species of coastal and inland saline habitats belong to a few taxonomic groups:
vascular plant, reptile, fish (Actinopterygii and Chondrichthyes), bird and mollusc
species (most of the latter are sea snails and slugs). Coastal supratidal habitats
harbour more threatened species than intertidal or inland saline habitats (cf. also
Table 2).
Europe, Africa, Mesoamerica and the Caribbean Islands represent high numbers
of critically endangered and/or threatened species of the related habitats; North
America, South America and the Antarctic represent smaller numbers.
5 Examples of Restoration Projects
Restoration measures can be related to both ecological and societal goals. Societal
goals comprise fishery, energy production, shoreline protection, tourism, the scenery
and beauty of the landscape, and are linked with human survival and health, and
economic benefits. Ecological goals for example, aim at the conservation or
re-establishment of native biodiversity, reduction of threats to the biota, and/or
zero-use and wilderness. These goals may be discussed at different spatial scales
from local to global. Nature conservation measures can easily be applied if these also
follow social goals and financial investments are manageable. It is, however, more
tricky to look for solutions in complicated situations with competing interests of
invasive humans, invasive biota, and natural biodiversity (Schuster and Doerr 2015).
The lack of public awareness of losses of less charismatic ecosystems results in the
continuation of detrimental practices and therefore contributes to continued declines
of coastal ecosystems. More effective communication of scientific knowledge about
these uncharismatic but ecologically important coastal habitats is required (Duarte
et al. 2008).
The following examples partially face promising projects with respect to habitat
restoration and species conservation.
5.1 Restoration Projects on Coral Reefs
Coral reefs and mangroves are often linked to each other with regard to their
functioning in the landscape, whereas both are important system engineers. Various
projects, for example at the coasts of Florida, Caribbean Islands, Australia, Thailand,
and Egypt, are working in restoration of coral reefs. These include research and
monitoring, genetic analyses, coral gene banking efforts, cultivation and reproduction of corals and other species, ecological engineering, species reintroduction into
natural habitats, and education. Especially the development of coral nurseries and
cultivation of endangered coral species such as Acropora species seem to prove
successful efforts (Precht 2006; Yeemin et al. 2006; Rinkevich 2008; Ammar 2009;
Sen and Yousif 2016; O’Donnell et al. 2018).
296
C. Hobohm et al.
vascular plant, reptile, fish (Actinopterygii and Chondrichthyes), bird and mollusc
species (most of the latter are sea snails and slugs). Coastal supratidal habitats
harbour more threatened species than intertidal or inland saline habitats (cf. also
Table 2).
Europe, Africa, Mesoamerica and the Caribbean Islands represent high numbers
of critically endangered and/or threatened species of the related habitats; North
America, South America and the Antarctic represent smaller numbers.
5 Examples of Restoration Projects
Restoration measures can be related to both ecological and societal goals. Societal
goals comprise fishery, energy production, shoreline protection, tourism, the scenery
and beauty of the landscape, and are linked with human survival and health, and
economic benefits. Ecological goals for example, aim at the conservation or
re-establishment of native biodiversity, reduction of threats to the biota, and/or
zero-use and wilderness. These goals may be discussed at different spatial scales
from local to global. Nature conservation measures can easily be applied if these also
follow social goals and financial investments are manageable. It is, however, more
tricky to look for solutions in complicated situations with competing interests of
invasive humans, invasive biota, and natural biodiversity (Schuster and Doerr 2015).
The lack of public awareness of losses of less charismatic ecosystems results in the
continuation of detrimental practices and therefore contributes to continued declines
of coastal ecosystems. More effective communication of scientific knowledge about
these uncharismatic but ecologically important coastal habitats is required (Duarte
et al. 2008).
The following examples partially face promising projects with respect to habitat
restoration and species conservation.
5.1 Restoration Projects on Coral Reefs
Coral reefs and mangroves are often linked to each other with regard to their
functioning in the landscape, whereas both are important system engineers. Various
projects, for example at the coasts of Florida, Caribbean Islands, Australia, Thailand,
and Egypt, are working in restoration of coral reefs. These include research and
monitoring, genetic analyses, coral gene banking efforts, cultivation and reproduction of corals and other species, ecological engineering, species reintroduction into
natural habitats, and education. Especially the development of coral nurseries and
cultivation of endangered coral species such as Acropora species seem to prove
successful efforts (Precht 2006; Yeemin et al. 2006; Rinkevich 2008; Ammar 2009;
Sen and Yousif 2016; O’Donnell et al. 2018).
296
C. Hobohm et al.