Indicators for environmental dispersion in a two-layer wetland flow with effect of wind

For typical two-layer wetland flows where wind occurs frequently, indicators for flow and contaminant dispersion with wind effect are considered in this paper. Based on the general formulation for porous media flows, the velocity distribution of a fully developed flow through a wetland is illustrated, with that for a single-layer wetland flow under wind recovered as a special case. And the contrary wind of high speed might result in the appearance of an inverse-flow layer. For the more complex case of a two-layer wetland flow under wind, the more simplified method of asymptotic analysis is adopted instead of Aris's method of concentration moments to determine the dispersivity in terms of the longitudinal evolution of the depth-averaged concentration. And it is illustrated with the effect of dimensionless parameters. The velocity profile and environmental dispersivity for the two-layer wetland flow in the absence of wind can be included as a limiting case. Both the direction and the strength of the wind can affect the environmental dispersivity considerably under long-term evolution. Analytical solutions for the mean concentration and the region influenced by the contaminant cloud are derived. And for the instantaneous emission of typical contaminant constituents, the related indicators for water quality assessment, such as the critical length and duration of the influenced region are illustrated. The results show that the critical length and duration of the concentration cloud can change considerably because of the wind and vegetation heterogeneity.     

Microbial diversity, tolerance, and biodegradation potential of urban wetlands with different input regimes

Though microbial transformations are the primary mechanism of contaminant attenuation in wetlands, much remains to be known about microbial communities in urban wetlands. In this study, the microbial communities from urban wetlands with different runoff regimes (i.e., a contaminated remnant wetland, a constructed wetland, and a remnant wetland) were assessed for their capacity to attenuate and tolerate typical urban runoff pollutants. Results from denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of 16S rRNA genes showed relatively high similarity in community composition among the wetlands. Community-level physiological profiles had similar results but exhibited within-site variation in both the contaminated remnant and remnant wetlands. All wetland communities were less tolerant to copper than 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid; however, the contaminated remnant wetland had the highest tolerance. All study wetlands had a limited capacity to biodegrade model chlorinated aromatic compounds (e.g., 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 3-chlorobenzoate). Though having different input regimes and contaminant exposure histories, the study wetlands were generally similar with respect to microbial community diversity and function. Additionally, the generally low capacity for these wetlands to biodegrade mobile chlorinated organic contaminants offers preliminary insight into the limited ecosystem services these wetlands may provide in urban environments.     

Hydrodynamics of vertical subsurface flow constructed wetlands: Tracer tests with rhodamine WT and numerical modelling

Typical unsteady unsaturated conditions can profoundly affect the hydrodynamics of vertical subsurface flow constructed wetlands. In this study we analyzed the hydrodynamics of a 33 m² vertical flow pilot plant, treating municipal secondary effluents. Three different saturation conditions were analyzed under several constant flux regimes: complete saturation, partial saturation with the free water table 20 cm over the bottom of the bed, and complete drainage. Tracer tests were performed in steady state conditions by dosing rhodamine WT as square input signals. Breakthrough curves were analyzed by means of both a classical residence time distribution analysis and an originally developed numerical plug-flow model with longitudinal dispersion adapted to the unsaturated conditions. We found that the degree of global mixing in the vertical flow constructed wetland increased as the water content increased; this effect was controlled by the hydraulic residence time of the system. Conversely, the degree of local mixing was inversely affected by water content; the dispersivity was 4.5, 10, and 14 cm for fully saturated, partially saturated and draining conditions, respectively. We explain the dependency of dispersivity on water content in physical terms; however, further studies are needed to mathematically include this relationship in numerical models that describe the behaviour of vertical flow constructed wetlands.     

Does the implementation of environmental flows improve wetland ecosystem services and biodiversity? A literature review

