Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 1.2
Suitability of ecosystem attributes to measuring the degree of restoration success at different
ambition levels.
Attribute
Ambition level
Reclamation
Rehabilitation
Restoration
Characteristic assemblage of species
−
−
+
Indigenous species
−
−
+
All functional trophic groups
−
−
+
Normal functioning of cycles
−
+
+
Appropriate physical environment
+
+
+
Integrated into a larger landscape
+
+
−
External threats eliminated or reduced
+
+
−
Resilience to perturbation
+
+
−
Self-sustaining
+
−
−
+
, Suitable;
−
, not suitable.
in ecosystem trajectory from natural fluctuation and,
crucially, are able to act upon the result of this ana-
lysis, swiftly and effectively. In order to do this we
need to have a deep understanding of the ecology of
our systems of interest.
The proper placing of technical aspects of ecolo-
gical restoration within a societal setting is clearly a
crucial task for the restoration ecologist. To be suc-
cessful in this, however, we must be clear as to what
we mean by those technical parameters, their limits
and utility, in order to aid the larger project of
integration into the societal context. Clarifying and
identifying those technical and scientific issues in
restoration ecology is the primary intention of this
volume.
Target
range
failure 2
RESTORATION
SUCCESSION
failure 1
Adverse
Time
Fig. 1.7
Restoration success in relation to time:
failures go undetected without appropriate monitoring.
