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Xu C, Silliman BR, Chen J, Li X, Thomsen MS, Zhang Q, Lee J, Lefcheck JS, Daleo P, Hughes BB, Jones HP, Wang R, Wang S, Smith CS, Xi X, Altieri AH, van de Koppel J, Palmer TM, Liu L, Wu J, Li B, He Q. Herbivory limits success of vegetation restoration globally. Science 2023; 382:589-594. [PMID: 37917679 DOI: 10.1126/science.add2814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Restoring vegetation in degraded ecosystems is an increasingly common practice for promoting biodiversity and ecological function, but successful implementation is hampered by an incomplete understanding of the processes that limit restoration success. By synthesizing terrestrial and aquatic studies globally (2594 experimental tests from 610 articles), we reveal substantial herbivore control of vegetation under restoration. Herbivores at restoration sites reduced vegetation abundance more strongly (by 89%, on average) than those at relatively undegraded sites and suppressed, rather than fostered, plant diversity. These effects were particularly pronounced in regions with higher temperatures and lower precipitation. Excluding targeted herbivores temporarily or introducing their predators improved restoration by magnitudes similar to or greater than those achieved by managing plant competition or facilitation. Thus, managing herbivory is a promising strategy for enhancing vegetation restoration efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changlin Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Brian R Silliman
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - Jianshe Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xincheng Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mads S Thomsen
- Marine Ecology Research Group and Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Qun Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Juhyung Lee
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, MA, USA
- Department of Oceanography and Marine Research Institute, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jonathan S Lefcheck
- Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network and MarineGEO Program, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, USA
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, MD, USA
| | - Pedro Daleo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), UNMdP, CONICETC, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Brent B Hughes
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, USA
| | - Holly P Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences and Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability, and Energy, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA
| | - Rong Wang
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shaopeng Wang
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Carter S Smith
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - Xinqiang Xi
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Andrew H Altieri
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Johan van de Koppel
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Yerseke, Netherlands
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Todd M Palmer
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Lingli Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jihua Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, and College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Bo Li
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plant Reproductive Adaptation and Evolutionary Ecology and Centre for Invasion Biology, Institute of Biodiversity, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Qiang He
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Jech SD, Day N, Barger NN, Antoninka A, Bowker MA, Reed S, Tucker C. Cultivating Resilience in Dryland Soils: An Assisted Migration Approach to Biological Soil Crust Restoration. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2570. [PMID: 37894228 PMCID: PMC10608944 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11102570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Land use practices and climate change have driven substantial soil degradation across global drylands, impacting ecosystem functions and human livelihoods. Biological soil crusts, a common feature of dryland ecosystems, are under extensive exploration for their potential to restore the stability and fertility of degraded soils through the development of inoculants. However, stressful abiotic conditions often result in the failure of inoculation-based restoration in the field and may hinder the long-term success of biocrust restoration efforts. Taking an assisted migration approach, we cultivated biocrust inocula sourced from multiple hot-adapted sites (Mojave and Sonoran Deserts) in an outdoor facility at a cool desert site (Colorado Plateau). In addition to cultivating inoculum from each site, we created an inoculum mixture of biocrust from the Mojave Desert, Sonoran Desert, and Colorado Plateau. We then applied two habitat amelioration treatments to the cultivation site (growth substrate and shading) to enhance soil stability and water availability and reduce UV stress. Using marker gene sequencing, we found that the cultivated mixed inoculum comprised both local- and hot-adapted cyanobacteria at the end of cultivation but had similar cyanobacterial richness as each unmixed inoculum. All cultivated inocula had more cyanobacterial 16S rRNA gene copies and higher cyanobacterial richness when cultivated with a growth substrate and shade. Our work shows that it is possible to field cultivate biocrust inocula sourced from different deserts, but that community composition shifts toward that of the cultivation site unless habitat amelioration is employed. Future assessments of the function of a mixed inoculum in restoration and its resilience in the face of abiotic stressors are needed to determine the relative benefit of assisted migration compared to the challenges and risks of this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierra D Jech
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Natalie Day
- Colorado Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Grand Junction, CO 81506, USA
| | - Nichole N Barger
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Anita Antoninka
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
| | - Matthew A Bowker
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
| | - Sasha Reed
- Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Moab, UT 84532, USA
| | - Colin Tucker
- Manti-La Sal National Forest, U.S. Forest Service, Monticello, UT 84535, USA
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Farrell HL, Munson SM, Butterfield BJ, Duniway MC, Faist AM, Gornish ES, Havrilla CA, Larios L, Reed SC, Rowe HI, Laushman KM, McCormick ML. Soil surface treatments and precipitation timing determine seedling development across southwestern US restoration sites. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2834. [PMID: 36864737 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Restoration in dryland ecosystems often has poor success due to low and variable water availability, degraded soil conditions, and slow plant community recovery rates. Restoration treatments can mitigate these constraints but, because treatments and subsequent monitoring are typically limited in space and time, our understanding of their applicability across broader environmental gradients remains limited. To address this limitation, we implemented and monitored a standardized set of seeding and soil surface treatments (pits, mulch, and ConMod artificial nurse plants) designed to enhance soil moisture and seedling establishment across RestoreNet, a growing network of 21 diverse dryland restoration sites in the southwestern USA over 3 years. Generally, we found that the timing of precipitation relative to seeding and the use of soil surface treatments were more important in determining seeded species emergence, survival, and growth than site-specific characteristics. Using soil surface treatments in tandem with seeding promoted up to 3× greater seedling emergence densities compared with seeding alone. The positive effect of soil surface treatments became more prominent with increased cumulative precipitation since seeding. The seed mix type with species currently found within or near a site and adapted to the historical climate promoted greater seedling emergence densities compared with the seed mix type with species from warmer, drier conditions expected to perform well under climate change. Seed mix and soil surface treatments had a diminishing effect as plants developed beyond the first season of establishment. However, we found strong effects of the initial period seeded and of the precipitation leading up to each monitoring date on seedling survival over time, especially for annual and perennial forbs. The presence of exotic species exerted a negative influence on seedling survival and growth, but not initial emergence. Our findings suggest that seeded species recruitment across drylands can generally be promoted, regardless of location, by (1) incorporation of soil surface treatments, (2) employment of near-term seasonal climate forecasts, (3) suppression of exotic species, and (4) seeding at multiple times. Taken together, these results point to a multifaceted approach to ameliorate harsh environmental conditions for improved seeding success in drylands, both now and under expected aridification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah L Farrell
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Seth M Munson
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Bradley J Butterfield
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Michael C Duniway
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah, USA
| | - Akasha M Faist
- College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Elise S Gornish
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Caroline A Havrilla
- Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Loralee Larios
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Sasha C Reed
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah, USA
| | - Helen I Rowe
- School of Earth and Sustainability, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
| | | | - Molly L McCormick
- Southwest Fire Science Consortium and School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
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Zhou W, Li C, Wang S, Ren Z, Stringer LC. Effects of vegetation restoration on soil properties and vegetation attributes in the arid and semi-arid regions of China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 343:118186. [PMID: 37224686 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Driven by the goal of reversing desertification and recovering degraded lands, a wide range of vegetation restoration practices (such as planting and fencing) have been implemented in China's drylands. It is essential to examine the effects of vegetation restoration and environmental factors on soil nutrients to optimize restoration approaches. However, quantitative evaluation on this topic is insufficient due to a lack of long-term field monitoring data. This study evaluated the effects of sandy steppe restoration and sand dune fixation in the semi-arid desert, and natural and artificial vegetation restoration in the arid desert. It considered soil and plant characteristics using long-term (2005-2015) data from the Naiman Research Station located in the semi-arid region and Shapotou Research Station in the arid region of China's drylands. Results showed the sandy steppe had higher soil nutrient contents, vegetation biomass and rate of accumulating soil organic matter (OM) than the