Restoration Ecology

Feature publications
Spatial restoration ecology: placing restoration in a landscape context
Gilby et al. 2018 Bioscience
Researchers on conservation planning and practice have increasingly recognized and adopted the pivotal role of landscape attributes in shaping the effectiveness of protected areas. However, the degree to which these concepts have been integrated into habitat restoration projects has not been quantified. 
UN decade on ecosystem restoration 2021-2030: what chance for success in restoring coastal ecosystems?  
Waltham et al. 2020 Frontiers in Marine Science
​On 1 March 2019, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (New York) declared 2021–2030 the “UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.” This call to action has the purpose of recognizing the need to massively accelerate global restoration of degraded ecosystems, to fight the climate heating crisis, enhance food security, provide clean water and protect biodiversity on the planet. 
Assessing methods for restoring seagrass (Zostera muelleri) in Australia’s subtropical waters
Wendlander et al. 2020 Marine and Freshwater Research
Zostera muelleri, the dominant seagrass species along the eastern coastline of Australia, has declined due to anthropogenic stressors, including reduced water clarity. Water quality has improved in recent years, but restoration efforts are hampered by limited knowledge of transplantation methods. To support future restoration efforts, we tested multiple techniques for transplanting mature seagrass shoots.

Restoration ecology publications 

Rod Connolly's publications relating to restoration ecology 
2023
  • Buelow CA, Connolly RM, Dunic JC, Griffiths L, Holgate B, Lee SL, Mackey BG, Maxwell PS, Pearson RM, Rajkaran A, Sievers M, Sousa AI, Tulloch VJD, Turschwell MP, Villarreal-Rosas J, Brown CJ (2023) Enabling conservation theories of change. Nature Sustainability (online Nov 2023, see blog)​
  • Sievers M, Brown CJ, McGowan J, Turschwell MP, Buelow CA, Holgate B, Pearson RM, Adame MF, Andradi-Brown DA, Arnell A, Mackey BG, zu Ermgassen PSE, Gosling J, McOwen CJ, Worthington TA, Connolly RM (2023) Co-occurrence of biodiversity, carbon storage, coastal protection, and fish and invertebrate production to inform global mangrove conservation planning. Science of the Total Environment 904:166357 PDF
  • Kitchingman ME, Sievers M, Lopez-Marcano S, Connolly RM (2023) Fish use of restored mangroves matches that in natural mangroves regardless of forest age. Restoration Ecology 31:13806 PDF

2022
  • Sievers M, Brown CJ, Buelow CA, Hale R, Ostrowski A, Saunders MI, Silliman BR, Swearer SE, Turschwell MP, Valdez SR, Connolly RM (2022) Greater consideration of animals will enhance coastal restoration outcomes. Bioscience 72:1088-1098 PDF
  • Richardson MA, Zhang Y, Connolly RM, Gillies CL, McDougall C (2022) Some like it hot: the ecology, ecosystem benefits and restoration potential of oyster reefs in tropical waters. Frontiers in Marine Science 9:873768 PDF
  • Buelow CA, Connolly RM, Turschwell MP, Adame FA, Ahmadia GN, Andradi-Brown DA,  Bunting P, Canty SWJ, Dunic JC Friess DA, Lee SY, Lovelock CE, McClure EC, Pearson RM, Sievers M, Sousa AI, Worthington TA, Brown CJ (2022) Ambitious targets for mangrove and seagrass recovery. Current Biology 32:1641-1649 PDF​
  • ​Borland HP, Gilby BL, Henderson CJ, Connolly RM, Gorissen B, Ortodossi NL, Rummell AJ, Pittman SJ, Sheaves M, Olds AD (2022) Dredging transforms the seafloor and enhances functional diversity in urban seascapes. Science of the Total Environment 831:154811 PDF
  • Flindt MR, Oncken NS, Kuusemae K, Lange T, Aaskoven N, Winter S, Sousa AI, Rasmussen EK, Canal-Verges P, Connolly RM, Kristensen E (2022) Sand-capping stabilizes muddy sediment and improves benthic light conditions in eutrophic estuaries: laboratory verification and the potential for recovery of eelgrass (Zostera marina). Journal of Sea Research 181:102177 PDF

