The restoration of vegetation cover in the semi-arid Iberian southeast |
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Authors: | J. Cortina B. Amat V. Castillo D. Fuentes F.T. Maestre F.M. Padilla L. Rojo |
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Affiliation: | aDepartment of Ecology and IMEM, University of Alicante, Ap. 99, 03080 Alicante, Spain;bCEBAS-CSIC, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, Campus Universitario de Espinardo, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain;cFundación CEAM, Centro de Estudios Ambientales del Mediterráneo, Parque Tecnológico, c/Charles Darwin, 14, 46980 Paterna, Valencia, Spain;dÁrea de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/ Tulipán s/n, E-28933 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain;eEstación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, CSIC, Carretera de Sacramento s/n, 0412 La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería, Spain;fMinisterio de Medio Ambiente, Medio Rural y Marino, Plaza de San Juan de la Cruz, s/n 28071 Madrid, Spain |
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Abstract: | Semi-arid landscapes in the western Mediterranean have been used for millennia, resulting in large-scale transformations and widespread degradation. In some instances, these degraded environments have been unable to recover spontaneously, and ambitious restoration programs have been launched over the last decades to improve landscape conditions. Ecological restoration may speed up succession, promote more complex communities and increase their functionality. But uncertainty in the definition of restoration objectives, failure to identify most efficient practices and, particularly, socio-economic and cultural constrains may compromise future actions. Here, we review recent advances in the restoration of semi-arid vegetation cover in the Iberian southeast, discuss future challenges and suggest two key steps towards increasing the consistency and efficiency of restoration programs: emphasis on ecosystem services, and implementation of participative and adaptive management practices. |
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Keywords: | Adaptive management Desertification Ecological restoration Facilitation Participative management State-and-transition models Steppes Spatial heterogeneity |
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