滇西北高原闭合半闭合退化湿地的生态恢复效果

选取滇西北高原典型退化湿地纳帕海,对比植被恢复前后入湖河流廊道、草甸(汇水过渡区)、湖滨带植物群落物种的组成、水质、土壤有机质和全氮含量的变化,分析流域完整尺度恢复实践的有效性.结果表明:研究区湿地植物在恢复初期由8科12属13种迅速增加至18科22属28种;地上生物量从318.56 g·m-2上升到507.68 g·m-2;湖滨及河流岸带植物群落恢复前后变化明显,耐污种逐渐减少或消失,出现了消失多年的沼泽植物黑三棱和水毛莨群落;土壤有机质和全氮含量分别由恢复前的28.85和0.79g·kg-1增加到50.26和1.45g·kg-1,水体中的TN、TP和COD含量较恢复前显著下降,去除率分别达到67.9％、79.2％和71.2％,水体透明度提高了179％,湿地生态系统结构和功能得到了改善和恢复.在高原闭合半闭合湿地区,采取植被恢复措施及其技术方法行之有效.     

三江平原恢复湿地土壤种子库特征及其与植被的关系

通过幼苗萌发法和样方调查相结合的方法对三江平原不同演替恢复阶段的种子库特征及其与植被的关系进行了研究。将开垦湿地、不同演替恢复阶段湿地以及天然湿地不同土壤层次(0-5、5-10 cm和根茎)的种子库在两种水分条件下(湿润、淹水10 cm)进行萌发处理。结果表明: 随着演替恢复阶段的进行, 种子库的结构和规模逐渐扩大, 地表群落表现出由旱生物种占优势的群落逐渐演变成以小叶章(Calamagrostis angustifolia)占优势的湿生群落的演替趋势。恢复7年湿地、恢复14年湿地、天然湿地土壤种子库萌发物种数分别为24种、29种、39种, 植被物种数为21种、25种、14种。湿地类型、水分条件和土壤层次均显著影响种子库萌发的物种数及幼苗数(p < 0.01)。种子库具有明显的分层现象, 天然湿地0-5 cm土层种子库种子萌发密度是5-10 cm土层的4倍左右, 而恢复湿地仅1.3倍左右, 且土层间萌发物种相似性系数较低。湿润条件下的萌发物种数显著高于淹水条件, 且两种水分条件下萌发物种的生活型不同。由于恢复时间较短, 不同演替恢复阶段的种子库与植被相似性维持在30%以下。湿地中根茎分蘖出大量的湿地物种, 对于小叶章等优势物种的繁殖具有重要作用。研究表明, 在开垦湿地退耕后的次生演替阶段, 种子库能够保持大量的湿地物种, 通过对湿地种子库与植被的关系研究, 能够为三江平原湿地群落演替与湿地恢复提供策略指导。     

不同人为干扰下纳帕海湖滨湿地植被及土壤退化特征

以滇西北高原纳帕海湖滨退化湿地为研究对象,对比分析了人为隔断水源补给、牛羊过度放牧和家猪拱地三种人为干扰下湿地植被和土壤退化特征。结果表明：三种干扰方式下,纳帕海湖滨湿地植物群落类型多样性、物种丰富度、物种数、Shannon-Wiener指数、沼生植物重要值以及土壤有机质、全氮、速效氮、含水率、毛管孔隙度变化规律为：人为隔断水源补给＞牛羊过度放牧＞家猪拱地,而土壤容重和全钾含量变化规律完全相反。Pearson相关性分析表明,不同人为干扰下相同土壤指标之间相关性质和相关强度不同;CCA分析表明植物群落种类组成和分布与土壤含水率和全磷含量显著相关。以原生湿地样点为对照,人为隔断水源补给、牛羊过度放牧和家猪拱地样带土壤退化指数分别为-7.40%、-14.53%、-45.01%。认为纳帕海湖滨湿地退化是三种干扰协同作用结果,但作用程度不同,其顺序为家猪拱地＞牛羊过度放牧＞人为隔断水源补给。     

