice, however, restoration has to fulfill other targets, such as biodiversity safeguarding, improvement of hydrological conditions, and socio‐economic aspects. Fulfilling all targets simultaneously requires compromises on all targets.

In vitro effect-based monitoring of water, sediment and soil from a floodplain restoration site in Central Europe

BackgroundFloodplains are biodiversity hotspots and provide numerous ecosystem services. In recent decades, however, 70–90% of Europe’s floodplains have been structurally degraded. Accordingly, many (inter-)national programs aim to restore and protect floodplain ecosystems. The success of such measures also depends on the chemical contamination, especially of floodplain soils and sediments, which serve as sinks and sources for a variety of pollutants. In this study, we assess the current ecotoxicological status of a floodplain restoration site along the Main River (Frankfurt am Main, Germany) and estimate its development potential with respect to the influence of a local industrial plant and potential legacy contaminations. We therefore use in vitro effect-based methods (EBMs) testing for baseline toxicity, mutagenicity, dioxin-like and estrogenic activities, coupled with chemical analysis.ResultsOf all water bodies analyzed, the overall toxicity was highest in two flood depressions. In the respective water phase, estrogenic activities exceeded the environmental quality standard and sediment samples were positive for all tested endpoints. Chemical analysis of these sediments revealed high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Soil samples from frequently flooded areas showed the highest mutagenic potential for both frameshift and point mutations with and without metabolic activation. The industrial effluent showed baseline toxic, mutagenic, and dioxin-like activities, that were highly diluted in the Main River. In turn, most of the sediment samples downstream of the industrial discharge showed significantly elevated baseline toxic, estrogenic and dioxin-like activities as well as increased chemical contamination.ConclusionBased on the results of this study, we rate the overall ecotoxicological status of a recently established tributary and groundwater-fed ponds as good, and identified two flood depressions near the Main River as hot spots of contamination. We assume that the observed mutagenicity in the floodplain soils is related to legacy contaminations from former aniline and azo dye production. In terms of the development potential of the floodplain restoration site, we emphasize considering the remobilization of pollutants from these soils and suppose that, in the long term, pollution of the Main River and the local industrial plant may negatively impact sediment quality in its tributaries. With this study, we confirmed the utility of in vitro EBMs for identifying chemically and ecotoxicologically relevant sites.

Vegetation restoration increased the diversity and network complexity of carbon-fixing functional bacteria in heavily eroded areas of southern China

Carbon-fixing bacteria are a key functional group in soil carbon fixation processes, but their relationship with soil multifunctionality during vegetation restoration in eroded areas remains unclear. This hinders our ability to assess the true impact of vegetation restoration on soil ecosystem services. Therefore, we studied the impacts of three vegetation communities (tree-shrub, tree-grass, and tree-shrub-grass) in the same small watershed in a severely eroded area in southern China on the community of carbon-fixing bacteria in the soil. Compared to eroded areas, vegetation restoration sites had more complex networks of carbon-fixing bacteria, more carbon-fixing bacterial taxa, and more associations among these bacteria. Particularly, in the tree-shrub communities, the Chao1 index, Shannon index, node number, and edge number increased significantly by 291.29%, 49.65%, 364.58%, and 530.89%, respectively. The vegetation community pattern shifted the dominant carbon-fixing bacteria in the eroded areas from Rhodovastum to Nocardia. In the tree-shrub, tree-grass, and tree-shrub-grass patterns, the relative abundance of Rhodovastum decreased by 90.11%, 96.76%, and 95.37%, respectively, compared to that in the control group (CK). This indicates that vegetation community patterns have the potential to shift the dominant carbon-fixing bacteria from strict autotrophs to facultative autotrophs. The changes in the characteristics of the carbon-fixing bacterial community are closely related to the changes in soil multifunctionality caused by vegetation restoration. These results demonstrate that vegetation communities have a significant positive impact on the soil carbon fixation capacity.

Assessing the ecological effects of low-intensity marine aggregate extraction in a strong-hydrodynamic, coarse environment context: A case study of the GIE GMO site (English channel)

Marine aggregate extraction represents an opportunity to face the depletion of terrestrial aggregate resources. The environmental effects of this activity have been assessed in several studies, leading to the formulation of recommendations to mitigate its effects. This study investigates its environmental impacts in a coarse, high-current environment with low-intensity extraction, a unique scenario not extensively studied before. Employing multivariate analyses and a trophic group approach, it examines complex responses at both species and community levels. Results indicate a decline in biodiversity, promoting the establishment of r-selected species, particularly filter feeders. Although site restoration timelines remain uncertain, initial indications suggest rapid recovery (2–3 years) for this site. The study also discusses methodological challenges in sampling these low-intensity dredged sites and emphasizes the need for new indices tailored to this pressure and coarse sediments under strong hydrodynamics. These insights offer valuable directions for future research.

Modeling habitat suitability of wild rice (Zizania spp.) to inform restoration efforts in Michigan, U.S.A.

Wild rice (Zizania aquatica and Zizania palustris) has been an integral component of Michigan wetlands for thousands of years, but is disappearing today due to habitat loss. Identifying suitable habitats and associated environmental conditions for wild rice viability is a critical step toward guiding ongoing restoration efforts statewide. To this end, we used maximum entropy (Maxent), a presence‐only species distribution model, to characterize habitat preferences of wild rice in Michigan and identify suitable habitats for restoration. Extant wild rice occurrences were mapped alongside 11 environmental variables using Maxent to determine probabilities of occurrence throughout the state. The Maxent model (AUC > 0.9) predicted the highest probabilities of wild rice occurrence in the western and southwestern regions of the state. Climatic variables, biotic interactions, and anthropogenic disturbances were all found to influence wild rice occurrence, with land cover, lower May precipitation, and minimum winter temperatures having the highest contributions to model predictions. The results of this study suggest that statewide restoration of wild rice in Michigan may be possible, although localized differences in environmental conditions should be accounted for when selecting restoration sites. With further refinement and the inclusion of more key environmental predictors of wild rice viability, habitat suitability models such as the one created in this study may be powerful and effective tools in guiding wild rice restoration efforts nationally.

