Article
To read the full-text of this research, you can request a copy directly from the authors.

Abstract

Collecting and transplanting wild seedlings and mature plants have been used in restoration projects to reduce costs and increase conservation of local genetic material. We review the published literature on restoration projects that used transplanted seedlings and mature plants for ecological restoration. Searching the Web of Science platform using five keywords for articles published in 1945-2023 resulted in 621 articles, with only 51 (9%) of them relevant to the topic. We categorized these 51 publications by ecosystem type, the number and growth forms of species, plant survival rate, as well as the time and cost of transplantation. Forests and wetlands were the most researched ecosystems, and most articles studied tropical forests and the southeastern region of Brazil. Nearly half of the studies (44%) used trees for transplantation, and 73% focused on only one species. In wetlands, mainly aquatic herbs were transplanted (38%). Survival was highest in wetlands (lakes) and lowest in temperate and tropical forests, regardless of the number of species or growth forms. Only three articles (7%) included costs or the time frame of the process of transplantation or monitoring. Despite having few published studies, this practice has high potential for the ecological restoration of tropical and temperate forests. Seedlings and adult plants from natural regeneration can be transplanted to complement or even replace conventional methods of planting nursery seedlings and direct sowing. Implications for Practice • Transplanting species eliminates the conventional steps of seed or seedling production in nurseries, saves time, and increases survival rates; therefore, it should be considered as a viable technique for ecosystem restoration. • Transplanting up to 40-cm tall seedlings and the faster transplantation during restoration improves pre-and post-rescue translocation care and results in higher transplant survival.

No full-text available

Request Full-text Paper PDF

To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.

ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any citations for this publication.
Article
Full-text available
Plant species produce far more seedlings than those surviving to adulthood. It would seem reasonable to take advantage of that excess production, by relocating seedlings to desired restoration sites. There is, however, little information available on this issue. In the present study, we collected naturally regenerated seedlings of two native species, Calophyllum brasiliense (“barí”) and Vochysia guatemalensis (“corpo”), in old‐growth forest patches, and transplanted them for the enrichment of a secondary tropical forest in Veracruz, Mexico. For transplanted C. brasiliense seedlings, overall survival was 32% after 20 months, and for V. guatemalensis seedlings it was 66% after 26 months. The mean height (±standard error) of all C. brasiliense and V. guatemalensis seedlings that survived until the end of the study, was 33 ± 2 cm (from initially 12.9 ± 0.2 cm) and 52 ± 5 cm (from 4.6 ± 0.1 cm), respectively. We applied a cost–benefit model to assess the trade‐off between initial‐investment costs and the resulting survival of transplanting naturally regenerated seedlings in the current study, in comparison with direct seeding (with and without the protection of seeds and emerged seedlings) reported in a previous study for the same area and species. For C. brasiliense , the success of transplanting naturally regenerated seedlings was always inferior to direct seeding without protection, whereas for V. guatemalensis it was always superior. Comparing the transplantation of naturally regenerated seedlings with direct seeding with protection, the best propagation strategy depended on the (monetary) value that a treelet is expected to be worth after 2 years.
Article
Full-text available
Nucleation practices combine several techniques that use small nuclei of vegetation as starting points of vegetation regeneration and serve as an integrated approach to improve environmental conditions and promote the establishment of species in degraded lands. We performed an integrative review and a meta‐analysis to test which nucleation techniques better improve plant establishment in restoration projects. We compared the efficiency of single and combined nucleation techniques including topsoil or litter transposition, bird perches, island planting ( nuclei ), and brushwood. A total of 374 studies published between 1993 and 2021 were evaluated; 73 studies were included in the integrative review and 35 studies enabled effect size calculation. The most common metrics used to measure restoration outcomes were the evaluation of seedling richness, density and abundance, topsoil transposition techniques, transposition of litter or seed bank (41% of the studies), and bird perches (35% of the studies). Among the sources of disturbance, agriculture for food production was the most frequent activity reported. Overall, we detected strong and positive effects of nucleation techniques on seedling parameters, with increased seedling richness and seedling survivorship compared to control areas. Stronger effects on plant richness were found for tropical compared to temperate forests. Restoration techniques differed in their ability to improve seedling richness, but the combination of topsoil transposition and bird perches enhanced seedling richness the most. Our results suggest that the use of nucleation techniques in ecosystem restoration is an efficient tool to increase the richness and establishment of plants (seedlings) in areas under restoration.
Article
Full-text available
Many degraded ecosystems need active restoration to conserve biodiversity and re‐establish ecosystem function, both highlighted targets of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the proposed EU Nature restoration law. Soil translocation, where both plant propagules and their associated soil biota are co‐introduced, has increasingly been proposed as a powerful restoration technique for terrestrial ecosystems. However, a synthesis of the effectiveness of this method across ecosystems is lacking. To address how soil translocation affects restoration success, we performed a meta‐analysis synthesizing data from 46 field experiments and their respective reference ecosystems in 17 countries across four continents. In each experiment, vegetation composition was recorded in response to soil translocation treatments and the resultant vegetational changes (diversity and composition) were quantified. We found that soil translocation leads to plant community development further away from the control and more towards the reference plant communities compared with treatments where only plant propagules were introduced. However, the variability of effect sizes among experiments was large, suggesting strong dependence of restoration success on restoration context. We found that restoration success was more likely on loamy soils and when translocation treatments were implemented over larger spatial areas (>180 m²). Furthermore, we found that restoration success either consistently increased or decreased over time depending on the experiment. Not only is this congruent with positive feedbacks between plant and soil communities driving plant community development, but it also suggests that the composition of the translocated plant and soil communities, and initial starting conditions, are critical for long‐term restoration success. Synthesis and applications. Our analysis highlights soil translocation can be a successful restoration method across a broad range of ecosystems. However, its implementation needs to depend on a thorough evaluation of local conditions and the potential added value. Further refinement of soil translocation techniques is needed to increase success rates.
