Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services on Post-Industrial Land

Expert guide to ecological restoration of post-industrial lands that explains how to re-introduce biodiversity and ecosystem services Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services on Post-Industrial Land shows how to harness natural processes for the rehabilitation of disturbed sites. It covers both the initial stages associated with the improvement of physicochemical and biological substrate characteristics as a precondition for continuous vegetation, as well as the subsequent re-establishment of rich communities of plant species, and how these communities may be optimized for their biodiversity and ecosystem services, such as pedogenesis, nutrient cycling, habitat for other organisms, food plants for herbivores, carbon sequestration, and aesthetic value. Case studies of successful restoration of industrial sites from different regions, including mining sites, oil drilling sites, fly ash deposits and dumpsites, and brownfield lands complement the conceptual part and demonstrate how to put the theory into practice. By providing solutions for carrying out ecorestoration that maximize socio-economic, ecological and environmental benefits, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Servieces on Post-Industrial Land will be essential for environmental managers and engineers tasked with restoring post-industrial sites.