A review of methodologies and success indicators for coastal wetland restoration

Coastal wetlands are considered to be amongst the most productive ecosystems and can provide invaluable ecological services. However, coastal wetlands are listed amongst the most threatened ecosystems suffering from anthropogenic activities. The loss or degradation of coastal wetlands has drawn a high level of attention to wetland restoration. Improvement of the structure and function of degraded, damaged and destroyed wetlands may be achieved through ecological restoration. Large numbers of restoration projects have been conducted worldwide based on different restoration goals and different methods. It is undoubtedly important to evaluate whether coastal wetland restoration is successful. However, coastal wetland restoration assessment has become challenging because of current disagreement on definitions and concepts of restoration evaluation. We reviewed the methodology of coastal wetland restoration and criteria for success evaluation, and then summarized the issues for current wetland restoration and success evaluation based on literature review. Moreover, we used an estuarine wetland affected by urbanization as a sample to demonstrate how to establish a success indicator system for guiding wetland restoration and evaluating the success of wetland restoration.     

基于空间分析的东北地区湿地优先恢复

以GIS/RS为技术手段,从景观结构因子、河流及道路密度、湿度指数、地貌条件、耕地生产力5方面对东北地区湿地恢复潜力进行空间分析,确定了东北地区湿地恢复的优先、次优先区域,并利用农作物生产与湿地协调发展指数、景观指数验证恢复效果.结果表明： 东北地区湿地优先恢复面积为1.78×10⁶ hm²,其中,耕地和草地为主要的恢复类型,占优先恢复面积的96.7%,主要位于东北部的三江平原和中部的松嫩平原;次优先湿地恢复面积为1.03×10⁶ hm².经过优先、次优先湿地恢复,东北地区湿地面积将在现有湿地面积的基础上提高37.4%.湿地恢复后,研究区农作物生产与湿地协调发展水平值从恢复前的0.539增加到恢复后的0.733,湿地景观格局更有利于沼泽湿地生态功能的发挥.说明基于空间分析制定的东北地区湿地恢复方案是可行的,可为东北地区湿地恢复的实施和生态环境的改善提供数据支持.     

自然湿地生态恢复研究综述

湿地由于具有丰富的资源、独特的牛态结构和功能而享有“自然之肾”之称。为了更好地保护和开发利用湿地,世界各国都在积极采取措施阴止湿地的退化或消失,湿地的生态恢复与重建问题已成为生态学和环境科学的研究热点,在全面综述国内外湿地生态恢复研究进展的基础上,对湿地乍态恢复研究的重点和热点进行了探讨和分析,指出我国为做好湿地生态恢复工作尚需进一步加强湿地生态恢复的方法学、基础理论、应用技术和示范推广等方面的研究。     

Where the fish swim above the birds: configurations and challenges of wetland restoration in the Po Delta,Italy

Wetland and estuary restoration presents a number of complex challenges that are primarily social, cultural, economic, and governance‐related rather than ecological. Here we consider the case of wetland restoration in the Po Delta, Italy. Wetland restoration of the Po Delta is a goal of a broad range of actors in the region and this project is a response to local calls for action. We investigate why local stakeholders are unsatisfied with apparently successful restoration projects, and appraise the factors that favor both the fulfillment of environmental targets and establishment of cooperative relations. We suggest that historical legacies of land use in the Po Delta have influenced current governance practices in a complex and fragmented governance context. Also, patterns of wetland restoration and wetland management practices differ between wetland types, and their outcomes may be influenced by the number of stakeholders involved, funding, and ability to generate direct revenues from management. However, there seem to be no blueprint solutions to successful wetland management and wetland restoration, and results are uneven at the landscape scale and often depending on contingencies. Maintaining traditional practices that retain cultural importance may be seen as part of restoration by local people. As a landscape that is highly anthropogenic and in continuous motion, we argue that the Delta exemplifies some of the challenges that restoration will face in a world increasingly characterized by novel ecosystems. We suggest actions that could contribute to enhancing wetland restoration outcomes in the Po Delta.     