Article
Full-text available
Tree planting and natural regeneration contribute to the ongoing effort to restore Earth's forests. Our review addresses how the plant microbiome can enhance the survival of planted and naturally regenerating seedlings and serve in long-term forest carbon capture and the conservation of biodiversity. We focus on fungal leaf endophytes, ubiquitous defensive symbionts that protect against pathogens. We first show that fungal and oomycetous pathogen richness varies greatly for tree species native to the United States ( n = 0–876 known pathogens per US tree species), with nearly half of tree species either without pathogens in these major groups or with unknown pathogens. Endophytes are insurance against the poorly known and changing threat of tree pathogens. Next, we reviewed studies of plant-phyllosphere feedback, but knowledge gaps prevented us from evaluating whether adding conspecific leaf litter to planted seedlings promotes defensive symbiosis, analogous to adding soil to promote positive feedback. Finally, we discuss research priorities for integrating the plant microbiome into efforts to expand Earth's forests. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Phytopathology, Volume 60 is August 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
Article
Full-text available
In both theoretical and applied research, it is often of interest to assess the strength of an observed association. This is typically done to allow the judgment of the magnitude of an effect (especially when units of measurement are not meaningful, e.g., in the use of estimated latent variables; Bollen, 1989), to facilitate comparing between predictors' importance within a given model, or both. Though some indices of effect size, such as the correlation coefficient (itself a standardized covariance coefficient) are readily available, other measures are often harder to obtain. effectsize is an R package (R Core Team, 2020) that fills this important gap, providing utilities for easily estimating a wide variety of standardized effect sizes (i.e., effect sizes that are not tied to the units of measurement of the variables of interest) and their confidence intervals (CIs), from a variety of statistical models. effectsize provides easy-to-use functions, with full documentation and explanation of the various effect sizes offered, and is also used by developers of other R packages as the back-end for effect size computation, such as parameters (Lüdecke et al., 2020), ggstatsplot (Patil, 2018), gtsummary (Sjoberg et al., 2020) and more. Comparison to Other Packages effectsize's functionality is in part comparable to packages like lm.beta (Behrendt, 2014), MOTE (Buchanan et al., 2019), and MBESS (K. Kelley, 2020). Yet, there are some notable differences, e.g.: • lm.beta provides standardized regression coefficients for linear models, based on post-hoc model matrix standardization. However, the functionality is available only for a limited number of models (models inheriting from the lm class), whereas effectsize provides support for many types of models, including (generalized) linear mixed models, Bayesian models, and more. Additionally, in additional to post-hoc model matrix standardization, effectsize offers other methods of standardization (see below). • Both MOTE and MBESS provide functions for computing effect sizes such as Cohen's d and effect sizes for ANOVAs (Cohen, 1988), and their confidence intervals. However, both require manual input of For t-statistics, degrees of freedom, and sums of squares for the computation the effect sizes, whereas effectsize can automatically extract this information from the provided models, thus allowing for better ease-of-use as well as reducing any potential for error.
Article
Full-text available
Translocation of plants has become a common approach in conservation biology in the past two decades, but it is not clear how successful it is in achieving long-term conservation outcomes. We combined a literature review with extensive consultations with translocation practitioners to compile data on translocations of threatened Australian plants. We documented 1001 translocations involving 376 taxa, concentrated in regions and habitats with high numbers of threatened species. Only 109 translocation attempts encompassing 71 taxa are documented in peer-reviewed literature. Over 85% of translocations have occurred since 2000 and half since 2010, with an especially rapid increase in development mitigation translocations, which account for 30% of all translocations documented. Many translocations involved extremely small numbers of propagules, with 45% using <50 propagules and only 16% >250. Of the 724 translocations with sufficient data to assess performance, 42% have <10 plants surviving, and 13% have at least 50 plants surviving and some second-generation recruitment into the population. Translocation performance, measured by number of plants surviving and second-generation recruitment, was highly variable between plant lifeforms, habitats and propagule type. However, species was more variable than all of these, suggesting that some species are more conducive to translocation than others. Use of at least 500 founder individuals increased the chances of creating a viable population. Four decades after the first conservation translocations, our evaluation highlights the need to consider translocation in the broad context of conservation actions for species recovery and the need for long-term commitment to monitoring, site maintenance and documentation.
Article
Full-text available
In situ conservation is widely considered a primary conservation strategy. Plant translocation, specifically, represents an important tool for reducing the extinction risk of threatened species. However, thus far, few documented translocations have been carried out in the Mediterranean islands. The Care-Mediflora project, carried out on six Mediterranean islands, tackles both short- and long-term needs for the insular endangered plants through in situ and ex situ conservation actions. The project approach is based on using ex situ activities as a tool to improve in situ conservation of threatened plant species. Fifty island plants (representing 45 taxa) were selected for translocations using common criteria. During the translocations, several approaches were used, which differed in site selection method, origin of genetic material, type of propagative material, planting method, and more. Although only preliminary data are available, some general lessons can be learned from the experience of the Care-Mediflora project. Among the factors restricting the implementation of translocations, limited financial resources appear to be the most important. Specific preliminary management actions, sometimes to be reiterated after translocation, increase the overall cost, but often are necessary for translocation success. Translocation using juvenile/reproductive plants produces better results over the short term, although seeds may provide good results over the long run (to be assessed in the future). Regardless, plant translocation success can only be detected over long periods; therefore, proper evaluation of plant translocations requires a long-term monitoring protocol. Care-Mediflora project represents the first attempt to combine the existing approaches in a common plant conservation strategy specifically focusing on the Mediterranean islands. © 2019 Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Article
Full-text available
Translocation is a recognized means of rescuing imperiled species but the evidence for the long-term success of translocations is limited. We report the successful translocation of reproductive individuals of a critically endangered shrub Otostegia bucharica from a site facing imminent habitat destruction into a nearby natural population of the species. The relocated plants were visited the year after planting and 13 years later to assess short- and long-term plant survival. Significant percentage of plants that survived transplanting shock and very dry spring following transplanting (around 36%), and further decrease of this number in the next 12 years by only 14%, indicated that O. bucharica is amenable to translocation using reproductive plants. Based on results of species distribution modeling, and failed attempts of ex situ cultivation, we propose introduction of this species into areas with suitable climatic and soil conditions. However, because there is currently no nature reserve in Uzbekistan having suitable conditions for the species under the present climate and that expected in the near future, and because all known habitats of O. bucharica are exposed to the very strong anthropogenic pressure, establishment of a new protected area, awareness building and involvement of local community in conservation activities are required to prevent extinction of this extremely rare species. © 2019 Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Article
Full-text available
Reintroductions are important components of conservation and recovery programs for rare plant species, but their long‐term success rates are poorly understood. Previous reviews of plant reintroductions focused on short‐term (e.g., ≤3 years) survival and flowering of founder individuals rather than on benchmarks of intergenerational persistence, such as seedling recruitment. However, short‐term metrics may obscure outcomes because the unique demographic properties of reintroductions, including small size and unstable stage structure, could create lags in population growth. We used time‐to‐event analysis on a database of unusually well‐monitored and long‐term (4–28 years) reintroductions of 27 rare plant species to test whether life‐history traits and population characteristics of reintroductions create time‐lagged responses in seedling recruitment (i.e., recruitment time lags [RTLs]), an important benchmark of success and indicator of persistence in reintroduced populations. Recruitment time lags were highly variable among reintroductions, ranging from <1 to 17 years after installation. Recruitment patterns matched predictions from life‐history theory with short‐lived species (fast species) exhibiting consistently shorter and less variable RTLs than long‐lived species (slow species). Long RTLs occurred in long‐lived herbs, especially in grasslands, whereas short RTLs occurred in short‐lived subtropical woody plants and annual herbs. Across plant life histories, as reproductive adult abundance increased, RTLs decreased. Highly variable RTLs were observed in species with multiple reintroduction events, suggesting local processes are just as important as life‐history strategy in determining reintroduction outcomes. Time lags in restoration outcomes highlight the need to scale success benchmarks in reintroduction monitoring programs with plant life‐history strategies and the unique demographic properties of restored populations. Drawing conclusions on the long‐term success of plant reintroduction programs is premature given that demographic processes in species with slow life‐histories take decades to unfold.
