A place for alien species in ecosystem restoration
Ewel JJ and Putz FE. 2004. A place for alien species in ecosystem restoration. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 2(7):354-360
Blanket condemnation of alien species in restoration efforts is counterproductive. Where their presence does not unduly threaten surrounding ecosystems, alien species can be tolerated or even used to good advantage, if they provide essential ecological or socioeconomic services. By speeding restoration or making it more effective, non-native species can provide economic and ecological payoffs. Risk is always an issue when alien species are involved, but greater risk taking is warranted where environmental conditions have been severely modified through human activity than where reassembly of a biological community is the sole goal of restoration.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Ewel, John; Putz, Francis
- Units
- JELA
- Keywords
- Alien, ecologic, Economic, Ecosystem, Exotic, Invasive, Non-Native, place, Plants, Restoration, Species