Foundations of Restoration Ecology (The Science and Practice of Ecological Restoration Series)

The practice of ecological restoration, firmly grounded in the science of restoration ecology, provides governments, organizations, and landowners a means to halt degradation and restore function and resilience to ecosystems stressed by climate change and other pressures on the natural world. Foundational theory is a critical component of the underlying science, providing valuable insights into restoring ecological systems effectively and understanding why some efforts to restore systems can fail. In turn, on-the-ground restoration projects can help to guide and refine theory, advancing the field and providing new ideas and innovations for practical application. This new edition of Foundations of Restoration Ecology provides the latest emerging theories and ideas in the science of restoration ecology. Fully one-third longer than the first edition and comprehensive in scope, it has been dramatically updated to reflect new research. Included are new sections devoted to concepts critical to all restoration projects as well as restoration of specific ecosystem processes, including hydrology, nutrient dynamics, and carbon. Also new to this edition are case studies that describe real-life restoration scenarios in North and South America, Europe, and Australia. They highlight supporting theory for restoration application and other details important for assessing the degree of success of restoration projects in a variety of contexts. Lists at the end of each chapter summarize new theory introduced in that chapter and its practical application. Written by acclaimed researchers in the field, this book provides practitioners as well as graduate and undergraduate students with a solid grounding in the newest advances in ecological science and theory. The practice of ecological restoration, firmly grounded in the science of restoration ecology, provides governments, organizations, and landowners a means to halt degradation and restore function and resilience to ecosystems stressed by climate change and other pressures on the natural world. Foundational theory is a critical component of the underlying science, providing valuable insights into restoring ecological systems effectively and understanding why some efforts to restore systems can fail. In turn, on-the-ground restoration projects can help to guide and refine theory, advancing the field and providing new ideas and innovations for practical application. This second edition63, 63, 0.85098); font-family: Verdana, "Verdana Ref", Corbel, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", "DejaVu Sans", "Bitstream Vera Sans", "Liberation Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> provides the latest emerging theories and ideas in the science of restoration ecology. Fully one-third longer than the first edition and comprehensive in scope, it has been dramatically updated to reflect new research. Included are new sections devoted to concepts critical to all restoration projects as well as restoration of specific ecosystem processes, including hydrology, nutrient dynamics, and carbon. Also new to this edition are case studies that describe real-life restoration scenarios in North and South America, Europe, and Australia. They highlight supporting theory for restoration application and other details important for assessing the degree of success of restoration projects in a variety of contexts. Lists at the end of each chapter summarize new theory introduced in that chapter and its practical application. Written by acclaimed researchers in the field, this book provides practitioners as well as graduate and undergraduate students with a solid grounding in the newest advances in ecological science and theory Front Matter....Pages i-xv Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Ecological Theory and Restoration Ecology....Pages 3-26 Ecological Dynamics and Ecological Restoration....Pages 27-56 Biodiversity as a Goal and Driver of Restoration....Pages 57-89 Landscape Ecology and Restoration Processes....Pages 90-120 Front Matter....Pages 121-121 Population and Ecological Genetics in Restoration Ecology....Pages 123-152 Ecophysiological Considerations for Restoration....Pages 153-181 Implications of Population and Metapopulation Theory for Restoration Science and Practice....Pages 182-215 Invasive Species and Restoration Challenges....Pages 216-244 Assembly Theory for Restoring Ecosystem Structure and Functioning: Timing is Everything?....Pages 245-270 Heterogeneity Theory and Ecological Restoration....Pages 271-300 Food Web Theory and Ecological Restoration....Pages 301-329 Front Matter....Pages 331-331 Nutrient Dynamics as Determinants and Outcomes of Restoration....Pages 333-364 Recovery of Ecosystem Processes: Carbon and Energy Flows in Restored Wetlands, Grasslands, and Forests....Pages 365-394 Watershed Processes as Drivers for Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration....Pages 395-423 Front Matter....Pages 425-425 Evolutionary Restoration Ecology....Pages 427-454 Macroecology and the Theory of Island Biogeography: Abundant Utility for Applications in Restoration Ecology....Pages 455-483 The Influence of Climate Variability and Change on the Science and Practice of Restoration Ecology....Pages 484-513 Front Matter....Pages 515-515 Persistent and Emerging Themes in the Linkage of Theory to Restoration Practice....Pages 517-531 Back Matter....Pages 533-550 "This revised and expanded edition of Foundations of Restoration Ecology delivers the latest emerging theories and ideas in the science of restoration ecology. New sections cover the restoration of specific ecosystem processes, including hydrology, nutrient dynamics, and carbon. Case studies describe real-life restoration scenarios in North and South America, Europe, and Australia"--Cover Aims to advance the science behind the practice of restoring ecosystems, while exploring ways in which restoration ecology can inform basic ecological questions. This work provides a comprehensive overview of the theoretical foundations of restoration ecology, and is useful for those involved in restoration research, teaching, or practice.