The eco-evolutionary risks of not changing seed provenancing practices in changing environments

Area of Science:

• Ecological restoration
• Conservation biology
• Climate change adaptation

Background:

• Traditionally, native restoration seed sourcing relied on local populations for ecological and evolutionary benefits.
• Rapid environmental changes introduce risks to both local and non-local seed sourcing strategies.
• Existing seed sourcing debates often focus on local versus non-local provenancing, which may be insufficient.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for a shift in seed sourcing discussions for ecological restoration.
• To propose a risk-based decision-making framework for seed sourcing in changing environments.
• To move beyond the traditional local versus non-local provenancing debate.

Main Methods:

• This study presents a conceptual argument and framework for risk assessment in seed sourcing.
• It synthesizes existing knowledge on provenancing and environmental change.
• It does not involve new empirical data collection but rather a re-evaluation of current practices.

Main Results:

• The default strategy of sourcing seed from local populations is increasingly risky under rapid environmental change.
• Both local and non-local seed sourcing strategies carry inherent risks in a dynamic climate.
• A nuanced, risk-based approach is essential for effective restoration planning.

Conclusions:

• Ecological restoration planning must adapt to environmental volatility by reassessing seed sourcing.
• A risk-based framework helps weigh the potential consequences of different seed sourcing decisions.
• Moving beyond the local vs. non-local dichotomy is crucial for successful, resilient restoration efforts.