盐沼湿地大规模恢复的概念生态模型——以盐城为例

大规模湿地生态恢复是一项耗资巨大、复杂的系统工程,需要以整个区域湿地结构和功能恢复作为基本目标,将时间和空间上分散的研究成果进行系统梳理,形成对区域湿地生态变化及其驱动因素的规律性认识。本研究以盐城盐沼湿地为案例,以1987年作为未干扰或干扰较少的状态,从结构-过程-功能耦合作用角度,确定区域湿地恢复的关键生态特征,包括:健康与动态潮间带湿地系统、碱蓬生态系统生产力与弹性、复杂景观镶嵌与相互作用、潮间带底栖动物丰富与鸟类觅食基地,以及濒危与关键水鸟种群保护。在此基础上,将围垦与土地利用、水管理、全球变化与海平面上升作为驱动区域湿地生态变化的三大外部因素;海岸侵蚀与沉积、区域水格局变化、地形地貌变化、湿地空间变化与连通性丧失,以及互花米草入侵等是影响湿地生态系统变化的内在压力因子;基于这些压力因子与湿地生态系统变化之间复杂作用关系分析,形成了外部驱动力-内在压力源-生态影响-生态特征之间联合作用下的区域湿地恢复概念生态模型。此模型以复杂因果关系研究为基础,直观展示了湿地恢复需要去除或减缓各种压力因子的一般路径,有利于指导大规模盐沼湿地恢复规划与实践。     

向海退化盐沼湿地修复效果评估

向海自然保护区位于中国东北地区西部的半湿润半干旱气候区,是盐碱沼泽湿地集中分布区。近年来,受到气候变化和人类活动的影响,湿地退化严重,生物多样性下降。基于"压力-状态-响应"理论,利用层次分析方法构建湿地修复效果评估模型,构建了3个综合指标和19个评价因子在内的湿地评价指标体系,对退化湿地修复效果进行评估。结果表明,与2015年相比,2017年仙鹤岛修复示范区湿地植被盖度在原有基础上提高45.83%,水禽数量和种类分别提高40.41%和61.54%,水质综合污染指数下降了8.70%,土壤盐度指数下降了8.82%。与2015年的湿地评价值0.4481相比,2017年湿地评价值为0.5537,修复效果值提高了23.57%,向海湿地的退化状况得到明显改善,达到了湿地的修复效果,该研究对于湿地的恢复与管理具有一定意义。     

受损湿地植被的恢复与重建研究进展

 自20世纪90年代以来,有关受损湿地植被恢复与重建的研究大量涌现。在大量文献调研的基础上,对湿地植被恢复的目的、优先原则、策略和途径、理论、技术、长期监测及评价作了回顾,对贫营养沼泽和富营养沼泽的恢复技术作了详细总结。湿地恢复的策略主要有修复和重建,指导理论主要有次生演替、自设计和入侵理论等。泥炭地植被受损后的恢复技术主要有播种法、泥炭藓片段散布法、营养体移植法、草皮移植法等。种子(繁殖体)库在植被恢复中的作用也不可忽视。恢复初期的抚育和管理必不可少。最后指出了湿地恢复研究中亟待解决的问题。     

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。     

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.     

寒温带湿地火后植被恢复的影响因子

寒温带湿地在维护区域生态平衡方面发挥着重要作用.火是湿地的重要干扰因子.重度火烧会导致湿地生态功能明显退化.火后植被恢复,特别是火后早期植被的恢复是生态系统功能恢复的前提和基础.本文对火后湿地植被恢复影响因子的国内外研究进展进行了综述.寒温带湿地火后植被恢复受到火强度、火面积、火前植被类型、物种更新特性、立地条件等多因子的制约.寒温带湿地火后恢复的长期监测、植被恢复的关键影响因子、冻土层在植被恢复过程中的作用、植被恢复的理论与技术将是今后研究的重要方向.     

A method to prioritize and monitor wetland restoration for water-quality improvement

Wetland restoration can improve water quality by reducing concentrations of sediment, total phosphorus, and nitrate in runoff. Managers need a simple method to choose among many possible restoration sites, particularly in large agricultural basins covering thousands of square kilometers. The purpose of this paper is to outline a method for prioritizing and monitoring wetland restoration sites in light of the factors that affect water-quality improvement by wetlands. These factors are categorized as loading factors, path factors, and process factors. The method for prioritizing wetland restoration sites depends primarily on assessing the potential effectiveness of the wetland for improving water quality. Three types of effectiveness are considered: problem effectiveness (is the site in an area with known water-quality problems?), function effectiveness (is the site likely to improve water quality more or less than other sites?), and information effectiveness (does the site fit within an overall research plan to gain information on how wetlands improve water quality?). The variables of hydraulic residence time, hydraulic flux, and wetland area, volume, and average depth are combined into a single variable termed and used as a proxy for estimating the relative function effectiveness of potential restoration sites. Monitoring restoration sites is targeted at establishing a minimum data set that can be collected consistently at different sites over time, and that can be used for inter-site comparison with simple statistical techniques. The Minnesota River Basin is used as an example throughout to demonstrate the types of data that are available to plan wetland restoration. While this paper focuses on the water-quality benefits, wetland restoration should be a multi-disciplinary effort to integrate other benefits of restoration, such as improvement of wildlife habitat and flood abatement.     

