Differences between upland and lowland savannas may indicate need for different restoration strategies

The authors of this study wondered if upland savannas are a good reference surrogate for lowland savannas or if there are key differences in how these sites respond to restoration techniques.

Implications for managers:

• Using upland savanna restoration strategies in lowland savanna sites may lead to loss of unique lowland characteristics
• Multiple historical sources (e.g., maps, surveyor descriptions, tree density) provide a more comprehensive view of past conditions
• Evaluate historical data with future climate conditions in mind

For further summary of the study's results and implications for management, view or download a PDF version of the research brief:"Differences Between Upland and Lowland Savannas May Indicate Need For Different Restoration Strategies."

The original paper is:

Reference:

Dettman, Connie L., Catherine M. Mabry, and Lisa A Schulte. 2009. Restoration of Midwestern U.S. savannas: One size does not fit all. Restoration Ecology 17(6):772-783.