A prescribed burn at Goose Lake Prairie.
Restoration ecology has become a vital component of efforts to conserve biodiversity in Illinois. By applying techniques and management practices, such as prescribed fire and the planting or seeding of desirable flora, degraded ecological systems can be restored to some semblance of their original state and function. The use and development of these techniques is based on ecological principles, and the environmental benefits can be impressive. Rather than focusing on a single species, a group of species, or even a community, the goal of restoration ecology is to manage ecosystems or major habitats to at least a semi-natural condition. In Illinois, these systems include prairies, oak savannas, floodplains, wetlands, lakes, and even whole watersheds. Given sufficient scale, restoration is even relevant to the structure of entire landscapes. The benchmark of a successful restoration project is an ecological system that is self-sustaining or one that requires only periodic application of management techniques such as prescribed fire or flooding.
In this issue, we provide an overview of the research in restoration ecology that is being conducted at the Illinois Natural History Survey. A few key projects are highlighted that demonstrate the diversity of these research efforts. Scientists at the Survey are working on restoration with respect to plants, insects, soil invertebrates, and birds in nearly all of Illinois' major ecosystems. Research is being conducted throughout the state and includes projects in urban, suburban, and rural settings. This research is relevant to many conservation issues faced by the citizens of Illinois. For example, the problem of invasive or exotic species in our natural areas may be diminished with the application of restoration techniques.
A prescribed burn at Goose Lake Prairie.
Understanding how to reconstruct and sustain ecosystems poses interesting challenges for researchers. Restoration ecology is a relatively new science and fundamental questions persist about the nature of ecosystems and complex biological interactions. The practice of restoration has been called the acid test that indicates how well ecologists understand the functioning of ecosystems. Practices such as prescribed fire have been in use for most of the 20th century, but the possible effects of fire and other restoration techniques on a wide spectrum of organisms and ecological phenomena are unclear. These uncertainties, coupled with the severe loss and degradation of many important ecosystems in Illinois, highlight a complex suite of research needs. Illinois is called the prairie state but we have lost over 99% of the prairies and nearly all of the oak savannas and wetlands that were here before European settlement. Thus, research in restoration ecology and ecosystem management provides the citizens of Illinois with the means and knowledge to regain at least part of our natural heritage. Trade-offs are inevitable and land managers or private landowners need reliable scientific information upon which to evaluate different land-use options.
Restoration ecology also presents unique research opportunities because it draws on knowledge from diverse areas in ecology and systematics over a wide spectrum of taxonomic groups. The potential for synthesis and integrative research is therefore excellent. As illustrated in this issue, projects in restoration ecology can bring together teams of scientists for research at the same location on common questions. Restoration techniques, such as the burning of grassland habitat, can involve decisions about the timing and frequency of burning with results that may have positive and adverse effects on different types of organisms. The collective efforts of researchers to understand these trade-offs are essential for effective restoration.
The application of restoration techniques at the level of ecosystems also allows scientists to work at an unusually large spatial scale. Under ideal conditions, restoration projects offer the advantages of experimental studies that are usually conducted in much smaller or simpler ecological systems. Long-term comparisons of different restoration techniques are especially informative.
Research in restoration ecology at the Illinois Natural History Survey will certainly increase in coming years and projects are being planned to monitor comprehensively the long-term effects of restoration. Likely areas for these efforts are the Illinois River Watershed, the Midewin National Grasslands, and the Savanna Army Depot (soon to become the Lost Mound Wildlife Area). The Survey already has staff located in all these systems. Data from ongoing and planned projects will enhance our understanding of how ecosystems work and will be critical for predicting the sustainability of Illinois ecological systems in response to increasing local and global pressures.
Jeffrey D. Brawn, Center for Wildlife Ecology
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