Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaohang Bai, Wenwu Zhao, Jing Wang, Carla Sofia Santos Ferreira
Summary: Grassland ecosystems are crucial for global sustainable development. This study in Inner Mongolia, China, analyzed the stability of temperate grassland plant communities and found that functional diversity is more influential than species diversity. Climate factors play a significant role in community diversity and stability.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Qian Zhang, Kesi Liu, Xinqing Shao, Hui Li, Yixuan He, Sirimuji, Baojie Wang
Summary: The study found that soil microbial abundance and activity change over time during natural restoration succession, with the period of 6-10 years being crucial for an increase in microbial numbers. Additionally, diversity of fungi and bacteroidetes increased while chloroflexi diversity decreased during the succession process.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Stephanie Schelfhout, Safaa Wasof, Jan Mertens, Margot Vanhellemont, Andreas Demey, Annelies Haegeman, Eva DeCock, Iris Moeneclaey, Pieter Vangansbeke, Nicole Viaene, Steve Baeyen, Nancy De Sutter, Martine Maes, Wim H. van der Putten, Kris Verheyen, An De Schrijver
Summary: The study on Nardus grassland species grown in different phosphorus gradients revealed a significant impact of phosphorus concentration on the biomass of oligotrophic indicator species, which were outcompeted by fast-growing plant species. Restoration of Nardus grasslands requires phosphorus-poor soil conditions to maintain the typical species composition.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Chao Yang, Juan Sun
Summary: This study investigates the impact of overgrazing on soil properties and plant succession in the alpine meadows of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Changes in soil properties, particularly soil pH and bulk density, play a significant role in influencing plant community structure and composition with grassland degradation. Future research should focus on key species and soil properties in degraded grasslands.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pengpeng Dou, Zhengzhou Miao, Jie Wang, Jing Huang, Qian Gao, Kaili Wang, Kun Wang
Summary: Changes in the composition of species and the diversity-productivity relationships during vegetation succession are important for restoring degraded grasslands. However, current restoration efforts mainly focus on either the ecological (diversity) or production (biomass) function of grasslands, without fully considering their relationship to improve restoration effects. This study explores the changes in species composition, diversity, and diversity-productivity relationships during the restoration of a temperate savanna. The results show shifts in plant types and significant increases in species richness and diversity throughout the restoration process. Latitude is negatively correlated with species diversity. The study emphasizes the need to consider both ecological and productive functions of grasslands in restoration strategies.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yudan Xu, Shikui Dong, Xiaoxia Gao, Shengnan Wu, Mingyue Yang, Shuai Li, Hao Shen, Jiannan Xiao, Yangliu Zhi, Xinyue Zhao, Zhiyuan Mu, Shiliang Liu
Summary: This study analyzed the dynamics and underlying mechanisms of species richness and aboveground biomass of plant communities and target species in the Three-river Headwater Region. The results showed that restoration actions significantly improved community species richness, target species richness, and target species aboveground biomass. However, the improvement of community aboveground biomass was limited. The restoration success of degraded alpine meadows should focus on target species and integrate climatic factors, biotic factors, and soil factors.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Theresa Klein-Raufhake, Johannes Hoefner, Norbert Holzel, Klaus-Holger Knorr, Christian Lampei, Ondrej Mudrak, Anna Bucharova
Summary: Target plants in restored populations show lower performance compared to conspecifics in reference sites, likely due to nitrogen limitation and excessive herbivory damage resulting in nutrient imbalance.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Lie Xiao, Guobin Liu, Peng Li, Sha Xue
Summary: The study investigated the ecological stoichiometric interactions among plants, soils, and enzymes in the rhizosphere and their effects on secondary plant succession. Results indicated that rhizosphere stoichiometry is a powerful tool for evaluating plant-soil interactions in terrestrial ecosystems.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jiale Yu, Lingfan Wan, Guohua Liu, Keming Ma, Hao Cheng, Yu Shen, Yuqing Liu, Xukun Su
Summary: Alpine grassland on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is an important ecosystem that is closely related to the function, production, livelihood, and wellbeing of local people. Degradation and restoration of this ecosystem have been studied extensively, but there are debates about the degradation patterns and restoration strategies due to the large area of the plateau. In this study, a meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize 80 individual studies on the aboveground and underground characteristics of alpine grassland at different degradation levels. The results showed that the biomass, soil moisture, organic carbon, nitrogen, and available nitrogen gradually decreased along the degradation gradient, while soil bulk density and pH increased. The extent of degradation varied depending on precipitation and temperature, and different restoration strategies were recommended for different climatic conditions. Future studies should pay more attention to the effects of climate factors on degradation processes and specific restoration strategies in different regions of the plateau.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Junfang Wang, Guodong Han, Zhaoming Wang, Jinfeng Yun, Zhongwu Wang, Zhiguo Li, Shijie Lv, Jie Qin
Summary: Ecological restoration has a positive impact on global climate change and the storage of carbon in plant-soil interactions during the restoration process varies over time. Artificial interference and natural restoration have different effects on carbon storage, and climate change and biodiversity are closely related to plant-soil carbon storage.
