Two Summer Research Assistant Positions in PlantPollinator Evolution

Two Summer Research Assistant Positions in Plant/Pollinator Evolution and Conservation Position 1: Part time, on campus, to evaluate divergent selection on floral traits by pollinators (mostly bees) and water availability. Position 2: Full time, Vancouver Island, to assist in building pollinator interaction webs and measure pollen limitation of wildflowers in the endangered Garry Oak Ecosystem. Both begin mid-April and run through July (flexible at both ends) To Apply: Send a letter detailing which position you are interested in and why you should be hired, plus a CV including contact information for two references, to Elizabeth Elle: eelle@sfu. ca.

SCHEDULE FOR NEXT 2 -3 weeks F- Restoration M- Reintroductions W- Background for issue based tutorial not attending will reduce ability to participate in the tutorial Guest – CWS – Habitat approaches attendance required New topic - Reserve Design

RESTORATION terminology natural succession vs active management case studies REINTRODUCTIONS Why and when? Australian and New Zealand perspectives Canadian reintroductions The good, the bad and the ugly

ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION CURRENT STATE OF SITE Reclamation Rehabilitation Re-creation Replacement Stabilize Improve Remove pollutants Revegetate Aesthetics Return to historic condition Restoration Restore structure, function, diversity and dynamics of ecosystem DESIRED STATE OF SITE

RESTORATION TOOLS Natural succession - let nature take care of it Mitigating/altering factors impacting the site Introducing and promoting species

NATURAL SUCCESSION Eg Restoration of Tropical Montane Forest, Goal restore composition structure function prevent spp loss and maintain viable populations Options 1) Allow natural regeneration 2) Plant native trees, then allow succession

Restoration of Tropical Montane Forest Ucumari Regional Park, Central Andes, Columbia Ecoregion with enormous diversity Degraded - cattle ranch, pasture, logging NATURAL REGENERATION INTERVENTION Plant native Andean alder 40 yrs later

Ucumari Regional Park, Central Andes NATURAL AND TREE PLANTATIONS Mixed uneven canopy Alder dominated canopy Continuous vertical foliage. No sub-canopy 63 spp per 0. 125 ha plot 43 spp per 0. 125 ha plot 178 spp found in restored plots Only 23 shared by two forest types Initial conditions determine restored ecosystem Natural succession --> greater diversity BUT success depends on availability of seed sources

NATURAL SUCCESSION Restoration of Fresh Kills Landfill, NY City • Received urban waste for 50 yrs • Created four mounds 100+ ft tall • Mounds “capped” 2001 Goal Restore wetlands, grasslands and woodlands that will offer wildlife habitat and natural open spaces

Restoration of Fresh Kills Landfill, NY City Natural regeneration ---> little structure, diversity Planted shrubs, oak, pine (17 spp) ---> arrival 20 new spp. in 2 yrs Planting adds spp, provides habitat that allows arrival animal-dispersed seeds

Fresh Kills 2016

NATURAL SUCCESSION Herb species diversity in regenerating forest Proportion of ancient forest left Q. Conclusions? Vellend 2003 Ecol 84: 1158 -64

RESTORATION - mitigating impacts on a site Steps: 1. Define Goal - restore what? 2. Identify constraints Disturbance regime Lack seed source/limited spp pool Invasive spp - biogeochemical feedback Herbivory or other trophic interactions Environmental change 3. Prioritize 4. Address Constraint 5. Evaluate and GO TO 1

Restoration of tropical dry forest, Conservation Area, Costa Rica Guanacaste Issue - conversion of forest for pasture - dry forest is the most endangered lowland forest type - less 0. 1% original habitat is protected Daniel Janzen

Restoration of tropical dry forest, Costa Rica Guanacaste - major restoration project - 47000 ha pasture + 23000 ha park - 130 staff

Restoration of tropical dry forest, Guanacaste Conservation Area, Costa Rica Constraints - fires set to maintain pasture - pasture dominated by exotics - seeds are animal dispersed Prioritize Step 1 - aggressive fire control; fire breaks, fire access roads Step 2 - horses/cows used to promote seed dispersal

Restoration of tropical dry forest, Costa Rica Results Areas protected 5 -10 yrs - Fires reduced by 93% - trees 10 -15 ft tall Pasture expected to be closed canopy forest in 20 -50 yrs mature forest in 300 yrs

Restoration of Garry Oak Ecosystems High diversity Native wild flowers BUT dominated by exotics (grasses/broom) Restoration constraints: invasive spp, grazing, fire

Evaluating constraints: an experimental approach 1. Plants compete with each other for resources “Bottom-up hypothesis” 2. Herbivores regulate plants “ top-down hypothesis” 3. Herbivores eat certain plants which helps less palatable species “enemy of my enemy hypothesis”

Many deer Few deer Emily Gonzalez – UBC 200 plots in Southern gulf and San Juan Islands

200 plots in Southern gulf and San Juan Islands

Evaluating constraints: an experimental approach Plant native species in plots Seedlings Treatments Herbivore exclusion, Competitor removal Fence Cut Factorial 2 x 2 design

Competition (C) and Herbivore (H) impacts on seedlings and seeds Gonzales and Arcese Ecology 2009

Evaluating actions: an experimental approach Removal of competitors (burn or mow) Re-seed with natives Added No. Seedlings 300 Burning can help some natives but it helps some exotics too Non-added exotics 200 100 0 Control Burned Seeded Both Mac. Dougal and Turkington Ecology

Restoration of tall grass prairie Tall grass prairies covered 250 million acres of Midwest dominated by 30 grass + 250 forb spp 1% remaining most endangered ecosystem in NA Midewin National Tall Grass Prairie projected initiated 1996 19, 000 acres in Illinois massive restoration project

Midewin National Tall Grass Prairie Action - removal excess willow/cottonwood - plantings 69000 plants, 79 sp - seeding - 112 spp

RESTORATION ECOLOGY New discipline Active research - how to assemble a community order effects, trophic interactions Requires multidisciplinary approach clear goals community involvement planning $$$

ANIMAL RESTORATION PROJECTS Once habitat is restored How successful are (re)introductions of animals? REINTRODUCTIONS - OVERVIEW Terminology Why and when? Australian and New Zealand perspectives Canadian reintroductions The good, the bad and the ugly

TERMINOLOGY Reintroduction - introduce into historic range Translocation - movement from A to B Supplementation/reinforcement Benign introduction - introduce outside known range Loggerhead shrike takahe

REINTRODUCTIONS - Why and When? Why maintain/restore biodiversity re-establish keystone taxa establish viable wild populations limit long-term management costs When need to increase number or range no risk to source population cause of decline removed sufficient protected habitat community support impact on people +ve $$$ IUCN guidelines

REINTRODUCTIONS - Can they work? Famous success stories Golden lion tamarin 1970’s 200 147 captive bred releases 2001 - 1000 % wildborn now 88% Mauritius kestrel 1974 - 4 birds 1994 333 rd release 2000 ca. 700

REINTRODUCTIONS - Will they work? Wolves in Yellowstone Cause of extirpation Human hunting Reintroduction 1995 -97 41 individuals Current population in YNP - 271+ Prospects No longer “endangered”

REINTRODUCTIONS - Will they work? The Guam rail Cause of extirpation brown tree snake (introduced) Reintroduction Rota - predator free island Guam - 60 ha fenced area Prospects on Guam - not good

REINTRODUCTIONS - Will they work? MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION What caused extirpation in the first place? Has that threat been reduced/eliminated NEXT LECTURE Reintroductions Australian and New Zealand perspectives Canadian reintroductions The good, the bad and the ugly