Identifying target species and seed sources for the restoration of threatened trees in southern Brazil

Abstract

Ecological restoration of trees is often constrained by limited knowledge of the biology, propagation and management requirements of individual species. Consequently, restoration initiatives rarely incorporate less well-known species or those that are difficult to source and grow. We describe challenges associated with the restoration of threatened trees in the Araucaria Forest of southern Brazil, and analyse the effectiveness of methods used to define target species, identify seed sources and generate information on the phenology of rare or threatened tree species. A review of secondary data identified 71 rare or threatened taxa as targets for seed collection. We then surveyed 68.7 km of trails in 26 forest remnants, identifying and mapping 1,027 seed-producing trees of 38 species. Surveys confirmed the scarcity of several tree species (including seven species with an abundance of <0.04 individuals per km), and nine species showed no signs of fruiting during 3 years of phenological monitoring. These findings, together with limited knowledge and application of optimal seed collection methods, are significant factors impeding the recovery of these species within their natural habitat. Wider application of the results of this case study could support restoration of the Araucaria Forest with seedlings from a wider diversity of species.

How Diverse is Tree Planting in the Central Plateau of Burkina Faso? Comparing Small-Scale Restoration with Other Planting Initiatives

“…The need to broaden the genetic base of forest reproductive material has been recognized as crucial in order to maximize the adaptive potential of restored populations [24,60]. Local tree populations targeted for seed sourcing, particularly for rare or highly threatened tree species [61], may be genetically impoverished or too degraded and fragmented. Furthermore, the timing and amount of seed produced by natural populations can vary over the years, making availability unpredictable.…”

Assessing bias and knowledge gaps on seed ecology research: implications for conservation agenda and policy

“…The primary goal of seed banking is to collect and store native seeds for long-term conservation, providing an insurance policy against the extinction of plant species in the wild, serving as an emergency reserve in case of disasters, thus complementing in situ conservation by providing material for research and seed increase efforts (Haidet and Olwell 2015). Data on long-term seed longevity of native species are available for some developed countries (Merritt et al 2014) but in Brazil, the few recent initiatives aiming to develop ex situ conservation strategies are still ecologically (focused on trees) and geographically biased (focused on Atlantic Forest; Hoffmann et al 2015). The goal of The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation through the Aichi Target is for at least 75% of globally threatened plant species to be included in ex situ collections and at least 20% available for recovery and restoration programs by 2020 (Hay and Probert 2013).…”

Rehabilitation of degraded dryland ecosystems – review

“…At the habitat level, the rehabilitation strategy for degraded dry forests should be sitespecific and depends among others on proximity to seed sources, soil seed banks, populations of seed dispersing animals, and site history particularly past disturbance regimes (Elliot et al 2013;Hoffman et al 2015). The rehabilitation strategies developed for moister forests may not be the best suited for dry forests.…”