Meeting Theme...
Ecology-based restoration in a changing world
How do we set goals for ecological restoration, and how can we
assess its success? Insights from paleoecology, long-term studies,
and ecological modeling all show ecological systems to be fundamentally
dynamic, with trajectories of change that may not be easily predictable.
Even without considering human effects on ecosystems, there is no
simply definable, baseline; the natural state is a moving target.
The picture is complicated further by the persistent and increasing
effects of anthropogenic climate change and the long history of
human land-use. New scientific insights call for more sophisticated
consideration of the goals and standards of restoration and, perhaps,
of conservation of natural systems generally.
What ecosystem attributes are to be restored, conserved, or preserved?
How should these priorities be informed by ecological research?
How can we assess the effectiveness of restoration?
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