Article
Biology
Junjie Yang, Minjie Xu, Shuang Pang, Lili Gao, Zijia Zhang, Zhiping Wang, Yunhai Zhang, Xingguo Han, Ximei Zhang
Summary: This study found that disturbance level determines the importance of stochastic relative to deterministic changes in ecosystem components, predefining the pattern of post-disturbance ecosystem succession. It was also observed that nitrogen addition reduced the importance of stochastic changes, leading to a quadratic relationship with disturbance level. Monitoring the importance of stochastic relative to deterministic changes in an ecosystem can help estimate disturbance levels, predict succession patterns, and propose disturbance-level-dependent strategies for restoration.
SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Andrew D. Kaul, Brian J. Wilsey
Summary: The study conducted plant community and soil sampling in restored prairies in Iowa, USA and tested multiple hypotheses using multiple regressions and structural equation models. Results showed that exotic plant species invasion is the most important factor influencing species richness and diversity in restored prairies.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Brad J. Farmilo, Claire Moxham
Summary: Habitat loss has led to fragmented grasslands and increased the risk of weed invasion. Although weed control is commonly used in threatened grasslands, there is limited knowledge about its ecological outcomes. This study found that short-term weed control can effectively reduce target weed cover without significant impacts on native plants.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Hui Ma, Xiaoping Yan, Erliang Gao, Yizhi Qiu, Xiaofei Sun, Sheng Wang, Yuxian Wang, Hans Henrik Bruun, Zhibin He, Xiaoming Shi, Zhigang Zhao
Summary: Soil microbial communities, especially their functional composition, undergo changes during oldfield succession. The richness of bacterial and fungal communities initially decreases and then increases with successional age, correlated with soil properties. Taxonomic similarity between communities and natural grasslands increases with successional age. Bacterial communities shift towards strains involved in the C cycle with successional age, while fungal communities show an increasing trend of saprotrophs. Plant richness plays a more important role than microbial community in soil nutrient cycling during restoration in oldfields.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Talia Humphries, Singarayer K. Florentine, Kim Dowling, Chris Turville, Steve Sinclair
Summary: Temperate grasslands globally are facing degradation due to urbanisation, grazing, and agriculture. Successful restoration efforts involve a combination of techniques and ongoing weed management, with target plant transfer enhancing success. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to restoration, as success depends on site-specific conditions and project goals. Long-term monitoring of restoration projects is needed to make more informed decisions.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Aure Durbecq, Leo Rocher, Renaud Jaunatre, Alice Dupre la Tour, Elise Buisson, Armin Bischoff
Summary: Research shows that successful restoration of mountain grasslands with limited seed dispersal and poor soil seed banks can be achieved by actively introducing propagules from nearby non-degraded communities, with hay mulch or wheat planting facilitating target species seedling recruitment.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Julie Chenot-Lescure, Renaud Jaunatre, Elise Buisson, Herve Ramone, Thierry Dutoit
Summary: The restoration of quarries is challenging due to the lack of original soil. Studies on creating artificial substrates have been limited. In southeastern France, quarries were extended over former orchards, and a mixture of orchard topsoil and quarry materials was used to create a more suitable substrate for plant growth.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
David Renault, Manon C. M. Hess, Julie Braschi, Ross N. Cuthbert, Marta G. Sperandii, Manuele Bazzichetto, Olivier Chabrerie, Gabrielle Thiebaut, Elise Buisson, Frederic Grandjean, Anne-Kristel Bittebiere, Maud Mouchet, Francois Massol
Summary: This study investigates the effects of invasive species on native communities and recipient ecosystems using functional diversity indices, showing that functional diversity of the recipient community may strongly vary at the onset of the invasion process and stabilize at intermediate and high levels of invasion. However, there is still a lack of research on functional changes during the lag phase of an invasion.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Tiago Shizen Pacheco Toma, Elise Buisson
Summary: Cultural landscapes play an important role in ecological restoration. Current research focuses mainly on Europe and North America, with a need for more attention to tropical regions. Adopting a transdisciplinary approach can enhance restoration efforts and address issues of land use and stakeholder engagement.
Article
Plant Sciences
Nadege Popoff, Caroline Le Bouteiller, Andre Evette, Renaud Jaunatre
Summary: Both biotic interactions and abiotic processes play important roles in shaping riparian communities. This study conducted an experiment to investigate the effects of interspecific competition and sediment burial on the survival, growth, and reproduction strategies of an endangered pioneer herbaceous plant species. The results showed that sediment burial had a significant negative impact on the plant's traits, while interspecific competition had minimal effects. Future research should focus on other abiotic factors to better understand population trends in alpine areas.