Hydrologic similarity to reference wetlands does not lead to similar plant communities in restored wetlands

Few wetland restoration projects include long‐term hydrologic and floristic data collection, limiting our understanding of community assembly over restored hydrologic gradients. Although reference sites are commonly used to evaluate outcomes, it remains unclear whether restoring similar water levels to reference sites also leads to similar plant communities. We evaluated long‐term datasets from reference and restored wetlands 15 years after restoration to test whether similar water levels in reference and restored sites led to vegetation similarity. We compared the hydrologic regimes for three different wetland types, tested whether restored wetland water levels were different from reference water levels, and whether hydrologic similarity between reference and restored wetlands led to similarity in plant species composition. We found restored wetlands had similar water levels to references 15 years after restoration, and that species richness was higher in reference than restored wetlands. Vegetation composition was similar across all wetland types and was weakly correlated to wetland water levels overall. Contrary to our hypothesis, water table depth similarity between restored and reference wetlands did not lead to similar plant species composition. Our results highlight the importance of the initial planting following restoration and the importance of hydrologic monitoring. When the restoration goal is to create a specific wetland type, plant community composition may not be a suitable indicator of restoration progress in all wetland types.     

Restoration of wetland vegetation using soil seed banks: lessons from a project in Lake Kasumigaura, Japan

The restoration of degraded wetland ecosystems and the recovery of wetland biodiversity are important global issues. Generally, wetland restoration projects include activities to recover vegetation. A promising revegetation technique is one in which soil seed banks are utilized as the source of plant recolonization. Using such a technique, a pilot project to restore lakeshore vegetation was launched at Lake Kasumigaura, Japan, in 2002. In the project, lake sediments containing the seed banks were spread thinly (∼10 cm) on the surfaces of artificial lakeshores, which were constructed in front of concrete levees and had microtopographic variations. In total, 180 species, including six endangered or vulnerable species and 12 native submerged plants that had disappeared from the above-ground vegetation of the lake, were recorded in five recreated lakeshores (total area, 65,200 m²) during the first year of the restoration. The distribution of each restored species at the sites suggested the importance of microtopographic relief for recolonizing species-rich lakeshore vegetation. Furthermore, the origin of the source seed banks affected the species composition of the restored vegetation. On the other hand, the restoration sites were subject to exotic plant invasions. Here, we report lessons learned from the Lake Kasumigaura restoration project as a contribution to the establishment of ecologically sound revegetation techniques.     

Detecting soil and plant community changes in restored wetlands using a chronosequence approach

Wetland restoration aims to recreate or enhance valuable ecosystem services lost during wetland destruction. Regaining wetland ecosystem services depends on restarting basic wetland functions, like carbon (C) storage, which are unmeasured in many Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) restoration sites. We collected soil and plant data from 17 WRP sites in western New York that were used for tillage or non-tillage agriculture and then actively restored as isolated depressional wetlands by excavating basins and disabling drainage systems. Sites had been restored for 0–15 years when sampled in August-October 2010. We analyzed data as chronosequences and tested whether soil and vegetation parameters in restored wetlands, over time, (1) departed from pre-restoration baselines, estimated using active agricultural fields paired to each WRP site, and (2) converged towards “natural” benchmarks, estimated from four naturally-occurring wetlands. Restored WRP soils remained similar to agricultural soils in organic matter, density, moisture, and belowground plant biomass across chronosequences, indicating negligible C storage and belowground development for 15 years following restoration. Soil changes were limited in sites restored after both tillage and non-tillage agriculture and throughout the upland meadow, emergent shoreline, and open-water habitat zones that characterize these sites. Many plant metrics like aboveground biomass matched natural wetlands within 15 years, but recovered inconsistently among tilled and untilled sites and across all habitat zones, suggesting land-use history impacts and/or zonation effects. Disparities in recovery times exists between vegetation, which can respond quickly to wetland restoration, and underlying soils, which show limited signs of recovery 15 years after being restored.     