fixed dunes and moving dunes. Soil nutrient contents and vegetation biomass of the natural vegetation of Artemisia ordosica were higher than those of the artificial restoration of Artemisia ordosica since 1956. Artificial restoration had a higher rate of accumulating soil OM, total nitrogen (TN) and grass litter biomass than natural restoration. Soil water indirectly affected soil OM by affecting vegetation. Grass diversity was the main influencing factor on soil OM variance in the semi-arid Naiman desert while shrub diversity was the main factor in the arid Shapotou desert. These findings indicate that sand fixation in the semi-arid desert and vegetation restoration in the arid desert bring benefits for soil nutrient accumulation and vegetation improvement, and that natural restoration is preferable to artificial restoration. Results can be used to formulate sustainable vegetation restoration strategies, such as encouraging natural restoration, considering local resource constraints, and giving priority to restoring shrubs in arid areas with limited water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Changjia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
| | - Shuai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhuobing Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Lindsay C Stringer
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York, UK; York Environmental Sustainability Institute, University of York, York, UK
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5
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Baughman OW, Eshleman M, Griffen J, Rios R, Boyd C, Kildisheva OA, Olsen A, Cahill M, Kerby JD, Riginos C. Assessment of multiple herbicide protection seed treatments for seed-based restoration of native perennial bunchgrasses and sagebrush across multiple sites and years. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0283678. [PMID: 36996261 PMCID: PMC10062626 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The invasion of exotic, annual plant species is a leading contributor to ecological degradation in drylands globally, and the use of pre-emergent herbicide to control these species is common. Pre-emergent herbicides pose challenges for seed-based restoration due to toxicity to the seeds of desired species. Herbicide protection (HP) technologies pose a potential solution by using activated carbon seed treatments to protect desirable seeds from herbicide exposure. In the sagebrush steppe ecosystem of North America, we used an adaptive small plot design over three planting years to test for effects on seeding outcomes (seedling density and size) of large and small multi-seed HP pellets, several single-seed HP coatings, and carbon banding treatments at geographically dispersed sites for several perennial bunchgrasses and the keystone perennial shrub, Wyoming big sagebrush. We also compared different methods of seed delivery and litter pre-seeding management. Seeding success was low overall, especially for sagebrush, and it was clear that other, often less predictable barriers to establishment than herbicide exposure, such as inadequate spring moisture, were strong drivers of seeding outcomes. Despite this, HP treatments were associated with higher seedling density than bare seed in multiple instances, most notably for grasses. The large HP pellet occasionally outperformed the small HP pellet, and several HP coatings performed similarly to the small pellet. Surprisingly, we did not see consistent negative effects of pre-emergent herbicide on unprotected bare seed. We conclude that HP seed treatments show some promise to improve seeding success in the presence of herbicide, but that consistent success will require further improvements to HP treatments as well as integration with other innovations and approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen W Baughman
- The Nature Conservancy of Oregon, Burns, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Magdalena Eshleman
- The Nature Conservancy of Wyoming, Lander, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - Jessica Griffen
- The Nature Conservancy of Oregon, Burns, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Roxanne Rios
- Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Burns, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Chad Boyd
- Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Burns, Oregon, United States of America
| | | | - Andrew Olsen
- Intermountain West Joint Venture, Missoula, Montana, United States of America
| | - Matthew Cahill
- The Nature Conservancy, Bend, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Jay D Kerby
- The Nature Conservancy of Oregon, Burns, Oregon, United States of America
- Prineville, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Corinna Riginos
- The Nature Conservancy of Wyoming, Lander, Wyoming, United States of America
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Aoyama L, Shoemaker LG, Gilbert B, Collinge SK, Faist AM, Shackelford N, Temperton VM, Barabás G, Larios L, Ladouceur E, Godoy O, Bowler C, Hallett LM. Application of modern coexistence theory to rare plant restoration provides early indication of restoration trajectories. