Enhancement of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services by Ecological Restoration: A Meta-Analysis
José M. Rey Benayas,1,2,*
Adrian C. Newton,3
Anita Diaz,3
James M. Bullock4
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 versus intact reference ecosystems.
Increases in biodiversity and ecosystem service measures after
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.
2 Fundación Internacional para la Restauración de Ecosistemas, Edificio de Ciencias Ambientales, Alcala University, E-28871 Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
3 School of Conservation Sciences, Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus, Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB, UK.
4 Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: josem.rey{at}uah.es
