Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems : Science, Technology, and Public Policy

Aldo Leopold, father of the "land ethic," once said, "The time has come for science to busy itself with the earth itself.

The first step is to reconstruct a sample of what we had to begin with." The concept he expressed?restoration?is defined in this comprehensive new volume that examines the prospects for repairing the damage society has done to the nation's aquatic resources: lakes, rivers and streams, and wetlands. Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems outlines a national strategy for aquatic restoration, with practical recommendations, and features case studies of aquatic restoration activities around the country. The committee examines:Key concepts and techniques used in restoration. Common factors in successful restoration efforts. Threats to the health of the nation's aquatic ecosystems. Approaches to evaluation before, during, and after a restoration project. The emerging specialties of restoration and landscape ecology. Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Overview2 A Selective History of Changing Goals and Authority for AquaticEcosystem Management3 Planning and Evaluating Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration4 Lakes5 Rivers and Streams6 Wetlands7 Integrated Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration8 A National Restoration Strategy: Basic Elements and RelatedRecommendationsAppendixesAppendix A: Restoration Case StudiesAppendix B: GlossaryAppendix C: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members andProfessional StaffIndex