Environmental flow releases are a tool for wetland restoration, but there has been no systematic evaluation of their success. We systematically assessed 102 published studies from a wide range of wetland ecosystems across the globe to determine whether releasing environmental flows could maintain or promote biodiversity and increase ecosystem services, and which strategies were most effective. We found that environmental flow releases remarkably increased regulating services (sediment regulation and water purification) and supporting services (primary production and habitat maintenance), and maintained biodiversity and provisioning services. Biodiversity responses were positive only in river wetlands, and were negative in coastal, lake, and marsh wetlands; the overall delivery of ecosystem services responded positively in all ecosystem types except artificial wetlands. The effects were positive for ecosystem services under all environmental flow regimes, and seasonal minimum flow releases could maintain biodiversity and improve ecosystem services. We also found that long‐term environmental flow releases (years to decades) maintained biodiversity. Values of a change‐in‐flow parameter (D) ranging from 0 to 10% improved both biodiversity and ecosystem services. In summary, long‐term implementation, a high‐flow regime, and D ranging from 0 to 10% for the environmental flows promoted biodiversity and improved ecosystem services around the world, particularly in river wetlands. Regional‐level conclusions might be applicable to guide the implementation of environmental flow releases, but small sample sizes reduce their reliability. We also found that the effect sizes of environmental flow release projects for biodiversity and ecosystem services were significantly and positively correlated in rivers, but not in other wetlands.     

Urban bat communities are affected by wetland size,quality, and pollution levels

Wetlands support unique biota and provide important ecosystem services. These services are highly threatened due to the rate of loss and relative rarity of wetlands in most landscapes, an issue that is exacerbated in highly modified urban environments. Despite this, critical ecological knowledge is currently lacking for many wetland‐dependent taxa, such as insectivorous bats, which can persist in urban areas if their habitats are managed appropriately. Here, we use a novel paired landscape approach to investigate the role of wetlands in urban bat conservation and examine local and landscape factors driving bat species richness and activity. We acoustically monitored bat activity at 58 urban wetlands and 35 nonwetland sites (ecologically similar sites without free‐standing water) in the greater Melbourne area, southeastern Australia. We analyzed bat species richness and activity patterns using generalized linear mixed‐effects models. We found that the presence of water in urban Melbourne was an important driver of bat species richness and activity at a landscape scale. Increasing distance to bushland and increasing levels of heavy metal pollution within the waterbody also negatively influenced bat richness and individual species activity. Areas with high levels of artificial night light had reduced bat species richness, and reduced activity for all species except those adapted to urban areas, such as the White‐striped free‐tailed bat (Austronomus australis). Increased surrounding tree cover and wetland size had a positive effect on bat species richness. Our findings indicate that wetlands form critical habitats for insectivorous bats in urban environments. Large, unlit, and unpolluted wetlands flanked by high tree cover in close proximity to bushland contribute most to the richness of the bat community. Our findings clarify the role of wetlands for insectivorous bats in urban areas and will also allow for the preservation, construction, and management of wetlands that maximize conservation outcomes for urban bats and possibly other wetland‐dependent and nocturnal fauna.     

The classification of wetlands: integration of top-down and bottom-up approaches and their significance for ecosystem service determination

The typology of wetlands provides important information for both water resource managers and conservation planners. One of the most important aims of allocating wetlands to a certain type or class is to provide information about the ecosystem services that the wetland provides. There are two main approaches towards wetland classification. Firstly, there are top-down approaches whereby wetlands are divided into several categories based on a conceptual understanding of how the wetland functions (mostly with regards to water flows). Secondly there are bottom-up approaches whereby the classification of wetlands is based on the collection of data in the wetland that is then subjected to various clustering techniques (mostly with regards to biodiversity). The most utilized system of top-down classification assigns wetlands into hydrogeomorphic units, which function as a single unit in terms of hydrology and geomorphology. This type of classification is most useful for water resource planning, as it provides information about how the wetland is connected to the drainage network and what are the water inflows, throughflows and outflows of the wetland. The bottom-up classification approach typically focusses on the classification of wetland habitats rather than complete wetlands, where wetland habitat represents a spatial unit delineated on the basis of vegetation, embedded within the (complete) hydrogeomorphic unit, and defined as an area of wetland that is homogeneous in terms of opportunities for plant growth. At a broad scale, most ecosystem services can be superficially derived from the hydrogeomorphic unit type and the way water moves through a wetland, but habitat units and the plant species that define them would have a specific effect on the delivery of ecosystem services, for example, with different assemblages providing different resistance to flow. Some types of ecosystem services are exclusively linked to specific wetland habitats, especially provisioning services. For this reason, it is proposed that a combined approach of hydrogeomorphic classification together with a vegetation map, offers the maximum information value for ecosystem service determination. In order to account for the potential pitfall of “double counting” when combining the top-down and bottom-up approaches, each service needs to be considered individually with reference to the degree to which a service is either: (a) primarily determined by HGM class/attributes and modified by the vegetation class/attributes; or (b) primarily determined by the vegetation class/attributes.     

