Using Facilitation Theory to Enhance Mangrove Restoration

摘要

Despite advances in positive interactions and facilitation theory in ecological research (1, 2), the concepts have failed to make a big impact on mangrove restoration ecology. Restoration applications of facilitation include reaping the community benefits of foundation species, positive density dependence, and facilitation cascades (3). In their June 2008 article, "Growth Performance of Planted Mangroves in the Philippines: Revisiting Forest Management Strategies," Samson and Rollon discuss failed mangrove restoration projects in the Philippines and suggest that the poor growth and mortality of Rhizophora spp. seedlings were due to inappropriate placement of seedlings in low intertidal mudflat and seagrass habitats, instead of being planted in existing or deforested mangrove areas (many of which are now privately controlled). Planting mangrove seedlings at appropriate elevations to limit abiotic stress on seedlings is a major tenet of recent mangrove restoration work (4), and Samson and Rallon expand on this to say it must be the primary focus of future efforts if restoration is to succeed. This conclusion is overly narrow, whereas incorporating positive interactions into restoration practices will be complementary to ongoing approaches and result in mangrove forest restoration efforts having greater success under a wider range of environmental conditions.