Backfilling canals to restore wetlands: empirical results in coastal Louisiana

Wetland restoration is largely a developing science and engineering enterprise. Analyses of results are too few and constrained to observations over a few years. We report here on the effectiveness of one restoration technique used sparsely in coastal Louisiana for several decades. Canals have been dredged in coastal Louisiana wetlands since 1938 for oil and gas exploration and extraction. These canals are typically dredged to 2.5 m depth and are 20 to 40 m wide. Canal lengths vary from 100 m to several 1000s m in the case of outer continental shelf pipeline canals that cross the wetlands.Today, thousands of miles of canals crisscross these wetlands. Studies have linked dredged canals to a number of undesirable effects on the wetland environment including alterations in salinity, flooding and drainage patterns, direct loss of marsh by convention to open water, and increases in marsh erosion rates. These effects have led state and federal agencies charged with managing the wetland resource to look for methods of mitigating canal impacts. One possible method of managing spoil banks after the abandonment of a drilling site is to return spoil material from the spoil banks to the canal with the hope that marsh vegetation will be reestablished on the old spoil banks and in the canal. The movement of former spoil bank material back into the canal is referred to as backfilling.The purpose of this study was to (1) examine how backfilled canals changed over 10 years, (2) examine factors influencing success with multiple regression statistical models, and, (3) compare costs of backfilling with other Louisiana marsh restoartion projects. We examined the sites to document and interpret changes occurring since 1983/4 and to statistically model the combined data derived from these new and previous analyses. Specifically, we wanted to determine the recovery rates of vegetation, water depth, and soils in backfilled canals, restored spoil banks, and in nearby marshes, and to quantify the influence of plugging canals on these rates.The major factors determining backfilling restoration success are the depth of the canal, soil type, canal dimensions, locale, dredge operator skill, and permitting conditions. Plugging the canal has no apparent effect on water depth or vegetation cover, with the exception that submerged aquatic vegetation may be more frequently observed behind backfilled canals with plugs than in backfilled canals without plugs. Canal age, soil organic matter content, and whether restoration was done as mitigation on-site or off-site were the most important predictors of final canal depth. Canal length and percentage of spoil returned (+) had the greatest effect on the restoration of vegetation cover. Backfilled canals were shallower if they were older, in soils lower in organic matter, and backfilled off-site. Backfilling the canal restores wetlands at a cost of $1,200 to $3,400/ha, which compares very favorably with planned restoration projects in south Louisiana.Corresponding Editor: Anonumous     

Restoration Success of Backfilling Canals in Coastal Louisiana Marshes

The need for effective marsh restoration techniques in Louisiana is a pressing issue as the state continues to lose coastal wetlands. Returning spoil banks to canals, known as “backfilling,” is an attractive restoration option because it restores marsh, prevents future wetland loss, and is cost effective. The restoration of 30 canals backfilled 20 years ago was examined in this study and compared to restoration success 5 and 10 years after backfilling. Ultimately, the success of backfilling was controlled by the amount of spoil returned to the canal and the position of the canal in the marsh. Up to 95% of the spoil area was restored to marsh when the spoil banks were adequately removed, but only 5% of the spoil area was restored at sites where spoil removal was poor. Restoration of organic matter, bulk density, water content, and plant communities of the former spoil areas was also constrained by the adequacy of spoil removal. Backfilling restored up to 90% of the organic matter, 92% of the bulk density, and 93% of the water content after 20 years at sites where spoil was properly removed. Canals backfilled in areas of intact marsh showed greater restoration success than canals backfilled in highly degraded marshes. This study indicates that the benefits of backfilling continue to increase over time, although complete restoration will take longer than 20 years. Improving the completeness of spoil removal, coupled with appropriate site selection, could speed up the restoration process and enhance the success of future backfilling projects.     

The Significance of Meander Restoration for the Hydrogeomorphology and Recovery of Wetland Organisms in the Kushiro River,a Lowland River in Japan

The meanders and floodplains of the Kushiro River were restored in March 2011. A 1.6‐km stretch of the straightened main channel was remeandered by reconnecting the cutoff former channel and backfilling the straightened reach, and a 2.4‐km meander channel was restored. Additionally, flood levees were removed to promote river–floodplain interactions. There were four objectives of this restoration project: to restore the in‐stream habitat for native fish and invertebrates; to restore floodplain vegetation by increasing flooding frequency and raising the groundwater table; to reduce sediment and nutrient loads in the core wetland areas; to restore a river–floodplain landscape typical to naturally meandering rivers. In this project, not only the natural landscape of a meandering river but also its function was successfully restored. The monitoring results indicated that these goals were likely achieved in the short term after the restoration. The abundance and species richness of fish and invertebrate species increased, most likely because the lentic species that formerly inhabited the cutoff channel remained in the backwater and deep pools created in the restored reach. In addition, lotic species immigrated from neighboring reaches. The removal of flood levees and backfilling of the formerly straightened reach were very effective in increasing the frequency of flooding over the floodplains and raising the water table. The wetland vegetation recovered rapidly 1 year after the completion of the meander restoration. Sediment‐laden floodwater spread over the floodplain, and approximately 80–90% of the fine sediment carried by the water was filtered out by the wetland vegetation.     

The importance of drawdown and sediment removal for the restoration of the eutrophied shallow Lake Kraenepoel (Belgium)

Lake Kraenepoel (Belgium) is a shallow lake (22 ha), divided in two basins since 1957 by a shallow dike. The lake was used for fish farming until World War II and was drawn down about every 5 years to harvest fish. Despite its dense historical carp population, it had clear water and a rich Littorelletea vegetation. During the course of the 20th century, the lake became eutrophic and the Littorelletea vegetation degraded. The northern basin, which was still drawn down about every decade after 1957, retained its clear water and had a dense submerged macrophyte vegetation. The southern basin, which was never drawn down after 1957 and which received direct surface water inputs, had become a turbid shallow lake with phytoplankton blooms in summer. In 2000, efforts were taken to restore the lake: the entire lake was drawn down, the fish community was biomanipulated, nutrient-rich surface water inputs were diverted from the southern basin and sediments were removed (only in the northern basin). Fish biomanipulation and sediment removal were successful in the northern basin, as nutrient levels declined and the Littorelletea vegetation recovered. In the southern basin, sediment analyses indicated that drawdown resulted in sediments with a lower water and organic matter content and water column turbidity decreased after the drawdown. But pH in the southern basin declined to <4, probably because sulphides in the sediment were oxidized during drawdown and sediment desiccation. In contrast, desiccated sediments were removed from the northern basin and pH did not decline below 6 after restoration. In spite of the still high dissolved nutrient concentrations, phytoplankton biomass declined significantly in the southern basin, probably due to acidification. However, no Littorelletea species colonised the lake bottom in the southern basin. Thus, lake drawdown may be a useful management technique to promote clear water conditions in shallow lakes. However, acidification due to sulphide oxidation may be an undesirable outcome and should be considered in drawdown and sediment desiccation manipulations.     

中国重要生态系统保护和修复工程区域植被覆盖时空变化研究

植被覆盖变化是气候变化和生态环境变化的双重指示器,如何量化全国尺度植被变化、评估生态修复成效,成为当前陆地表层生态系统研究领域共同的科学问题。利用2000—2020年的植被覆盖度(FVC)数据,采用增幅变化分析、Theil-Sen Median趋势分析、稳定性分析方法,对中国六大重要生态系统保护和修复工程区域的自然植被覆盖度本底和时空变化特征进行了研究,并对不同区域植被覆盖度变化与气温、降水的相关性进行了分析,以期掌握我国生态系统保护和修复“家底”。结果表明：(1)2020年,六大区域平均植被覆盖度为27.66%,2000—2020年,黄河重点生态区、北方防沙带和青藏高原生态屏障区增幅分别为54.4%、34.6%和21.8%,是全国范围平均植被覆盖度增幅的1.04—2.59倍;长江重点生态区、东北森林带和南方丘陵山地带增幅分别为18.0%、13.7%和12.9%,均低于全国增幅,我国西北方较南方改善更明显。(2)2000—2020年,六大区域植被覆盖度变化总体呈增加趋势。黄河重点生态区、东北森林带、南方丘陵山地带和长江重点生态区增加区域面积占比均超过60%,北方防沙带和青藏高原生态屏障...     

