A diagnostic for collaborative monitoring in forest landscape restoration

Monitoring is crucial to meet the goals of the major global forest landscape restoration (FLR) initiatives that are underway. If members of the global FLR community are going to learn from one another, a multi‐scalar, multi‐site monitoring approach is needed to generate information that can provide the basis for social learning and adaptive management, both of which are essential processes for FLR. This requires reframing and expanding the perspective of monitoring so that compliance monitoring is just one component of a multidimensional approach where collaborative monitoring and compliance‐oriented monitoring are complementary. However, FLR planners and implementers often lack experience in applying collaborative approaches in multi‐stakeholder settings, and there are few tools that show how to implement FLR or to engage in collaborative monitoring in FLR. Through a literature review, we identified the factors that contribute to successful collaborative monitoring in FLR and synthesized them into a diagnostic that was vetted by 20 global experts. The result is a checklist of 42 core success factors to be assessed at local, subnational, and national levels at different stages in the planning and implementation of FLR. The tool has practical application by providing guidance on best practices: specifically, how to start collaborative monitoring, and more generally, how to plan, prepare for, and evaluate FLR activities. This diagnostic complements other diagnostics, such as those used to identify FLR sites, as it can identify preexisting strengths and weaknesses in new initiatives, or pinpoint problems with ongoing implementation. The diagnostic explicitly addresses issues of scale, including multiple sites, governance levels, and changes over time.     

Vegetation condition assessment and monitoring from sequences of satellite imagery

Summary   Vegetation changes over time are important indicators of condition, and are particularly important as targets or triggers for management. Satellite image data have unique capacities to provide information on changes in vegetation. In particular, Landsat imagery has the spatial resolution and a historical archive that make it relevant to providing information for understanding and management of native vegetation at a range of scales from small remnant to region. Regional and national vegetation monitoring programs based on time series Landsat imagery are now operational in Australia. These programs and their data have huge potential to provide information for conservation and natural resource management questions. They have already found multiple applications, including applications to biodiversity assessment and planning. This paper presents some examples of the delivery and application of satellite image monitoring information in the context of vegetation management.     

国家生态保护重要区域植被长势遥感监测评估

国家生态保护重要区域植被长势对于维持区域生态系统结构和功能的稳定性至关重要.以国家重点生态功能区、国家重要生态功能区、国家生物多样性保护优先区和国家级自然保护区等四类生态保护重要区域为研究区,选取年累积NDVI作为指示因子,监测评估了1998-2007年间国家生态保护重要区域的植被长势特征.结果表明:(1)国家生态保护重要区域总面积为536.59万km2,占全国陆地国土面积的55.89％.国家生物多样性保护优先区与国家重点生态功能区、国家重要生态功能区的重叠面积较大,分别占到相应生态功能区总面积的53.36％和50.20％.国家级自然保护区与其他三种类型区域的空间叠加关系较好,尤其与国家重点生态功能区,重叠面积占国家级自然保护区总面积的75.10％.国家重点生态功能区和国家重要生态功能区的重叠面积分别占各自面积的63.73％和39.15％.(2)对于植被长势总体状况,国家生态保护重要区域中东部的植被状况好于西部.植被状况较差的区域面积为10.59％,植被状况一般的区域面积为29.59％,植被状况好的区域面积为23.44％,植被状况较好的区域面积为36.39％.国家级自然保护区和生物多样性保护优优先区的植被状况好于国家重要生态功能区和国家重点生态功能区.国家级自然保护区的空间分布差异最大.(3)对于植被长势变化趋势,国家生态保护重要区域的植被状况整体呈现出变好趋势.62.39％区域面积的植被状况较为稳定,22.69％区域面积的植被状况呈现出变好趋势,14.93％区域面积的植被状况呈现出变差趋势.国家重要生态功能区的植被变好趋势最为明显,其次为国家生物多样性保护优先区.国家生物多样性保护优先区的植被变化趋势空间差异最大,国家级自然保护区的植被变化趋势空间差异最小.     

生态恢复评价研究进展与展望： 第5届国际生态恢复学会大会会议述评

第5届国际生态恢复学会大会于2013年10月6—11日在美国威斯康星州麦迪逊召开.来自50多个国家的约1200位代表参加了本次大会,讨论了生态恢复不同领域的最新进展.会议中关于生态恢复评价的探讨主要从生态恢复评价指标体系的建立、生态恢复的评价方法、生态恢复监测与动态评价三方面展开.会议强调了生态恢复评价在生态恢复过程中的重要地位,关注了生态恢复评价研究中面临的挑战.对我国生态恢复评价研究主要有以下启示： 1)加强构建全面、综合的评价指标体系,注重评价过程的多方参与;2)注重生态恢复评价的尺度效应与尺度转换研究;3)拓展3S技术在生态恢复评价中的应用,促进生态恢复动态监测的发展;4)积极开展国际交流合作,提升我国生态恢复研究的国际影响力.
     