旅游干扰下滇西北高原湖滨湿地植被及土壤变化特征

研究了旅游干扰下滇西北高原碧塔海和属都湖湖滨湿地植被和土壤变化特征. 结果表明： 采用TWINSPAN分类方法将22个典型湿地样点划分为原生湿地、轻度退化、中度退化和重度退化4个类型.沿退化梯度,碧塔海和属都湖湿地植物群落的密度、盖度、物种数、Shannon多样性指数增大,植被高度下降,碧塔海湿地植物群落的Whittaker多样性指数增大;碧塔海湿地植物物种数、土壤有机质、全氮、孔隙度、速效氮、速效磷、速效钾含量低于属都湖湿地,群落密度、高度、土壤全钾、pH值变化规律则相反.利用42种植物的重要值和11个土壤理化指标进行典范对应分析,发现土壤有机质、全钾、全氮等养分含量是影响旅游干扰下碧塔海和属都湖湖滨湿地植物物种分布的关键因素. TWINSPAN分类和植被-土壤变化特征分析表明,旅游干扰对碧塔海湿地的影响比属都湖湖滨湿地更大.     

Vegetation Similarity and Avifaunal Food Value of Restored and Natural Marshes in Northern New York

Measuring the success of wetland restoration efforts requires an assessment of the wetland plant community as it changes following restoration. But analyses of restored wetlands often include plant community data from only one time period. We studied the development of plant communities at 13 restored marshes in northern New York for 4 years, including 1 year prior to restoration and 3 years afterwards. Restored wetlands ranged in size from 0.23 to 1.70 ha. Four reference wetlands of similar basin morphology, soil type, and size (0.29–0.48 ha) that occurred naturally in the same area were studied as comparisons. Dike construction to restore hydrology disturbed the existing vegetation in some parts of the restored sites, and vegetation was monitored in both disturbed and undisturbed areas. Undisturbed areas within the restored sites, which were dominated by upland field grasses before restoration, developed wetland plant communities with lower wetland index values but comparable numbers of wetland plant species than the reference wetlands, and they lagged behind the reference sites in terms of total wetland plant cover. There were significantly more plant species valuable as food sources for wetland birds, and a significantly higher percent cover of these species, at the undisturbed areas of the restored sites than at the reference wetlands. Areas of the restored sites that were disturbed by dike construction, however, often developed dense, monospecific cattail stands. In general, the plant communities at restored sites became increasingly similar to those at the reference wetlands over time, but higher numbers of herbaceous plants developed at the restored sites, including food plants for waterfowl, rails, and songbirds. Differences in shrub cover will probably lessen as natural recolonization increases shrub cover at the restored sites. Natural recolonization appears to be an effective technique for restoring wetlands on abandoned agricultural fields with established plant cover, but it is less successful in areas where soil has been exposed by construction activity.     

滇西北高原纳帕海湖滨湿地退化特征、规律与过程

采用双向指示种分析(TWINSPAN)和典范对应分析(CCA)方法,研究了滇西北高原纳帕海湖滨湿地退化特征、规律与过程.结果表明: 纳帕海湖滨湿地植物群落可以划分为4个群丛,群落演替规律为水生植物群落→沼泽植物群落→沼泽化草甸植物群落→草甸植物群落.随植物群落演替,群落盖度、密度、多样性指数、物种丰富度和地上生物量均增大,群落高度减小;植物水分生态型演替规律为水生植物→沼生植物→湿生植物→中生植物.随群落演替,湿地水体矿化度、硬度和碱度均降低,氨氮和总磷含量升高,总氮和硝态氮含量变化不明显;土壤pH、有机质和全氮含量逐渐降低,全磷和全钾含量逐渐升高,速效氮和速效磷含量先增大后减小.CCA分析表明,群落结构和物种组成主要受水分梯度影响,土壤pH、全磷和湿地水的总氮、氨氮对湿地植物物种分布和群落演替影响显著.     