Interim Responses of Floodplain Wetland Vegetation to Phase I of the Kissimmee River Restoration Project: Comparisons of Vegetation Maps from Five Periods in the River's History

Phase I of the Kissimmee River Restoration Project (KRRP) reestablished intermittent inundation of the river's floodplain by backfilling 12 km of the C‐38 flood control canal in 2001. We compared floodplain vegetation maps based on 2003 and 2008 aerial imagery (2 and 7 years following completion of Phase I, respectively) to vegetation maps from 1954 (pre‐channelization), 1974 (3 years after channelization), and 1996 (25 years after channelization) to evaluate broad‐scale vegetation responses to Phase I restoration. Results indicate that the extent of wetland plant communities expanded rapidly, more than doubling in area within 2 years after completion of Phase I, and that by 2008 wetlands had nearly recovered to pre‐channelization levels. However, full reestablishment of the pre‐channelization wetland mosaic has not yet occurred. Prior to channelization, much of the floodplain was dominated by a broadleaf marsh (BLM) community associated with extended, deep annual flooding, while shorter‐hydroperiod communities dominated the floodplain in 2003 and 2008. Prior to restoration construction, the reestablishment of BLM was predicted to be slow because suitable hydrology is dependent on project components that will not be in place until all restoration components are completed (projected for 2019). Hydrologic data indicate that the duration and variability of floodplain inundation have not yet achieved restoration targets over the entire Phase I study area. Other factors affecting vegetation responses are likely involved, including the age and viability of soil seed banks, the rarity of relict propagule sources following the channelized period, and competition from an invasive wetland shrub species.     

Predicting bed shear stress and its role in sediment dynamics and restoration potential of the Everglades and other vegetated flow systems

Entrainment of sediment by flowing water affects topography, habitat suitability, and nutrient cycling in vegetated floodplains and wetlands, impacting ecosystem evolution and the success of restoration projects. Nonetheless, restoration managers lack simple decision-support tools for predicting shear stresses and sediment redistribution potential in different vegetation communities. Using a field-validated numerical model, we developed state-space diagrams that provide these predictions over a range of water-surface slopes, depths, and associated velocities in Everglades ridge and slough vegetation communities. Diminished bed shear stresses and a consequent decrease in bed sediment redistribution are hypothesized causes of a recent reduction in the topographic and vegetation heterogeneity of this ecosystem. Results confirmed the inability of present-day flows to entrain bed sediment. Further, our diagrams showed bed shear stresses to be highly sensitive to emergent vegetation density and water-surface slope but less sensitive to water depth and periphyton or floating vegetation abundance. These findings suggested that instituting a pulsing flow regime could be the most effective means to restore sediment redistribution to the Everglades. However, pulsing flows will not be sufficient to erode sediment from sloughs with abundant spikerush, unless spikerush density first decreases by natural or managed processes. Our methods provide a novel tool for identifying restoration parameters and performance measures in many types of vegetated aquatic environments where sediment erosion and deposition are involved.     

三江平原湿地多级沟渠系统底泥可溶性有机碳的分布特征

沿着土壤和土地利用类似的三江平原多级沟渠系统采集不同沟渠单元底泥,这些不同沟渠系统单元由湿地和农田边界排水沟渠到相当大的主干渠变化着,测定底泥中可溶有机碳（DOC）含量,研究多级沟渠系统底泥中DOC的分布特征。结果发现,随沟渠等级增加,DOC在底泥中所占的比重逐渐增加（40～60cm层增加近5倍）,DOC富集层逐渐有规律的向底泥底层转移（40～60cm）。研究表明,排水沟渠既是湿地或农田DOC的最初汇聚地,又是河道DOC的输出源;沟渠重复性的排水将湿地或农田DOC通过零星径流带入沟渠系统中,连续的沟渠径流携带着大量DOC与不同等级沟渠系统相互作用使得沟渠系统底泥中DOC呈现出一定的水平、垂直分布特征;排水沟渠排水历时、DOC流量、滞留时间、径流发生频率等都会影响多级沟渠系统底泥中DOC的分布特征;另外,沟渠系统内生长的植被也通过径流阻塞和有机质过程影响底泥中DOC的分布特征。     