基于协同发展的北方湿地公园生态修复技术研究——以琉璃河湿地公园为例

以北京房山区琉璃河湿地公园为例, 针对该区水质污染严重、水生态退化及景观单一等问题, 统筹考虑区域生态环境特征及历史文化底蕴, 以水质改善、水生态健康稳定、水景观协调为目标, 基于水环境水生态、水景观“三位一体+”的生态综合治理理念, 采用水系廊道连通、人工湿地及构建水生态系统等一系列适合区域环境特点的关键技术, 逐步实现河流湿地水系连通、河湖水质提升、恢复水生态、打造水景观, 建设成集水文调蓄、生物多样性保护、水质净化及休闲娱乐为一体的城市湿地公园, 协同湿地保护与城市发展战略需求。湿地公园生态修复方案可为北方湿地公园的生态修复提供相应的借鉴。     

若尔盖县湿地稳态转换的水文地貌生态阈值

以若尔盖县湿地为研究对象,在Google Earth影像和野外调查基础上获取若尔盖县人工沟渠的空间分布数据,并计算结构特征指数。从地形地貌和水文条件两个方面选择6项指标,利用熵值法筛选出对湿地稳态转换影响最大的指标并厘定生态阈值,包括理想值和临界值,通过1980-2015年土地利用数据识别若尔盖县湿地稳态转换区,最终基于乡镇尺度确定生态阈值调控范围,划分各乡镇湿地恢复优先性。结果表明：（1）若尔盖县存在四类湿地稳态转换区,其中稳态平衡区面积最大,占全县湿地面积的47.56%,退化转化区次之,占全县湿地面积的35.88%。（2）对若尔盖县湿地稳态转换影响最大的两项水文地貌生态指标为网络联通度和沟渠密度,权重分别为0.162和0.161。若尔盖县网络联通度的理想值为0.033、临界值为0.054;沟渠密度的理想值为0.011 km/km²、临界值为0.360 km/km²。（3）在若尔盖县需要进行湿地恢复的10个乡镇中,按湿地恢复优先性划分出3个三级恢复区、4个二级恢复区、3个一级恢复区,其中一级恢复区应优先恢复。     

国内外湿地生态系统研究进展

湿地生态系统具有重要的生态功能和社会经济价值。由于诸多因素的影响,目前全球范围内相当一部分湿地生态系统已经丧失或正在遭受不同程度的威胁,湿地生态系统已经成为近年来相关领域研究的热点之一。近年来,国内外湿地生态系统的研究主要集中在湿地生态系统生物多样性本底资料的调查、湿地生态系统的动态以及湿地生态系统胁迫因子研究、退化湿地生态系统的重建和管理,以及恢复湿地有效性的评估体系等4个方面。一些新方法、新技术也不断应用于湿地生态系统研究中。除了自然湿地外,人工湿地的构建和评价体系的建立也成为该领域研究的热点方向。影响湿地生态系统的因素涉及到自然、社会经济、文化等多个方面,加之湿地类型多样性,因此开展更为广泛的湿地生态系统结构、功能和动态的研究是十分必要的。同时,对特定区域内的湿地生态系统修复过程中的关键技术(包括物种的选择等)的研究、新方法和新手段的应用研究也应该在湿地生态系统研究中给予特别关注。     

The role of wildlife science in wetland ecosystem restoration: Lessons from the Everglades

There has been little discussion of how and when to integrate wildlife science into ecological restoration projects. The recent emergence of wetland ecosystem restoration offers an opportunity to use wildlife science to increase the probability of a project being successful. This paper traces the evolution of wetland ecosystem restoration in North America and proposes three roles for wildlife science in wetland ecosystem restoration: (1) contribute to conceptual ecosystem models, (2) develop quantitative performance measures and restoration targets that track the progress of restoration, and (3) achieve social feasibility by sustaining long-term public support for a project. The extensive knowledge base for many species of wildlife makes them especially useful for contributing to conceptual ecosystem models. Wildlife species are often the subject of long-term monitoring and research because they have commercial value, are conspicuous, or have aesthetic appeal. Wildlife parameters can be good performance measures for large-scale restoration projects because some species integrate information over large spatial scales and are long-lived. Parameters associated with threatened or endangered wildlife species should get special consideration as performance measures because the information will meet multiple needs rather than just those of the conceptual ecosystem model. Finally, wetland ecosystem restoration projects need to sustain funding over decades to ensure the restored system is self-sustaining. Wildlife are a valued resource that can help achieve the social feasibility of a project by providing a way to communicate complex science in terms that society understands and values.     

