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Published Online July 30, 2009
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1172460

Reports

Submitted on February 18, 2009
Accepted on July 9, 2009

Enhancement of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services by Ecological Restoration: A Meta-Analysis

José M. Rey Benayas 1*, Adrian C. Newton 2, Anita Diaz 2, James M. Bullock 3

1 Ecology Department, Alcala University, E-28871 Alcalá de Henares, Spain.; Fundación Internacional para la Restauración de Ecosistemas, Edificio de Ciencias Ambientales, Alcala University, E-28871 Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
2 School of Conservation Sciences, Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus, Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB, UK.
3 Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
José M. Rey Benayas , E-mail: josem.rey{at}uah.es

Ecological restoration is widely used to reverse the environmental degradation caused by human activities. However, the effectiveness of restoration actions in increasing provision of both biodiversity and ecosystem services has not been evaluated systematically. A meta-analysis of 89 restoration assessments in a wide range of ecosystem types across the globe indicates that ecological restoration increased provision of biodiversity and ecosystem services by 44% and 25%, respectively. However, values of both remained lower in restored than in intact reference ecosystems. Increases in biodiversity and ecosystem service measures following restoration were positively correlated. Results indicate that restoration actions focused on enhancing biodiversity should support increased provision of ecosystem services, particularly in tropical terrestrial biomes.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
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Ecological Rest. 28, 354-360
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Plant Propagation and the Ecological Restoration of Mexican Tropical Deciduous Forests.
C. Bonfil and I. Trejo (2010)
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)