Land use designation and vegetation community structure in the Adirondack uplands (New York,USA)

Question: Does forest vegetation community structure reflect legislative land use designations? Location: Adirondack Park, New York, USA. Methods: The Adirondack Park, located in northern New York State, is a mixture of public and private lands, with state‐owned Forest Preserve lands comprising ca. 42% of the 2.4 million ha, on which timber harvesting and many other forms of anthropogenic disturbance are prohibited. A survey of vegetation communities was conducted in eighteen upland catchments with differing land use history (managed and Forest Preserve), including overstory, understory, and dead wood (snags and downed woody debris) using randomly placed plots. Results: Mean overstory density and basal area were not significantly different between land uses, although mean overstory tree size was greater in Preserve catchments. Sapling densities were greater in managed catchments, while mean herb/shrub coverage was not affected by land use. Densities of 25% of common species were affected by land use, determined by GIS coverages constructed using an Inverse Distance Weighted estimation procedure. Discriminant Analysis of per‐plot plant community data correctly classified 89% of both managed and Preserve plots. Conclusion: The success of the Discriminant Analysis in classifying land uses based on vegetation communities indicates its potential utility of this method in comparing forest vegetation to a reference condition in this and other areas. The analysis suggests that at least 85 years is required for Adirondack up‐land catchments to recover following harvesting. Uncertainty in classification was related to heterogenous management and disturbance patterns within catchments.     

Interrelationships of petiolar air canal architecture,water depth,and convective air flow in Nymphaea odorata (Nymphaeaceae)

• Premise of the study: Nymphaea odorata grows in water up to 2 m deep, producing fewer larger leaves in deeper water. This species has a convective flow system that moves gases from younger leaves through submerged parts to older leaves, aerating submerged parts. Petiolar air canals are the convective flow pathways. This study describes the structure of these canals, how this structure varies with water depth, and models how convective flow varies with depth. • Methods: Nymphaea odorata plants were grown at water depths from 30 to 90 cm. Lamina area, petiolar cross-sectional area, and number and area of air canals were measured. Field-collected leaves and leaves from juvenile plants were analyzed similarly. Using these data and data from the literature, we modeled how convective flow changes with water depth. • Key results: Petioles of N. odorata produce two central pairs of air canals; additional pairs are added peripherally, and succeeding pairs are smaller. The first three pairs account for 96% of air canal area. Air canals form 24% of petiolar cross-sectional area. Petiolar and air canal cross-sectional areas increase with water depth. Petiolar area scales with lamina area, but the slope of this relationship is lower in 90 cm water than at shallower depths. In our model, the rate of convective flow varied with depth and with the balance of influx to efflux leaves. • Conclusions: Air canals in N. odorata petioles increase in size and number in deeper water but at a decreasing amount in relation to lamina area. Convective flow also depends on the number of influx to efflux laminae.     

Ecological Design is More Important Than Compensatory Mitigation for Successful Restoration of Alpine Spoil Heaps

