Abstract:Conservation goals at the start of the 21st century reflect a combination of contrasting ideas. Ideal nature is something that is historically intact but also futuristically flexible. Ideal nature is independent from humans, but also, because of the pervasiveness of human impacts, only able to reach expression through human management. These tensions emerge in current management rationales because scientists and managers are struggling to accommodate old and new scientific and cultural thinking, while also mai… Show more
“…Land‐use change is commonly defined as a human‐induced process, which produces significant consequences for land and related ecosystems. Human activities tend to modify the natural landscape at different scales and to different extents (Heller & Hobbs, ; Lausch et al, ). Changes in population density and agricultural intensification are the most important driving forces behind land‐use change and the leading factors in regional human‐land relationships (Niedertscheider et al, ).…”
“…Land‐use change is commonly defined as a human‐induced process, which produces significant consequences for land and related ecosystems. Human activities tend to modify the natural landscape at different scales and to different extents (Heller & Hobbs, ; Lausch et al, ). Changes in population density and agricultural intensification are the most important driving forces behind land‐use change and the leading factors in regional human‐land relationships (Niedertscheider et al, ).…”
“…The axis distinguishing the nature of the tools used (low regrets vs. climate targeted, Table , Fig. ) was designated on practical grounds, and parallels the “Natural Practice” approach whereby Heller and Hobbs () recommend that ecological renovation decisions favor interventions that would be considered less rather than more intrusive. Social science research has indicated that managers and the general public are more willing to implement intervention options that tend to be beneficial regardless of the rate or extent of climate change (Ausden , Hagerman and Satterfield ); often called “low‐regrets” options.…”
Section: A Typology Of Options For Ecological Renovation and Nature Cmentioning
Changes in Earth's climate are accelerating, prompting increasing calls to ensure that investments in ecological restoration and nature conservation accommodate such changes. To acknowledge this need, we propose the term “ecological renovation” to describe ecological management and nature conservation actions that actively allow for environmental change. To evaluate and progress the development of ecological renovation and related intervention options in a climate change context, we reviewed the literature and established a typology of options that have been proposed. We explored how these options address emerging principles underpinning climate‐adapted conservation goals and whether the balance of approaches reflected in our typology is likely to be sufficient given expected rapid rates of climate change. Our typology recognizes a matrix of 23 intervention option types arranged on the basis of underpinning ecological mechanisms (“ameliorate changing conditions” or “build adaptive capacity”) on one axis, and the nature of the tools used to manipulate them (“low regrets” or “climate targeted”) on the other. Despite a burgeoning literature since 2008, we found that the majority of effort has consistently focused on low‐regrets adaptation approaches that aim to build adaptive capacity. This is in many ways desirable, but a paradigm shift enabling greater attention to climate‐targeted approaches is likely to be needed as climate change accelerates. When assessed against five emerging principles for setting nature conservation goals in a changing climate, only one option type could deliver to all five, and we identified a conflict between climate‐targeted options and “wildness” values that calls for deeper evaluation. Importantly, much of the inference in the 473 reviewed studies was drawn from ecological reasoning and modeling, with only 16% offering new empirical evidence. We also noted significant biases toward North America and Europe, forest ecosystems, trees, and vertebrates. To address these limitations and help shift the paradigm toward humans as “renovators” rather than “restorers” of a prior world, we propose that ecological researchers contribute by (1) informing societal discourse toward adapting nature conservation goals to climate change, (2) adjusting and upscaling conservation planning to accommodate this suite of climate‐adapted goals, and (3) reconceptualizing experimental approaches to increase empirical evidence and expedite innovation of tools to address change.
“…Traditionally, conservation has valued the nativeness and naturalness of species and ecosystems extremely highly. For example, Heller and Hobbs () noted that “Nativeness serves as a proxy for naturalness.” The same authors, however, drive home the point thatManagement rhetoric seems paradoxically to ask that managers allow for change so that ecosystems can adapt but also that they not permit change so that systems can remain intact.…”
This account presents information on all aspects of the biology of Ulmus glabraHudson (wych elm) that are relevant to understanding its ecological characteristics and behaviour. The main topics are presented within the standard framework of the Biological Flora of the British Isles: distribution, habitat, communities, responses to biotic factors, responses to environment, structure and physiology, phenology, floral and seed characters, herbivores and disease, history and conservation.2. Ulmus glabra is a large forest tree, and often an important canopy tree in ancient and semi-natural woodlands. It is primarily native to the north and west of Britain and much of mainland Europe. It is the only elm native to Ireland. It is the most distinct of the British elms in that it rarely suckers and sets abundant viable seed.Although found on limestone screes and cliffs, and hedgerows, it is primarily a woodland tree, especially on moist, basic soils. In many secondary woodlands, it often co-occurs with Acer pseudoplatanus and has ecological needs that are similar to Fraxinus excelsior.
3.Ulmus glabra has clusters of c. 25 hermaphrodite flowers appearing before the leaves on previous year's growth. Seeds are wind-dispersed, falling in April to July, but remain viable for only a few days. Nevertheless, seedling establishment can be abundant. Hybridisation with other northern European elms is common but hybrids are notoriously difficult to identify and therefore probably under-recorded.4. The health and survival of wych elm in Europe has been seriously compromised since the 1970s due to Dutch elm disease caused by the fungus Ophiostoma novoulmi, transmitted by elm bark beetles (Scolytus spp.). To the south of its Scottish stronghold, many elms are reduced to small trees regrowing from basal sprouts or seeds. These trees tend to be reinfected once trunk diameter exceeds 10 cm.Fortunately for its long-term survival, seed production usually begins a number of years before they are reinfected.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