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2649. [PMID: 35560687 PMCID: PMC9787931 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Restoration ecology commonly seeks to re-establish species of interest in degraded habitats. Despite a rich understanding of how succession influences re-establishment, there are several outstanding questions that remain unaddressed: are short-term abundances sufficient to determine long-term re-establishment success, and what factors contribute to unpredictable restorations outcomes? In other words, when restoration fails, is it because the restored habitat is substandard, because of strong competition with invasive species, or alternatively due to changing environmental conditions that would equally impact established populations? Here, we re-purpose tools developed from modern coexistence theory to address these questions, and apply them to an effort to restore the endangered Contra Costa goldfields (Lasthenia conjugens) in constructed ("restored") California vernal pools. Using 16 years of data, we construct a population model of L. conjugens, a species of conservation concern due primarily to habitat loss and invasion of exotic grasses. We show that initial, short-term appearances of restoration success from population abundances is misleading, as year-to-year fluctuations cause long-term population growth rates to fall below zero. The failure of constructed pools is driven by lower maximum growth rates compared with reference ("natural") pools, coupled with a stronger negative sensitivity to annual fluctuations in abiotic conditions that yield decreased maximum growth rates. Nonetheless, our modeling shows that fluctuations in competition (mainly with exotic grasses) benefit L. conjugens through periods of competitive release, especially in constructed pools of intermediate pool depth. We therefore show how reductions in invasives and seed addition in pools of particular depths could change the outcome of restoration for L. conjugens. By applying a largely theoretical framework to the urgent goal of ecological restoration, our study provides a blueprint for predicting restoration success, and identifies future actions to reverse species loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Aoyama
- Biology DepartmentUniversity of OregonEugeneOregonUSA
- Environmental Studies ProgramUniversity of OregonEugeneOregonUSA
| | | | - Benjamin Gilbert
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | | | - Akasha M. Faist
- Department of Animal and Range SciencesNew Mexico State UniversityLas CrucesNew MexicoUSA
| | - Nancy Shackelford
- School of Environmental StudiesUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
| | | | - György Barabás
- Division of Theoretical Biology, Department of IFMLinköping UniversityLinköpingSweden
- MTA‐ELTE Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Ecology Research GroupBudapestHungary
| | - Loralee Larios
- Department of Botany and Plant SciencesUniversity of California RiversideRiversideCaliforniaUSA
| | - Emma Ladouceur
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Leipzig‐Halle‐JenaLeipzigGermany
- Department of Physiological DiversityHelmholtz Centre for Environmental Research –UFZLeipzigGermany
| | - Oscar Godoy
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación Marina (INMAR), Dpto de BiologíaPuerto RealSpain
| | - Catherine Bowler
- School of Biological Sciences University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Lauren M. Hallett
- Biology DepartmentUniversity of OregonEugeneOregonUSA
- Environmental Studies ProgramUniversity of OregonEugeneOregonUSA
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Baughman OW, Kerby JD, Boyd CS, Madsen MD, Svejcar TJ. Can delaying germination reduce barriers to successful emergence for early‐germinating, fall‐sown native bunchgrass seeds in cold deserts? Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chad S. Boyd
- US Department of Agriculture ‐ Agricultural Research Service Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, 67826‐A Hwy 205 Burns OR 97720 U.S.A
| | - Matthew D. Madsen
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Brigham Young University Provo UT 84602 U.S.A
| | - Tony J. Svejcar
- US Department of Agriculture ‐ Agricultural Research Service Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, 67826‐A Hwy 205 Burns OR 97720 U.S.A
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8
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Bishop TBB, Lee Molinari R, St. Clair SB. Post‐fire restoration seeding success increases with early fall seeding and simulated precipitation in the Great Basin Desert of North America. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tara B. B. Bishop
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Brigham Young University, 4124 LSB Provo UT 84602 USA
- US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, 720 North 500 East Provo UT 84604 USA
| | - Rebecca Lee Molinari
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Brigham Young University, 4124 LSB Provo UT 84602 USA
| | - Samuel B. St. Clair
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences Brigham Young University, 4124 LSB Provo UT 84602 USA
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9
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Copeland SM, Bradford JB, Hardegree SP, Schlaepfer DR, Badik KJ. Management and environmental factors associated with simulated restoration seeding barriers in sagebrush steppe. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stella M. Copeland
- USDA−Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, 67826‐A Hwy 205 Burns OR 97720 USA
| | - John B. Bradford
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, 2255 N. Gemini Dr Flagstaff AZ 86001 USA
| | - Stuart P. Hardegree
- USDA‐Agricultural Research Service, Northwest Watershed Research Center, 251 Front St., Suite 400 Boise ID 83702 USA
| | - Daniel R. Schlaepfer
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, 2255 N. Gemini Dr Flagstaff AZ 86001 USA
- Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes Northern Arizona University, PO Box 6077 Flagstaff AZ 86011 USA
| | - Kevin J. Badik
- The Nature Conservancy 1 E. 1st St. Suite 1007 Reno NV 89501 USA
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10
