Achieving restoration goals in drylands is often hindered by a lack of scientific information regarding what seed sources of which species can successfully be planted where. This is especially true in the Intermountain West where scientists and practitioners are beginning to tackle the mechanisms that enable plant establishment, connections to underlying ecological processes and management practices, and, importantly, interactions with contemporary and future climate change. As we enter the United Nations-declared Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, we assessed global efforts to restore natural landscapes and promote ecological resilience in a changing world. We will focus our discussion on drylands around the globe and use a novel case study from the Intermountain West to demonstrate that there is much to consider if we aim to develop a well-informed restoration toolkit. We present a case study using next-generation sequencing data of a dominant graminoid, Hilaria jamesii, to assess the population genetic patterns across this species’ range. We include the only commercially-available restoration material of the species and related taxa to demonstrate how challenging it can be to provide scientifically sound information to managers and practitioners.
Results/Conclusions
Foundational and continued research efforts in the Intermountain West and drylands around the globe remain a pressing need before effective restoration targets can be achieved, including those set by the Bonn Challenge and that will apply to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. In our case study, molecular analyses demonstrate that the only commercially-available native plant material of H. jamesii (a.k.a. 'Viva') is a hybrid between H. jamesii and its sister species, H. mutica. In fact, hybrids between these species are common where they geographically overlap. This is problematic because the 'Viva' hybrid has successfully been moved beyond the natural hybrid zone and into the core range of H. jamesii by restoration practitioners. We discuss the potential ramifications of introducing novel genetic variation into H. jamesii as well as the utility of genetic analyses to protect species natural patterns of genetic diversity and to help managers make informed decisions regarding the development and deployment of native plant materials. Novel methodologies may help restoration programs achieve goals at larger spatial scales and longer time scales by reducing overlap, pooling existing resources and knowledge, and increasing efficiency. Overall, progress is needed soon, as the threats of climate change, invasive species, and biodiversity loss continue to affect dryland systems in the Intermountain West and beyond.