Beyond ecology: ecosystem restoration as a process for social-ecological transformation

Ten key issues for ecological restoration of territorial space

This study innovatively puts forward the three-stage restoration goals and cutting-edge key scientific issues of ecological restoration, as well as their relationships.

Using waste biomass to produce 3D-printed artificial biodegradable structures for coastal ecosystem restoration

The loss of ecosystem functions and services caused by rapidly declining coastal marine ecosystems, including corals and bivalve reefs and wetlands, around the world has sparked significant interest in interdisciplinary methods to restore these ecologically and socially important ecosystems. In recent years, 3D-printed artificial biodegradable structures that mimic natural life stages or habitat have emerged as a promising method for coastal marine restoration. The effectiveness of this method relies on the availability of low-cost biodegradable printing polymers and the development of 3D-printed biomimetic structures that efficiently support the growth of plant and sessile animal species without harming the surrounding ecosystem. In this context, we present the potential and pathway for utilizing low-cost biodegradable biopolymers from waste biomass as printing materials to fabricate 3D-printed biodegradable artificial structures for restoring coastal marine ecosystems. Various waste biomass sources can be used to produce inexpensive biopolymers, particularly those with the higher mechanical rigidity required for 3D-printed artificial structures intended to restore marine ecosystems. Advancements in 3D printing methods, as well as biopolymer modifications and blending to address challenges like biopolymer solubility, rheology, chemical composition, crystallinity, plasticity, and heat stability, have enabled the fabrication of robust structures. The ability of 3D-printed structures to support species colonization and protection was found to be greatly influenced by their biopolymer type, surface topography, structure design, and complexity. Considering limited studies on biodegradability and the effect of biodegradation products on marine ecosystems, we highlight the need for investigating the biodegradability of biopolymers in marine conditions as well as the ecotoxicity of the degraded products. Finally, we present the challenges, considerations, and future perspectives for designing tunable biomimetic 3D-printed artificial biodegradable structures from waste biomass biopolymers for large-scale coastal marine restoration.

The past and future of ecosystem restoration in China

For decades, China has implemented restoration programs on a large scale, thanks to its capacity to set policy and mobilize funding resources. An understanding of China's restoration achievements and remaining challenges will help to guide future efforts to restore 30% of its diverse ecosystems under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Here we summarize the major transitions in China's approach to ecosystem restoration since the 1970s, with a focus on the underlying motivations for restoration, approaches to ecosystem management, and financing mechanisms. Whereas China's restoration efforts were predominantly guided by the delivery of certain ecosystem functions and services in earlier decades, more recently it has come to emphasize the restoration of biodiversity and ecosystem integrity. Accordingly, the focal ecosystems, approaches, and financing mechanisms of restoration have also been considerably diversified. This evolution is largely guided by the accumulation of scientific evidence and past experiences. We highlight the key challenges facing China's restoration efforts and propose future directions to improve restoration effectiveness, with regard to goal setting, monitoring, stakeholder involvement, adaptive management, resilience under climate change, and financing.

Controlling desertification brings positive socioeconomic benefits beyond regional environmental improvement: Evidence from China's Gonghe Basin

Large-scale desertification combatting programs (DCPs) are crucial tools for addressing climate change and improving the ecological environment. Despite existing research having predominantly focused on assessing the ecological benefits of DCPs, the understanding of their impacts on surrounding socioeconomic aspects remains limited, particularly at the household level. To comprehensively evaluate the returns of DCPs, this study chose the representative desertification control area of the Gonghe Basin on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as the research region and identified the dual benefits in terms of ecological environment and socioeconomic gains. Firstly, two essential ecosystem services, carbon sequestration (CS) and wind erosion prevention (WEP), were assessed using the MODIS NPP dataset and the RWEQ model from 2001 to 2021. Household surveys were conducted in 36 villages across 14 townships within the Gonghe Basin to gain a deeper understanding of the residents' socioeconomic conditions. Through regression analysis, the study assessed the impact of DCPs on the regional ecological environment and household socioeconomic status. The research findings revealed significant improvements in CS and WEP across a significant portion of the study area from 2001 to 2021. Upon analyzing data from 401 household questionnaires, it was generally perceived by residents in the Gonghe Basin that the implementation of DCPs led to environmental improvements and increased their income levels. Further regression analysis revealed a significant impact of both natural factors and the extent of resident participation in the projects on the ecological environment surrounding the villages and on household socioeconomic aspects. With increased resident engagement in the projects, the likelihood of increased household income and life satisfaction was higher. The diverse array of DCPs implemented in the Gonghe Basin not only improved the regional ecological environment but also stimulated socioeconomic development. In future projects, it is imperative to consider regional characteristics, align ecological effects, ensure the sustainability of livelihoods, and maximize the role of social capital.

Effectiveness and driving mechanism of ecological restoration efforts in China from 2009 to 2019

Over the past decades, China's rapid economic growth and industrialization have led to serious ecological concerns. To combat ecological degradation and promote ecosystem sustainability, China has made substantial investments in ecological restoration in recent decades. Nevertheless, a comprehensive analysis of the effectiveness and driving mechanisms of these efforts are still lacking. Therefore, this study aims to bridge this gap by employing national land-use survey data to evaluate the effectiveness and driving mechanisms of China's ecological restoration efforts during 2009-2019, with a specific focus on ecological land preservation, land use structure, and their contribution to ecosystem services. Additionally, the Geodetector model was used to detect potential influencing factors and driving mechanisms of these efforts. The results of this study revealed that: (1) Between 2009 and 2019, a total of 585,492.61 km2 of non-ecological land was successfully transformed into ecological land through various ecological restoration efforts. Most of these areas were previously unused or cultivated land. (2) Forest and grass plantations were the major ecological restoration efforts in China, accounting for 47.35% and 41.91% of the total restored ecological land, respectively. Grassland restoration clustered northwest of the Hu Line, while forest restoration concentrated mainly to the southeast. Water and wetlands restoration were mainly distributed around China's major rivers, such as the Yangtze River and Yellow River. (3) China's ecological restoration efforts contributed to a 2.53 trillion CNY yuan increase in ecosystem service value during 2009-2019, with over 65% of the increase attributed to ecosystem regulating services. (4) China's ecological restoration efforts were mainly influenced by anthropogenic factors, such as population, land use, and urbanization, while the non-linearly enhanced interaction between natural and other factors also deserves attention. China should balance urban expansion, agricultural development, and ecological preservation, aligning restoration with socioeconomic trends while establishing effective inter-regional ecological compensation mechanisms.

Mixed success for carbon payments and subsidies in support of forest restoration in the neotropics

Restoration of forests in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has the potential to contribute to international carbon mitigation targets. However, high upfront costs and variable cashflows are obstacles for many landholders. Carbon payments have been promoted as a mechanism to incentivize restoration and economists have suggested cost-sharing by third parties to reduce financial burdens of restoration. Yet empirical evidence to support this theory, based on robust, dynamic field sampling is lacking. Here we use large, long-term datasets from Panama to evaluate the financial prospects of three forest restoration methods under different cost-sharing and carbon payment designs where income is generated through timber harvests. We show some, but not all options are economically viable. Further work combining growth and survival data from field trials with more sophisticated financial analyses is essential to understanding barriers and realizing the potential of forest restoration in LMICs to help meet global carbon mitigation commitments.