Restoration – envirobites

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Relief for the Reef – Connecting Coral Resilience with Restoration Efforts

June 1, 2022June 30, 2022 Andrea Valcarcel 0 Comments Climate Change, climate resiliency, coastal resilience, coral, coral bleaching, coral nurseries, coral reef ecosystem, coral reefs, habitat restoration, reef restoration, rehabilitation, resilience, Restoration

Coral reefs are ecologically important for both marine and land species, offering support for high biodiversity. They also represent one of the most threatened ecosystems, especially as a result of climate change and human intervention. Due to their vulnerability and significance, many efforts have been made to restore these vital ecosystems, yet the worldwide success rates for coral reef restoration aren’t nearly as high as scientists had hoped. So, now the question is: is there anything that can be done to make coral reefs and their restoration more resilient to the threats they face?

A picture of a single Australian mangrove tree on an otherwise sandy beach. Many twisting and complex roots near the base of the tree hold the soil together, giving the ground beneath the tree a more stable look than the immediate surroundings.

Climate Ecosystems Environmental Science Remediation

Rising Sea Levels Call for Rising Wetlands

May 2, 2022May 2, 2022 Cypress Novick 0 Comments coastal wetlands, flooding, Restoration, sea level rise, stormwater infrastructure

Amid the search for protection against rising sea levels, many have turned to remediating or reconstructing traditional wetland ecosystems.

Climate Remediation

Using mangrove genes to protect where the land meets the sea

February 20, 2022February 20, 2022 Brandi Pessman 0 Comments coasts, diversity, genetics, mangroves, Restoration

When two of Earth’s forces meet, we often get monumental products. Where the land meets the sea, the mighty mangrove forest protects the coastline and all its inhabitants. Deforestation has led to rapid declines of mangroves, threatening the diversity of life that they support. Analyzing the genetic variation in a forest is a promising tool for protective measures and restoration. Saving mangrove forests might be in the genes.

Case Studies Ecosystems Environmental Science Remediation

Radioactive exclusion zone or restoration at work? Insights from the re-wilding of Chernobyl

February 15, 2022September 12, 2022 Brianne Palmer 0 Comments Nuclear Energy, Restoration, Rewildling

In 1986 a nuclear disaster rocked Belarus and forced thousands of people to abandon their homes for fear of radiation exposure. Now, removed from the impacts of human settlements, wildlife are returning to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ). In a new study, researchers studied the raptors in the CEZ to test re-wilding and ask the question: can removing humans from a landscape help restore the natural environments? And like all things in ecology, the answer is more complicated than it seems but offers a glimmer of hope for re-wilding endeavors in this Decade on Ecological Restoration.

Animal behavior Ecosystems Environmental Science

Surrogates for Ecosystem Engineers? A new method to restore the Galapagos Islands

July 6, 2021September 12, 2022 Brianne Palmer 0 Comments Ecosystem engineer, Galapagos, Restoration, tortoises

What do you see when you picture an engineer? Perhaps you picture a human in a hard hat watching a

Animal behavior Cities Ecosystems Environmental Science

Can Human Infrastructure Improve Biodiversity?

March 4, 2021September 16, 2022 Brianne Palmer 0 Comments fragmentation, humans and wildlife, infastructure, Restoration, wildlife

Electrical towers are dotted across landscapes around the world, bringing power to people in cities and the country. But can these towers be used to help wildlife? In a new study, researchers in Sevilla, Spain modified the base of these towers to attract wildlife. They found that not only do these man-made structures attract wildlife, but they can also act as wildlife corridors — providing safe passage for critters as they move across human-modified landscapes.

Ecosystems Environmental Science Remediation

What does the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration mean for you?

December 4, 2020September 12, 2022 Brianne Palmer 0 Comments ecosystem services, Humans, Restoration, Sociology, United Nations

The Decade of Ecological Restoration is nearly here! The process of helping ecosystems regain function and biodiversity is a new and complex field. It requires collaboration across academic disciplines and requires connecting the needs of humans and ecosystems. So, what can restoration ecologists learn from sociologists to bridge the gap between humans and nature and help make the coming decade a success?

Environmental Science

Lichens, we like them: Considering intimate relationships in biodiversity conservation

August 16, 2020August 16, 2020 Samantha Andres 0 Comments biodiversity, Conservation, Ecology, lichen, Restoration

Learning about lichens, and their contribution to biodiversity and ecosystem function.

Cities Ecosystems Environmental Science

From Cropland to Cities: Aerial Transport of Fungi

August 10, 2020September 12, 2022 Brianne Palmer 0 Comments fungi, Restoration, soil microbes, urban ecology

How connected are our farms to our cities? If you are a flying fungus, they may be very connected! In a new study, researchers from De Paul University found fungi from the soil on the rooftops of Chicago and wondered why. It turns out, small fungal spores can travel from agricultural fields through the air into the cities and form friendships with the city-dwelling plants. Understanding how these spores move from agriculture to cities could help researchers develop new insight of the urban ecosystem.

Ecosystems Environmental Science Remediation

Leaving a Legacy: Plants leave “memories” in the soil that can affect future generations

July 28, 2020July 28, 2020 Sienna Wessel 0 Comments environmental health, fungi, plant communities, plant-microbe association, Restoration, soil microbes

It’s easy to drive by grasslands, forests, and deserts without thinking too deeply about how and why they have developed to be unique from one another. Still, most of us have an intuition of how community drivers work, such as recognizing that sandy soils and very hot climates encourage the growth of cacti instead of oaks. As an ecologist that has done a lot of work with restoration projects, I am particularly interested in thinking about all of the environmental “ingredients” that go into the recipe for each unique plant community. The day that I found out that plants can leave “memories” in soil which change communities long term, I immediately began thinking about how we could harness this knowledge for good and whether or not humans play a role in the development of these legacies.

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