Monday, August 6, 2007: 1:30 PM-5:00 PM
A3&6, San Jose McEnery Convention Center
SYMP 3 - Key concepts and research questions in restoration ecology
This symposium addresses the ecological concepts and theory at the heart of restoration ecology, involving researchers who have been developing this body of work over the past two decades, in addition to workers in related fields who will be asked to contribute and critically evaluate progress in understanding and application in this area.

The field of restoration ecology has always been an interesting blend of science, practice and policy. As the field matures as a science, it is timely to assess its current status and how best to advance it. Various attempts have been made to identify scientific concepts which can guide practitioners in embarking on successful ecological restoration projects. This has largely been pursued through such channels as the pages of learned journals and, notably, the SER Primer on Ecological Restoration, which lists the “nine attributes” of a successful ecological restoration project. These attributes are based on theoretical concepts and observation drawn from restoration ecology, the general field of ecology, and the broader natural sciences. This session aims to: (1) examine these concepts as research questions with the aim of establishing how clearly they are in agreement with current theory, and whether they need extending/modifying/rejecting; (2) examine how useful these concepts are in terms of providing meaningful and measurable characteristics which might be translatable into standards for restoration projects; and (3) consider what new attributes/concepts/questions we need to consider in applying restoration ecology in ecological restoration. Speakers are drawn from a wide range of disciplines pertinent to, and active in, the field of restoration ecology, and wider disciplines where appropriate.

Organizer:James A. Harris, Cranfield University
Co-organizer:Richard J. Hobbs, Murdoch University
Moderator:George Gann, Institute for Regional Conservation
1:30 PMIntroduction: Key concepts and research questions in restoration ecology
James A. Harris, Cranfield University, Richard J. Hobbs, Murdoch University
1:50 PMReference ecosystems, characteristic assemblages, and disturbance regimes: Is there a right answer?
Peter Fule, Northern Arizona University
2:10 PMDisassembly rules: What restoration ecology can gain from the current hype in biodiversity research
Stefan Halle, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Vicky Temperton, Research Centre Jülich GmbH, ICG-III
2:30 PMHow can functional traits be used to direct ecological restoration?
Jennifer L. Funk, Stanford University
2:50 PMRestoration of the abiotic component of ecosystems: Prerequisite for, or complement to, biotic restoration?
Steve Whisenant, Texas A&M University
3:10 PMBreak
3:20 PMRestoring ecosystem function: Which functions and how much is enough?
Rudy Van Diggelen, University of Groningen
3:40 PMReducing threats to the health and integrity of the restored system: What does this mean and how do we do it?
Andrew B. Gill, Cranfield University
4:00 PMRestoration of "self-sustaining" ecosystems: Challenges and perspectives
Young D. Choi, Purdue University Calumet
4:20 PMHow can traditional ecological knowlege inform restoration ecology and vice versa?
Dennis Martinez, Indigenous Peoples' Restoration Network (IPRN)
4:40 PMPanel Discussion

See more of Symposium

See more of The ESA/SER Joint Meeting (August 5 -- August 10, 2007)