On the need of legal frameworks for assessing restoration projects success: new perspectives from São Paulo state (Brazil)

Despite growing worldwide commitment to large‐scale ecosystem restoration, national public policies on restoration are few, and those that exist tend to be vague. Brazil and especially São Paulo state stand out. In a pioneering attempt to improve restoration projects and their outcomes, the Secretariat for the Environment of the State of São Paulo has enacted a legal instrument to drive planning and to assess whether the goals and targets of mandatory ecological restoration are being achieved. Regardless of the restoration techniques applied, the effectiveness of mandatory or public‐funded projects will henceforth be assessed by using three ecological indicators: (1) ground coverage with native vegetation; (2) density of native plants spontaneously regenerating; and (3) number of spontaneously regenerating native plant species. We analyze how this science‐based legal framework is expected to promote greater restoration success, improve cost‐effectiveness, and help bridge the all‐too‐familiar knowledge‐action gap in environmental policies. Notably, scientists, professionals, public agents, and stakeholders from different institutions have collaborated to advance the refinement and rolling out of this legal instrument. By 2037, it is expected that more than 300,000 restoration projects will be carried out in São Paulo state and monitored using this set of indicators. We also suggest that this approach could be usefully applied to the growing number of ecological restoration programs being carried out worldwide, especially in the context of offset policies intended to achieve serious compensation for environmental degradation or loss of biodiversity.     

区域植被恢复对生态安全的影响预测 ——以岷江上游干旱河谷为例

退化生态系统恢复是保障区域生态安全的重要途径之一。在生态系统结构功能严重受损,威胁到区域生态安全时,通过引入物种进行主动的植被恢复可以有效地加速生态系统恢复进程,维护区域生态安全。但是区域尺度的植被恢复是一项规模浩大的工程,其效果和影响难以立即显现。为了评估区域植被恢复的生态风险,根据岷江上游干旱河谷区域植被恢复格局的设计结果,预测了区域植被恢复对生态安全的影响。通过对比分析现状植被盖度及生物多样性与植被恢复格局预测结果的差异,对区域植被恢复的效果进行评价,认为尽管植被恢复格局设计使部分区域生物多样性下降,但它整体提高了地表植被覆盖度,增强了抵御土壤侵蚀的能力。对保障区域生态安全具有积极的效果。     

A primer on choosing goals and indicators to evaluate ecological restoration success

We discuss aspects of one of the most important issues in ecological restoration: how to evaluate restoration success. This first requires clearly stated and justified restoration goals and targets; this may seem “obvious” but in our experience, this step is often elided. Indicators or proxy variables are the typical vehicle for monitoring; these must be justified in the context of goals and targets and ultimately compared against those to allow for an evaluation of outcome (e.g. success or failure). The monitoring phase is critical in that a project must consider how the monitoring frequency and overall design will allow the postrestoration trajectories of indicators to be analyzed. This allows for real‐time management adjustments—adaptive management (sensu lato)—to be implemented if the trajectories are diverging from the targets. However, as there may be large variation in early postrestoration stages or complicated (nonlinear) trajectory, caution is needed before committing to management adjustments. Ideally, there is not only a goal and target but also a model of the expected trajectory—that only can occur if there are sufficient data and enough knowledge about the ecosystem or site being restored. With so many possible decision points, we focus readers' attention on one critical step—how to choose indicators. We distinguish generalizable and specific indicators which can be qualitative, semiquantitative, or quantitative. The generalizable indicators can be used for meta‐analyses. There are many options of indicators but making them more uniform would help mutual comparisons among restoration projects.     

Balancing economic costs and ecological outcomes of passive and active restoration in agricultural landscapes: the case of Brazil

Forest restoration requires strategies such as passive restoration to balance financial investments and ecological outcomes. However, the ecological outcomes of passive restoration are traditionally regarded as uncertain. We evaluated technical and legal strategies for balancing economic costs and ecological outcomes of passive versus active restoration in agricultural landscapes. We focused in the case of Brazil, where we assessed the factors driving the proportion of land allocated to passive and active restoration in 42 programs covering 698,398 hectares of farms in the Atlantic Forest, Atlantic Forest/cerrado ecotone and Amazon; the ecological outcomes of passive and active restoration in 2955 monitoring plots placed in six restoration programs; and the legal framework developed by some Brazilian states to balance the different restoration approaches and comply with legal commitments. Active restoration had the highest proportion of land allocated to it (78.4%), followed by passive (14.2%) and mixed restoration (7.4%). Passive restoration was higher in the Amazon, in silviculture, and when remaining forest cover was over 50 percent. Overall, both restoration approaches showed high levels of variation in the ecological outcomes; nevertheless, passively restored areas had a smaller percentage canopy cover, lower species density, and less shrubs and trees (dbh > 5 cm). The studied legal frameworks considered land abandonment for up to 4 years before deciding on a restoration approach, to favor the use of passive restoration. A better understanding of the biophysical and socioeconomic features of areas targeted for restoration is needed to take a better advantage of their natural regeneration potential.     

