Leland K Werden
Taking the pulse of the global restoration movement
Worldwide
As a restoration ecologist in the Crowther Lab at ETH Zürich I co-lead the Global Experiments Network (GEN) with Rebecca Cole. Our work is focused on synthesizing the results of global restoration outcomes and developing a network of sites across Central and South America to quantify the rates of ecosystem recovery under different restoration interventions. Our recent work has categorized the motivations, methods, and costs of restoration projects across Latin America and evaluated the potential of using emerging technology for restoration monitoring. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you are interested in being involved!
Developing tools to restore tropical dry forests
Costa Rica
In collaboration with Estación Experimental Forestal Horizontes, I have developed projects using native trees to restore degraded tropical dry forests. Results thus far have enabled us to determine which tree species are suitable for restoration plantings on degraded Vertisol soils, and that ecophysiological and root traits are the best predictors of seedling performance. With these results in hand we used a functional trait-driven approach to design species mixes for 6-hectares of restoration planting which we are using to test successional and restoration theory. Haga clic aquí para una descripción en español.
Determining the impacts of abiotic conditions on restoration outcomes
Costa Rica
I am currently undertaking projects focused on uncovering how abiotic conditions at reintroduction and restoration sites contribute to outcomes of tropical forest restorations. The goal of these projects is not only to improve restoration practice, but also to further the understanding of how environmental filtering impacts plant establishment and persistence in degraded environments.
Using UAVs for ecosystem and wildlife monitoring
Costa Rica and Minnesota
As part of an interdisciplinary team I have helped to develop best-practice guidelines for observing wildlife with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Additionally, I am currently using UAVs to collect aerial imagery of secondary forests in Costa Rica to track forest regeneration and dynamics.
For a complete list of my publications see my Google scholar profile or CV.
Cole, R.J., Werden, L.K. (equal contribution), Chiriboga, F.E., Quirós Cedeño, G., Mendez Quiros, K., Crowther, T.W. 2024. Forest restoration in practice across Latin America. Biological Conservation.
Leland K. Werden, Colin Averill, Thomas W. Crowther, Erick Calderón-Morales, Laura Toro, Pedro Alvarado J., Milena Gutiérrez L., Danielle E. Mallory, Jennifer S. Powers. 2023. Philosophical Transactions B 378.
Leland K. Werden, Karen D. Holl, José Miguel Chaves-Fallas, Federico Oviedo-Brenes, Juan Abel Rosales, Rakan A. Zahawi. 2021. Journal of Applied Ecology 58: 1693-1704.
Leland K. Werden, Karen D. Holl, Juan Abel Rosales, Janelle M. Sylvester, Rakan A. Zahawi. 2020. Ecological Applications 30: e02139.
Leland K. Werden, Erick Calderón‐Morales, Pedro Alvarado J., Milena Gutiérrez L., Derek A. Nedveck, Jennifer S. Powers. 2020. Ecological Applications 30: e02116..
Leland K. Werden, Nellie C. Sugii, Lauren Weisenberger, Matthew J. Keir, Gregory Koob, Rakan A. Zahawi. 2020. Biological Conservation 243.
Leland K. Werden, Pedro Alvarado J., Sebastian Zarges, Erick Calderón M., Erik M. Schilling, Milena Gutiérrez L., Jennifer S. Powers. 2018. Journal of Applied Ecology 55 (2): 1019-1028.
Leland K. Werden, Justin M. Becknell, Jennifer S. Powers. 2018. Functional Ecology 32 (12): 2766-2776.
Mark A. Ditmer, John B. Vincent, Leland K. Werden, Jessie C. Tanner, Timothy G. Laske, Paul A. Iaizzo, David L. Garshelis, John R. Fieberg. 2015. Current Biology 25: 1-6.
"High monitoring costs seen hindering nature restoration efforts in Latin America"
Carbon Pulse -- May 7, 2024.
"Can agroforestry chocolate help save the world’s most endangered rainforest"
Mongabay -- September 12, 2023.
"Study finds bears react, then habituate, to drones"
Mongabay -- January 29, 2019.
"Finding a recipe for forest restoration"
University of Minnesota Press release -- September 22nd, 2017
"Re-peeling the effects of degradation: low-tech application of orange crop waste shows potential to restore tropical forests"
Mongabay -- August 25, 2017
"Drones could be stressing out wildlife, scientists suggest"
Washington Post -- August 13, 2015.
"American Voices: Drones Could Be Causing Stress To Wildlife"
The Onion -- August 17, 2015.