Functioning and dynamics of wetland vegetation of Lake Victoria: an overview

The aquatic macrophytic vegetation constituting the wetlands situated along the coast of Lake Victoria provides valuable services to both local and regional communities as well as an important ecological function through the transition between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The wetland vegetation is typically rooted in the substrate on the landward side of the lake, but forms a floating mat towards the middle of the wetland and at the wetland/lake interface. Cyperus papyrus and Miscanthidium violaceum vegetation typically dominate the permanently inundated wetland areas along most of the shores of Lake Victoria. Due to the prevailing climatic and hydrological catchment conditions, these macrophytic plants (papyrus in particular) tend to exhibit high net productivity and nutrient uptake which strongly influences both wetland status and lake water quality. In addition, these wetlands provide important economic livelihoods for the local populations. The integrity and physical structure of these wetlands strongly influences their associated mass transport mechanisms (water, nutrients and carbon) and ecosystem processes. Wetland degradation in Africa is an increasing problem, as these ecosystems are relied upon to attenuate industrial, urban and agricultural pollution and supply numerous services and resources. In an integrated project focused on the wetlands of Lake Victoria, the ecological and economic aspects of littoral wetlands were examined and new instruments developed for their sustainable management.     

湟水国家湿地公园湿地价值及其辐射格局研究

评估湿地价值量并分析价值的空间分布情况,对湿地保护管理和区域规划利用具有重要的指导意义。以青海西宁湟水湿地公园为研究区,构建一套适合高原城市湿地的生态系统服务评价体系,采用功能价值法和断裂点模型法,分析公园的湿地价值及其辐射格局特征。结果表明:(1) 2020年湟水国家湿地公园的15项生态系统服务的总价值为6.18亿元,四大服务价值量按照价值高低排序依次为文化服务、调节服务、支持服务和供给服务;(2) 5个评价区中,湟水主河道的价值最高,其次为北川湿地和海湖湿地,最后是火烧沟公园和宁湖湿地;(3) 5大湿地区生态系统服务的辐射范围由大到小依次为:宁湖湿地>北川湿地>湟水主河道>海湖湿地>火烧沟公园;对湿地服务辐射范围叠加处理后,形成1个核心区和5个次核心区域;(4)湟水国家湿地公园的生态系统服务存在空间溢出情况,湟水主河道的生态系统服务向周边湿地公园溢出,其他四个湿地区之间生态系统服务存在相互溢出和叠加的现象。     

基于水文平衡的湿地退化驱动因子定量研究

作为地球上最为重要的生态系统类型之一,湿地与森林、海洋并称为地球三大生态系统。但是,近年来湿地生态系统退化速度远大于其他类型生态系统,开展湿地退化的定量评估分析研究对于湿地生态系统的保护和恢复具有重要意义。选择北京城市湿地为研究对象,利用卫星遥感数据分别提取得到1991年和2007年的湿地面积,基于湿地水量平衡理论和湿地水文方程方法,定量评估分析了导致湿地退化的原因和不同驱动因子的贡献率。结果表明:(1)与1991年相比,2007年北京湿地减少约6275.31 hm2,约占1991年北京湿地总面积的24.46%。显著退化区域主要发生在野鸭湖湿地和密云水库湿地,分别减少了约1377.69 hm2和4654.50 hm2。(2)引起湿地退化的自然驱动因子中,以降水减少、入境地表水减少和蒸发量增加为主,驱动湿地退化的贡献率分别为39.22%、14.05%和11.85%。引起湿地退化的人为驱动因子中,以城市扩展为主,驱动湿地退化的贡献率为3.42%,而技术进步所采取的节水措施等有利于湿地保护,贡献率为25.55%。     

小微湿地研究综述:定义、类型及生态系统服务

小微湿地作为一个"新兴"的概念，受到学者和政策制定者的日益关注。虽然小微湿地面积较小，但是却发挥着独特的生态功能。针对小微湿地的深入研究，有助于进一步拓展湿地科学的研究尺度，促进学科体系发展。介绍了小微湿地研究兴起的背景，总结了小微湿地的面积范围和分类体系，归纳了小微湿地的累加作用和景观特征，着重分析了小微湿地在维持关键物种种群、提供生物迁移踏脚石、调节雨洪、改善水质，以及营造城乡优美景观等方面提供的生态系统服务。提出未来需要进一步加强小微湿地生态过程和相关机理研究，将小微湿地建设与现行湿地保护体系和城乡生态环境建设有机结合，促进小微湿地建设的有序和可持续发展。     

