Restoration ecology

de William R. Jordan, Michael E. Gilpin, John D. Aber

For many years, applied ecologists have been attempting to recreate some semblance of natural communities on highly disturbed areas. Some ecologists now view such restoration efforts as opportunities for conducting basic ecological research from a synthetic approach. Rebuilding communities or ecosystems on disturbed sites, both aquatic and terrestrial, fitting the pieces together, and making them function could provide critical tests of ecological theory. This book of 23 short chapters written by a number of well-known ecologists, applied and theoretical, is a pioneering attempt to develop restoration as a new experimental technique in ecological research. It is divided into six sections: introduction, assemblage of whole systems in the field, synthetic ecology, partial or piecewise restoration in the field, restored ecosystems as opportunities for basic research, and doing restoration ecology. Unfortunately, the very poor index provides no accessibility to its contents. All ecologists should read this book for the ideas it contains for research projects in community ecology, for developing new insights into ecological processes, and for the application of ecological theory to the restoration of ecosystems. This intriguing volume should entice theoretical ecologists into the field to test their favorite hypotheses.-R.L. Smith, West Virginia University--Choice Review. This book explores the ecological concepts and ideas involved in the practice of habitat restoration by taking a theoretical approach that will appeal to ecologists concerned with the structure and dynamics of communities. The contributors examine aspects of this new realization and its implications for both ecology and the practice of habitat restoration. What emerges is the outline of a new paradigm for ecological research and the basis for a stronger relationship between theory and practice in this area. Published: April 2014.