Spoil heaps of surplus rock from hydropower tunnel construction negatively impact alpine landscapes unless restored. Such spoil heaps have been created for more than 100 years, but we still lack knowledge about the relative importance of compensatory mitigation (seeding and fertilization), spoil‐heap construction method, local environmental factors, and regional climatic factors for restoration success. We studied the species composition of 19 alpine spoil heaps in Western Norway and their undisturbed surroundings using ordination and statistical modeling. Substrate grain size was the principal factor explaining differences in species composition between spoil heaps and their surroundings. Soil characteristics, that is, organic matter content and pH, and reutilization of topsoil were also important. Seeding and fertilization had negligible effects on restoration success. Slow recovery was observed for total vegetation cover and species richness of vascular plants and lichens while bryophyte cover recovered rapidly. Lower bryophyte cover and bryophyte and vascular plant species richness on older than on younger spoil heaps indicated recent changes in spoil‐heap construction practices that favor plant colonization. Our results indicate that spoil‐heap design is more important for restoration success than compensatory mitigation. We therefore suggest spoil heaps designed with a fine‐grained top substrate preferably from stockpiled local topsoil, with uneven surface topography that mimics natural topographic variation, and recommend discontinuation of seeding and fertilization.     

植被和梯田对黄土高原小流域泥沙连通性的影响

黄土高原经过长期水土流失治理,泥沙问题得到有效解决,但植被恢复和梯田修建对泥沙空间输移的影响尚未完全揭示。通过土地利用数据和Landsat影像确定梯田分布和植被覆盖情况,使用能表征植被和梯田对泥沙输移的阻滞作用的植被覆盖与作物管理因子和工程因子计算泥沙连通性指数(IC),分析泥沙连通性的时空动态变化,量化植被与梯田共同影响下黄土高原第三副区典型流域泥沙连通性。调整权重因子模拟不同情景下泥沙连通性指数的计算,分析植被与梯田对泥沙连通性的单独影响。结果表明由于植被快速恢复和梯田大面积修建,IC在35年间(1986—2020年)从-3.42到-9.17显著下降。情景模拟发现,在1986—1999年间,梯田为泥沙连通性减弱主要驱动因素,1999年后植被与梯田共同作用。植被影响下的IC从1986年到2020年下降73.05%,在1986—2020年间梯田影响下IC下降26.75%。在空间上梯田及高植被覆盖度区域呈弱泥沙连通性,中下游主沟及部分支沟区域为强泥沙连通性。总体而言,植被恢复和梯田修建减弱泥沙输移能力,流域输沙路径集中于主沟中下游及部分支沟区域。研究结果有助于深化黄土丘陵区小流域植被恢复...     

基于多时相Landsat5/8影像的岷江汶川-都江堰段植被覆盖动态监测

植被覆盖度是衡量地表植被状况和指示生态环境变化的一个重要指标。基于像元二分模型,利用Landsat5/8遥感影像和DEM数据,对岷江汶川-都江堰段植被覆盖动态变化进行了监测,并结合高程、坡度和坡向数据,分析了汶川地震前后植被受损与恢复的空间动态格局变化。研究表明:植被覆盖总体良好,大部分区域的植被覆盖度均在中、高度以上,空间格局上呈现由汶川县东部、都江堰市西北部的龙门山区向两侧减少的总体趋势;地震造成植被受损面积达63808.7 hm~2,且集中分布于海拔567—4331 m、坡度26—51°的范围以及东坡、北坡、南坡和西坡;震后5a,植被恢复面积17786.47 hm~2,主要分布在海拔576—2180 m与3256—3793 m、坡度小于9°和26—51°以及东坡、东南坡和和南坡;高程和坡度对植被损毁与恢复的影响明显高于坡向。     

Why experiment with success? Opportunities and risks in applying assessment and adaptive management to the Emiquon floodplain restoration project

The Nature Conservancy’s wetland restoration at the Emiquon Preserve has been a success to date, but there are warning signs of undesirable change if left unmanaged. A water control structure built in 2016 will increase management capabilities, but periodic connection to the river, which has experienced human alterations typical of rivers in eastern North America and Europe, also introduces risks. The Conservancy’s planning process has identified (1) management targets (e.g., diverse native fish populations); (2) Key Ecological Attributes (KEAs) that maintain the targets (e.g., relatively deep over-wintering habitats for fishes); (3) measurable indicators for the KEAs (e.g., depth in winter); and (4) desirable ranges for the indicators (e.g., 10% of the aquatic area has depths of 2–3 m and dissolved oxygen levels of 4–6 mg/l). Assessments and experiments completed to date have focused on documenting the restoration, evaluating effects of the record flood of 2013, and predicting outcomes of management actions. Simulation models of hydrology, hydraulics, and vegetation response developed during the planning process allayed some concerns of stakeholders, but not all outcomes are predictable from either current theory or management experience. Therefore, each action can be considered not only as an adaptive management experiment focused on sustaining targets, but also contributing to ecological theory and restoration practice on a broader scale.     