Effects of Grazing on Restoration of Southern Mixed Prairie Soils

A comparative analysis of soils and vegetation from cultivated areas reseeded to native grasses and native prairies that have not been cultivated was conducted to evaluate restoration of southern mixed prairie of the Great Plains over the past 30 to 50 years. Restored sites were within large tracts of native prairie and part of long‐term grazing intensity treatments (heavy, moderate, and ungrazed), allowing evaluation of the effects of grazing intensity on prairie restoration. Our objective was to evaluate restored and native sites subjected to heavy and moderate grazing regimes to determine if soil nutrients from reseeded cultivated land recovered after 30 years of management similar to the surrounding prairie and to identify the interactive influence of different levels of grazing and history of cultivation on plant functional group composition and soils in mixed prairies. For this mixed prairie, soil nitrogen and soil carbon on previously cultivated sites was 30 to 40% lower than in uncultivated native prairies, indicating that soils from restored sites have not recovered over the past 30 to 50 years. In addition, it appears that grazing alters the extent of recovery of these grassland soils as indicated by the significant interaction between grazing intensity and cultivation history for soil nitrogen and soil carbon. Management of livestock grazing is likely a critical factor in determining the potential restoration of mixed prairies. Heavy grazing on restored prairies reduces the rate of soil nutrient and organic matter accumulation. These effects are largely due to changes in composition (reduced tallgrasses), reduced litter accumulation, and high cover of bare ground in heavily grazed restored prairies. However, it is evident from this study that regardless of grazing intensity, restoration of native prairie soils requires many decades and possibly external inputs to adequately restore organic matter, soil carbon, and soil nitrogen.     

滇西北高原纳帕海湿地植物多样性与土壤肥力的关系

采用植物群落研究法与原状土就地取样技术,研究了滇西北高原典型退化湿地纳帕海植物多样性、土壤养分、酶活性格局特征及其相互关系.随着湿地原生沼泽向沼泽化草甸、草甸的演替,湿地植物群落盖度增加、物种组成增多,群落优势种优势度减小,伴生种数量增加,植物多样性呈增加趋势;湿地土壤有机质、全氮含量不断减少,过氧化氢酶、蛋白酶、蔗糖酶活性增加,脲酶活性降低.植物α多样性指数(辛普森、香浓-维纳指数)与湿地土壤有机质、全氮含量呈负相关,与土壤过氧化氢酶、蛋白酶、蔗糖酶活性呈正相关,与脲酶活性呈负相关;土壤有机质、全氮含量与过氧化氢酶、蛋白酶、蔗糖酶活性呈一致负相关,与脲酶活性则成正相关.湿地景观在一定程度上反映了人为生产活动干扰的类型与强度,其植物多样性、土壤养分和酶活性特征及其相互关系是湿地生态系统演替过程中时空间体现,研究结果揭示了人为干扰下湿地退化的生态学过程及机理,可为我国高原湿地生物多样性保护,退化湿地生态恢复与湿地资源可持续利用提供一定的理论依据.     

黄河三角洲芦苇湿地的恢复

近年来由于人类活动及自然灾害等多种因素的影响,黄河三角洲芦苇湿地生态系统的健康受到威胁,出现不同程度的退化。为进一步研究2002年开始实施的湿地恢复工程,选择未恢复区、恢复区比较其水、植被、土壤等生态特征,结合野外调查及实验分析数据,结果显示至2005年7月恢复区湿地水域面积比例增加,水质得到明显改善,植被群落呈正向演替,土壤达到中、轻度盐化土水平,水禽种类增加,生物多样性更加丰富。研究结果表明,以恢复湿地水文条件为核心措施的湿地恢复方案具有可行性。研究对于黄河三角洲其他类型湿地的恢复及改善其生态功能具有指导作用。     

