PhD defence

Assessing Dryland Resilience: Bridging Theory, Observation and Practice

PhD candidate Y (Yanning) Qiu
Promotor dr. M (Milena) Holmgren Urba
External promotor Zhiwei Xu
Organisation Wageningen University, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
Date

Fri 13 October 2023 11:00 to 12:30

Venue Omnia, building number 105
Hoge Steeg 2
105
6708 PH Wageningen
+31 (0) 317 - 484500
Room Auditorium

Summary

Drylands are key ecosystems on earth but also have been suffering major degradation risks due to a combination of climate change and anthropogenic factors. Intensive restoration projects have therefore been implemented, although it could be challenging, costly and the outcomes can be uncertain.

My PhD research uses a combination of field surveys, remote sensing, and mathematical modelling to assess the large-scale ecological restoration practices of sand dune systems (a specific type of dryland) in China. It tries to advance our understandings of ecosystem resilience from a theoretical perspective, and also to provide practical guidance to future ecosystem managements.

The results suggest:

  1. Start restoration at environmentally favorable places
  2. Vegetation spatial patterns can be recovery indicators
  3. Restrict spatial interactions at initial stage of restoration

Although the main focus of this thesis is on sand dune ecosystems, but this research framework may also be used to understand ecological resilience in other ecosystems.