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Shryock DF, DeFalco LA, Esque TC. Seed Menus: An integrated decision‐support framework for native plant restoration in the Mojave Desert. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8805. [PMID: 35432931 PMCID: PMC9005930 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The combination of ecosystem stressors, rapid climate change, and increasing landscape‐scale development has necessitated active restoration across large tracts of disturbed habitats in the arid southwestern United States. In this context, programmatic directives such as the National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration have increasingly emphasized improved restoration practices that promote resilient, diverse plant communities, and enhance native seed reserves. While decision‐support tools have been implemented to support genetic diversity by guiding seed transfer decisions based on patterns in local adaptation, less emphasis has been placed on identifying priority seed mixes composed of native species assemblages. Well‐designed seed mixes can provide foundational ecosystem services including resilience to disturbance, resistance to invasive species, plant canopy structure to facilitate natural seedling recruitment, and habitat to support wildlife and pollinator communities. Drawing from a newly developed dataset of species distribution models for priority native plant taxa in the Mojave Desert, we created a novel decision support tool by pairing spatial predictions of species habitat with a database of key species traits including life history, flowering characteristics, pollinator relationships, and propagation methods. This publicly available web application, Mojave Seed Menus, helps restoration practitioners generate customized seed mixes for native plant restoration in the Mojave Desert based on project locations. Our application forms part of an integrated Mojave Desert restoration program designed to help practitioners identify species to include in local seed mixes and nursery stock development while accounting for local adaptation by identifying appropriate seed source locations from key restoration species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F. Shryock
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center Boulder City Nevada USA
| | - Lesley A. DeFalco
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center Boulder City Nevada USA
| | - Todd C. Esque
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center Boulder City Nevada USA
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11
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Yang B, Balazs KR, Butterfield BJ, Laushman KM, Munson SM, Gornish ES, Barberán A. Does restoration of plant diversity trigger concomitant soil microbiome changes in dryland ecosystems? J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ben Yang
- Department of Environmental Science University of Arizona Tucson AZ USA
| | - Kathleen R. Balazs
- Department of Biological Sciences Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
| | - Bradley J. Butterfield
- Department of Biological Sciences Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
| | | | - Seth M. Munson
- U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Biological Science Center Flagstaff AZ USA
| | - Elise S. Gornish
- University of Arizona School of Natural Resources and the Environment Tucson AZ USA
| | - Albert Barberán
- Department of Environmental Science University of Arizona Tucson AZ USA
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12
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Young KE, Reed SC, Ferrenberg S, Faist A, Winkler DE, Cort C, Darrouzet-Nardi A. Incorporating Biogeochemistry into Dryland Restoration. Bioscience 2021; 71:907-917. [PMID: 34483747 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biab043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dryland degradation is a persistent and accelerating global problem. Although the mechanisms initiating and maintaining dryland degradation are largely understood, returning productivity and function through ecological restoration remains difficult. Water limitation commonly drives slow recovery rates within drylands; however, the altered biogeochemical cycles that accompany degradation also play key roles in limiting restoration outcomes. Addressing biogeochemical changes and resource limitations may help improve restoration efforts within this difficult-to-restore biome. In the present article, we present a synthesis of restoration literature that identifies multiple ways biogeochemical understandings might augment dryland restoration outcomes, including timing restoration around resource cycling and uptake, connecting heterogeneous landscapes, manipulating resource pools, and using organismal functional traits to a restoration advantage. We conclude by suggesting ways to incorporate biogeochemistry into existing restoration frameworks and discuss research directions that may help improve restoration outcomes in the world's highly altered dryland landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina E Young
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas, El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States
| | - Sasha C Reed
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah, United States
| | - Scott Ferrenberg
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States
| | - Akasha Faist
- Department of Animal and Range Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States
| | - Daniel E Winkler
- US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah, United States
| | - Catherine Cort
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas, El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States
| | - Anthony Darrouzet-Nardi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas, El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars A. Brudvig
- Department of Plant Biology Michigan State University East Lansing MI 48824 U.S.A
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Michigan State University East Lansing MI 48824 U.S.A
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