湿地退化研究进展

受经济发展、城市扩张、气候变化的影响,湿地退化已经成为全球性现象,是当前国际湿地科学前沿领域的热点。从湿地退化标准、退化特征、退化分级、退化过程、退化机理、退化监测体系、退化评价指标与指标体系、退化监测新技术及其生态恢复理论与技术9个方面系统地介绍了当前湿地退化研究进展。结果表明湿地退化过程、退化机理、退化评价指标体系和退化湿地监测、恢复与重建研究是当前研究的重点,在未来相当长的时间内,全球气候变化、湿地退化的微观过程与机理、湿地生态系统的可持续利用将会是重要的研究方向。最后就我国当前湿地退化研究存在的问题进行了分析,并提出近期湿地退化研究亟待开展的11项研究工作,供我国湿地退化研究工作者参考。     

Succession of a Southern Appalachian Mountain Wetland Six Years following Hydrologic and Microtopographic Restoration

Microtopography, which is known to play a key role in the structure and function of wetland communities, is receiving increasing attention in wetland restoration projects. One goal of the Tulula Wetlands Mitigation Bank, which was the first large-scale wetland restoration project in the Blue Ridge Province, was to restore the microtopography in a degraded swamp forest–bog complex. This wetland type has become increasingly rare in the southern Appalachians and is characterized by a distinct microtopography of depressions and low ridges. We examined vegetation and soils in depression and ridge plots over a 6-year period, during which the hydrology and microtopography of the floodplain were restored. Our results showed that the flora of the depression and ridge plots differed, with greater coverage by obligate wetland species in the depression plots but greater overall taxonomic richness in the ridge plots. The edaphic characteristics that we measured varied very little during the study period. Creating microtopographic relief during the restoration of this wetland seems to have provided a variety of niches and may have increased the likelihood that the site will succeed back to a swamp forest–bog complex, rather than as a forested terrace of Tulula Creek.     

光照、水深交互作用对松嫩湿地芦苇种子萌发的影响

莫莫格国家级自然保护区位于松嫩平原西部, 以保护白鹤(Grus leucogeranus)等珍稀水禽及其栖息地为主要目的。扁秆藨草(Scirpus planiculmis)是莫莫格湿地的重要植物, 也是白鹤在该区停栖的主要食源植物。莫莫格湿地水文恢复后, 芦苇(Phragmites australis)等高大挺水植物大量出现, 阻碍了扁秆藨草的恢复。种子萌发是植物生活史的重要阶段, 对于认识野外植物群落动态和植被管理十分重要。该研究在人工气候箱模拟野外环境条件, 分析了光照(全光、遮阴、黑暗)、水深(0、5、15和30 cm)及其交互作用对芦苇种子萌发的影响。结果表明: 光照和水深变化明显影响芦苇种子的萌发; 最终萌发比例在遮阴和黑暗条件下明显比在全光下高, 在3种光照处理下较深水位(5-30 cm)均抑制了芦苇种子的萌发。芦苇种子萌发也明显受光照和水深交互作用的影响; 在全光条件下, 萌发比例在0 cm水深(86.67% ± 2.36%)显著高于其他较深水位; 在遮阴和黑暗环境下, 0 cm水深与其他水深处理间的差异明显缩小, 这应是在遮阴和黑暗条件下(不考虑水深)萌发比例较高的重要原因。因此, 在芦苇建群初期, 及时进行清除处理并保持一定地表水位可以限制芦苇通过有性繁殖更新, 同时改善地表光辐射等生境条件, 促进扁秆藨草恢复。     

Estimating phosphorus retention of existing and restored coastal wetlands in a tributary watershed of the Laurentian Great Lakes in Michigan,USA

Simulation modeling with uncertainty analysis was applied to the question of nonpoint source pollution control through extensive wetland restoration. The model was applied to the Quanicassee River basin, a tributary stream to Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron in northeastern Michigan, USA. An estimate of the role of the existing 695 ha of riverside and lake-side wetlands in the lower Quanicassee River basin suggests that they retain 1.2 metric tons of phosphorus per year (mt P/yr), or 2.5% of the total phosphorus load from the basin. A simple Vollenweider-type model of phosphorus retention by created wetlands, calibrated with 3-years of data from two wetland sites in Midwestern USA, was used to estimate the effect of major wetland restoration in the basin. For a wetland restoration project involving 15% of the Quanicassee River basin or 3,120 ha of wetlands, an estimated 33 mt P/yr could be retained, assuming a proper hydrologic connection between the wetlands and the river. This would represent a reduction of two-thirds of the existing phosphorus load to the Bay from the Quanicassee River basin. Large-scale wetland restoration appears to be a viable management practice for controlling phosphorus and other nonpoint source pollution from entering Saginaw Bay. It is an alternative that meets two major resource goals – developing wetland habitat and controlling pollution to the Great Lakes.