2021
  • Lowe EC, Steven R, Morris RL, Parris KM, Aguiar AC, Webb CE, Bugnot AB, Dafforn KA, Connolly RM, Mayer Pinto M (2022) Supporting urban ecosystem services across terrestrial, marine and freshwater realms. Science of the Total Environment (online Jan 2022)
  • Dunic JC, Brown CJ, Connolly RM, Turschwell MP, Cote IM (2021) Long-term declines and recovery of meadow area across the world’s seagrass bioregions. Global Change Biology 27:4096-4109 ​PDF
  • Gilby BL, Olds AD, Brown CJ, Connolly RM, Henderson CJ, Maxwell PS, Schlacher TA (2021) Applying systematic conservation planning to improve the allocation of restoration actions at multiple spatial scales. Restoration Ecology 29:13403 PDF
  • Waltham NJ, Alcott C, Barbeau MA, Cebrian J, Connolly RM, Deegan LA, Dodds K, Goodridge-Gaines LA, Gilby BL, Henderson CJ, McLuckie CM, Minello TJ, Norris GS, Ollerhead J, Pahl J, Reinhardt JF, Rezek RJ, Simenstad CA, Smith JAM, Sparks EL, Staver LW, Ziegler SL, Weinstein MP (2021) Tidal marsh restoration optimism in a changing climate and urbanizing seascape. Estuaries and Coasts 44:1681-1690 ​PDF​
  • Giffin AL, Brown CJ, Nalau J, Mackey BG, Connolly RM (2020) Marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation in Asia and Oceania: review of approaches and integration with marine spatial planning. Pacific Conservation Biology 27:104-117 PDF

2020​
  • Tan YM, Dalby O, Kendrick GA, Statton J, Sinclair EA, Fraser MW, Macreadie PI, Gillies C, Coleman RA, Waycott M, van Dijk K, Verges A, Ross JD, Campbell ML, Matheson FE, Jackson EL, Irving AD, Govers LL, Connolly RM, McLeod I, Rasheed MA, Kirkman H, Flindt MR, Langes T, Miller A, Sherman CD (2020) Seagrass restoration is possible: insights and lessons from Australia and New Zealand. Frontiers in Marine Science 7:617 PDF
  • Waltham NJ, Elliott M, Lee SY, Lovelock C, Duarte CM, Buelow C, Simenstad C, Nagelkerken I, Claassens L, Wen CCK, Barletta M, Connolly RM, Gillies C, Mitsch WJ, Ogburn MB, Purandare J, Possingham H, Sheaves M (2020) UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030: what chance for success in restoring coastal ecosystems? Frontiers in Marine Science 7:71 PDF
  • Wendlander NS, Lange T, Connolly RM, Kristensen E, Pearson RM, Valdemarsen T, Flindt MR (2020) Assessing methods for restoring seagrass (Zostera muelleri) in Australia’s subtropical waters. Marine and Freshwater Research 71:996-1005 PDF

2019
  • Gilby BL, Olds AD, Connolly RM, Henderson CJ, Schlacher TA (2019) Seascape context modifies how fish respond to restored oyster reef structures. ICES Journal of Marine Science 76:1131-1139 PDF

2018
  • Gilby BL, Olds AD, Connolly RM, Henderson CJ, Schlacher TA (2018) Spatial restoration ecology: placing restoration in a landscape context. Bioscience 68:1007-1019 PDF​
  • Gilby BL, Olds AD, Peterson CH, Connolly RM, Voss CM, Bishop MJ, Elliott M, Grabowski JH, Ortodossi NL, Schlacher TA (2018) Maximising the benefits of oyster reef restoration for finfish and their fisheries. Fish and Fisheries 19:931-947 PDF