Rewilding old fields: why additional effort is needed to restore wildflowers

Why has restoring old fields been a challenge for practitioners for decades? In their latest research, Tina Parkhurst, Suzanne Prober and Rachel Standish explore the efficacy of intervention efforts to understand limitations in current practices. Globally, there is a trend towards widespread abandonment of marginal agricultural land. Land abandonment is often associated with land degradation following long-term unsustainable agricultural practices, resulting in low productivity. Whilst … Continue reading Rewilding old fields: why additional effort is needed to restore wildflowers

Behind the cover 2:3 – Sand addition augments gharial nesting in degrading aquatic habitats

Gaurav Vashistha and colleagues describe their latest research attempting to reverse the observed decline in gharial nesting by improving nesting site conditions. Find out more about the research behind the cover of our latest issue. The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is a critically threatened, freshwater crocodile. Gharials nest in sandy substrates such as river banks and mid-river sand bars where females dig holes and lay their … Continue reading Behind the cover 2:3 – Sand addition augments gharial nesting in degrading aquatic habitats

Restorative recreation: One landowner’s restoration experience in Iowa’s Loess Hills

In his latest From Practice article, author and landowner Patrick Swanson describes his experience restoring a native prairie remnant in Iowa’s Loess Hills and introduces a new paradigm that maximizes benefits to personal wellbeing while improving the landscape for other species. This article is part of the cross-journal, cross-society Special Feature on the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Ecosystems worldwide are under mounting stress from … Continue reading Restorative recreation: One landowner’s restoration experience in Iowa’s Loess Hills

Behind the cover 2:1 – Q&A with David O’Brien

In this Q&A, we find out more about the author and research: “A co‐development approach to conservation leads to informed habitat design and rapid establishment of amphibian communities” behind the cover image of our first issue of 2021. The research What’s your article about? Our article describes habitat creation and management for amphibians in economically active sites. We worked with farmers, foresters and a golf … Continue reading Behind the cover 2:1 – Q&A with David O’Brien

Every restoration is unique

In the second of our series of blogs to accompany the recently-published Special Feature, Toward prediction in the restoration of biodiversity, Katharine Stuble describes her work in Every restoration is unique: testing year effects and site effects as drivers of initial restoration trajectories. Restoration practitioners are acutely aware that the outcomes of their efforts are strongly contingent on a slew of factors.  Some are well … Continue reading Every restoration is unique

Toward prediction in the restoration of biodiversity

Issue 54:4 of the Journal of Applied Ecology features a Special Feature, Toward prediction in the restoration of biodiversity. In the first of a series of blogs accompanying the feature, Guest Editor, Lars Brudvig introduces the work and the ecological ideas behind this collection of articles. By repairing ecosystems damaged through human activities, ecological restoration plays an important role in biodiversity conservation efforts. Furthermore, restoration … Continue reading Toward prediction in the restoration of biodiversity