Since its emergence in the past decades, restoration ecology has demonstrated an astounding growth as a new discipline of applied science. At the same time, this young discipline has been criticized for its retrospective goals largely based on the past, its fragmented approach, and its idealistic goals, which do not relate to the real world context. Restoration with past-focused, idealistic, and/or ad hoc goals may not work in the future because an ecosystem that is restored for the past environment is not likely to be sustainable in the changing environment of the future, simple recomposition of isolated and fragmented naturalistic patches is not likely to restore ecosystem functions, and unrealistic goals and work plans are not likely to gain public support. We advocate directing the principles and practice of ecological restoration to the future. Futureaimed restoration should acknowledge the changing and unpredictable environment of the future, assume the dynamic nature of ecological communities with multiple trajectories, and connect landscape elements for improving ecosystem functions and structures. In this paper, we discuss the predictability of restoration trajectories under changing environmental conditions, the application of ecological theories to restoration practice, the importance of interdisciplinary approaches and human interventions in ecosystem recovery, and the social context of ecological restoration. Keywords: ecology, environment, future, restoration, sustainability.Résumé : Depuis son émergence dans les dernières décennies, la restauration écologique a démontré une croissance phénoménale en tant que nouvelle discipline scientifique appliquée. En même temps, cette jeune discipline a été critiquée pour ses objectifs rétrospectifs, son approche fragmentaire et ses idéaux qui ne sont pas toujours réalistes. Il est fort possible qu'une restauration orientée vers le passé, avec des objectifs idéalistes et/ou ad hoc ne sera pas fonctionnelle dans l'avenir. En effet, un écosystème restauré en fonction d'un environnement passé ne sera peut être pas viable dans un futur en changement, la réhabilitation vers un aspect naturel de parcelles isolées et fragmentées ne restaurera probablement pas les fonctions de l'écosystème et des objectifs et plans de travail irréalistes ont peu de chance d'obtenir la faveur du public. Nous recommandons d'orienter les principes et la pratique de la restauration écologique vers le futur. Cette restauration tournée vers l'avenir devrait prendre en compte que les environnements futurs seront changeants et imprévisibles, considérer la nature dynamique des communautés écologiques ayant des trajectoires multiples et assurer la connectivité des éléments du paysage pour améliorer les fonctions et structures des écosystèmes. Dans cet article, nous discutons de la prévisibilité des trajectoires de restauration dans des conditions environnementales changeantes, de l'application des théories écologiques à la pratique de la restauration, de l'importance de l'approche mul...
This study was undertaken to determine if use of stratified organic layers of intact litter, fragmented litter, and humus on the forest floor (LFH) improves establishment of upland native boreal plant species during oil sands reclamation in Alberta, Canada. The abundance and composition of vascular plant species in the soil propagule bank were determined for LFH and peat materials before salvage from donor sites and 18 months after application on the receiver site. Applications of 10 and 20 cm were evaluated. Various soil properties were assessed to determine impacts of donor materials. In the growth chamber, LFH donor material had significantly more plant species emerge (37) from the propagule bank than did peat donor material (19). In the field, LFH treatments had significantly higher species richness (49, 47, 24, and 25 species for LFH 10 cm, LFH 20 cm, peat 10 cm, and peat 20 cm treatments, respectively), plant abundance, and soil nutrients than peat treatments. Application thickness of peat had little effect, but 20 cm of LFH was more beneficial for plant community establishment than 10 cm. LFH treatments had narrower C:N ratios and higher soluble potassium and available phosphorus than peat. Applying 10 versus 20 cm of donor material increased admixing of finetextured subsoil, reducing organic carbon, nitrogen, and potassium; these effects were greater for LFH than peat treatments. Thus, addition of LFH aids in creating diverse ecosystems on reclaimed upland landscapes by providing a source of propagules for revegetating upland boreal forest communities and improving nutrient availability for plants.
Mining disturbs large forested areas around the world, including boreal forests after oil sands mining in Canada. Industrial companies are expected to reclaim degraded land to ecosystems with equivalent land capability. This research showed the value of woody debris for reclamation of dramatically disturbed landscapes with a forest ecosystem end land use. Adding woody debris during reclamation can facilitate recovery of flora, soil nutrient cycling and water and nutrient holding capacity. Combined with forest floor material, woody debris can provide native plant propagules that would be otherwise commercially unavailable. Sites with and without woody debris on forest floor material containing identifiable litter (L), fragmented and fermented litter (F), and humus (H) (LFH), and peat mineral soil mix (peat) cover soils were studied. Within 2 years, woody debris decreased bare ground and created microsites which were positively associated with greater vegetation cover and woody plant density. Woody debris treatments had lower soil available nitrate and soil under woody debris had a lower temperature range and higher soil volumetric water content than control treatments without woody debris. Woody debris did not affect first year microbial biomass carbon or mycorrhizae, but both were greater on LFH than peat cover soil. LFH was associated with lower bare ground and greater vegetation cover, species richness, and soil phosphorus and potassium than peat cover soil, which had greater soil sulfate.
Understanding how reclamation practices influence plant community assembly and succession is an important step in developing realistic indicators and targets for reclamation of oil sands mine sites to upland forest ecosystems. We currently have a poor understanding of factors affecting plant community assembly and succession in reclaimed oil sands sites. Through synthesis of research completed over the last 24 years, we identify four key findings: (i) use of surface soil and forest floor material salvaged from mined areas increases plant species cover, richness, and diversity relative to the use of various other cover soil materials (such as clay subsoil); (ii) stockpiling of salvaged surface soils decreases the abundance of native plant propagules and delays early vegetation community development; (iii) differences in plant community composition between reclaimed and adjacent mature forests remain two decades after placing cover soils; however, differences are smaller with use of forest floor–mineral mix than peat–mineral mix; and (iv) plant community assembly is in progress but communities remain different to those found in natural undisturbed conditions. Our review identified critical knowledge gaps for further research to improve understanding of: (i) long-term (60 to 100 years) plant community composition in reclaimed oil sands sites; (ii) how residual forest patches near disturbed oil sands sites act as seed and propagule sources in newly reclaimed sites; (iii) plant community assembly processes in reclamation sites; (iv) the effect of micro-topographic heterogeneity on plant community development; and (v) how soil nutrient availability in different substrates influences plant community development over the long term. Ongoing support for selected existing studies and establishment of new studies focusing on plant community development through long-term monitoring are highly recommended.
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