粤北南岭典型矿山生态修复工程技术模式与效益预评估——基于广东省山水林田湖草生态保护修复试点框架

广东粤北南岭山区地处国家生态安全格局“两屏三带”中的南方丘陵山地带的核心区,由于历史上有色金属矿产无序开采、选矿和冶炼等活动,导致区域生态环境问题突出,并造成下游区域土壤、水、农作物污染。修复历史遗留矿山、做好源头控制是解决区域生态环境问题的关键所在。以典型矿山废弃地单元（废土堆）为例,提出其生态修复工程技术模式与关键技术,开展修复效益预评估方法和实践研究。研究结果表明：粤北南岭山区矿区生态环境问题主要包括矿山植被破坏和水土流失问题突出、地质灾害风险隐患较大、矿山周边水土污染严重几个方面;矿山生态修复应以防控安全隐患为基础,以恢复生态功能为主要目标,同时治理矿山水土污染。构建了遵循山水林田湖草系统共治的“依山就势”重塑地形、“因势利导”疏导水流、“柔性防护”稳定边坡的粤北南岭废土堆立体生态修复模式,提出了相应的场地平整、清污分流、土壤改良、边坡生态袋植生、立体植被配置等生态恢复关键技术;建立了包括涵养水源、保持水土、净化环境及净化水质4个方面的生态效益评估模型,废土堆修复后生态效益预计可达到66754.25元/a。研究结果可为粤北南岭山区及类似区域山水林田湖草系统共治提供技术支撑。     

An Evaluation of Reclamation Success on Idaho's Phosphate Mines

To evaluate reclamation success on the Wooley Valley phosphate mine in southeastern Idaho, we compared vegetation structure and soil physical, chemical, and elemental properties of several different reclamation treatments with those of a nearby reference area (a native Artemisia tridentata vaseyana/Festuca idahoensis association) after 14 years. Vegetation data had been collected four years after reclamation, and we were able to compare differences in biomass and species composition between dates on the reclaimed area. Four years after reclamation there were no differences in total biomass between topsoil or spoil or between seed only, seed + mulch, or control treatments on the different soil types. Most treatments were dominated by seeded perennial grasses. Fourteen years after reclamation there were no differences in biomass or cover between spoil and topsoil plots, but on spoil plots the seeded and mulched treatment had higher total biomass and vegetation cover than on control or seed-only treatments. The seeded perennial legume Medicago sativa was codominant with the seeded forage grasses on all of the treatments. High initial fertilization rates probably facilitated the early establishment and dominance of the forage grasses; once nutrient levels, especially nitrogen, began to decline, the legume increased in abundance. Similarity between the reclaimed area and the reference or native area was low. Reclaimed treatments had higher biomass but lower species richness. The topsoil and spoil plots had similar soil texture, bulk density, pH, cation exchange capacity, electrical conductivity, and phosphorus. Differences in organic carbon, total nitrogen, carbon: nitrogen ratios, and available moisture were related more to treatments than to soil type. High biomass and, thus, litter input on the seed + mulch treatment on spoil plots resulted in both higher OC and TN than any on other soil/treatment combination. The reclaimed area had lower OC, TN, and available moisture than did the reference area on all but seed + mulch spoil plots. Bulk density was higher on reclaimed plots. The long-term differences observed between the reclaimed and reference areas parallel those obtained for other western reclamation sites. Although successional trajectories depend on the attribute measured, similarity to native reference areas depends on the initial reclamation methods. We discuss reclamation methods that would increase the structural and functional similarity of reclaimed and reference areas on the Wooley Valley phosphate mine.     

