What is. Ecological Restoration. Welcome! Restoration Ecology Capstone Restoration Capstone Instructors. Restoration Capstone Students

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1 Restoration Ecology Capstone Restoration Capstone Instructors UW Bothell UW Seattle UW Tacoma Welcome! Warren Gold Jim Fridley Kern Ewing Rodney Pond John Banks UW Bothell UW Seattle UW Seattle UW Seattle UW Tacoma Restoration Capstone Students UW Bothell: 8 UW Seattle: 22 UW Tacoma: 4 What is Ecological Restoration? Ecological Restoration Ecological restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged or destroyed. Society for Ecological Restoration (2002) Ecological Restoration Introduction of native plant species into a prepared (or unprepared) site with the goal of fostering natural ecosystem processes and returning the site to a more natural condition. Kern Ewing

2 Ecological Restoration Ecological restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged or destroyed. Society for Ecological Restoration What is recovered? Goods & Services = Functions Ecosystem Functions Nutrient cycling Read CHAPTER 4 on Soil formation Ecosystem Functions Primary productivity / food Water quality Habitat Climate regulation Disturbance regulation Disease regulation Ecological restoration What kind of knowledge / expertise does it take to do restoration? is MULTIDISCIPLINARY involves application of principles Spirit of the Restoration Ecology Capstone Real-life ecological restoration project experience Engaging the Region: The UW Multiple phases of a restoration project for a real client Applying the knowledge you ve gained in academia (& beyond) Multidisciplinary, collaborative team-based experience

3 Engaging UW students with communities across the region Using natural sciences to restore damaged landscapes Using social sciences to build community stewardship November 2006 March 2007 May 2007 Capstone Project Clients Private Schools: 2 Evergreen School (Shoreline) Islandwood (Bainbridge Island) Community Groups: 2 Licton Springs Park Assoc (Seattle) Friends of Hylebos (Hylebos Cr) City Governments: 5 City of Bothell (Thrashers Corner Pk) City of Redmond (Grasslawn Park) City of Shoreline (Saltwater Park) City of Woodinville (Big Bear Creek) City of Seattle (7 Parks) County Governments: 1 Snohomish County (Swamp Creek) Tribal Governments: 1 Snoqualmie Nation (Coal Creek) Utilities: 1 Tacoma Power (Nisqually Gravel pit) Higher Ed Institutions: 2 UW (Union Bay Natural Area; Arboretum) Tacoma Community College Private Individuals & Institutions: 4 Landowners: Mercer Island, Snohomish, Port Gamble Earth Sanctuary (Whidbey Island) Restoration Tools & Lessons Fall Quarter Classes & Labs Project Team Client Site reviews Team meetings: problem solving Review Client RFP Site Analysis Functional req. & constraints Proposal Submit RFP Proposal review

4 Restoration Tools & Lessons Winter Quarter Classes & Labs Project Team Client Team meetings: problem solving Work Plan Site Preparation Project Implementation Stewardship building & plan Work Plan review Equipment & materials support Team meetings: problem solving Spring Quarter Classes & Labs Project Team Client Project Implementation As-Built report Stewardship building & plan!! CELEBRATION!! Equipment & materials support Stewardship training Fall Quarter 2008 Week Date Class Assignments 1 9/26 Introduction Student info & FT waiver forms due next week 2 10/3 & 4 Site visits Project ranking due Oct / / /24 Teams & projects assigned Restoration design FRC exercise Site assessment Team member meetings Team meetings with instructors FRC exercise due 10/25 field trip Fall Quarter 2008 Week Date Class Assignments 6 10/31 Invasives 7 11/7 8 11/ /21 Site prep Plant selection Team meetings to review proposal Habitat features Plant installation 10 12/5 No class meeting Draft proposal due on PRB Client & student comments on proposals p due 11/12 on PRB Site assessment due 11/14 FRC exercise due Final proposal, peer evaluations, timesheets due Fall Quarter Rules Regulations, expectations, guidelines handout coming soon! Grading Combination of individual work, group products, peer evaluations - SEE SYLLABUS Ecological Restoration Ecological restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged or destroyed. Society for Ecological Restoration (2002) The role of the practitioner is to reinitiate ecosystem development. Clewell & Aronson (2007) Restoration is not a singular event

5 Ecological Restoration Ecological restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged or destroyed. Society for Ecological Restoration (2002) An ecosystem has a developmental l trajectory t This trajectory can be predicted into the future The accuracy of that prediction depends upon: the environment & random events Clewell & Aronson (2007) Restoration as a process: trajectory & endpoint Community haracteristics C The process of recovery Time An ecosystem has a developmental trajectory This trajectory can be predicted into the future The accuracy of that prediction depends upon: the environment & random events Clewell & Aronson (2007) Trajectory Endpoints: What is recovery? In a restoration there is maximum recovery of ecosystem structure and functions Trajectory Endpoints: How do we determine the desired endpoint? Reference models CHAPTER 5! Bradshaw (1987) Bradshaw (1987) Ecological Restoration Ecological restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged or destroyed. Society for Ecological Restoration (2002) Connecting principles to practice: ecological science & restoration Once an ecosystem has undergone ecological restoration, it should be self-organizing, self-sustaining, and capable of maintaining itself Clewell & Aronson (2007) Restoration landscaping project

