Nine actions to successfully restore tropical agroecosystems

Michael David Pashkevich; Francisco d'Albertas; Anak Agung Ketut Aryawan; Damayanti Buchori; Jean-Pierre Caliman; Adrian David González Chaves; Purnama Hidayat; Holger Kreft; Mohammad Naim; Appolinaire Razafimahatratra; Edgar Clive Turner; Delphine Clara Zemp; Sarah Helen Luke

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2022.07.007

Nine actions to successfully restore tropical agroecosystems

Trends Ecol Evol. 2022 Nov;37(11):963-975. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.07.007. Epub 2022 Aug 10.

Affiliations

¹ Insect Ecology Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK. Electronic address: pvichm@gmail.com.
² Laboratório de Ecologia da Paisagem e Conservação, Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, 321, Travessa 14, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
³ Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology Research Institute (SMARTRI), Jalan Teuku Umar 19, Pekanbaru, 28112, Riau, Indonesia.
⁴ Center for Transdisciplinary and Sustainability Sciences, IPB University, Bogor 16143, Indonesia; Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia.
⁵ Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia.
⁶ Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use (CBL), University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany.
⁷ WWF Madagascar, BP, 738 Lot prés II M 85 Ter Antsakaviro, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar.
⁸ Insect Ecology Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.
⁹ Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Laboratory of Conservation Biology, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
¹⁰ Insect Ecology Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK; School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nr Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK.

PMID: 35961912
DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.07.007

Abstract

Well-designed approaches to ecological restoration can benefit nature and society. This is particularly the case in tropical agroecosystems, where restoration can provide substantial socioecological benefits at relatively low costs. To successfully restore tropical agroecosystems and maximise benefits, initiatives must begin by considering 'who' should be involved in and benefit from restoration, and 'what', 'where', and 'how' restoration should occur. Based on collective experience of restoring tropical agroecosystems worldwide, we present nine actions to guide future restoration of these systems, supported by case studies that demonstrate our actions being used successfully in practice and highlighting cases where poorly designed restoration has been damaging. We call for increased restoration activity in tropical agroecosystems during the current UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

Keywords: ecological restoration; ecosystem restoration; landscape recovery; natural regeneration; stakeholder engagement; tropical agriculture.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Conservation of Natural Resources*
Ecosystem*

Grants and funding

BB/T012366/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom