Incorporating a palaeo-perspective into Andean montane forest restoration

Reference ecosystems used in tropical forest restoration lack the temporal dimension required to characterise a mature or intact vegetation community. Here we provide practical ‘palaeo-reference ecosystem’ for eastern Andean forests of Ecuador complement standard ‘reference approach. Pollen assemblages from sedimentary archives recovered Ecuadorian montane are binned into distinct time periods and characterised as 1) Ancient (pre-human arrival), 2) Pre-European (Indigenous cultivation), 3) Successional (European arrival/Indigenous depopulation), 4) Mature (diminished human population), 5) Deforested (re-colonisation), 6) Modern (industrial agriculture). A multivariate statistical approach is then identify most recent period which can be mature. Detrended correspondence analysis indicates that pollen spectra CE 1718-1819 (time bin 4 – population)) similar pre-human arrival state. The this by Melastomataceae, Fabaceae, Solanaceae Weinmannia . 1700s, therefore, provides phase substantial has undergone over century recovery, representing palaeo-reference ecosystem. We propose incorporating palynological analyses short cores spanning last 500 years with botanical inventory data achieve more realistic long-term goals.