Restoration – Page 2

Friday, April 26, 2024

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.

Ecosystems Environmental Science

Legacies of human impacts linger in longleaf pine

June 8, 2020September 12, 2022 Brianne Palmer 0 Comments longleaf pine, Restoration, Soil, soil microbes

Historically humans have tilled the land for agriculture. Now, in the longleaf pine forests in the Southeastern United States, many are working to restore the land. Restoration is used to bring back the pre-agriculture plant communities but how do these interventions change the soil microbes?

Environmental Science

A Matter of Mulch: Restoring Post-Fire Pine Forests in the Western United States

June 1, 2020May 30, 2020 Jenna Zukswert 0 Comments erosion, forest managment, mulch, pine, Restoration, Soil, Wildfire

Following severe fires, forest soils can erode, depositing sediment into nearby waterways after it rains and threatening local water quality as a result. Mulch is often used to reduce soil erosion in forests following wildfire. Following the High Park Fire in Colorado, scientists tested several types of mulch to determine which was most effective. Thanks to this study, we now know that wood mulch is better than wheat-straw mulch at promoting the return of pine trees and excluding non-native species from taking over, while also stabilizing the soil, probably because wood mulch persists longer and holds more moisture.

Environmental Science

What is Earth’s tree carrying capacity and how might it mitigate climate change?

April 7, 2020April 7, 2020 Samantha Andres 0 Comments Climate Change, Ecology, forestry, Global change biology, modeling, Restoration

Author: Samantha E Andres ARTICLE: Bastin, Jean-Francois, et al. “The global tree restoration potential.” Science 365.6448 (2019): 76-79. DOI: 10.1126/science.aax0848

Ecosystems Environmental Science

The Forest-Fungi Loop

March 4, 2020March 3, 2020 Abigail Bezrutczyk 0 Comments Conservation, Ecology, ecosystems, environmental science, forests, fungi, Restoration, Soil, Trees

The ground under our feet might have more say in the landscape than we realize– researchers are studying the feedback loops between fungi and trees.

Ecosystems Environmental Science

Microbes for Disappearing Dunes

November 17, 2019November 16, 2019 Abigail Bezrutczyk 0 Comments Climate Change, Coastal Changes, Conservation, environmental science, erosion, hurricanes, microbes, plant diversity, Restoration, Sustainability

A major challenge our coastal ecosystems face is rapid loss of sand dunes due to coastal erosion. Plants play an important role in sand dune restoration. However, without the right microbes these plants may not be able to establish themselves in the dunes.

Environmental Science

Listen for a Change: Bioacoustics in Restored Habitat Combats the Bird Decline

October 30, 2019October 23, 2019 Abigail Bezrutczyk 0 Comments Alaska, bioacoustics, bird decline, birds, Conservation, Ecology, environmental science, habitat restoration, ornithology, Restoration

Excerpt: A recent study has revealed that 3 billion birds have disappeared since 1970 in North America. Restoring habitat can help reverse this loss, and technology in listening for birds can be a vital tool to see if this approach to restoring bird habitat is working.

Climate Ecosystems Environmental Science

Glimmer of Hope: Seagrasses Starting to Recover in Europe

August 14, 2019August 17, 2019 Brittany Maule 0 Comments Climate Change, coastal environments, ecosystem services, Ocean, Restoration

Seagrasses provide vital habitat and resources for marine ecosystems. Water pollution, disease, and coastal modification have led to a decrease in 30% of seagrasses across Europe. Researchers analyzed over 1,000 studies to understand the trends of seagrasses over nearly 150 years. While overall losses have been great, the last few decades have shown seagrasses are starting to recover – likely due to strategies to decrease water pollution and protect vital habitats.

Ecosystems Environmental Science

Warblers out of the Woods: Savanna Restoration Creates Bird Habitat

May 30, 2019September 18, 2022 Abigail Bezrutczyk 0 Comments birds, Conservation, disturbance, ecosystem, forest ecology, habitat, Restoration, savanna, woodland

Savannas and woodlands are being restored in the Midwest– but how is that restoration affecting birds? The new habitat can be a good thing for bird conservation.

Case Studies Ecosystems Environmental Science

Using Genetics to Inform Conservation: Spring-Run Chinook Salmon in the Klamath-Trinity River Basin

May 5, 2019May 20, 2019 Maddie Halloran 0 Comments California, Chinook, genetics, Restoration, salmon

The same species of Chinook salmon in the Klamath-Trinity basin return to the river each year in two groups: the fall-run and the spring-run. Spring-run Chinook in the Klamath River have drastically declined from historical levels, and are at much lower abundances than fall-run Chinook there. A key genetic difference between these two runs may determine how they are protected (and hopefully restored) under the Endangered Species Act. Read on to learn more!