Article
Full-text available
The use of a forest seedling bank has been recommended as an alternative to increase species richness in forest nurseries, as well as to produce seedlings of species that are diff cult to propagate, especially those that belong to the late secondary and climax successional groups, which are not as commercially available. However, little is known about the impact of this method on forest dynamics. Thus, the present study aimed to examine the resilience and dynamics of a seedling bank in a remnant of a subtropical seasonal forest belonging to the Atlantic Forest Biome when subjected to different intensities of seedling removal. The experiment was conducted in a random block design in a factorial scheme (5 × 4), with treatments composed of f ve intensities of removal of individuals from the seedling bank and the four seasons. The treatments were distributed into 18 blocks and the experimental units were composed of 1 m × 2.5 m plots. The resilience of the seedling community was assessed by examining effects of the f ve removal intensities. The dynamics between the evaluation periods within each treatment were verif ed by comparing the number of species and seedlings present before the treatments with those in the other evaluation periods. After one year, we found that tree-shrub vegetation had a partial capacity for restoration after withdrawal of individuals from the seedling bank. Our results show that the impact on the regeneration community can absorb the effects of up to 25% seedling removal. The technique of seedling transplantation may be recommended for species that have abundant regeneration, such as Actinostemon concolor, Eugenia rostrifolia, Trichilia claussenii and Nectandra megapotamica.
Article
Full-text available
Large‐scale restoration programs in the tropics require large volumes of high quality, genetically diverse and locally adapted seeds from large number of species. However, scarcity of native seeds is a critical restriction to achieve restoration targets. In this paper, we analyze three successful community‐based networks that supply native seeds and seedlings for Brazilian Amazon and Cerrado restoration projects. In addition, we propose directions to promote local participation, legal, technical and commercialization issues for upscaling the market of native seeds for restoration with high quality and social justice. We argue that effective community‐based restoration arrangements should follow some principles: (i) seeds production must be based on real market demand; (ii) non‐governmental and governmental organizations have a key role in supporting local organization, legal requirements and selling processes; (iii) local ecological knowledge and labor should be valued, enabling local communities to promote large‐scale seed production; (iv) applied research can help develop appropriate techniques and solve technical issues. The case studies from Brazil and principles presented here can be useful for the upscaling of restoration ecology efforts in many other parts of the world and especially in tropical countries where improving rural communities’ income is a strategy for biodiversity conservation and restoration. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Article
Full-text available
Meeting the multi-million hectare commitments for forest and landscape restoration (FLR) will require billions of tree seed and seedlings. However, the adequacy of seed supply in terms of quantity, genetic diversity and quality has received scant attention in FLR planning. We surveyed 139 FLR projects worldwide and identified widespread problems in the availability and diversity of tree seed, with potentially deleterious consequences for the vigour, productivity and long-term persistence of restored tree populations. Large projects and those focused on climate change mitigation were particularly associated with multiple problems in seed sourcing. To avoid large-scale failure in FLR, we recommend: (1) national assessments of seed supply and demand for FLR, (2) reviewing FLR targets and funding cycles, (3) fostering sharing of knowledge and experiences regarding seed supply and selection, (4) enhancing seed exchange across landscapes, and (5) introducing regulations for seed quality and strengthening capacities for compliance. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Article
Full-text available
Globally, annual expenditure on ecological restoration of degraded areas for habitat improvement and biodiversity conservation is approximately $18bn. Seed farming of native plant species is crucial to meet restoration goals, but may be stymied by the disconnection of academic research in seed science and the lack of effective policies that regulate native seed production/supply. To illustrate this problem, we identified 1,122 plant species important for European grasslands of conservation concern and found that only 32% have both fundamental seed germination data available and can be purchased as seed. The "restoration species pool," or set of species available in practice, acts as a significant biodiversity selection filter for species use in restoration projects. For improvement, we propose: (1) substantial expansion of research and development on native seed quality, viability, and production; (2) open-source knowledge transfer between sectors; and (3) creation of supportive policy intended to stimulate demand for biodiverse seed.
Article
Full-text available
Recent global commitments have placed forest and landscape restoration at the forefront of countries' efforts to recover ecosystem services, conserve biodiversity, and mitigate the effects of climate change. However, it needs to be asked if current native tree seedling supply meets an increase in demand for forest restoration? This study assessed the current configuration, distribution, and production capacity of forest nurseries producing native trees in Brazil. Brazil provides an interesting example of how global agreements aligned with national policies can lead to the proliferation of native seedling nurseries, and the challenges faced to restore species-rich native forest ecosystems. We found that the nurseries in the Atlantic Forest region can still meet an increase in demand—both in terms of seedling quantity and diversity—because most of their production capacity is not currently used. However, not all Brazilian biomes have sufficient nurseries to meet restoration demands, thus there is a risk of using native species from a few biogeographical regions in a much spatially wider and ecologically diverse area. In addition, lack of seed supply and qualified labor can hamper the growth of the market. Barriers to seed supply may also lead to low levels of genetic variability and floristic representation in the populations and ecosystems to be restored. We conclude that restoration of high-diversity forest ecosystems requires policies and supportive programs, with emphasis on private nurseries, to guarantee adequate supply of native tree seedlings and provide the necessary incentives to develop the emergent economy of forest restoration.
Article
Full-text available
Questions: Do different growth forms have distinct temporal patterns of recovery of their structure, diversity, and composition in restored Atlantic Rain forest? Are tree and non-tree assemblages structured by the same factors? Location: Atlantic Rain Forest, restored by planting an assemblage of highdiversity tree species, Brazil. Methods: We measured plant colonization of restoration sites of different ages to evaluate restoration success in terms of species diversity, colonization by non-tree species and structure measures among stands. We used Procrustes analysis to test whether the same conditions that influence tree composition influence non-tree composition (congruence between non-trees and trees present on the same sites). Results: Many structural aspects of recovering forests, e.g. tree basal area, canopy cover, height, tree richness, and non-tree floristic composition resembled a mature forest within five decades. Although tree species diversity increased according to restoration age of sites, planted sites did not recover the richness of all growth forms even after five decades of restoration, and particularly lacked climbers and epiphytes. We detected significant similarity between corresponding points (tree and non-tree composition) from separate ordinations only in the reference forest. Therefore, naturally assembled communities are more concordant than those originating from active restoration. Conclusion: Non-tree assemblages respond to different factors than the tree assemblages in restoration sites. Hence, non-tree recovery may not result as a natural consequence of tree recovery, and specific restoration strategies for non-tree species must be applied. Tree richness recovered after two decades. Only half of the non-tree species richness was recovered in old restoration sites, but their composition similarity reached expected levels of reference values. Further studies will investigate if low richness of non-tree species is a consequence of low input of allochthonous propagules (landscape filter) or whether they are arriving but not establishing (environmental filter). Enrichment planting of non-tree species may be required if the problem is propagule input. We recommend enrichment planting should be implemented within 10 yrs after initial restoration planting because of the need for trees as supporting structures. However, if propagules are arriving but not establishing, the solution is to detect which environmental filters are important and to manipulate them through forest management.