Habitat selection of riparian birds at restoration sites along the Trinity River,California

Riparian habitats in the western United States are imperiled, yet they support the highest bird diversity in arid regions, making them a conservation priority. Riparian restoration efforts can be enhanced by information on species response to variation in habitat features. We examined the habitat selection of four riparian birds known as management indicators at restoration and reference sites along the Trinity River, California. We compared vegetation structure and composition at nest sites, territories, and random points to quantify used versus available habitat from 2012 to 2015. Vegetation in focal species' territories differed between site types, and from available habitat, indicating nonrandom site choice. Birds selected aspects of more structurally complex habitats, such as greater canopy cover, canopy height, and tree species richness. Yellow‐breasted Chats preferred greater shrub cover, and Yellow Warblers preferred greater cover by non‐native Himalayan blackberry. Territory preferences on restoration sites were often a subset of those on reference sites. One exception was canopy height, which was taller on restoration site territories than random points for all species, suggesting that birds preferentially used patches of remnant habitat. Few variables were significant in nest site selection. Restoration plantings along the Trinity River were only 3–10 years old during this study, and have not developed many of the characteristics of mature riparian habitat preferred by birds, but may improve in habitat value over time. Understanding habitat selection is especially important in recently human‐modified environments, where indirect cues used to assess habitat quality may become disassociated from actual habitat quality, potentially creating ecological traps.     

林火迹地森林恢复研究进展

火灾对森林造成不同程度的破坏,火后如何恢复森林是人们面临的关键问题,为了掌握火灾后迹地的变化及演替规律,使森林生态系统向良性发展,国内外专家对此作了大量的研究。本文就国内外的研究进行综述与比较,为完善该领域的研究提出相应的对策,对未来的发展趋势加以展望。     

生态恢复工程对陕北地区生态系统格局的影响

以生态环境脆弱的陕北地区为研究对象,利用TM遥感影像解译陆表生态系统的分布特征,从生态系统转移矩阵、单一生态系统动态度和综合生态系统动态度等方面探索了生态恢复工程实施20年来研究区生态系统的时空演变规律。同时,利用最小二乘趋势分析法和人类扰动指数分析气候条件和生态恢复工程的驱动机制。研究结果表明：（1）1997-2018年陕北地区生态系统格局发生显著变化,主要表现为林木、草地的面积占比分别增加19.34%和6.91%;耕地面积占比减少22.15%;未利用地面积占比减少5.01%;陕北地区生态系统格局已由生态恢复工程实施前的耕地占主导转化为林木占主导。（2）受退耕还林工程的影响,黄土高原丘陵沟壑区生态系统流转方向主要表现为耕地转化为林木和草地;防风固沙工程促使毛乌素沙漠区域未利用地转化为草地。（3）研究时间段内陕北地区年均气温基本无变化,年降水量显著呈增加趋势,整体向湿润化发展,适合地表植被生长和恢复。在这样的气候背景下,榆林和延安两市生态系统变化速度明显高于铜川市,说明生态恢复工程是研究区生态系统格局演变的主要驱动力,气候背景变化是辅助驱动力。     

Are butterflies and moths useful indicators for restoration monitoring? A pilot study in Sydney's Cumberland Plain Woodland

Summary   Moths and butterflies are strongly associated with vegetation structure and composition, which makes them a suitable indicator taxon for various ecological studies. Despite a good knowledge of many Australian lepidopteran taxa, they have rarely been used for restoration assessment. To explore the feasibility of using Lepidoptera as an indicator taxon for restoration monitoring in Australia, we used it to evaluate the success of a large-scale revegetation program in western Sydney. We compared moth and butterfly assemblages sampled with relatively low intensity in unrestored pastures, revegetated pastures and remnants of endangered Cumberland Plain Woodland (restoration aim). A light-trap survey of moth assemblages showed no significant differences in moth species richness and composition between any of the treatments with traps in revegetated areas producing most species rich samples. Butterfly surveys conducted over a 1-year period showed a considerable increase in butterfly species richness in revegetated areas compared to pastures, while forest remnants still had twice as many butterfly species compared to revegetated areas. Current revegetation practices employed to restore Cumberland Plain Woodland increased the diversity of lepidopteran assemblages, however, it is not clear whether they are on a trajectory towards the reference assemblages of forest remnants. Our study demonstrates that Lepidoptera, particularly butterflies, has a potential for broader application as an indicator group in restoration monitoring in Australia.     

