[APWG] Ecosystem Restoration: Find the missing puzzle pieces

[Craig Dremann - Redwood City Seed Company]

Dear Wayne and All,

You wrote: Similarly, walk-throughs may produce anecdotal data or leave an
impression that might have a hole in it somewhere. Even surveys do not
necessarily provide the whole picture, and even they (the gold standard of
ecosystem analysis) are only a snapshot of the state of the
ecosystem valid only for the instant at which it was taken.  So, pray
tell, what IS the "gold standard" with respect to assessing ecosystem
health, and what is the "standard of care" for "unhealthy" ones?

Reply: Very important question, and I think you hit the nail on the head
for all exotic management and all ecological restoration projects across
North America.

If we look at a local ecosystem, including the understory, like a big
puzzle, there will be a certain number of pieces of tree species, and
pieces of shrub species, and pieces of wildflower species, for example.

What has happened when exotic plants get established, is that the weeds
are substituting themselves in a spot where there should be a native
puzzle piece.

What we need to be able to analyze, is exactly which native puzzle pieces
are the weeds  subbing for, so that when we remove the exotics, we can put
the correct native puzzle piece back in their spot?

Perhaps we can do this like archaeologists looking at a ruin, trying to
find the ourline of the ruined homes of the natives?

By using species transect  surveys, we could use that data to write a
computer program that can recreate the balance of the species that existed
in the original ecosystem, before the exotics invaded.  That would give us
a base-line of health, and a goal to shoot for when doing our weeding or
restoration projects.

Sincerely,  Craig Dremann (650) 325-7333