Pioneering study applies network theory to assess the success of forest restoration at the landscape level

An unprecedented study led by two Brazilian scientists (Débora Rother, from the Federal University of São Carlos, and Carine Emer, from the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden) proposes a new vision for ecological restoration. They applied network theory to a database of trees surveyed in the Atlantic Forest to assess the success of forest restoration in a mosaic landscape, focusing on functional connectivity and ecological processes.

The species-habitat network approach shows the complex interactions between species and their environments and how different species contribute to ecosystem functioning. Modeling scenarios of different network configurations helps to understand how key ecological processes respond to restoration practices.

The results of the study, conducted in the state of São Paulo in an area of Atlantic Forest near the Cerrado, suggest that traditionally restored forests (i.e., with low species diversity) do not function as integrated components of the landscape, but form distinct modules within the network. The modularity of these networks indicates a poorly connected system, where each area functions differently and can follow different ecological and evolutionary trajectories.

"What we found was that the set of species used in restoration represents very little of the diversity of the Atlantic Forest, failing to restore the complexity of the system. In fact, a very limited list of species is used in restoration, generally those that are available on the market and easy to produce. When thinking about restoration at the landscape and ecological process level—which is what we propose—it is essential to increase the diversity of species used in restoration efforts so that the recovered areas resemble the original forest as closely as possible," explains researcher Carine Emer (JBRJ).

The study also reveals that restored areas have young individuals that were not planted by humans in active restoration, but most likely arrived through seed dispersal by animals. These are zoochoric plant species, with small seeds dispersed by small animals such as thrushes and great kiskadees. “This indicates the essential role of animals in restoration, facilitating landscape connectivity by dispersing seeds between areas. It also indicates that zoochoric plant species should be prioritized to facilitate seed movement and gene flow in the landscape,” adds Carine Emer.