6 Choose 3 ecological concepts: define the concept and determine how it applies to your restoration Ecological Concepts Succession Diversity Ruderal Competitive Stress Tolerant Adaptation Acclimation Holocoenotic Environment Island Biogeography Patch dynamics Non-equilibrium community dynamics Succession Gradual, directional change in species composition or structure of a plant community over time Barbour et al. (1999) Succession following abandonment of a farm field in North Carolina Seral Stages Climax Stage Succession following fire in a PNW Forest FIRE TIME Pioneer Stage Biological & Structural Diversity accumulate through time Multiple possible endpoints & trajectories Community Characteristics Time Endpoints & trajectories determined by Autogenic factors (biota themselves) Allogenic factors (e.g., disturbance, invasives) Succession restoration implications Gradual, directional change in species composition or structure of a plant community over time Barbour et al. (1999) Restoration initiates and directs this process Often not completely deterministic Consider autogenic & allogenic factors that may influence trajectory & endpoint of restoration

7 Structural Diversity Horizontal Vertical Diversity Biological (species) Diversity Richness Equitability A couple of factors to consider that underlay biodiversity Topography Disturbance Environmental Diversity Biodiversity Topographic variation fosters diversity Ecological Restoration created topography & environmental diversity at UWB Mounds created with Woody Debris (logs)

8 Varying topography Plant species diversity Animal habitat diversity Horizontal diversity in a floodplain wetland MOUND PIT March 2006 Forest VERTICAL structural complexity Vertical diversity in a forest Habitat diversity Animal diversity Diversity implications for restoration Diversity Good IF biodiversity is important to your project consider how you can modify the underlying environmental factors that foster diversity (e.g., topography, vegetation structure, disturbance) Kruckeberg (1991) Pote ential Produ uctivity Life History Strategies: Ruderal Competitive Stress Tolerant High Low Competitive Stress Tolerant Ruderal Low High Disturbance R C S Life Histories: restoration implications Po otential Productivity High Low Competitive Stress Tolerant Low Disturbance Ruderal High Consider life history attributes that place species in these categories Select species appropriate for mix of environmental conditions in SPACE & TIME

9 Adaptation Acclimation Adaptation genetic range of a species tolerance for environmental condition Adaptation Acclimation Acclimation phenotypic adjustment to changing / different environmental conditions Dry Environmental Gradient Restoration Implications Right plant right place Know your plant material (species, ecotype) Conditions of place are a moving target Plant assemblage is a moving target Wet Dry Environmental Gradient Wet Restoration Implications Flexibility of plants to changing conditions Know your site how important is acclimation ability? Seasonal changes Successional changes The Holocoenotic Environment 1. Mulitple Factors Abiotic Biotic 2. Factor Interaction RADIATION organism WATER Air temperature Fire Humidity The Holocoentoic Environment Insect herbivores Competing shrubs Soil moisture PLANTS SOIL ROCKS Billings (1978) Insect pollinators Soil N Soil OM Storm frequency Implications for restoration? Changes you make can have complex implications Limitations on species can arise from many angles Island Biogeography Landscape Ecology Island Biogeography restoration implications Patch Matrix Patch Matrix Rate of colonization of island depends on distance from reservoir Local extinction rates are higher for patches further from large reservoirs Local extinction rates are higher for smaller patches Smaller, isolated patches of restored ecosystems are much less stable and require more maintenance (more prone to invasion by non-native species and loss of natives)

10 Island Biogeography restoration implications Condition of the surrounding matrix is important Influences how aggressive the restoration approach is Influences maintenance requirements & long-term success ood Likelih Site will recover on its own Long term success Condition of Matrix Considerable maintenance required after restoration Natural Semi-natural Highly Modified Patches in the urban matrix Patches can occur WITHIN your site as well! Patch dynamics Non-equilibrium community dynamics Patch dynamics Non-equilibrium community dynamics Traditional, equilibrium-based view Plant communities better thought of as mosaic of dynamic patches rather than Uniform, stable climax assemblages Patch dynamics Non-equilibrium community dynamics Species composition at a site is a function of Site availability (site conditions) Species availability (can they get there?) Species performance (can they handle it there?) Patch dynamics Non-equilibrium community dynamics Restoration implications Tempers the absoluteness of targets Anticipate development of a mosaic rather than homogeneity Allow for dynamic nature of real system Recognize the importance of species availability for recolonization in a patchy, long-term dynamic system