近10年艾比湖湿地不同植物群落土壤水分 盐分 养分变化特征

为研究新疆准噶尔盆地艾比湖湿地不同植物群落近10年土壤水盐及养分的动态变化,以环湖1周160km范围内的典型植被梭梭-柽柳、梭梭、胡杨、芦苇群落为研究对象,分析其在2006和2015年土壤含水量、盐分含量、pH值和有机质含量的变化和空间分布特征。结果表明:(1)近10年艾比湖湿地不同植物群落土壤有机质含量和含水量明显下降且整体水平较低,二者分别下降了24.65%~48%和5.41%~20.16%;土壤含盐量、pH值分别上升81.92%~128.74%和2.99%~4.21%,土壤盐碱程度加强。(2)通过土壤水分-盐分-养分空间分布分析显示,各群落近10年土壤盐渍化增加、养分降低程度大小表现为梭梭-柽柳群落胡杨群落梭梭群落芦苇群落,其中梭梭-柽柳群落土壤达到重度盐化水平,有机质降到6级,而其他群落土壤均为中度盐化,有机质为4级,但芦苇群落土壤退化程度较小。研究发现,近10年艾比湖湿地不同植物群落土壤养分不断下降、水分含量降低、盐渍化程度加剧,土壤处于退化状态;土壤质地、降水和气温暖干化是不同植物群落下土壤退化程度差异的基础,人口、耕地面积和农业用水等人类活动使各群落土壤退化程度的差异更加显著。     

Plant traits in response to raising groundwater levels in wetland restoration: evidence from three case studies

Question: Is raising groundwater tables successful as a wetland restoration strategy? Location: Kennemer dunes, The Netherlands; Moksloot dunes, The Netherlands and Bullock Creek fen, New Zealand. Methods: Generalizations were made by analysing soil dynamics and the responsiveness of integrative plant traits on moisture, nutrient regime and seed dispersal in three case studies of re wetted vs. control wetlands with the same actual groundwater levels. Soil conditions included mineral (calcareous and non‐calcareous) soils with no initial vegetation, mineral soils with established vegetation and organic soils with vegetation. Results: The responsiveness of traits to raised groundwater tables was related to soil type and vegetation presence and depended on actual groundwater levels. In the moist‐wet zone, oligotrophic species, ‘drier’ species with higher seed longevity occupied gaps created by vegetation dieback on rewetting. The other rewetted zones still reflected trait values of the vegetation prevalent prior to rewetting with fewer adaptations to wet conditions, increased nutrient richness and higher seed longevity. Moreover, ‘eutrophic’ and ‘drier’ species increased at rewetted sites, so that these restored sites became dissimilar to control wetlands. Conclusions: The prevalent traits of the restored wetlands do not coincide with traits belonging to generally targeted plant species of wetland restoration. Long‐term observations in restored and control wetlands with different groundwater regimes are needed to determine whether target plant species eventually re vegetate restored wetlands.     

Mounding alters environmental filters that drive plant community development in a novel grassland

Earthen mounds are commonly used in ecological restoration to increase environmental heterogeneity, create favorable microclimates and retain soil resources that promote plant establishment. Although mounding is commonly employed in restoration, few microtopography studies focus on the long-term effects of mounding on restored plant community development. We assessed the vegetation and physical environment of earthen mounds installed at a novel grassland ten years after restoration to look for patterns in plant community development. We used permutational multiple analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) to identify differences in plant community composition and the associated mound-driven environmental variables, summer soil moisture and height above peak soil inundation, in relation to mound position. We used indicator species analysis (ISA) to classify the species that defined mound top and intermound space plant communities. We found that mound position drove plot height above flooding and soil moisture while plant community composition was driven by plot height above flooding, summer soil moisture, and mound position. ISA showed that species colonized mound microsites differently: most wetland species occurred between mounds and xeric stress tolerators largely occupied dry mound tops. We visualized these differences with non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination, finding that species sorted out in multivariate space based on mound position. We conclude that mounding can have relatively long-term effects on plant community development, even in highly disturbed, minimally maintained restoration projects.     