Article
Ecology
Ella Z. Daly, Olivier Chabrerie, Francois Massol, Benoit Facon, Manon C. M. Hess, Aurelie Tasiemski, Frederic Grandjean, Matthieu Chauvat, Frederique Viard, Estelle Forey, Laurent Folcher, Elise Buisson, Thomas Boivin, Sylvie Baltora-Rosset, Romain Ulmer, Patricia Gibert, Gabrielle Thiebaut, Jelena H. Pantel, Tina Heger, David M. Richardson, David Renault
Summary: With the increasing level of biological invasions in the Anthropocene, there is still significant debate and lack of clarity on the determinants of success, impact, and sustaining mechanisms of introduced species. Empirical studies show divergent impacts and effects of biotic and abiotic factors, hindering the creation of a unified theory. The proposed synthesis categorizes invasion hypotheses along a timeline, providing a framework to navigate the theories and select appropriate concepts based on the stage of invasion.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Gijs M. Gerrits, Rik Waenink, Asa L. Aradottir, Elise Buisson, Thierry Dutoit, Maxmiller C. Ferreira, Joseph B. Fontaine, Renaud Jaunatre, Paul Kardol, Roos Loeb, Sandra Magro Ruiz, Mia Maltz, Meelis Paertel, Begona Peco, Julien Piqueray, Natasha A. L. Pilon, Ignacio Santa-Regina, Katharina T. Schmidt, Philip Sengl, Rudy van Diggelen, Daniel L. M. Vieira, Wolfgang von Brackel, Pawel Waryszak, Tim J. Wills, Rob H. Marrs, E. R. Jasper Wubs
Summary: Soil translocation is an effective restoration technique for terrestrial ecosystems, promoting the development of plant communities. However, the success of restoration is highly dependent on the restoration context, with greater success observed on loamy soils and when implemented over larger spatial areas.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Andre J. Arruda, Natalia F. Medeiros, Cecilia F. Fiorini, Carlos A. Ordonez-Parra, Roberta L. C. Dayrell, Joao V. S. Messeder, Marcilio Zanetti, Mariana V. Wardil, Dario C. Paiva, Alessandra R. Kozovits, Elise Buisson, Soizig Le Stradic, Fernando A. O. Silveira
Summary: To achieve the ambitious goals of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, restoration frameworks should consider the diversity of ecosystems found on Earth, including open-canopy ecosystems. We provide guidelines for restoring the campo rupestre, an open megadiverse grassland in the Neotropics threatened by human activities. The principles proposed aim to improve restoration science and practice for campo rupestre and other similar ecosystems.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Meriem Marfoua, Elise Buisson, Samia Bissati-Bouafia, Amar Eddoud, Ahmed Benchettouh
Summary: Native plants of the Sahara desert show remarkable resistance to droughts and are valuable for forage, food, and medicine. Cold stratification and temperature significantly affect the germination of seeds and can be used to enhance ecological restoration and conservation efforts.
Article
Ecology
Renaud Jaunatre, Elise Buisson, Elsa Leborgne, Thierry Dutoit
Summary: Semi-natural dry grasslands in Europe, especially in the Mediterranean Basin, are species-rich and diverse habitats. Their recovery after anthropogenic disturbance is slow and incomplete. This study found that dispersion, abiotic, and biotic filters play important roles in driving the recovery of dry grassland vegetation.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Lucie Riviere, Alize Sellier, Thierry Dutoit, Christel Vidaller, Elise Buisson, Gregory Mahy
Summary: This study analyzed the development of the seedbank in a 4-year-old extensive green roof planted with 29 species and found that the soil seedbank was dominated by transient spontaneous ruderals species, while the standing vegetation was still dominated by seeded grassland species. Seeded grassland species had poor seedbank stock, similar to their natural environments. The findings highlight the importance of seedbank in the dynamic of green roof vegetation and demonstrate that analogous habitat species exhibit similar behavior as in their natural environments.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Daniel Slodowicz, Aure Durbecq, Emma Ladouceur, Rene Eschen, Jean-Yves Humbert, Raphael Arlettaz
Summary: Active grassland restoration is important in mitigating the decline of farmland biodiversity. However, the effectiveness of different restoration methods is not well understood. This study found that restoration actions increased plant species richness by an average of 17.4%, with seed source being a significant factor. Seeds from speciose donor grassland had a positive effect, and combining natural and commercial seed mixes further increased plant species richness.
ECOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS AND EVIDENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Aure Durbecq, Renaud Jaunatre, Elise Buisson, Cassandra Favale, Nolwenn Maudieu, Armin Bischoff
Summary: Semi-natural mountain grasslands are at risk due to land abandonment and habitat destruction, highlighting the need for restoration. The transfer of plant material containing seed from non-degraded reference sites is a common method, but there is ongoing debate about the best approaches for preparation and management. This study tested the effects of harrowing and livestock grazing on seed establishment and community trajectories, finding positive effects of seed bed preparation and a shift in grazing effects over time.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)