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3.4 Restoration Ecology:(Pages 110-116)

Learning Goals

• I can describe the concepts of stewardship and restoration ecology, and explain why they are important to humans.

• I can explain how to restore ecosystems through reforestation, wetland restoration, controlling alien species, bioremediation and bioaugmentation.

Key Concepts• Restoration ecology includes reforestation,

wetlands restoration, controlling alien species, bioremediation, and bioaugmentation.

• The flow of nutrients through ecosystems can be interrupted by human activities, and restoration techniques can offset those interruptions.

• Alien species are extremely difficult to eradicate in most situations.

• There are many ecosystems that require restoration, and the Alberta tar sands will be a major challenge.

Stewardship

• STEWARDSHIP: the active assumption of responsibility for the welfare of the environment

Restoration Ecology

• RESTORATION ECOLOGY: the renewal of degraded or destroyed ecosystems through active human intervention

• A major goal of restoration ecology is to stimulate natural processes of regeneration to produce

a sustainable, if not identical,ecosystem

RESTORATION ECOLOGY

Restoration Ecology in the Don Valley

• Ecological restoration has converted Toronto’s Don Valley Brick Works (shown in 1891 and today) into a natural environment and cultural heritage park that includes wetlands, a boardwalk, a wildflower meadow, and restored historic buildings

Restoration Methods

• Restoration ecologists use many techniques to restore sustainable ecosystems– Reforestation– Wetland Restoration– Controlling Alien Species– Bioremediation– Bioaugmentation

Reforestation

• Reforestation: the regrowth of a forest, either through natural processes or through the planting of seeds or trees in an area where a forest was cut down

Reforestation• Red pines, which were planted

to control soil erosion, helped to accelerate natural forest succession.

• A) Forest was cut down to use the land for agriculture

• B) Red pine trees were planted to reforest the area

• C) As the red pines grew, they provided shade under which other species grew

• D) After many years, natural succession occurred, and there was a gradual return of native species

Wetland Restoration• Wetland restoration:

– process in which a wetland is returned to its natural state

– returns soil quality, composition, water coverage, the type of plants that grow there, and the habitat

Controlling Alien Species

Controlling Alien Species• Alien species can upset the equilibrium of an

ecosystem

• Preventing the spread of alien species is an important part of maintaining sustainable ecosystems

• Biocontrols and chemicals are two methods that ecologists use to help control alien species

Asian Long-horned beetle

Purple Loosestrife

In2007,asmall,ratherprettygreenbugcalledtheEmeraldAshBorerwasdiscoveredinToronto.TheEAB,averysuccessfulAsiannative,likestofeedonthebarkofashtrees;theCityofTorontoestimatesthat,by2017,allofToronto’s860,000ashtreesmaywellbedead.(Source:TheNationalPost- April26,2012)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAOEaLGm-Ic

Controlling Alien Species

• BIOCONTROL: the use of a species to control the population growth or spread of an undesirable species– Ex. Introducing predators or parasites

• CHEMICAL CONTROL: the use of a species to control the population growth or spread of an undesirable species– Ex. Using poison baits

• Can be risky à may harm native species

Bioremediation• BIOREMEDIATION: the use of living organisms

to clean up contaminated areas naturally– Plants can clean soil by absorbing poisons on their

tissues– Bacteria can break down toxic chemicals

Bioaugmentation

• BIOAUGMENTATION: the use of organisms to add essential nutrients to depleted soils– Plants are used to replenish nitrogen levels in

soils

Practice• Page116#1-8• Socrative3.4quiz

VIDEO:ConservationandRestorationEcology:CrashCourseEcology#12https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kaeyr5-O2eU