<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Jaunatre, Renaud</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Buisson, Elise</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Dutoit, Thierry</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Can ecological engineering restore Mediterranean rangeland after intensive cultivation? A large-scale experiment in southern France</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ecological EngineeringEcological Engineering</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Covering species seeding</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ecological restoration</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Hay transfer</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Plant community composition</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Soil transfer</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Topsoil removal</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014</style></year></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">64</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">202-212</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ecological restoration has been identified as one of the possible ways to replace biodiversity loss. While ecological engineering methods can successfully restore some ecosystem attributes, restoration is generally incomplete, mainly due to lack of target species propagule dispersal, unsuitable abiotic conditions and negative biotic interactions, especially after intensive cultivation. How best to restore reference ecosystems is therefore a vital research objective, not only on a small experimental scale but also on a large scale. This study aimed to determine which ecological engineering techniques are the most suitable for large-scale restoration of a low-productive species-rich ecosystem after intensive cultivation. Experiments were carried out at La Crau in southern France, within a 357ha land rehabilitation project whose aim was to recreate a herbaceous sheep-grazed habitat. We investigated: (i) covering species seeding, (ii) topsoil removal, (iii) hay transfer, and (iv) soil transfer as methods to restore a steppe plant community in this rehabilitated area, using the last remaining French Mediterranean steppe as a reference ecosystem. Species-richness, diversity and composition of vascular plant communities were monitored over three years. The rehabilitation made it possible to recover a large area dominated by grasses but with vegetation different from that of the steppe. Hay transfer was successful in transferring some target species, but the number of target species did not significantly increase by the end of the third year. Covering species seeding seemed to provide a suitable area for target species colonization, but probable competition with grasses needs to be monitored. The greatest similarity in richness, diversity, and composition with the reference ecosystem was obtained with topsoil removal and soil transfer, which made it possible to recover the species-richness and, to some extent, the composition of the steppe. Our findings show that current ecological restoration and ecological engineering techniques can lead to at least partial restoration of some ecosystem attributes. However, they also underline the importance of in situ conservation of natural habitats rather than restoring them after their destruction.</style></abstract></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Schirone, Bartolomeo</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Salis, Antonello</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Vessella, Federico</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Effectiveness of the Miyawaki method in Mediterranean forest restoration programs</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Landscape and Ecological Engineering</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ecological restoration</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ecotechnology</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">mediterranean environment</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">potential natural vegetation</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">reforestation practices comparison</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2010</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2010///</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://www.springerlink.com/index/10.1007/s11355-010-0117-0</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">7</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">81 - 92</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">In the 1980s, Professor Akira Miyawaki introduced a new and innovative reforestation approach in Japan with the challenge to restore indigenous ecosystems, and maintaining global environments, including disaster prevention and carbon dioxide (CO2 ) mitigation. Here, natural vegetation successional stages (from bare soil to mature forest) are practically forced and reproduced, accelerating natural successional times. The Miyawaki method has been applied in the Far East, Malaysia, and South America; results have been very impressive, allowing quick environmental restorations of strongly degraded areas. However, these applications have always been made on sites characterized by high precipitation. The same method has never been used in a Mediterranean context distinguished by summer aridity and risk of desertiﬁcation. A ﬁrst test was carried out by the University of Tuscia, Department of Forest and Environment (DAF), 11 years ago in Sardinia (Italy) on an area where traditional reforestation methods had failed. For an appropriate Miyawaki application on this site, the original method was modiﬁed while maintaining its theoretical principles. Results obtained 2 and 11 years after planting are positive: having compared the traditional reforestation techniques, plant biodiversity using the Miyawaki method appears very high, and the new coenosis (plant community) was able to evolve without further operative support after planting. Therefore, the implementation of supplementary technique along with cost reduction might provide a new and innovative tool to foresters and ecological engineering experts for Mediterranean environmental reforestation program.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue></record></records></xml>