Four reasons why functional traits are not being used in restoration practice
Thomas K. Merchant, Jonathan J. Henn, Isabel de Silva, Elisa Van Cleemput, Katharine N. Suding
Abstract
Restoration ecologists devote considerable time and resources to understanding the role of functional traits in community assembly and ecosystem functioning. However, while functional traits show promise in supporting restoration practice in some circumstances, traits are not often explicitly considered by practitioners. Here we highlight four reasons that are preventing the use of traits in restoration, ranging from different restoration targets and frameworks to practical considerations around species selection, databases, plant stock availability, and measurement approaches. We provide actions that can be taken by researchers, practitioners, plant stock producers, and policy makers to better incorporate functional traits in restoration practice and show how traits can complement existing practices to achieve both traditional/taxonomic and functional restoration targets. We hope to guide critical partnerships, missing research, and immediate actions to leverage the value of traits at all stages in the restoration process.