Designing constructed wetlands for reclamation of pretreated wastewater and stormwater

Wastewater reclamation is getting greater attention as an alternative to conventional approaches to wastewater treatment and water supply due to increasing water stress coupled with more stringent water quality limitation for discharge of treated wastewater. Among the few technologies adopted in the field for wastewater reclamation, constructed wetlands have been used to reclaim both primary and secondary treated wastewater in regions with arid and humid climates. This paper summarizes the widely adopted guidelines that need to be considered when designing constructed wetlands for wastewater reclamation, discusses the capacity of wetland treatment systems for water reuse while assessing the status of full-scale constructed wetlands designed for wastewater reclamation, and develops contaminant loading charts as a design tool based on the performance of existing full-scale constructed wetlands deployed for wastewater reclamation. It is evident that constructed wetland systems provide a viable means to treat wastewater to the levels required for low-quality reuses such as restricted irrigation and impoundment. It is challenging for constructed wetlands to consistently meet microbiological guidelines for high-quality reuses such as unrestricted agricultural and urban reuses. Wastewater reclaimed through constructed wetlands is used mainly for agricultural and landscape irrigation, groundwater recharge, indirect potable reuse, and environmental reuse. Surface area and hydraulic loading rate of constructed wetlands to be deployed for wastewater reclamation can be estimated with contaminant loading charts derived from monitoring data of existing full-scale operations.     

Wind dispersal in freshwater wetlands: Knowledge for conservation and restoration

Questions: For wetland plants, dispersal by wind is often overlooked because dispersal by water is generally assumed to be the key dispersal process. This literature review addresses the role of seed dispersal by wind in wetlands. Why is wind dispersal relevant in wetlands? Which seeds are dispersed by wind and how far? And how can our understanding of wind dispersal be applied to wetland conservation and restoration? Methods: Literature review. Results and conclusions: Wind is a widely available seed dispersal vector in wetlands and can transport many seeds over long distances. Unlike water, wind can transport seeds in all directions and is therefore important for dispersal to upstream wetlands and to wetlands not connected by surface water flows. Wind dispersal transports seeds to a wider range of sites than water, and therefore reaches more sites but with lower seed densities. Many wetland plant species have adaptations to facilitate wind dispersal. Dispersal distances increase with decreasing falling velocity of seeds, increasing seed release height and selective release mechanisms. Depending on the adaptations, seeds may be dispersed by wind over many km or only a few m. The frequency of long‐distance wind dispersal events depends on these adaptations, the number of produced seeds, the structure of the surrounding vegetation, and the frequency of occurrence of suitable weather conditions. Humans reduce the frequency of successful long‐distance wind dispersal events in wetlands through wetland loss and fragmentation (which reduce the number and quality of seeds) and eutrophication (which changes the structure of the vegetation so that seed release into the wind flow becomes more difficult). This is yet another reason to focus on wetland conservation and restoration measures at increased population sizes, prevention of eutrophication, and the restoration of sites at short distances from seed sources.     

Modeling the hydraulic effect of transverse deep zones on the performance of short-circuiting constructed treatment wetlands

Short-circuiting, which occurs when a large fraction of water traveling through a system exits well before the residence time, reduces the performance of constructed treatment wetlands. Recent field and laboratory observations have shown that short-circuiting within vegetated marsh areas results from narrow, continuous fast flowpaths that experience longitudinal dispersion but do not exchange fluid with slow flowing regions of dense vegetation on either side. Based on these observations, this paper develops an analytic stream tube model with dispersion to represent flow through the marsh areas of a short-circuiting constructed treatment wetland under steady flow conditions. The model also includes transverse deep zones, which rapidly dissipate fast flowpath momentum and introduce lateral mixing through wind-driven circulation. Modeled results reveal that a transverse deep zone that replaces a portion of a wetland marsh can offset the adverse impact of short-circuiting flowpaths through two separate mechanisms. First, lateral mixing can dilute the water that has traveled through a fast flowpath. Second, deep zones reduce the probability that fast flowpaths align throughout the entire wetland. The model results suggest that deep zones may improve wetland performance when properly sized and located, even when they do not directly contribute to contaminant removal.     

