10.5061/DRYAD.RJDFN2ZBJ
Ladouceur, Emma
0000-0002-4943-4358
German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research
McGowan, Jennifer
Yale University
Huber, Patrick
University of California, Davis
Possingham, Hugh
Queensland Government
Scridel, Davide
Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale
van Klink, Roel
German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research
Poschlod, Peter
University of Regensburg
Cornelissen, Hans
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Bonomi, Costantino
Museo delle Scienze
Jiménez-Alfaro, Borja
University of Oviedo
An objective-based prioritization approach to support trophic complexity
through ecological restoration
Dryad
dataset
2021
decision-support
Optimization
plant traits
seed mixes
species mix
species selection
trophic networks
prioritizr
Marxan
FOS: Earth and related environmental sciences
European Commission
https://ror.org/00k4n6c32
607785, as a part of the NAtive Seed Science TEchnology and Conservation
(NASSTEC) Initial Training Network (ITN)
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
https://ror.org/018mejw64
DFG–FZT 118, 202548816
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
https://ror.org/012kf4317
2021-06-14T00:00:00Z
2021-06-14T00:00:00Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13943
https://github.com/emma-ladouceur/Prioritize-Species-Restoration
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4934651
24516088 bytes
5
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
1. Reassembling ecological communities and rebuilding habitats through
active restoration treatments requires curating the selection of plant
species to use in seeding and planting mixes. Ideally, these mixes should
be assembled based on attributes that support ecosystem function and
services, promote plant and animal species interactions and ecological
networks in restoration while balancing project constraints. Despite these
critical considerations, it is common for species mixes to be selected
opportunistically. Reframing the selection of seed mixes for restoration
around ecological objectives is essential for success but accessible
methods and tools are needed to support this effort. 2. We developed a
framework to optimize species seed mixes based on prioritizing plant
species attributes to best support different objectives for ecosystem
functions, services, and trophic relationships such as pollination, seed
dispersal, and herbivory. We compared results to approaches where plant
species are selected to represent plant taxonomic richness, dominant
species, and at random. We tested our framework in European alpine
grasslands by identifying 176 plant species characteristic of the species
pool, and identified 163 associated attributes affiliated to trophic
relationships, ecosystem functions, and services. 3. In all cases, trophic
relationships, ecosystem functions, and services can be captured more
efficiently through objective-based prioritization using the functional
identity of plant species. Solutions (plant species lists) can be compared
quantitatively, in terms of costs, species, or objectives. We confirm that
a random draw of plant species from the regional plant species pool cannot
be assumed to support other trophic groups and ecosystem functions and
services. 4. Synthesis and Applications. Our framework is presented as a
proof-of-concept to help restoration practitioners better apply
quantitative decision–support to plant species selection in order to meet
ecological restoration outcomes. Our approach may be tailored to any
restoration initiative and habitat where seeding or planting mixes will be
applied in active treatments. As global priority and resources are
increasingly placed into restoration, this approach could be advanced to
help make efficient decisions for many stages of the restoration process.
We used species-rich European subalpine and alpine calcareous grasslands
as a case study. These habitats are sensitive to disturbance, and impacted
by ski resorts and other tourism activities, making them a target system
for ecological restoration across European Natura 2000 sites
(Garcia-Gonzalez, 2008, p.). We identified 176 plant species that
frequently occur in the target ecosystem on a biogeographical scale as the
potential regional and restoration species pool of interest (Ladouceur et
al., 2018; Zobel et al., 1998). We used trait databases and literature to
compile traits related to regeneration and relationships between the 176
plant species in our species pool and the insects, birds and mammals that
are typical of these habitats and depend on particular plant species for
various life stages. Hereafter, we refer to the traits and aspects of
plant species that represent these relationships and characteristics of
interest, as plant attributes. We compiled a list of the most frequent
native species occurring in alpine calcareous grassland habitat types on a
continental scale, using a synthesis of >1 million field surveys
(Schaminée et al., 2016), reporting species frequencies in the habitat
types of the European habitat classification system (EUNIS,
www.eunis.org), directly assigned to habitat types of conservation concern
(see Table S1). We identified native plant species that occur above a
particular frequency (>5% of total occurrences) in calcareous
alpine grassland habitat types on a European-wide scale. Expert opinion
suggests that species below this frequency were found to be more typical
of other habitat types. This resulted in a list of 176 native plant
species that occur frequently in the calcareous alpine grasslands of
continental Europe. We considered this to be the species pool of this
habitat and we assumed all species can co-occur or can co-exist. Further,
we consider all plant species in the pool as equal candidates for
inclusion in seed mixes to meet prioritization objective targets. For the
176 plant species that were of interest for our goals, we collated traits
related to dispersal, phenology, and nitrogen fixation available from the
TRY plant trait database (Kattge et al., 2011), as well as associations
with mammals, birds, and herbivorous and pollinating insects from
additional sources (see Table 1). The list of associated faunal species
was refined to keep only species that occur in this habitat. Plant species
frequency of occurrence values were used to rank plant species’ relative
abundance within the habitat type on a biogeographic scale, which we used
to classify plant species dominance for a fixed species list for
comparison with prioritized objectives (Table 1, see Table S1). We then
grouped the 163 plant attributes into nine broad categories based on the
ability to support specific ecosystem functions or services (Table 1):
bird trophic diet, bird herbivory, bird shelter, seed dispersal syndrome,
Lepidoptera relationships (species specific- pollination, herbivory),
pollination syndrome, mammal herbivory, nitrogen fixation, and flowering
month. For references listed here please see associated publication.