Article
Full-text available
Two billion ha have been identified globally for forest restoration. Our meta-analysis encompassing 221 study landscapes worldwide reveals forest restoration enhances biodiversity by 15–84% and vegetation structure by 36–77%, compared with degraded ecosystems. For the first time, we identify the main ecological drivers of forest restoration success (defined as a return to a reference condition, that is, old-growth forest) at both the local and landscape scale. These are as follows: the time elapsed since restoration began, disturbance type and landscape context. The time elapsed since restoration began strongly drives restoration success in secondary forests, but not in selectively logged forests (which are more ecologically similar to reference systems). Landscape restoration will be most successful when previous disturbance is less intensive and habitat is less fragmented in the landscape. Restoration does not result in full recovery of biodiversity and vegetation structure, but can complement old-growth forests if there is sufficient time for ecological succession.
Article
Full-text available
N. Berrahmouni, M. Parfondry, P. Regato and A. Sarre discussed guidelines and way forward for restoration of degraded forests and landscapes in drylands. The process to produce the guidelines began in May 2012 in Konya, Turkey, at the international workshop on 'Building resilient forest landscapes to global changes in drylands'. Another international workshop was convened in Dakar, Senegal, in February 2013 and gathered more than 80 international experts on dryland restoration. Both workshops provided a forum for experts to analyze lessons learned from afforestation, reforestation and restoration projects and programs in the field, allowing the delivery of robust, experience-based recommendations. Possible actions and recommendations were proposed for implementing and sustaining effective restoration efforts, including policy, governance, multisectoral planning, and financial and other incentives.
Article
Full-text available
Transplanting seedlings and saplings from natural forests has been considered an alternative to producing saplings of native species for forest restoration purposes, but the possible impact of this procedure on plant community regeneration has not been investigated. This work evaluates the impact of different treatments of shrub and tree-seedling (up to 30 cm) removal from a seasonal semideciduous forest fragment located in southeastern Brazil on the natural regeneration process. Eighty 2×2 m plots were installed in two habitats (forest edge and interior) and submitted to four seedling-removal treatments (I, II - 100% removal with or without soil mixing; III - 50% removal without soil mixing; and IV - control treatment without seedling removal). Regeneration density and richness were evaluated before treatment as well as 6, 12 and 18 months later. The results were compared among treatments for each evaluation period and among periods within treatments. There were similarities between edge and interior. The natural regeneration process did not improve with soil mixing. Plots submitted to seedling removal partially recovered plant density; however, these plots had lower species richness when compared to the control and to the initial values before treatment. Seedling removal has a negative impact on the regeneration process of low-density species, thus the use of natural regeneration as a sapling source for forest restoration purposes should focus only on highdensity species with well-known regeneration strategies and not on the community as a whole.
Article
Full-text available
Global demand for gold has led to a massive increase in mining activity around the world. During the last decade, gold mining grew significantly in the Amazon becoming a major driver for land degradation and heavy metal contamination. However, few studies have explored soil degradation, reforestation, and plant mercury accumulation after mining operations. In this study, we established a reforestation field experiment in a gold mined area. We tested the outcome of planting seedlings of four native tree species previously grown in nursery polyethylene bags versus planting bare root seedlings, as well as the effect of three levels of biofertilization on seedling survival and growth. Previous to the experiment, we evaluated the level of soil degradation by comparing physical and chemical soil properties between the mined area and the nearest undisturbed reference forest. One year after planting, we also sampled roots, stems, and leaves of the planted species in order to detect possible mercury (Hg) accumulation in plant tissues. Our results revealed that soil texture becomes disproportionately sandy, while organic matter content and cation exchange capacity were seven- and three-fold lower in the mined area than in the reference forest, respectively. Seedling survivorship and growth varied across planting methods, biofertilization intensity, and species. Even in the bare root planting technique seedling survivorship was highly acceptable (75%) and increased with transplanting (83%) and the addition of biofertilizer (92%). Although seedling growth was improved significantly by the addition of diluted and pure biofertilizer, overall growth was found to be poor. Two individuals - distant from each other - out of a total of 60 sampled, showed traces of total Hg. A stem from Ceiba registered 8.52. mg Hg/kg and the roots of an Erythrina presented 0.60. mg Hg/kg. Total estimates of reforestation costs ranged between 1662and1662 and 3464 per hectare in year 1. Poor soil fertility, slow species growth rates, and traces of Hg in plant tissues indicate that remediation and restoration in areas degraded by gold mining can be very challenging.
Article
Full-text available
The population awareness about environmental conservation is raising and this brought about an increase in the number of environmental restoration studies. Nucleation is a technique used for environmental restoration, where small nuclei of vegetation are established within degraded land. The aim of this paper was to evaluate, by doing a bibliometric analysis, the tendencies and gaps in the study of environmental restoration using the nucleation technique. Data were collected using The Web of Science© and Google Scholar© databases, from 1996 to 2012. Keywords used in the search of papers were nucleation, soil recovery, transposition of soil, bird perches, ecological succession, seed rain, restoration ecology, forest regeneration, degraded area and natural regeneration. Results showed that the number of published studies was low, although increasing in the last decade. The majority of the studies used more than one restoration technique or used natural perches as nuclei. Most of the studies were conducted in the Americas and by Brazilian researches. Many studies were not published as papers in scientific journals, but were available as master thesis or monographs. Natural and artificial perches, soil transposition and natural regeneration were the most successful techniques. The number of nucleation studies must increase and spread through the world, and their results need to be published to help other researches in the environmental restoration.
Article
Full-text available
The grey mangrove, Avicennia marina, grows in intertidal habitat that is under pressure from expanding human settlement and industry along coastlines in the tropics and subtropics. Inappropriate clearing, and also the dieback of large stands of A. marina associated with pollution, have created an interest in methods for revegetation and also the need for a better understanding of the species physiological tolerances including to herbicide residue. Eco-toxicological studies have so far been exclusively on seedlings because of perceived difficulties cultivating mature plants in controlled environments. Reforestation projects are often associated with low rates of establishment, because of the susceptibility of propagules, seedlings and saplings to wind and wave erosion, as well as flooding and desiccation associated with the natural inter-tidal environment. We report on the successful excavation, and cultivation in containers with an automated irrigation system of eight mature A. marina plants. It is possible to transplant mature mangroves and achieve significant vegetative growth and also flowering and fruiting within the first year. It is difficult to compare the likely costs of transplanting a more limited number of mature plants to many propagules. However, we suggest that in situations where reforestation with young propagules, seedlings or saplings has failed because of excessive wash, drowning or smothering, the transplanting of mature mangroves could be a better option.
Article
Full-text available
Question:Does the presence of grasses affect the establishment (survival and growth) of tree saplings in an abandoned tropical pasture, and what is the potential of established saplings to modify pasture microenvironmental conditions, particularly light incidence? LocationAbandoned cattle pasture, in the humid tropics of SE Mexico (18°25′–18°45′ N, 95°00′–95°18′ W). Methods The establishment of four native fast-growing tree species in a tropical abandoned pasture was evaluated. Saplings of Cecropia obtusifolia, Hampea nutricia, Omphalea oleifera and Erythrina folkersii were transplanted using a split-plot design. Plant survival and growth were evaluated over 12 mo under two experimental treatments: presence and absence of grasses. Light incidence at ground level was used to evaluate microclimate conditions under the grass matrix, compared to light incidence under saplings established in the pasture. ResultsSaplings had high survival (49–88%) regardless of the presence of grasses. In the presence of grasses, growth of surviving saplings either increased or was not impacted, and in only one out of eight comparisons did grasses negatively affect growth. The impact of saplings on light incidence in abandoned pastures depended on sapling species architecture: species with large total leaf area and canopy area ( H. nutricia and E. folkersii) significantly reduced light incidence (12–29% of total incidence), while narrow-canopy species ( C. obtusifolia and O. oleifera) generated less intense shade (37–89% of total incidence). Conclusions Grasses did not seem to represent a crucial limiting factor in sapling establishment of fast-growing native species in the short term. In addition, shading by recruited saplings of some native species could be important to out-compete grasses in the future, as well as for ‘facilitating’ regeneration of more shade-tolerant species. Transplantation of fast-growing native saplings into abandoned pastures, even without manipulation of the grasses, could be a useful practice for landscape-scale restoration programmes in tropical areas. Evaluation of the longer-term consequences (beyond the 1-yr span of this study) warrants further research.
Article
Full-text available
The difficulty in obtaining young plants with high diversity in forest nurseries has caused the loss of biological and genetic diversity in the restoration projects of degraded areas. This study presents an alternative to minimize this problem by using the technical rescue of young plants, which were obtained from two forest patches with different stages of ecological succession (average and initial), located in the municipal district of Carandaí, MG. Individuals with up to 60 cm heights were transplanted to a nursery and evaluated for six months. A total of 966 individuals belonging to 26 families, totaling 70 different species, were rescued with a larger percentage of these being observed in the patches with more advanced stages of succession. The average surviva lrate was 79.3%, differing statistically among patches, individuals' height and species. Individuals from the initial patch stage, as well as those with an inferior height of 40 cm, were characterized by their highest survival level. A high level of plant survival could be verified, both pioneer and non-pioneer species, many of them not commonly found in forest nurseries and, consequently, also absent in the restoration projects. Therefore, the technical rescue of young plants is a viable complementary strategy, with low cost, which can contribute to the increasing of diversity in forest nurseries and in forest restoration projects.
Article
Full-text available
O insucesso da maioria das iniciativas de restauração de florestas naturalmente biodiversas como a Mata Atlântica desencadeou um movimento intenso de discussão sobre a ciência e prática da restauração ecológica no Estado de São Paulo. Isso convergiu na construção participativa de uma resolução estadual de caráter técnico e orientador para restauração, a qual tem sido revisada e atualizada periodicamente em workshops que reúnem mais de 200 profissionais em cada evento. Essa resolução objetivou potencializar o estabelecimento de florestas biologicamente viáveis e com riqueza de espécies vegetais condizente com a dos ecossistemas de referência, a fim de garantir a persistência das florestas restauradas e proteger a biodiversidade nativa. As contribuições dessa resolução para o aperfeiçoamento e estímulo das ações de restauração são hoje evidentes. Entre 2003 e 2008, período de discussão dessa resolução, a produção de mudas de espécies arbustivas e arbóreas nativas no Estado cresceu de 13.000.000 (55 viveiros) para 33.000.000 (114 viveiros) por ano, e o número médio de espécies produzidas nos viveiros também aumentou de 30 para mais de 80, refletindo o crescimento das ações de restauração. Do ponto de vista deste estudo, esse instrumento legal tem servido como mecanismo legítimo de política pública ambiental e de proteção dos interesses coletivos da sociedade. Particularmente, ele guia e orienta a maior parte dos investimentos em restauração ecológica e aumenta as perspectivas de maximização dos benefícios para a sociedade, que podem e devem ser obtidos com a restauração, incluindo a persistência da biodiversidade nas paisagens antrópicas tropicais.
Article
Full-text available
The use of seedlings from natural regeneration has been recommended as an strategy for seedlings production aiming at forest restoration but many of its technical aspects still need to be scientifically investigated. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of leaf area reduction and immediate transplant on the survival and growth of seedlings of native tree species obtained from a naturally regenerating forest. Esenbeckia leiocarpa (Rutaceae), Eugenia ligustrina (Myrtaceae) and Maytenus salicifolia (Celastraceae) seedlings, obtained from a secondary remnant of semideciduous seasonal forest in Bofete-SP, Brazil, were extracted from the ground and submitted to one of the following treatments: I) 50% area reduction of each leaf and immediate transplant; II) no leaf area reduction and immediate transplant; III) 50% area reduction of each leaf, maintenance of the seedling in water and transplant 24h after harvest; IV) no leaf area reduction, maintenance of the seedling in water and transplant 24h after seedlings harvest. The seedlings were evaluated according to their survivorship and height over a eight month period. Results evidenced that neither leaf area reduction nor maintenance of seedling in container with water for 24 hours before transplant affected the evaluated parameters. Thus, leaf area reduction and immediate transplant to pots are unnecessary procedures for use in forest nurseries when seedlings are obtained from naturally regenerating forests.
Article
Full-text available
Este estudo teve como objetivos avaliar a sobrevivência e crescimento inicial de plântulas de Euterpe edulis Mart. transplantadas para duas condições de luz: clareira e sub-bosque, além de discutir seu comportamento ecofisiológico. Foram transplantadas 90 plântulas com altura entre 5 e 25 cm em seis parcelas: três em sub-bosque e três em clareiras, no espaçamento 2 x 2 m em três linhas de plantio, com cinco plântulas cada. A porcentagem de sobrevivência (geral) no período do estudo foi de 36,7%, enquanto nas clareiras foi de 53,3% e no sub-bosque, 20%. Uma regressão não linear mostrou relação positiva entre abertura de dossel e sobrevivência de plântulas de E. edulis. A maior taxa de sobrevivência das plântulas no ambiente de clareira em relação ao sub-bosque pode ser explicada pelo excesso de sombreamento no último, causada pela baixa porcentagem de abertura do dossel (4,78%). A abertura do dossel não influenciou significativamente no crescimento das plântulas.
Article
Full-text available
Human disturbance and climate change have increased the risk of extinction for rare and endangered wild plant species. One effective way to conserve these rare and endangered species is through reintroduction. In this review, we summarize the advances in wild plant reintroduction from five perspectives: the establishment of reintroduction biology as an important tool for biodiversity conservation; the importance of genetic diversity in reintroduction; reintroduction under global climate change; recruitment limitation in reintroduction; and reintroduction and ecological restoration. In addition, we consider the future of plant reintroduction strategies.
