10 papers

The world of restoration and the issues that affect its successful implementation are far broader than I could have imagined before this class. I think the weekly topics did a very good job of covering the range of issues involved in restoration, but mainly I wanted to include papers that set forth some of the theory and challenges that face restoration, as well as issues regarding scale and conservation. Some of the papers could fit in multiple categories and some of them were just papers I thought were particularly interesting without necessarily fitting in anywhere.

Reforming Watershed Restoration: Science in Need of Application and Applications in Need of Science
Palmer, M. 2009. Reforming Watershed Restoration: Science in Need
of Application and Applications in Need of Science. Estuaries and Coasts (2009) 32:1–17.
This paper gives a good overview of some the shortcomings of restoration science and how to better integrate theory with practice.

Beyond Reserves: A Research Agenda for Conserving Biodiversity in Human-modified Tropical Landscapes
Chazdon, RL; Harvey, CA; Komar, O; et al. Beyond Reserves: A Research Agenda for Conserving Biodiversity in Human-modified Tropical Landscapes BIOTROPICA, 41 (2): 142-153 MAR 2009
This article does a great job of addressing some of the issues involved in incorporating human-managed landscapes into a conservation plan. It addresses concepts ranging from tropical ecology, ecological services, and social factors involved in restoration.

Ecological restoration in the light of ecological history.
Jackson, S. T., & Hobbs, R. J. (2009). Ecological restoration in the light of ecological history. Science, 325(5940), 567-569.
This article addresses the problem of using historical reference sites when future climatic conditions are expected to potentially change. It challenges some of the very natural assumptions we have about restoration goals.

Viewing Invasive Species Removal in a Whole-Ecosystem Context
Zavaleta, ES; Hobbs, RJ; Mooney, HA. 2001. Viewing invasive species removal in a whole-ecosystem context. TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION 16 (8): 454-459
Species interactions are perhaps more important to understand, and of course more difficult to understand, but should be of primary concern in planning a restoration project. The article gives many examples of how focusing too narrowly on certain species can have unintended consequences.

Response diversity, ecosystem change, and resilience
Elmqvist, T., Folke, C., Nyström, M., Peterson, G., Bengtsson, J., Walker, B., & Norberg, J. (2003). Response diversity, ecosystem change, and resilience. The Ecological Society of America, 1(9), 488-493.

Integrating traditional ecological knowledge and ecological science: a question of scale
Gagnon, C. A., and D. Berteaux. 2009. Integrating traditional ecological knowledge and ecological science: a question of scale. Ecology and Society 14(2): 19. [online] URL: http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol14/iss2/art19/
--This is a great article for understanding and incorporating traditional knowledge into a restoration plan. A good place to get a better appreciation for thinking beyond the boundaries of what we normally think of as science and how the information there can enhance a project.

Management of novel ecosystems: are novel approaches required?
Seastedt, T. R., R. J. Hobbs, and K. N. Suding. 2008. Management of novel ecosystems: are novel approaches required? Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 6:547-553
--A good paper for thinking about how we go about conducting a restoration project and the assumptions we bring from our given backgrounds.

Ecosystem services: from eye-opening metaphor to complexity blinder. Ecological Economics
Norgaard, R. 2010. Ecosystem services: from eye-opening metaphor to complexity blinder. Ecological Economics. 69 1219-1227.
I felt this was a very good paper on the shortcomings of focusing too narrowly on ecosystem services as the ultimate goal driving restoration projects. Does a very good job of talking about other forms of scientific knowledge that should be incorporated in understanding restoration science (i.e. not just economic valuation of ecosystem service).

Rapid Recovery of Damaged Ecosystems
Jones, HP; Schmitz, OJ Rapid Recovery of Damaged Ecosystems PLoS ONE, 4(5): e5653 MAY
I felt this paper did a good job of talking about the various levels of input required for a successful project.

Social infrastructure to integrate science and practice: The experience of the Long Tom Watershed Council
Flitcroft R.L., Dedrick D.C., Smith C.L., Thieman C.A., and Bolte J.P. 2009. "Social infrastructure to integrate science and practice: The experience of the Long Tom Watershed Council". Ecology and Society. 14 (2)
I fet it important to include some example of a case study that seemed to show many things that went right. Ideally, I think I would include some of the links to case studies we looked at last week.