Possible ecosystem engineering to regulate depth by a clonal sedge encroaching on a tropical freshwater wetland

Shallow freshwater wetlands that are permanently inundated are prone to developing dense mats of highly-competitive clonal species. We examine vegetation pattern and change in a tropical impoundment (Fogg Dam) in northern Australia in the context of succession towards vegetation closure with adverse implications for biodiversity and tourism. The area of open water declined 44?% between 1993 and 2005. Closed vegetation comprised a floating mat complex featuring a stoloniferous grass, ferns and young trees, and a sedgeland rooted in the soft sediment layer comprising monodominant circular patches of the rhizomatous Eleocharis sphacelata. Depth to the underlying firm substrate varied little between the closed vegetation types and between them and the remaining open water, but the soft sediment layer was markedly deeper under sedgeland and it contained much coarse plant matter consisting mainly of dead Eleocharis. This suggests that E. sphacelata may be creating its environment in order to invade areas of deeper water. Although other wetland plants create more favourable environments for themselves by accreting sediment and/or modifying soil chemistry, this may be the first report of an invasive species modifying depth using its own plant matter. At Fogg Dam, encroachment of closed vegetation into open water areas is not limited by depth and will likely result in the entire wetland being closed over within a decade. To restore diversity, an adaptive disturbance regime is required, some options for which are briefly discussed.     

Do seed transfer zones for ecological restoration reflect the spatial genetic variation of the common grassland species Lathyrus pratensis?

A common ecological restoration approach is the reestablishment of vegetation using seed mixtures. To preserve the natural genetic pattern of plant species local seed material should be used. Consequently, seed transfer zones (seed production areas and seed provenance regions) have been delineated for ecological restoration in Germany. Although it is assumed that these transfer zones represent genetic variation, there remains a lack of empirical data. In this study, we analyzed whether seed transfer zones reflect the genetic variation of the common grassland species Lathyrus pratensis. We sampled 706 individuals from 37 populations in Bavaria, Germany and analyzed genetic variation using amplified fragment length polymorphisms. In our study, we observed higher levels of genetic variation and fragment rarity in the southern Bavarian populations compared to northern populations. Our analyses revealed a strong genetic differentiation between southern and northern Bavarian populations delineated along the Danube River. However, seed production areas and seed provenance regions reflected genetic variation of L. pratensis only to a limited degree. Our study illustrates that the level of genetic variation within populations strongly depends on population history. Furthermore, the geomorphological and climatic attributes, which have been used to delineate seed provenance regions, do not reduce gene flow among populations. Seed collections for gene banks and seed production should comprise seeds from populations in southern and northern Bavaria representing the strong genetic variation between both regions, but prioritize southern populations due to higher levels of variation.     

Short-term impact of blue mussel dredging (Mytilus edulis L.) on a benthic community

The short-term effect of mussel dredging in a brackish Danish sound was studied. A commercial dredging track was identified and an analysis of the species composition inside the track and at an adjacent control area showed that dredging changed the community structure by reducing the density of polychaetes. In order to investigate the extent and the duration of the dredging impact experimental dredging was conducted. The experimental dredging removed 50% of the mussels in two dredged areas. Immediately after dredging, a significantly lower number of species was measured inside the mussel beds in dredged areas compared to control and boundary areas. This effect lasted for at least 40 days. The analysis of the species composition showed that the dredged area had a significantly lower density, particularly of polychaetes compared to the boundary area. An increased number of species was recorded outside the mussel beds just after dredging, but this effect lasted for less than 7 days. After dredging, brown shrimps, C. crangon invaded the dredged areas. This species is an important predator of smaller invertebrates, and it is suspected that it was feeding on small vulnerable polychaetes exposed at the sediment surface after dredging. The dredging process was observed to form 2–5-cm deep furrows in the seabed, but the sediment texture and the organic content of the sediment was not affected. The biomass accumulation of individual blue mussels was significantly lower in the dredged area compared to the boundary area. This indicates that the disturbance of the mussel bed structure reduced growth and that the lowering of intraspecific food competition caused by a reduced density of mussels did not increase the accumulation of biomass in the mussels which remained in the dredged area.