Ecological Restoration in Mediterranean-Type Shrublands and Woodlands

The Mediterranean-type ecosystems (MTEs) are limited to five regions on Earth: Mediterranean Basin, California, Central Chile, the Cape of South Africa and the Southwest Australia. This chapter identifies the factors that limits or facilitates spontaneous colonization in degraded areas of Mediterranean-type forest ecosystems in Chile and that may be applied to assist the regeneration of degraded areas. Reforestation and afforestation have been the restoration actions traditionally implemented in the Mediterranean countries. Technically not considered ecological restoration projects as understood today, these actions addressed some of the broad aims of restoration, such as reduction of soil erosion and runoff, recovery of natural forests, and the like. MTEs are evolutionary hotbeds and musea: they are home to several global centres of biodiversity and have about 20 per cent of total floristic diversity in an area covering just 5 per cent of the land surface. Vegetation of the MTEs is typically sclerophyllous shrublands, however woodlands are also important.