东湖大型围隔及围栏内植物群落和水质的变化

为恢复湖泊水生植被,初步研究了建在武汉东湖的大型围隔、围栏中的植物群落和水质的季节动态以及两者间的关系,结果表明：围隔、围栏中,植物生物量明显增加,漂浮植物易定植,水绵和刚毛藻易发生,植物群落结构难以自然地得到优化;养鱼对水生维管束植物的生长和恢复不利;水中总氮与总磷的变化具一致性,它们与水生植物的生物量间关系密切,围隔中水生植物的良好生长使水的总氮、总磷浓度明显降低     

基于多源遥感数据的生态保护修复项目区监测方法评述

回顾了山水林田湖草生态保护修复项目的实施背景,针对生态保护修复项目监测监管范围广、技术难等问题,强调了基于多源遥感数据开展项目遥感监测的重要性与必要性。从监测指标拟定、遥感地物信息提取、多源遥感数据融合、动态变化检测等方面评述了基于多源遥感数据的生态保护修复项目区监测方法,包括基于中高空间分辨率遥感数据的地物信息提取、融合机器学习的非线性混合像元分析、基于混合像元分析的时空融合等。在总结技术和工作推进方面的优势、局限基础上,提出要结合实际工作,持续优化国土空间生态保护修复监测指标;充分挖掘遥感数据解析的相关算法潜力,提升地物信息提取和混合像元分析的精度;加强时空融合算法与变化检测方法的研究探索,加强相关方法的实践应用;以“山水林田湖草生态保护修复工程试点”项目为平台,建立稳定的国土空间生态保护修复遥感监测运行机制,加强科技创新,形成技术标准,指导工作开展。     

北京山区植被动态及生态恢复的遥感监测

基于北京地区1979、1988、1999、2005和2009年5期Landsat数据,利用基于植被指数的像元线性分解模型对植被覆盖度进行反演,分析了北京山区植被覆盖的时空动态,并通过提取植被退化和修复的区域,研究了海拔、坡度和土壤类型对生态修复的影响.结果表明：1979-1988年,北京山区植被覆盖基本稳定,其后由于社会经济的快速发展,1988-2000年北京山区植被严重退化,2000年以后由于采取多种保护措施,大部分区域生态恢复效果明显,2009年平均覆盖度达到72%,比1999年增加了13%.北京山区植被覆盖变化与地理特征密切相关,土壤贫瘠和坡度较大区域在自然状态下的退化比例相对较高,且退化后不易自然恢复,而低海拔区域受人为因素的影响更大.     

荒漠草原生态恢复与重建：人工植被推动下水分介导的系统响应、生态阈值与互馈作用

荒漠草原(生态区)横贯我国西北地区东部,生态地位十分重要。近二十年来,通过封育禁牧、退耕还林(草),植被覆盖显著改善,但是生态系统质量和稳定性依然不高。由于长期将荒漠草原单纯视作草原的一部分,对其生态系统过渡性、脆弱性和复杂性本质特征认识不足,造成了荒漠草原生态学研究与区域生态建设实践之间不同程度的脱节。在分析荒漠草原生态区未来在我国生态安全格局中突出的但是被一定程度上忽视的地位的基础上,进一步归纳了荒漠草原生态系统的一般特征,指出了生态恢复与重建研究中存在的主要问题。进而以人工植被引入荒漠草原生态工程为案例,分析了人工植被驱动荒漠草原生态恢复与重建的过程与机制,归纳了“植被-水文-土壤”互馈作用驱动生态系统层级响应模式,并展望了今后的发展趋势与研究方向。     

A forest typology for monitoring sustainable forest management: The case of European Forest Types

Abstract

Sustainable forest management (SFM) is presently widely accepted as the overriding objective for forest policy and practice. Regional processes are in progress all over the world to develop and implement criteria and indicators of SFM. In continental Europe, a set of 35 Pan-European indicators has been endorsed under the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE) to measure progress towards SFM in the 44 countries of the region. The formulation of seven indicators (forest area, growing stock, age structure/diameter distribution, deadwood, tree species composition, damaging agents, naturalness) requires national data to be reported by forest types. Within the vast European forest area the values taken by these indicators show a considerable range of variation, due to variable natural conditions and anthropogenic influences. Given this variability, it is very difficult to grasp the meaning of these indicators when taken out of their ecological background. The paper discusses the concepts behind, and the requirements of, a classification more soundly ecologically framed and suitable for MCPFE reporting than the three (un-informative) classes adopted so far: broadleaved forest, coniferous forest, mixed broadleaved and coniferous forest. We propose a European Forest Types scheme structured into a reasonably higher number of classes, that would improve the specificity of the indicators reported under the MCPFE process and its understanding.