Economic values and dominant providers of key ecosystem services of wetlands in Beijing,China

This study estimates the economic values of and the dominant contributors to five key ecosystem services of wetlands in Beijing, by using the wetland inventory data in 2014 and economic valuation methods. Results indicate that the 51,434 ha of wetlands in Beijing annually provide 2.07 billion m³ of flood regulation, 944.01 million m³ of water provision, 42,154 tons of chemical oxygen demand (COD) purification, 3.03 PJ of heat absorption, and 9587 ha of habitat. Their economic values are estimated to be 15.89 billion RMB, 1.19 billion RMB, 169 million RMB, 421 million RMB, and 1.08 billion RMB in 2014 (RMB: Chinese currency, US$1 = RMB 6.14), respectively. The total values of five key wetland ecosystem services reach 18.76 billion RMB. In addition, the reservoir and river wetlands in Miyun, Yanqing, Fangshan, Huairou, and Mentougou Districts contribute 78% of key ecosystem services, whereas the urban wetlands in Xicheng, Dongcheng, Haidian, Chaoyang, and Tongzhou Districts more conveniently serve densely local people, hence they should be given particular attentions. In this paper, we develop the valuation methods of wetland ecosystem services, and recommend diversified strategies, regulations, and programs to protect the remaining wetlands in Beijing. This work can also provide a reference for the valuating of wetland ecosystem services for other urban-rural areas.     

Phytoremediation in Wetland Ecosystems: Progress,Problems, and Potential

Assessing the phytoremediation potential of wetlands is complex due to variable conditions of hydrology, soil/sediment types, plant species diversity, growing season, and water chemistry. Conclusions about long-term phytoremediation potential are further complicated by the process of ecological succession in wetlands. This review of wetlands phytoremediation addresses the role of wetland plants in reducing contaminant loads in water and sediments, including metals; volatile organic compounds (VOC), pesticides, and other organohalogens; TNT and other explosives; and petroleum hydrocarbons and additives. The review focuses on natural wetland conditions and does not attempt to review constructed wetland technologies. Physico-chemical properties of wetlands provide many positive attributes for remediating contaminants. The expansive rhizosphere of wetland herbaceous shrub and tree species provides an enriched culture zone for microbes involved in degradation. Redox conditions in most wetland soil/sediment zones enhance degradation pathways requiring reducing conditions. However, heterogeneity complicates generalizations within and between systems. Wetland phytoremediation studies have mainly involved laboratory microcosm and mesocosm technologies, with the exception of planted poplar communities. Fewer large-scale field studies have addressed remediation actions by natural wetland communities. Laboratory findings are encouraging with regards to phytoextraction and degradation by rhizosphere and plant tissue enzymes. However, the next phase in advancing the acceptance of phytoremediation as a regulatory alternative must demonstrate sustained contaminant removal by intact natural wetland ecosystems.     

Effects of vegetation on flow through free water surface wetlands

The one-dimensional Saint-Venant equations are modified to account for stem drag and volumetric displacement effects of dense emergent plants on free surface flow. The modified equations are solved with an implicit finite difference method to give velocities and depths for shallow flows through a vegetated wetland channel. Estimated flow profiles are used to investigate how vegetation density, downstream boundaries and aspect ratio affect detention time, an important parameter in determining nutrient and pollutant removal efficiencies of wetlands constructed to treat wastewater. Results show that free water surface wetlands may exhibit static, neutral or dynamic behavior. Under static conditions, the wetland behaves like a pond in which displacement effects caused by submerged plant mass invariably decrease detention times. Under dynamic conditions, stem drag induced by aquatic plants predominates and wetland detention times increase with vegetation density. These opposing responses are separated by a narrow neutral condition where the presence of vegetation has virtually no net effect on detention time. For a given flow rate and surface area, detention times and hence treatment efficiencies in vegetated free water surface wetlands can be managed to some degree by adjusting the downstream control or by changing the aspect ratio.     

