			Home About us Contact

Restored Wetlands (restored + wetland)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Life Sciences	40%

Selected Abstracts

The development of vegetative zonation patterns in restored prairie pothole wetlands

JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2003
Eric W. Seabloom
Summary 1The spatial structure of plant communities can have strong impacts on ecosystem functions and on associated animal communities. None the less, spatial structure is rarely used as a measure of restoration success. 2The restoration of hundreds of wetlands in the prairie pothole region in the mid-western USA provided an excellent opportunity to determine whether the re-establishment of abiotic conditions is sufficient to restore structure, composition and spatial patterning of the vegetation. 3We mapped the topography and vegetative distributions in 17 restored and nine natural wetlands. We used these data to compare the composition and spatial structure of the vegetation in both wetlands types. 4The composition of the plant communities differed between restored and natural wetlands; the restored wetlands lacked the well-developed sedge-meadow community found in most natural wetlands. However, the spatial heterogeneity was similar, although the zonation patterns were less well-developed in the restored wetlands. 5Although the overall structure was similar, species distributions differed among wetland types, such that species were found more than 10 cm higher in restored wetlands than in natural wetlands. 6Synthesis and applications. This study illustrates that restored plant community composition and spatial structure may converge on their targets at different rates. Evaluations of restoration success should consider spatial structure of communities along with compositional and functional metrics. [source]

Use of Restored Small Wetlands by Breeding Waterfowl in Prince Edward Island, Canada

RESTORATION ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2003
C. E. Stevens
Abstract Since 1990 under the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture over 100 small wetlands have been restored in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Wetlands were restored by means of dredging accumulated sediment from erosion to emulate pre-disturbance conditions (i.e., open water and extended hydroperiod). In 1998 and 1999 we compared waterfowl pair and brood use on 22 restored and 24 reference wetlands. More pairs and broods of Ring-necked Ducks, Gadwall, Green-winged Teal, and American Black Ducks used restored versus reference wetlands. In restored wetlands waterfowl pair density and species richness were positively correlated with wetland/cattail area, percent cattail cover, and close proximity to freshwater rivers. In addition, a waterfowl reproductive index was positively correlated with percent cattail cover. Green-winged Teal pair occurrence in restored wetlands was positively correlated with greater amounts of open water and water depths. American Black Duck pairs occurred on most (86%) restored wetlands. Restored small wetlands likely served as stopover points for American Black Duck broods during overland or stream movements, whereas they likely served as a final brood-rearing destination for Green-winged Teal broods. We suggest that wetland restoration is a good management tool for increasing populations of Green-winged Teal and American Black Ducks in Prince Edward Island. [source]

Rate of succession in restored wetlands and the role of site context

APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 3 2010
Jeffrey W. Matthews
Abstract Question: Are changes in plant species composition, functional group composition and rates of species turnover consistent among early successional wetlands, and what is the role of landscape context in determining the rate of succession? Location: Twenty-four restored wetlands in Illinois, USA. Methods: We use 4 years of vegetation sampling data from each site to describe successional trends and rates of species turnover in wetlands. We quantify: (1) the rate at which composition changes from early-successional to late-successional species and functional groups, as indicated by site movement in ordination space over time, and (2) the rate of change in the colonization and local extinction of individual species. We correlate the pace of succession to site area, isolation and surrounding land cover. Results: Some commonalities in successional trends were evident among sites. Annual species were replaced by clonal perennials, and colonization rates declined over time. However, differences among sites outweighed site age in determining species composition, and the pace of succession was influenced by a site's landscape setting. Rates of species turnover were higher in smaller wetlands. In addition, wetlands in agricultural landscapes underwent succession more rapidly, as indicated by a rapid increase in dominance by late-successional plants. Conclusions: Although the outcome of plant community succession in restored wetlands was somewhat predictable, species composition and the pace of succession varied among sites. The ability of restoration practitioners to accelerate succession through active manipulation may be contingent upon landscape context. [source]

Restoring prairie pothole wetlands: does the species pool concept offer decision-making guidance for re-vegetation?

APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 2 2006
Susan M. Galatowitsch
Anon. (2004) Abstract Question: Do regional species pools, landscape isolation or on-site constraints cause plants from different guilds to vary in their ability to colonize restored wetlands? Location: Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota, USA. Methods: Floristic surveys of 41 restored wetlands were made three and 12 years after reflooding to determine changes in local species pools for eight plant guilds. The effect of landscape isolation on colonization efficiency was evaluated for each guild by plotting local species pools against distance to nearby natural wetlands, and the relative importance of dispersal vs. on-site constraints in limiting colonization was explored by comparing the local species pools of restored and natural wetlands within the region. Results: Of the 517 wetland plant taxa occurring in the region, 50% have established within 12 years. The proportion of the regional species pool represented in local species pools differed among guilds, with sedge-meadow perennials, emergent perennials and floating/submersed aquatics least represented (33-36%) and annual guilds most represented (74-94%). Colonization-to-extinction ratios suggest that floating/submersed aquatics have already reached a species equilibrium while sedge-meadow and emergent perennials are still accumulating species. Increasing distance to nearest wetlands decreased the proportion of the regional species pool present in local pools for all guilds except native annuals and woody plants. The maximum proportion predicted, assuming no distance constraint, was comparable to the lowest-diversity natural wetlands for most perennial guilds, and also lower than what was achieved in a planted, weeded restoration. Conclusions: A biotic constraints seem to limit the colonization of floating/submersed aquatics into natural or restored wetlands, whereas all other guilds are potentially constrained by dispersal or biotic factors (i.e. competition from invasive species). Using species pools to evaluate restoration progress revealed that immigration potential varies considerably among guilds, that local species richness does not necessarily correspond to immigration limitations, and that some guilds (e.g. sedge-meadow perennials) will likely benefit more than others from being planted at restoration sites. [source]