1. Chapter 10 Ecological Restoration

2. The Balance of Nature –An environmental myth that states that the natural environment, when not influenced by human activity, will reach a constant status, unchanging over time. –Major Tenets: Nature undisturbed achieves a permanency If disturbed momentarily, returns to exact permanent state Place for each creature and each creature in its place

3. What is “Natural”? Restoring an ecosystem to its historical range of variation and to an ability to sustain itself and its crucial functions, including the cycling of chemical elements, the flow of energy, and the maintenance of the biological diversity that existed previously. –Examine populations that have decline and ecosystems that have been damaged and learn what is lacking. –Science and nature

4. What needs to be restored? 1.Wetlands, Rivers and Streams (Ex: Kissimmee River, Everglades National Park) 2.Prairie Restoration (Ex: Allwine Prairie) *Roads and railroads

6. When Nature Restores Itself: The Process of Ecological Succession Ecological Succession: The process of the development of an ecological community or ecosystem. Two Types: 1.Primary Succession: The initial establishment and development of an ecosystem 2.Secondary Succession: The reestablishment of an ecosystem where there are remnants of a previous biological community

7. Patterns in Succession 1.An initial kind of vegetation specially adapted to the unstable conditions 2.Small plants and other early-successional species grow and seeds spread rapidly. 3.Larger plants and other late successional species enter and begin to dominate the site. 4.A mature forest develops. Examples of Succession: Dune Succession, Bog Succession, Old-Field Succession

8. Dune Succession Shores of Lake Michigan Dune Grass –Runners stabilize soil Other plants Eastern Red Cedar, White Pine Beech and Maple

9. Bog Succession

10. Old-Field Succession Farm-land Abandoned and allowed to grow back to forest Small plants, larger plants, to trees (Sugar Maple, Beech, Yellow Birch, White Pine)

12. Biomass and Diversity with Succession Biomass, production, diversity and chemical cycling change during succession Biomass and diversity peak in mid- succession, increasing at first to a maximum, then declining and varying over time.

14. Succession and Chemical Cycling Storage of chemical elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium..) increases from early to mid-succession –Organic matter stores chemical elements –Live and dead organic matter retards soil erosion Greater amounts of organic matter, greater amounts of chemicals elements retained Soils store more elements than does live tissue but cycle them at a slower rate.

15. Species Change in Succession Earlier and later species in succession may interact in three ways: 1.Facilitation 2.Interference 3.Life history differences If they do not interact, the result is termed chronic patchiness

16. Facilitation During succession, one species prepares the way for the next (and may even be necessary for the occurrence of the next) Can be useful in the restoration of damaged areas. Ex) Tropical Rain Forest

18. Interference During succession, one species prevents the entrance of a later species into an ecosystem. Ex) Some grasses produce dense and thick mats so the seeds of trees cannot reach the soil to germinate

20. Life History Difference The difference in the life histories of the species allow some time to arrive first and grow quickly, while others arrive late and grow more slowly Early vs. Late-Successional Species Ex) seed disbursal

21. Chronic Patchiness Species don’t interact Harsh Environments –Limited chemical elements or energy; frequent disturbances Deserts –Patches of mature shrubs (few seedlings) –Persist for a long period of time

23. Applying Knowledge for Restoration Great Britain and lead mining 55,000 hectares 1st: heavy fertilizers and fast-growing grasses 2nd: slow growing native- grasses, adapted to minerally deficient soils