Article
Full-text available
O uso de plântulas da regeneração natural tem sido recomendado como estratégia para produção de mudas visando à restauração florestal, contudo muitos aspectos técnicos desse método ainda carecem de investigação científica. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da redução da área foliar e do transplantio imediato na sobrevivência e crescimento de mudas de espécies arbóreas produzidas a partir de plântulas obtidas da regeneração natural. Plântulas de Esenbeckia leiocarpa (Rutaceae), Eugenia ligustrina (Myrtaceae) e Maytenus salicifolia (Celastraceae), obtidas em remanescente de vegetação secundária de Floresta Estacional Semidecidual em Bofete, SP, foram extraídas do solo e submetidas aos tratamentos: I) redução de 50% da área de cada folha e transplantio imediato; II) nenhuma redução de área das folhas e transplantio imediato; III) redução de 50% da área de cada folha, manutenção das plântulas em água e transplantio 24 h após a coleta; e IV) nenhuma redução de área das folhas, manutenção das plântulas em água e transplantio 24 h após a coleta. As mudas foram avaliadas com relação à sobrevivência e ao crescimento em altura, ao longo de oito meses. Os resultados evidenciaram que nem o corte das folhas ou a manutenção das plântulas dentro de recipientes com água por 24 h antes do transplantio afetaram os parâmetros avaliados. Assim, para as espécies estudadas a redução da área foliar e o transplantio imediato são desnecessários para a produção de mudas em viveiro a partir de plântulas obtidas da regeneração natural.
Article
In the context of a land development project, we carried out an experimental translocation before the proposal of mitigation hierarchy related to the project. By doing this early, we obtained results on the experimental translocation and thus better inform the measure proposed as part of the project. This project is likely to impact a large population of the plant species Helianthemum marifolium, which has a national protected status in France. We present here the pre-translocation phase, proposing different methodologies to better understand and prepare for a translocation. First, we studied the potential future distribution based on climate factors. Then, we sought to improve our knowledge of the local populations studied. To do this, we carried out pollinator surveys and a study of reproductive success. Finally, we presented the results of germination and cultivation tests, which enabled us to determine the mechanism for breaking dormancy and the most favourable substrate for growing, and we compared potential host sites regarding soil analyses. These different aspects allowed us to determine a protocol to be followed for a more significant translocation of this species. This case study illustrates requirements of the pre-translocation planning and can be used to inform future translocations of Helianthemum marifolium. The case study also presents methods other translocation practitioners can use to improve their protocols in the future.
Article
Direct seeding is a major method for active restoration of tropical forests and savannas. Although seed traits such as large and rounded seeds are proxies for successful establishment, the effects of germination traits have not been investigated. The study of germination traits allows understanding how to manipulate seed and germination traits to improve the success of seedling establishment. In this study, we evaluated how germination traits are related to success of seedling emergence after direct seeding for forest and savanna trees of the Cerrado, as well as how dormancy breaking treatments modify germination traits and the success of seedling emergence. Twenty-three trees and three shrubs species from forest and savanna in the Cerrado biome were studied in the laboratory. To evaluate how dormancy breaking treatments modify germination traits, intact and pretreated seeds were sowed in a greenhouse. Data on direct seeding success of pretreated and untreated seeds were taken from the literature. Time to start imbibition had a positive effect, and seed shape (variance of seed dimensions) had a negative contribution to direct seeding success. Seed size was not significant in the presence of these variables. In the greenhouse, pretreated seeds anticipated emergence from 40 to 24 days. In field direct seeding, seedling emergence decreased from 30 % for untreated seeds to 18 % for pretreated seeds. Delayed seedling emergence is a positive strategy for direct seeding. Seed technology should target mechanisms and structures to avoid fast and synchronic emergence for direct seeding in the seasonal tropics.
Article
In 2020, fires in the Pantanal, the world's largest continuous tropical wetland, made global news. The flames destroyed almost one-third of the biome. Furthermore, 43% of the affected area was burnt for the first time in 20 or even more years. As the combination of extreme drought and anthropogenic actions that caused these extreme wildfires is still prevalent, scientifically informed actions are necessary to prevent catastrophic fires in the future. Fire prevention, as well as restoration need to be spatially prioritised, as it is unfeasible to plan actions for the whole extent (150,355 km2) of the Brazilian Pantanal. In this study, we identified areas of high fire risk based on meteorological fire risk tendency for 1980–2020, fire intensity, last year with fire, the recurrence of fires for 2003–2020, and remaining areas of natural forest vegetation around watercourses. These native remnants include unburnt areas that can serve as refuges for fire-sensitive species and are important for fire prevention. We identified 246 km2 with high fire risk, i.e., high probability of megafires, with vegetation types that support fire-sensitive plant species. We found that while 179 km2 had high or medium natural regeneration potential, 66 km2 had low potential and needed active restoration. Over 3120 km2 have been severely degraded by recent fires. About 93% of these areas have high or medium potential for natural regeneration, where the suggested actions are passive restoration and Integrated Fire Management. We estimated the cost of post-fire restoration for areas with high and medium potential for natural regeneration to be around 123 million USD. In areas with low regeneration potential (219 km2), we suggest active restoration. The cost to restore these areas using transplanted seedlings or enrichment planting is estimated between 28 and 151 million USD.
Article
Trans­plan­ta­tion of nat­u­rally re­gen­er­at­ing seedlings (here­after wildlings) has great po­ten­tial as a restora­tion tool as it in­volves the use of ac­cli­ma­tized in­di­vid­u­als and preser­va­tion of lo­cal and en­demic geno­types. When suc­cess­fully used, this tech­nique has the added ben­e­fits of in­creas­ing struc­tural and com­po­si­tional di­ver­sity, pre­serv­ing lo­cal and en­demic geno­types, and re­duc­ing eco­log­i­cal restora­tion costs. In wet­land ecosys­tems, flood­ing is an abi­otic fil­ter that may hin­der suc­cess of restora­tion ef­forts. We hy­poth­e­sized that trans­plant­ing “eco­log­i­cally tough­ened” wildlings from low-ly­ing, flooded ar­eas into restora­tion ar­eas of higher re­lief and lower fre­quency of flood­ing, would be a suc­cess­ful strat­egy. In this study, we trans­planted wildlings from pe­ri­od­i­cally flooded ar­eas up­s­lope to test the ef­fect of topo­graphic po­si­tion (where they were col­lected and out­planted), and pro­tec­tion against her­bivory on seedling sur­vival and growth. The ex­per­i­men­tal de­sign in­cluded two col­lec­tion times and plant­ing ar­eas (high and low topog­ra­phy), two seedling height, use of pro­tec­tion against mam­malian her­bivory, and four species that rep­re­sent dif­fer­ent func­tional types. We also eval­u­ated the costs in­volved. The best ex­per­i­men­tal out­come for the four study species (most abun­dance flood­plain species) was found with small seedlings (10–39 cm) col­lected at low re­lief and out­planted to higher el­e­va­tions, with pro­tec­tion against her­bivory. Even un­der un­usu­ally ex­treme flood events (high flood­ing over 7 months) the tree legume Inga vera has emerged with the high­est sur­vival rate. The costs of trans­plan­ta­tion are lower (USD 739 ha−1) than those found in pre­vi­ous stud­ies and the use of pro­tec­tion against her­bivory was also con­sid­er­ably low (USD 2484 ha−1). That said, these es­ti­mated costs are on an ex­per­i­men­tal scale and do not rep­re­sent large-scale op­er­a­tions, which could re­duce and im­prove cost-ben­e­fits sig­nif­i­cantly. In re­mote places such as the Pan­tanal, the lack of nurs­ery in­fra­struc­ture, high as­so­ci­ated costs of seedling pro­duc­tion and vul­ner­a­bil­ity to her­bivory are the main chal­lenges for restora­tion. Hence, wildling col­lec­tion can be a use­ful strat­egy to over­come such ob­sta­cles.
