Ecological Restoration: A Global Challenge

by Francisco A. Comín (Editor)

Overview

Ecological restoration projects seek to recover the natural functioning of degraded ecosystems, most often areas disturbed by human large scale projects such as agriculture developments, road building, mining and urban sprawl. While scientists focus on the ecological basis of habitat repair, practitioners, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and local people, tend to worry about social, economic, cultural and political aspects. The value of ecological restoration is discussed here with examples including tropical forests in Vietnam and Australia; degraded environments in China as a paradigm of global issues; the restoration of wetlands and the coastal zone and how to proceed with urban developments. The author also uniquely assesses how ecological restoration can be used against the impacts of climate change. In addition to strategies for extending ecological restoration at global scale, it provides useful ideas and tools for the everyday work of professionals,researchers and students.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521877114
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	02/11/2010
Pages:	318
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.80(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Francisco A. Comín is an ecologist with background experience on ecosystem analysis and development of management tools. He has been Professor of Ecology at University of Barcelona (Spain) for 25 years and visiting professor of CINVESTAV-IPN (Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico) for 15 years. Books published include Global Climate. Current research and uncertainties in the Climate System, with X. Rodo (Springer, 2003); Saline Lakes. Developments in Hydrobiology 59, with T. Northcote (Springer, 1990); and Limnology and Aquatic Birds. Monitoring, Modelling and Management, with J. A. Herrera and J. Ramírez (Univ. Autónoma del Yucatán Publ., 2000). He has been performing research on practical works on ecological restoration for twenty years. The integration of scientific-technical, economic and social aspects is a guide for his work on ecological restoration. Topics in the frontier between different sciences are a special subject of interest as is shown in this book. He is a member of SER International, Intecol and RIACRE.

Table of Contents

List of contributors xi

Foreword xv

Preface xvii

Acknowledgements xxii

List of abbreviations xxiii

Part I Global perspectives for ecological restoration 1

1 The challenges of humanity in the twenty-first century and the role of ecological restoration Francisco A. Comín 3

1.1 A changing world 3

1.2 The challenges to the Earth in the twenty-first century 5

1.3 Global changes versus local actions 8

1.4 Scientific approaches to our environmental problems 10

1.5 Socio-ecological approaches to solving environmental problems 11

1.6 The role of ecological restoration in solving our problems 13

References 17

2 The global carbon cycle: current research and uncertainties in the sources and sinks of carbon Dario Papale Riccardo Valentini 21

2.1 Introduction 21

2.2 Magnitude: "slow in, fast out"? 21

2.3 Methodology: how to investigate carbon cycle patterns and processes 26

2.4 Variability: how variable is the terrestrial part of the carbon cycle? 34

2.5 Ecological restoration and the Kyoto Protocol 38

References 39

3 Using international carbon markets to finance forest restoration Johannes Ebeling Malika Virah-Sawmy Pedro Moara Costa 45

3.1 Introduction 45

3.2 Forestry and international carbon markets 46

3.3 How do forestry projects work in carbon markets? 55

3.4 Opportunities for ecological restoration through forest carbon markets 60

3.5 Restoration through carbon forestry in practice 65

3.6 Challenges for integrating carbon forestry and ecological restoration 66

3.7 Conclusions and outlook 70

References 73

4 The value of a restored Earth and its contribution to a sustainable and desirable future Robert Costanza 78

4.1 Introduction 78

4.2 Ecosystem services and natural capital 79

4.3 Ways to restore the Earth's natural capital 83

4.4 Estimates of the value of a restored Earth 84

4.5 Paths to a restored Earth 88

4.6 Conclusions 89

References 89

5 Focal restoration Eric Higgs 91

5.1 Introduction 91

5.2 Effective, efficient and engaging restoration 91

5.3 Cultural variation 93

5.4 Technological restoration 95

5.5 Focal restoration 97

References 98

6 Ethical dimensions of ecological restoration Rebecca L. Vidra Theodore H. Shear 100

6.1 Introduction 100

6.2 Definitions and expectations of ecological restoration 102

6.3 Restoration as a process: an art, practice or science? 103

6.4 Restoration as the acid test: the next big lie? 105

References 109

Part II Towards the practice of ecological restoration on a global scale 113

7 Undertaking forest restoration on a landscape scale in the humid tropics: matching theory and practice in developed and developing countries David Lamb 115

7.1 Introduction 115

7.2 Reforestation at a particular site 116

7.3 Reforestation of degraded sites in the wet tropics of Australia and Vietnam 119

7.4 Forest restoration across landscapes 124

7.5 Implementing forest landscape restoration 127

7.6 Discussion and conclusions 134

References 136

8 Land degradation and ecological restoration in China Bojie Fu Dong Niu Yihe Lu Guohua Liu Wenwu Zhao 140

8.1 Introduction 140

8.2 Land degradation and related impacts 142

8.3 Ecological restoration 152

8.4 Concluding remarks 165

References 166

9 Conservation, restoration and creation of wetlands: a global perspective William J. Mitsch 175

9.1 Introduction 175

9.2 Wetland definitions and global extent 176

9.3 Wetland losses 177

9.4 A more optimistic approach: creating and restoring wetlands and watersheds 178

9.5 Wetland restoration on a global scale 186

9.6 Conclusions 187

References 187

10 Uses, abuses and restoration of the coastal zone Francisco A. Comín Jordi Serra Jorge A. Herrera 189

10.1 Introduction 189

10.2 Types of coastal ecosystems and their restoration 191

10.3 Uses of the coastal zone 201

10.4 Abuses in the coastal zone 206

10.5 Restoration of the coastal zone: what is being done and what is necessary 210

10.6 Conclusions 215

References 217

11 Spatial ecological solutions to mesh nature and people: Boston suburb, Barcelona region and urban regions worldwide Richard T. T. Forman 225

11.1 Introduction 225

11.2 Local unit in the Boston region 236

11.3 Greater Barcelona region 230

11.4 Urban regions compared 239

References 242

12 The role of ecological modelling in ecosystem restoration Sven Erik Jørgensen 245

12.1 Ecological modelling as a tool for ecological restoration 245

12.2 Models applied in ecosystem restoration 247

12.3 Case studies 249

12.4 Conclusions 262

References 262

13 Restoration as a bridge for cooperation and peace Amos Brandeis 264

13.1 Introduction 264

13.2 The Alexander River Restoration Project 265

13.3 The Lake Bam Restoration Project 268

13.4 Lessons learned about how restoration projects become bridges for cooperation 271

13.5 Conclusions 283

References 287

Index 289

Editorial Reviews

"The range of case studies is welcome and inspires confidence in restoration schemes while emphasizing the uniqueness of each situation. Chapters on ecosystem modeling and the value of restoration as a means of promoting inter-group co-operation are fitting ends to this book which provides a sound introduction to ecological restoration. The case studies give cause for optimism as they reflect the ability of society to redress environmental abuse and show that adverse human impact can be addressed positively."
Antoinette Mannion, Bulletin of the British Ecological Society

"...the diverse ideas about ecological restoration are readily accessible to the nonspecialist. The extensive list of citations is of particular value. Recommended." CHOICE

From the Publisher