{"title":"Plant Reintroduction in a Changing Climate: Promises and Perils","authors":"J. Maschinski, K. E. Haskins","doi":"10.5822/978-1-61091-183-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5822/978-1-61091-183-2","url":null,"abstract":"F ecological restorationists, it is axiomatic that biodiversity is a key foundation upon which ecosystem functioning depends. We accept that loss of diversity can have catastrophic effects on ecosystem processes and the services they provide (Duffy 2009). Indeed, conservation of biodiversity is virtually always either a stated or implied goal of ecological restoration projects. This is especially important given that recent rates of extinction may now far exceed those occurring throughout the period when humans have affected the Earth’s ecosystems. One estimate is that nearly 20% of all plant species worldwide may now be threatened with extinction (Pennisi 2010). Recognizing this reality, many restoration projects in the 1990s began to formally include active reintroduction of plant propagules into sites where the native population was absent. Such reintroduction has now become the primary tool for the recovery of endangered plant populations to viable levels in many areas of the world. The nascent state of the science and practice of plant reintroduction was reviewed previously in Restoring Diversity: strategies for reintroduction of endangered plants (Falk et al. 1996). The current volume represents a thoroughly updated and expanded version of this review some 15 years on. In addition to examining the experience, knowledge, and data that have accumulated since, this work more directly addresses the controversial topic of managed relocation (MR) where endangered organisms are purposefully introduced outside their native ranges. As the current title suggests, the omnipresent effects of changing climate also now play a more prominent role in all plant conservation activities and this is addressed in this work as well. This volume, which is based on presentations and discussion at a symposium held in 2009, is divided into four parts. The first part includes two complementary reviews of available information derived from the majority of specific plant reintroductions conducted primarily since the mid-1980s. These summaries of success, failure, and accumulated knowledge provides valuable context for what follows. The existence of the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC) International Reintroduction Registry (2013) greatly facilitated these reviews and serves as a dynamic and valuable resource for plant reintroduction practitioners and scientists. The second part addresses advances in the science and practice of plant reintroduction. The sorts of topics restoration ecologists might expect are certainly here (e.g. the importance of genetics, associated microorganisms, identifying suitable habitats, propagule type and number, longterm monitoring, and dealing with extremely small population size and native ranges). Importantly, the role of volunteer and community outreach groups in facilitating reintroduction is also considered. The two chapters in part III directly consider the contentious and still emerging topic of MR, where introductions occur in nove","PeriodicalId":359027,"journal":{"name":"Plant Reintroduction in a Changing Climate","volume":"45 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126403534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}