Article
Brazil has committed to fulfilling international restoration goals and to enforcing environmental legislation that will require private landowners to undertake ecological restoration of 21 million hectares of degraded and deforested landscapes. To support a broad range of restoration practices, a well‐established supply chain capable of representing regional plant diversity is essential. This study investigated the restoration species pool in native plant nurseries in São Paulo state, located in southeastern Brazil, and evaluated their geographic distribution, similarity of their plant stocks, and the proportion of species represented from regional floras. Despite a lack of technical assistance and a significant presence of nonnative species (126 species, average 7.5 species/nursery), we found an impressive native species richness in plant nurseries (561 species, average 86.4 species/nursery) from both the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado domains, representing 38–44% of regional floras. There was a huge bias toward tree and shrub species (96.6%) and an absence or underrepresentation of other growth forms, as well as of savanna specialists, animal‐dispersed, and threatened species. The dissimilarity of species observed among the different nurseries surveyed highlights their role in representing regional diversity, which reflects their regional seed collection practices. Effective assistance and training are essential to address issues related to misidentification of species, underrepresentation of most functional plant groups, and the presence of nonnative species, as well as to support the supply chain, which is currently undergoing a market downturn.
Article
We carried out translocations of three rare plants that inhabit mineral islands in the marshy Biebrza Valley in order to create alternative populations and facilitate connectivity between existing subpopulations. The species chosen were Iris aphylla and two orchids: Cypripedium calceolus and Cephalanthera rubra. Thirty soil monoliths with vegetative orchid plants or parts of I. aphylla rhizomes were dug out and transplanted to three different sites on new mineral islands (half in 2012 and half in 2013). Prior to translocation, we measured soil moisture and pH and took phytosociological characteristics in 68 potential recipient sites for orchids and 15 for I. aphylla. Then, we monitored the number of shoots for 4 years and retrospectively conducted principal component analysis (PCA) in order to compare the similarity of donor sites and chosen recipient sites. Three years after transplantation we found new C. calceolus populations in good condition, I. aphylla populations in moderate, while C. rubra transplants emerged only in the first and second season. All newly established populations of C. calceolus and I. aphylla survived. In the case of the first species, fruiting was observed in two populations, while a marked increase in shoot number was observed in one population. The most successful C. calceolus translocation site was also the most similar to the donor sites according to PCA.
Book
This new edition to the classic book by ggplot2 creator Hadley Wickham highlights compatibility with knitr and RStudio. ggplot2 is a data visualization package for R that helps users create data graphics, including those that are multi-layered, with ease. With ggplot2, it's easy to: • produce handsome, publication-quality plots with automatic legends created from the plot specification • superimpose multiple layers (points, lines, maps, tiles, box plots) from different data sources with automatically adjusted common scales • add customizable smoothers that use powerful modeling capabilities of R, such as loess, linear models, generalized additive models, and robust regression • save any ggplot2 plot (or part thereof) for later modification or reuse • create custom themes that capture in-house or journal style requirements and that can easily be applied to multiple plots • approach a graph from a visual perspective, thinking about how each component of the data is represented on the final plot This book will be useful to everyone who has struggled with displaying data in an informative and attractive way. Some basic knowledge of R is necessary (e.g., importing data into R). ggplot2 is a mini-language specifically tailored for producing graphics, and you'll learn everything you need in the book. After reading this book you'll be able to produce graphics customized precisely for your problems, and you'll find it easy to get graphics out of your head and on to the screen or page. New to this edition:< • Brings the book up-to-date with ggplot2 1.0, including major updates to the theme system • New scales, stats and geoms added throughout • Additional practice exercises • A revised introduction that focuses on ggplot() instead of qplot() • Updated chapters on data and modeling using tidyr, dplyr and broom
Article
Forest restoration is an important tool for combating climate change and protecting biodiversity. In this issue of Applied Vegetation Science, Garcia et al. show that alone, planting trees is insufficient for fully restoring rain forest complexity. This study highlights the need for longer-term restoration plans, including enrichment plantings that speed the recovery of non-tree forest components once planted trees have established.
Article
Transplanting individual seedlings is a tool used in restoration studies, which helps to select species that are adapted to particular bioclimatic regions. We aimed to identify forest and physiological patterns in seedlings from extant areas of the Atlantic forest biome in southern Brazil. Individual tree and shrub seedlings from 5 to 55 cm in height were selected from an extant area of approximately 20 ha, transplanted to a nursery and separated into groups by size. Survival and growth rates were assessed periodically over ten months and physiological variables (chlorophyll a and b content, carotenoid content and chlorophyll a fluorescence) were measured at the end of the experiment. In total, 1018 seedlings were transplanted, belonging to 23 families and 50 species. The survival rate, which was on average 74.5%, varied among the height groups, with the highest mortality rate occurring shortly after transplantation. Some physiological characteristics of Eugenia rostrifolia, Cupania vernalis, Nectandra megapotamica, Trichilia claussenii, Sorocea bonplandii, Actinostemon concolor, Trichilia elegans and Cordia trichotoma change when they are transplanted to a plant nursery. However, an assessment of their growth rates confirmed that these species can develop metabolic strategies that increase their carbon uptake. The main adaptations to increase survival rates were an accumulation of carotenoids and the loss of excess energy in the form of chlorophyll a fluorescence. We conclude that species displayed physiological adaptations that support metabolic activities and survival after transplantation. In light of the higher survival rates and favorable plant development, we consider transplantation to be a potential complementary strategy for native species seedling production. Transplantation could increase the growth potential of species that are difficult to produce in plant nurseries and consequently support greater diversity in restoration efforts. However, further studies are needed to assess the survival rate of these transplanted seedlings in restoration plantations in comparison with non-transplanted seedlings.
