Restoration of Terrestrial Communities

Scott D Wilson, University of Regina, Regina, Canada

Published online: December 2008

DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0020469

Restoration returns ecosystems that have been altered by humans to states similar to unaltered systems, especially with regard to dominant vegetation, energy flows, water capture and nutrient cycling. General themes in terrestrial restoration include the degree of alteration, the similarity of the restoration to unaltered systems, and methods for ameliorating soil and returning vegetation. Socioeconomic factors may have overriding influences on restoration strategies. Restoration is a field ripe for research, both in the synthesis of applied knowledge and as a system for experimentally addressing a broad variety of ecological topics.

Keywords: disturbance; ecosystem; restoration; soil; vegetation

Figure 1. An abandoned field (dark green) planted with an introduced grass, Agropyron cristatum (crested wheatgrass), in southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada. The field is surrounded by native grassland (light brown) and lies within a national park. The field has been restored for economic productivity but has low diversity, and plant and animal communities that differ greatly from natural vegetation.
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Related Sub-Topics:

Restoration Ecology | Conservation and Management | Ecological Methods
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Article Title: Restoration of Terrestrial Communities
 
How to Cite close
Wilson, Scott D(Dec 2008) Restoration of Terrestrial Communities. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0020469]