Projecting the Hydrologic Impacts of Climate Change on Montane Wetlands

Wetlands are globally important ecosystems that provide critical services for natural communities and human society. Montane wetland ecosystems are expected to be among the most sensitive to changing climate, as their persistence depends on factors directly influenced by climate (e.g. precipitation, snowpack, evaporation). Despite their importance and climate sensitivity, wetlands tend to be understudied due to a lack of tools and data relative to what is available for other ecosystem types. Here, we develop and demonstrate a new method for projecting climate-induced hydrologic changes in montane wetlands. Using observed wetland water levels and soil moisture simulated by the physically based Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrologic model, we developed site-specific regression models relating soil moisture to observed wetland water levels to simulate the hydrologic behavior of four types of montane wetlands (ephemeral, intermediate, perennial, permanent wetlands) in the U. S. Pacific Northwest. The hybrid models captured observed wetland dynamics in many cases, though were less robust in others. We then used these models to a) hindcast historical wetland behavior in response to observed climate variability (1916–2010 or later) and classify wetland types, and b) project the impacts of climate change on montane wetlands using global climate model scenarios for the 2040s and 2080s (A1B emissions scenario). These future projections show that climate-induced changes to key driving variables (reduced snowpack, higher evapotranspiration, extended summer drought) will result in earlier and faster drawdown in Pacific Northwest montane wetlands, leading to systematic reductions in water levels, shortened wetland hydroperiods, and increased probability of drying. Intermediate hydroperiod wetlands are projected to experience the greatest changes. For the 2080s scenario, widespread conversion of intermediate wetlands to fast-drying ephemeral wetlands will likely reduce wetland habitat availability for many species.     

三大沿海城市群滨海湿地的陆源人类活动影响模式

随着陆源人类活动对滨海湿地的干扰日益强烈,研究滨海湿地陆源人类活动影响规律对于滨海湿地资源管理和保护具有重要的现实意义.以我国三大沿海城市群(环渤海湾、长江三角洲、珠江三角洲)滨海湿地为研究对象,分别选取围海造地(直接因子)和流域污染物(营养盐、非点源无机污染物)输入(间接因子)表征1990-2000年间滨海湿地的陆源人类活动影响强度及规律.研究发现,虽然围海造地仍然以农业用地为主(＞50％),但城市建设用地比例随人口城市化率增高而增加,以珠江三角洲城市群最高;在环渤海湾和珠江三角洲城市群区域超过60％的滨海湿地面积受到高或中等污染物输入强度影响,长江三角洲城市群区域则有44.7％的滨海湿地面积处于中等污染物输入强度及以上.通过叠加围海造地和污染物输入双重陆源人类活动的综合影响强度表明,珠江三角洲城市群平均强度指数达到0.79,且处于中等及以上影响强度区域面积比例达到78％,均高于其他两个城市群滨海湿地区域.空间分析结果表明,陆源人类活动对滨海湿地的强影响区域多集中分布于河流人海口、较为发达城市滨海区以及海岸线附近.     

北京城市公园湿地的休憩吸引力评价

以北京地区20个城市公园湿地为研究对象,从公园湿地的景观质量、区位条件、可达性3方面构建了城市公园湿地休憩吸引力评价指标体系,并基于层次分析法赋权的综合指数评价方法,对公园湿地的休憩吸引力进行评价,最后通过实地问卷调查数据对休憩吸引力评价结果进行验证,结果表明:具有高休憩吸引力的公园湿地依次为颐和园、奥林匹克公园、青龙湖公园、北海公园、圆明园、玉渊潭公园、十渡、金海湖风景区、陶然亭公园、野鸭湖湿地,稻香湖湿地和珍珠湖风景区的休憩吸引力最低,其余8个公园湿地休憩吸引力一般.休憩吸引力评价结果与实际调查数据相符,说明所建立的评价指标体系与评价方法是可行的.20个公园湿地按照其休憩吸引力可聚为4类,据此可制定不同的管理对策.通过城市公园湿地休憩吸引力评价,分析城市公园湿地景观在休闲游憩方面所发挥的作用,可以为城市湿地公园的优化与配置、提高人居环境质量、改善城市景观布局提供依据.     

Waterbird use of artificial wetlands in an Australian urban landscape

With the loss of natural wetlands, artificial wetlands are becoming increasingly important as habitat for waterbirds. We investigated the relationships between waterbirds and various biophysical parameters on artificial wetlands in an Australian urban valley. The densities (birds per hectare) of several species were correlated (mostly positively) with wetland area, and correlations were observed between certain species and other physical and water chemistry variables. Waterbird community structure, based on both abundance (birds per wetland) and density data, was most consistently positively correlated with the relative amount of wetland perimeter that was vegetated, surface area, distance to nearest wetland, public accessibility and shoreline irregularity. We also compared the relative use of the two types of urban wetlands, namely urban lakes and stormwater treatment wetlands, and found for both abundance and density that the number of individuals and species did not vary significantly between wetland types but that significant differences were observed for particular species and feeding guilds, with no species or guild being more abundant or found in greater density on an urban lake than a stormwater treatment wetland. Designing wetlands to provide a diversity of habitat will benefit most species.