Article
QuestionsTo select the best method to restore an ecosystem requires an understanding of the various outcomes commonly achieved through different restoration techniques. What method results in the most timely and cost-effective means of reinstating biodiversity and restoring ecosystem functions and services?Methods We explored the efficacy and costs of two re-vegetation techniques commonly used in ecosystem restoration: direct seeding and planting of seedlings. Our analysis focused on 120 scientific peer-reviewed publications reporting on experiments using seeds or seedlings, and encompassed a range of ecosystems such as wetlands, savannas and forests. We examined current restoration issues, including species diversity, survival, species selection, costs and how future climate change may influence restoration efforts.ResultsDirect seeding experiments used more species than seedling studies, yet showed lower survivorship. Species availability is the major constraint in the selection of which species were used, regardless of the approach employed. Although costs are extremely important when planning a restoration project, few published findings report on the economic aspects of ecosystem restoration. Further, we did not find any study addressing the impacts of global climate change on restoration programmes or how studies should consider future shifts in the environment.Conclusions Our results highlight the need for restoration experiments to explore more species. Restoration efforts are in need of detailed reporting that includes time frames and costs. We need to consider future climate scenarios that will affect ecosystem restoration efforts.
Article
Caulerpa taxifolia has been displayed in tropical aquaria in Monaco. Its accidental introduction into the natural environment dates from 1984. It developed first in the sea immediately below the oceanographic museum, and resisted winter temperatures of 11-13°C. Gradually the population spread over all types of substrate, including rock, sand and mud, and over a wide range of depth, 3-35m. To the east, it now occurs on the whole of the eastern side of Cap Martin (3km from Monaco) and is spreading over the west face. To the west the authors have observed it 150km from Monaco near Toulon. In those sites which it colonized three years ago, its coverage now reached 100% over extensive areas in depths between 5-25m. Areas supporting stands of Cymodocea nodosa and Posidonia oceanica are covered by fronds of C. taxifolia. The rapid spread of this alga is probably due both to sexual reproduction and to efficient vegetative reproduction. At the current rate of spreading further rapid extension of its range is to be feared. Wherever it becomes established, it considerably modifies the vegetal communities in the infralittoral zone. This species contains the toxin, caulerpenyn, which may play a role against other organisms such as grazers, epiphytes and competitors. This alga will be eaten only by certain animals such as the Mediterranean bream or saupe, Sarpa salpa. The toxin accumulated by fish which eat Caulerpa can render them unsuitable for human consumption. -from English summary
Chapter
There is enormous potential conservation value in the ability to establish new populations of rare plants. When combined with ex situ source material, reintroduction offers valuable and otherwise unavailable conservation options. Indeed, reintroduction of material stored ex situ has made the difference between extinction in the wild and continued survival.
Article
Within the sagebrush steppe ecosystem, sagebrush plants influence a number of ecosystem properties, including nutrient distribution, plant species diversity, soil moisture, and temperature, and provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife species. Recent increases in frequency and size of wildfires and associated annual grass expansion within the Wyoming big sagebrush alliance have increased the need for effective sagebrush restoration tools and protocols. Our objectives were to quantify the success of Wyoming big sagebrush transplants relative to transplant stock (nursery seedlings vs. wildlings) across different ecological sites and vegetation types and to test the hypothesis that reduction of herbaceous vegetation would increase survival of transplanted sagebrush. We used a randomized block (reps=5) design at each of three sites-1) cheatgrass dominated, 2) native plant dominated, and 3) crested wheatgrass dominated-near Elko, Nevada. Treatments included plant stock (nursery stock or locally harvested wildlings) and herbicide (glyphosate) to reduce competition from herbaceous vegetation. Transplants were planted in the spring of 2009 and 2010 and monitored for survival. Data were analyzed for site and treatment effects using mixed-model ANOVA. Surviving plant density at and 2 yr postplanting was generally highest (up to 3-fold) on the native site (P < 0.05). Density of surviving transplants was almost 3-fold higher for nursery stock on most sites for the 2009 planting, but differences in survival by planting stock were minimal for the 2010 planting. Glyphosate application increased surviving plant density up to 300% (depending on site) for both years of planting. High labor and plant material investments (relative to traditional drilling or broadcasting) may limit the size of projects for which sagebrush transplants are practical, but these costs may be partially offset by high success relative to traditional methods. Our data indicate that sagebrush transplants can be effective for establishing sagebrush on depleted sites.
Article
1. The number of published meta-analyses in plant ecology has increased greatly over the last two decades. Meta-analysis has made a significant contribution to the field, allowing review of evidence for various ecological hypotheses and theories, estimation of effects of major environmental drivers (climate change, habitat fragmentation, invasive species, air pollution), assessment of management and conservation strategies, and comparison of effects across different temporal and spatial scales, taxa and ecosystems, as well as research gap identification. 2. We identified 322 meta-analyses published in the field of plant ecology between 1996 and 2013 in 95 different journals and assessed their methodological and reporting quality according to standard criteria. Despite significant recent developments in the methodology of meta-analysis, the quality of published meta-analyses was uneven and showed little improvement over time. 3. We found many cases of imprecise and inaccurate usage of the term ‘meta-analysis’ in plant ecology, particularly confusion between meta-analysis and vote counting and incorrect application of statistical techniques designed for primary studies to meta-analytical data, without recognition of the violation of statistical assumptions of the analyses. 4. Methodological issues for meta-analyses in plant ecology include incomplete reporting of search strategy used to retrieve primary studies, failure to test for possible publication bias and to conduct sensitivity analysis to test the robustness of the results, as well as lack of availability of the data set used for the analyses. 5. The use of meta-analysis is particularly common in community ecology, ecophysiology and ecosystem ecology, but meta-analyses in ecophysiology are more likely not to meet standard quality criteria than papers in other subdisciplines. Fewer meta-analyses have been conducted in plant population ecology. 6. Synthesis. Over the past two decades, plant ecologists have embraced meta-analysis as a statistical tool to combine results across studies, and much has been learned as a result. However, as the popularity and usage of meta-analysis in the field of plant ecology has grown, establishment of quality standards, as has been done in other disciplines, becomes increasingly important. In order to improve the quality of future meta-analyses in plant ecology, we suggest adoption of a checklist of quality criteria for meta-analysis for use by research synthesists, peer reviewers and journal editors.
Article
Logging in tropical forests may create large canopy openings. These gaps provide suitable conditions for some opportunistic shrubs and herbs to take advantage of the surge in resources and rapidly colonize disturbed sites. This dense plant cover may limit forest regeneration by interfering with tree seedling establishment, growth, and survival by altering the light and nutrients available to seedlings, modifying herbivore behavior, or a number of other factors. In Kibale National Park (Uganda), old logging sites are mainly covered by dense stands of Acanthus pubescens Engl., which appear to inhibit tree regeneration. We wanted to identify the ecological processes underlying this regeneration collapse. To do so, we designed a factorial experiment to evaluate the influences of herbivory and vegetation cover on the growth and survival of tree seedlings. We compared the survival and growth of transplanted tree seedlings in A. pubescens stands and logged forests, in the presence or absence of the understory vegetation layer (logged forest) or vegetation cover (A. pubescens), and with or without herbivory. We found no evidence to support the hypothesis that herbivory is significantly higher under dense A. pubescens cover. Seedling survival was not influenced by the environment. Seedling growth, however, was positively influenced by the removal of A. pubescens, suggesting that changes in resource availability associated with the presence of A. pubescens, may be important for regeneration. Our results suggest that sustained cutting of A. pubescens cover could foster the growth of established seedlings and could lead to tree regeneration and habitat restoration.