黑河中游湿地不同恢复方式对土壤和植被的影响——以张掖国家湿地公园为例

湿地是自然界最富生物多样性的生态景观和人类社会赖以生存和发展的环境之一,对维护生态系统功能和区域生态安全有着重要意义。为阐明不同湿地恢复方式对土壤和植被的影响,以黑河中游地区张掖国家湿地公园为研究对象,比较了自然恢复方式、恢复利用方式和恢复保护方式下植物多样性、植物生长状态、土壤pH、盐分、容重、水分含量、有机碳、全氮、全磷、速效氮、速效磷的变化特征,研究结果表明:在自然恢复方式下,湿地各层土壤全磷、土壤速效磷、土壤速效氮、物种多样性值最高,反映出自然恢复方式可能成为干旱区土壤磷固存的有效手段,适当干扰可能成为干旱区提高物种多样性的有效方法;恢复保护方式下,湿地植物多度最高165.67±25,表明恢复保护方式有助于植被的生长繁殖;恢复利用方式下,湿地各层土壤含水量、土壤有机碳、土壤全氮、植被盖度值最高,土壤盐分含量、土壤pH值最低,湿地物种多样性较高。表明恢复利用方式可以有效降低湿地土壤盐分,提高土壤碳、氮含量的潜力,适当人为管理可能成为干旱区湿地恢复过程中提高湿地物种多样性的有效管理方法。该研究结果对于干旱区湿地恢复、保护与重建的效应评估和恢复方式的选择提供一定的理论支持和决策参考。     

Incomplete recovery of plant diversity in restored prairie wetlands on agricultural landscapes

Restoration efforts are being implemented globally to mitigate the degradation and loss of wetland habitat; however, the rate and success of wetland vegetation recovery post‐restoration is highly variable across wetland classes and geographies. Here, we measured the recovery of plant diversity along a chronosequence of restored temporary and seasonal prairie wetlands ranging from 0 to 23 years since restoration, including drained and natural wetlands embedded in agricultural and natural reserve landscapes in central Alberta, Canada. We assessed plant diversity using the following structural indicators: percent cover of hydrophytes, native and non‐native species, species richness, and community composition. Our findings indicate that plant diversity recovered to resemble reference wetlands in agricultural landscapes within 3–5 years of restoration; however, restored wetlands maintained significantly lower species richness and a distinct community composition compared to reference wetlands located within natural reserves. Early establishment of non‐native species during recovery, dispersal limitation, and depauperated native seed bank were probable barriers to complete recovery. Determining the success of vegetation recovery provides important knowledge that can be used to improve restoration strategies, especially considering projected future changes in land use and climate.     

库布齐沙地两种植被恢复类型根际土壤微生物和土壤化学性质比较研究

油蒿(Artemisia ordosica)与中间锦鸡儿(Caragana intermedia)是库布齐沙地分布广泛的优良固沙植被类型,在植被恢复过程中受到关注。以库布齐沙地自然恢复的油蒿群落与人工种植的中间锦鸡儿群落为研究对象,以流动沙地为对照,采用野外调查、室内生化实验与统计分析相结合的方法,分析两种植被恢复类型根际与非根际土壤微生物、土壤化学性质的差异,研究土壤微生物与土壤化学性质间的相关关系,并运用综合指数法评价两种植被恢复类型对土壤生态系统的恢复效果,为库布齐沙地植被恢复与重建提供科学依据。主要结论如下:(1)与流沙对照相比,两种植被恢复类型根际、非根际土壤微生物数量、微生物生物量碳、氮含量均有不同程度的提高,其中,自然恢复的油蒿群落根际土壤微生物总数、细菌数量、微生物量碳和氮含量均显著高于中间锦鸡儿根际,真菌和放线菌数量分布表现为中间锦鸡儿油蒿;(2)两种植被恢复类型根际、非根际土壤有机质、全氮、全磷、速效氮、速效钾含量均比流动沙地有不同程度地提高,其中,油蒿根际、非根际土壤有机质、全氮、速效氮含量显著高于中间锦鸡儿;(3)影响油蒿和中间锦鸡儿群落土壤微生物数量、生物量碳和氮的土壤因子是有机质、p H值、全氮、速效氮、速效钾、速效磷,其中,对两种植被恢复类型土壤微生物数量和生物量有正向促进作用的主要因子是土壤有机质、速效钾和全氮含量;(4)运用综合指数法计算出基于14个土壤指标的土壤质量综合指数(SQI),SQI值排序为:油蒿根际中间锦鸡儿根际油蒿非根际中间锦鸡儿非根际流沙对照。自然恢复的油蒿群落对土壤质量的改良效果显著优于人工种植的中间锦鸡儿群落,是库布齐沙地生态恢复的适合途径之一。     

