"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE FOR CSS......

AUTHOR: IMRAN BASHIR(PMS)" 1

ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION
IT IS THE PROCESS OF ASSISTING THE RECOVERY OF AN
ECOSYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN DEGRADED, DAMAGED OR
DESTROYED.

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"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE FOR CSS......AUTHOR: IMRAN BASHIR(PMS)" 3
 "ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE FOR 4
CSS......AUTHOR: IMRAN BASHIR(PMS)"
Conservation Biology and Restoration Ecology
Conservation biology often has organisms, but not entire ecosystems and their functions, as its
focus it towards a narrowed approach with limited aims.
Focuses
 Conservation biology has historically focused on target
individuals and has thus concentrated on genetic and
population level dynamics.

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 Theoretical Foundations
DISTURBANCE:
Disturbance is a change of environmental conditions which interferes with
the functioning of a biological system.
SUCCESSION:
Ecological succession is a process by which the component species of the
community changes over time.
RESILIENCE:
A system that has experienced a more severe disturbance may require
restorative efforts. This ability to recover is called resilience.
Fragmentation

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Attributes of Restored Ecosystems
The restored ecosystem contains a characteristic assemblage of the species that occurs in the
ecosystem
All functional group necessary for the continued development and stability of the restored
ecosystem are represented.
The restored ecosystem apparently functions for its ecological stage of development.
Potential threats of the restored ecosystem have been eliminated.
The restored ecosystem is self-sustaining to the same degree as its reference ecosystem.
The restored ecosystem apparently functions normally for its ecological matrix or landscape.

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Goals of Restoration
To provide specified natural goods and services for social benefit in a sustainable manner
Restore ecosystem to provide habitat for rare species or to harbor a diverse gene pool for
selected species.
Provision aesthetic amenities

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Restoration and Planning
A clear rationale as to why ecosystem is needed
A designation and description of the reference
A statement of the goals and objectives of the restoration project
An ecological description of the site designated for restoration
Strategies for long term protection
Well-developed and explicitly stated performance standards

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Reasons to Restore an Ecosystem
Mitigation climate change
Restoring natural capital
Aesthetic reasons
Helping threatened or endangered species

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Problems with Restoration
Many times uncertainty is not addressed
An ecosystem is so degraded that abundant may be the wisest option
High economic cost may also be perceived as a negative impact of the restoration process

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