Myth-busting tropical grassy biome restoration

Author(s):Show less -

Silveira, Fernando A. O. ^[1] ; Arruda, Andre J. ^{[2, 1]} ; Bond, William ^[3] ; Durigan, Giselda ^[4] ; Fidelis, Alessandra ^[5] ; Kirkman, Kevin ^[6] ; Oliveira, Rafael S. ^[7] ; Overbeck, Gerhard E. ^[8] ; Sansevero, Jeronimo B. B. ^[9] ; Siebert, Frances ^[10] ; Siebert, Stefan J. ^[10] ; Young, Truman P. ^[11] ; Buisson, Elise ^{[11, 12]}

Affiliation:Show less -

^[1] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Dept Genet Ecol & Evolucao, Inst Ciencias Biol, Av Antonio Carlos 6627, BR-31270901 Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

^[2] Univ Western Australia, Sch Biol Sci, Perth, WA - Australia

^[3] Univ Cape Town, Dept Biol Sci, Rondebosch - South Africa

^[4] Inst Florestal Estado Sao Paulo, Floresta Estadual Assis, POB 104, BR-19802970 Assis, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Estadual Paulista UNESP, Lab Vegetat Ecol, Inst Biociencias, Av 24A, 1515, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP - Brazil

^[6] Univ KwaZulu Natal, Ctr Funct Biodivers, Sch Life Sci, Durban - South Africa

^[7] Univ Campinas UNICAMP, Inst Biol, Dept Plant Biol, Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[8] Univ Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Dept Bot, Av Bento Goncalves 9500, BR-91501970 Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil

^[9] Univ Fed Rural Rio de Janeiro UFRRJ, Det Ciencias Ambientais DCA, Inst Florestas IF, BR 465, Km 07, BR-23890000 Seropedica, RJ - Brazil

^[10] North West Univ, Unit Environm Sci & Management, ZA-2520 Potchefstroom - South Africa

^[11] Univ Calif Davis, Dept Plant Sci, Davis, CA 95616 - USA

^[12] Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Univ, Inst Mediterraneen Biodiversite & Ecol Marine & C, UMR, CNRS, IRD, IUT Site Agroparc, BP 61207, F-84911 Avignon 09 - France

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: RESTORATION ECOLOGY; v. 28, n. 5 SEP 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

The historical focus in research and policy on forest restoration and temperate ecosystems has created misunderstandings for the restoration of tropical and subtropical old-growth grassy biomes (TGB). Such misconceptions have detrimental consequences for biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human livelihoods in woodlands, savannas, and grasslands worldwide. Here, we demystify TGB restoration myths to promote a positive agenda to increase the likelihood of success of ambitious landscape-scale restoration goals of nonforest ecosystems. The 10 TGB restoration myths are: (1) grasslands originate from degraded forests, (2) tree cover is a reliable indicator of habitat quality, (3) planting trees is always good for biodiversity and ecosystem services, (4) grasslands are biodiversity-poor and provide few ecosystem services, (5) enhancing plant nutrition is needed in restoration, (6) disturbance is detrimental, (7) techniques used to restore temperate grasslands also work for TGB, (8) grasslands represent early stages of forest succession, (9) grassland restoration is only about grasses, and (10) grassland restoration is fast. By demystifying TGB restoration, we hope that policymakers, scientists, and restorationists come to understand and embrace the value of these ecosystems and are motivated to establish policies, standards, indicators, and techniques that enhance the success of TGB restoration. We must abandon misperceptions and misunderstandings of TGB ecology that result in ill-conceived policies and build an informed and compelling global ecosystem restoration agenda that maintains and improves the well-being of all inhabitants of grassy biomes. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/06743-0 - How does fire season affect Cerrado vegetation?
• Grantee: Alessandra Tomaselli Fidelis
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/07773-1 - Restoring neo-tropical dry ecosystems - is plant functional composition the key to success?
• Grantee: Rafael Silva Oliveira
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants