Restoring forest ecosystem services through trait-based ecology
Abstract
Restoration is moving towards a more mechanistic approach that emphasizes restoration of ecosystem services. Trait-based approaches provide links between species identity and ecosystem functions and have been suggested as a promising way to formally integrate ecosystem services in the design of restoration programs. While practitioners have been routinely using informal knowledge on plant traits in their practices, these approaches are underutilized as operationalization remains challenging. The goal of this paper is to provide guidance for applied scientists and restoration practitioners looking to apply a trait-based approach to restore forest ecosystems. We present a five-step framework: 1) selection of services to be restored, 2) trait selection, 3) data acquisition, 4) analytical planning, and 5) empirical testing and monitoring. We use three Canadian case studies to illustrate the applicability of our …
abstract: “Restoration is moving towards a more mechanistic approach that emphasizes restoration of ecosystem services. Trait-based approaches provide links between species identity and ecosystem functions and have been suggested as a promising way to formally integrate ecosystem services in the design of restoration programs. While practitioners have been routinely using informal knowledge on plant traits in their practices, these approaches are underutilized as operationalization remains challenging. The goal of this paper is to provide guidance for applied scientists and restoration practitioners looking to apply a trait-based approach to restore forest ecosystems. We present a five-step framework: 1) selection of services to be restored, 2) trait selection, 3) data acquisition, 4) analytical planning, and 5) empirical testing and monitoring. We use three Canadian case studies to illustrate the applicability of our …” authors:
- Isabelle Aubin
- Élise Deschênes
- Kierann Santala
- E_Emilson
- Amanda L Schoonmaker
- Anne CS McIntosh
- Bérenger Bourgeois
- Françoise Cardou
- Angélique Dupuch
- I Tanya Handa
- Mélanie Lapointe
- J_Lavigne
- Audrey Maheu
- Solange Nadeau
- M Anne Naeth
- Eric W Neilson
- Philip A Wiebe featured: false projects: [] publication: ‘Environmental Reviews’ publication_short: '' publication_types:
- “2” date: ‘2024-05-11T00:00:00Z’ publishDate: ‘2024-06-06’ title: ‘Restoring forest ecosystem services through trait-based ecology’ url_pdf: “https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/er-2023-0130" url_source: “https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.1139/er-2023-0130"
Erik J.S. Emilson
Research Scientist, Watershed Ecology Team Lead, Associate Editor CJFR
I am interested in how forests support freshwater ecosystem services. My research combines microbial and molecular approaches to undertand how forest productivity and disturbances affect ecosystem functions in headwater streams and lakes.