Designing eco-evolutionary experiments for restoration projects: Opportunities and constraints revealed during stickleback introductions.

Eco-evolutionary experiments are typically conducted in semi-unnatural controlled settings, such as mesocosms;yet inferences about how evolution and ecology interact in the real world would surely benefit from experiments in natural uncontrolled settings. Opportunities for such experiments are rare but do arise in the context of restoration ecology-where different "types" of a given species can be introduced into different "replicate" locations. Designing such experiments requires wrestling with consequential questions. (Q1) Which specific "types" of a focal species should be introduced to the restoration location? (Q2) How many sources of each type should be used-and should they be mixed together? (Q3) Which specific source populations should be used? (Q4) Which type(s) or population(s) should be introduced into which restoration sites? We recently grappled with these questions when designing an eco-evolutionary experiment with threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) introduced into nine small lakes and ponds on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska that required restoration. After considering the options at length, we decided to use benthic versus limnetic ecotypes (Q1) to create a mixed group of colonists from four source populations of each ecotype (Q2), where ecotypes were identified based on trophic morphology (Q3), and were then introduced into nine restoration lakes scaled by lake size (Q4). We hope that outlining the alternatives and resulting choices will makethe rationales clear for future studies leveraging our experiment, while also proving useful for investigators considering similar experiments in the future.

Drivers of Plant Invasion in Stream Restoration

This study characterized important environmental factors that contribute to plant invasion in the forested riparian zones surrounding stream restoration sites. We sampled vegetation and environmental variables (light availability, soil physiochemistry, and site age) across invasion gradients at multiple sites in Virginia, USA. Data analysis involved a multimetric statistical approach combining correlation and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) to arrive at a plausible model for invasion risk by species. We targeted three of the most problematic invaders in these systems: Lespedeza cuneata (sericea lespedeza), Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle), and Microstegium vimineum (Japanese stiltgrass). Our analysis revealed species-specific environmental drivers of invasion, with certain factors consistently important across all targeted invaders—notably, canopy cover, nitrogen availability, soil texture, and bioavailable phosphorus, as indicated by the importance of certain proxies (e.g., metal cations). The results of this research have been used to develop a suite of best practices that can be implemented at the outset of a stream restoration project to reduce the risk of invasion in the riparian forests surrounding these sites.

Optimising the reintroduction of a specialist peatland butterfly Coenonympha tullia onto peatland restoration sites

The two main goals of peatland restoration are habitat improvement and climate change mitigation by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from damaged peatlands and providing a net carbon sink. The biodiversity of specialist peatland species is threatened because of habitat destruction and the large heath butterfly Coenonympha tullia has become a flagship species for peatland ecosystem restoration, with a species reintroduction programme currently underway on a peatland restoration site within Chat Moss, Greater Manchester, UK. The aim of this study was to improve our quantitative understanding of C. tullia habitat resource requirements to optimise habitat restoration for further reintroduction attempts. We monitored butterfly micro-distribution and dispersal during the first three flight seasons (2020, 2021 and 2022) of the reintroduction using high-accuracy GPS, combined with a distance-bearing protocol. Analysis of butterfly flight points and rest points in relation to plant species distribution and abundance, identified the most important habitat resources. Using logistic regression, treatment-response curves were constructed, enabling us to identify critical thresholds for the abundance of these important habitat resources. The break of slope near the top of the logistic curve was identified using segmented regression, giving an estimate of the near-optimal abundance; fourteen Eriophorum vaginatum tussocks per 2 m quadrat and 13.4% Erica tetralix cover.Implications for insect conservationDuring ecosystem restorations, prior to the reintroduction of species with specialist habitat requirements, it is necessary to have a clear understanding of the abundance of the important habitat resources that need to be provided. The quantitative approach we describe defines the most significant environmental factors and habitat resources, then uses segmented regression to estimate the near-optimal habitat resource requirements; increasing the likelihood of reintroduced populations thriving and reintroduction programmes achieving long-term success.

A Five-Step Framework for Creating Forests for the Future

Changing environmental conditions, disturbances, and escalating demands for forest ecosystem services require foresters to restore present forestlands with new forest generations that will exhibit ecological integrity, diversity, high adaptive capacity, and the ability to provide essential ecosystem services. Establishing such forests requires careful consideration of the forest landscape and site dynamics. In pursuit of these requirements, we developed a novel framework that enables the restoration of forest sites and promotes the desired features of the forest complex at the same time. This framework was designed with the methods of system engineering and was organized in the same way as the forest planning process. It was tested in the habitat type of Illyrian Fagus sylvatica forests belonging to the Natura 2000 network. The environmental, vegetation, and site conditions were investigated via field inspections, available forest management plans, and simple GIS analyses. Additionally, we established a seminatural stand composed of European beech, sessile oak, sycamore maple, silver fir, and some wild fruit tree species. The survival of planted species was assessed using census and simple random sampling, the performance of provenances by the Student’s test, while microhabitat factors were explored by a one-way ANOVA. The survival rate of key species was estimated to be 55.6%, while that of fruit species was estimated to be 94.5%. Our framework demonstrated satisfactory performance and contained sufficient benchmarks to facilitate consistent decision-making. In the discussion, we elucidate the framework’s primary features and attributes of the mixed stand, where we also expose some open issues to be addressed in the future.