Restoration ecophysiology: an ecophysiological approach to improve restoration strategies and outcomes in severely disturbed landscapes

As human activities destroy and degrade the world's ecosystems at unprecedented scales, there is a growing need for evidence-based methods ecological restoration if we are to preserve biodiversity ecosystem services. Mining represents one of most severe anthropogenic disturbances, often necessitating intensive intervention restore basic attributes native ecosystems. Despite examples successful mine-site restoration, re-establishing vegetation in these degraded landscapes remains significant challenge. Plant ecophysiology—the study interactions between plants environment—can provide useful framework evaluating guiding restoration. By understanding physiological mechanisms that allow establish persist highly disturbed environments, practitioners may be able improve outcomes. Specifically, plant ecophysiology can inform site preparation selection material projects, aid monitoring progress by providing additional insight into performance, ultimately our ability predict trajectories. Here, review challenges benefits integrating an ecophysiological perspective Western Australia, global hotspot mining operations. Using case studies from region's diverse ecosystems, illustrate how approach guide some severely landscapes. With careful species traits consideration specific environmental conditions stressors within site, outlined here has potential strategies across