Restoring Ecosystems in a Time of Ongoing Global Change

In this virtual lecture on Wednesday, March 23, restoration ecologist David Moreno Mateos will discuss the traditional methods used to assess the recovery of terrestrial ecosystems—such as changes in biodiversity or soil carbon levels—and highlight their limitations. David is an assistant professor of landscape architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design plus an affiliate of the department of organismic and evolutionary biology at Harvard University. He will make a case for more comprehensive and long-term approaches to understanding and measuring ecosystem recovery and highlight their potential for enhancing environmental policies and large-scale restoration strategies. How long does it take for an ecosystem to recover after it is disturbed or destroyed by human activities? What are the signs an ecosystem has recovered?

This free program is supported by the Michael V. Dyett Lecture Fund and is presented by Harvard Museum of Natural History and Harvard Museums of Science & Culture.