Long-Term Ecosystem Effects of Sand-Binding Vegetation in the Tengger Desert, Northern China

The planting of sand‐binding vegetation in the Shapotou region at the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert began in 1956. Over the past 46 years, it has not only insured the smooth operation of the Baotou–Lanzhou railway in the sand dune section but has also played an important role in the restoration of the local eco‐environment; therefore, it is viewed as a successful model for desertification control and ecological restoration along the transport line in the arid desert region of China. Long‐term monitoring and focused research show that within 4–5 years of establishment of sand‐binding vegetation, the physical surface structure of the sand dunes stabilized, and inorganic soil crusts formed by atmospheric dust gradually turned into microbiotic crusts. Among the organisms comprising these crusts are cryptogams such as desert algae and mosses. In the 46 years since establishing sand‐binding vegetation, some 24 algal species occurred in the crusts. However, only five moss species were identified, which was fewer than the species number in the crust of naturally fixed sand dunes. Other results of the planting were that near‐surface wind velocity in the 46‐year‐old vegetation area was reduced by 54.2% compared with that in the moving sand area; soil organic matter increased from 0.06% in moving sand dunes to 1.34% in the 46‐year‐old vegetation area; the main nutrients N, P, K, etc., in the desert ecosystem increased; soil physicochemical properties improved; and soil‐forming processes occurred in the dune surface layer. Overall, establishment of sand‐binding vegetation significantly impacted soil water cycles, creating favorable conditions for colonization by many herbaceous species. These herbaceous species, in turn, facilitated the colonization and persistence of birds, insects, soil animals, and desert animals. Forty‐six years later, some 28 bird species and 50 insect species were identified in the vegetated dune field. Thus, establishment of a relatively simple community of sand‐binding species led to the transformation of the relatively barren dune environment into a desert ecosystem with complex structure, composition, and function. This restoration effort shows the potential for short‐term manipulation of environmental variables (i.e., plant cover via artificial vegetation establishment) to begin the long‐term process of ecological restoration, particularly in arid climates, and demonstrates several techniques that can be used to scientifically monitor progress in large‐scale restoration projects.     

Restoring Savanna Using Fire: Impact on the Breeding Bird Community

Restoration of many terrestrial plant communities involves the reintroduction of fire. However, there have been few studies of the effects of fire on the avifauna during the restoration process. To study the effects of oak savanna restoration on avian communities, breeding birds were censused and the vegetation structure documented in seven experimental burn units (8–18 ha) that had experienced different frequencies of controlled burns during the past 31 years (0–26 burns). Data were analyzed with both direct and indirect gradient analyses using multivariate techniques. The results showed that, as savanna restoration proceeded, there was a general decline in predominantly insectivorous species, particularly those that feed in the upper canopy region (leaves and air space), and a general increase in omnivorous species, particularly those that feed on the ground and in the lower canopy. Insectivorous bark gleaners (woodpeckers) also increased during restoration and were correlated with the increase in standing dead trees resulting from the fires. Overall, savanna restoration resulted in increases in the abundance of many open country bird species, including many species that have been declining in central and eastern North America, including red‐headed woodpecker, Baltimore oriole, eastern kingbird, vesper sparrow, field sparrow, lark sparrow, brown thrasher, American goldfinch, and brown‐headed cowbird. The shifts in species and guilds were correlated with changes in burn frequency and the macro vegetation structure—tree and shrub density, leaf area index, and relative proportion of standing dead trees. The findings show that savanna restoration can increase bird diversity and provide important habitat for uncommon or declining bird species. These birds are most likely attracted to one or more of the distinctive habitat features of the restored savanna environments, including scattered mature trees, standing dead trees and snags, and presence of both shrubby and grassland vegetation. The findings also suggest that restoration ecologists and wildlife biologists will need to work together to achieve desired goals, since different types of savanna restoration efforts may produce different effects on the breeding bird community.