The effects of predation and unionid burrowing on bivalve communities in a Laurentian Great Lake coastal wetland

Unionid (Mollusca: Unionidae) densities have declined dramatically throughout the Laurentian Great Lakes after the introduction of dreissenid mussels (Mollusca: Dreissenidae). Recent surveys in some Great Lake coastal wetlands have found abundant unionid populations, but the factors that reduce zebra mussels on unionids in these habitats are not well understood. In 2001–2002, we tested effects of predation and unionid burrowing on corbiculids, sphaeriids and dreissenids in a Great Lake coastal wetland in western Lake Erie. In one experiment, we reduced access by molluscivores using exclosures with two mesh sizes (1.3 cm × 1.3 cm; 5 cm × 10 cm) and sampled bivalves after 15 months. Small mesh exclosures had higher numbers of dreissenids, Corbicula fluminea and sphaeriids (54.9, 3.8, 22.6 individuals/m², respectively) than large mesh exclosures (0.0, 1.13, 0.13 individuals/m², respectively) or open controls (0.3, 1.0, 0.1 individuals/m², respectively). Numbers of dreissenids on C. fluminea were higher in small mesh exclosures (3.8 dreissenids/Corbicula) than in large mesh exclosures (0.1 dreissenids/Corbicula) or cageless controls (0␣dreissenids/Corbicula). In a second experiment, we held two species of live unionids (Leptodea fragilis, Quadrula quadrula) and immobile Pyganodon grandis shells in exclosures (2.5 cm × 2.5 cm mesh) with either 5 cm, 10 cm, or 20 cm deep sediments and sampled bivalves after 2 months. There were fewer dreissenids on L. fragilis than P. grandis shells, but there was no difference in the number of dreissenids on Q. quadrula and P. grandis shells. Numbers of attached dreissenids were higher inside (189–494 dreissenids/unionid) than outside (8–11 dreissenids/unionid) exclosures, and densities of sphaeriid and C. fluminea clams were also higher inside (21.8, 4.7 individuals/m², respectively) than outside (0.4, 0.9 individuals/m², respectively) exclosures. Numbers of attached dreissenids were higher on unionids that could burrow below the sediments (20 cm depth) than unionids in shallow sediments (5 cm depth) for unexplained reasons. Our data suggest that molluscivores can play a pivotal role in limiting numbers of bivalves including dreissenids in coastal wetlands.     

Plant community recovery after herbicide management to remove Phragmites australis in Great Lakes coastal wetlands

Invasive plants, such as Phragmites australis, are a global threat to plant diversity and are commonly controlled using herbicide management. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the plant community response 6–10 years after large‐scale herbicide management to remove Phragmites from Great Lakes coastal wetlands along the shores of western Lake Erie. Vegetation surveys were conducted in nine wetlands undergoing herbicide management and four unmanaged Phragmites‐dominated wetlands. The relative percent cover of Phragmites was dramatically lower in the managed (1.3%) compared to unmanaged wetlands (93.0%; p < 0.001), although relative percent cover of other non‐natives following herbicide management averaged 39.2% (ranging from 6.4 to 67.6%). The cover‐weighted floristic quality index was significantly higher in managed wetlands (p < 0.01), with the highest indices (12.4–17.0) at sites that received prescribed fire after herbicide treatment (p < 0.05). Species richness and diversity were significantly higher in managed wetlands (p < 0.001); however, there was no significant difference between wetlands treated only with herbicide and those treated with herbicide and prescribed fire. Our results indicate that herbicide management is effective in reducing Phragmites and improving floristic quality over timescales of 6–10 years. However, continued spot‐treatment and management of new invasive species may be required, and the return of high‐quality plant communities may be unrealistic in the study region.     

Sediment microbial enzyme activity as an indicator of nutrient limitation in Great Lakes coastal wetlands

1. We compared the extracellular enzyme activity (EEA) of sediment microbial assemblages with sediment and water chemistry, gradients in agricultural nutrient loading (derived from principal component analyses), atmospheric deposition and hydrological turnover time in coastal wetlands of the Laurentian Great Lakes. 2. There were distinct increases in nutrient concentrations in the water and in atmospheric N deposition along the gradient from Lake Superior to Lake Ontario, but few differences between lakes in sediment carbon (C), nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P). Wetland water and sediment chemistry were correlated with the agricultural stress gradient, hydrological turnover time and atmospheric deposition. 3. The N : P ratio of wetland waters and sediments indicated that these coastal wetlands were N‐limited. Nutrient stoichiometry was correlated with the agricultural stress gradient, hydrological turnover time and atmospheric deposition. 4. Extracellular enzyme activity was correlated with wetland sediment and water chemistry and stoichiometry, atmospheric N deposition, the agricultural stress gradient and the hydrological turnover time. The ratios of glycosidases to peptidases and phosphatases yielded estimates of nutrient limitation that agreed with those based solely on nutrient chemistry. 5. This study, the first to link microbial enzyme activities to regional‐scale anthropogenic stressors, suggests that quantities and ratios of microbial enzymes are directly related to the concentrations and ratios of limiting nutrients, and may be sensitive indicators of nutrient dynamics in wetland ecosystems, but further work is needed to elucidate these relationships.     

杭州湾滨海湿地3种草本植物叶片N、P化学计量学的季节变化

动态平衡理论是生态化学计量学的理论基础, 各种有机体是否存在一个固定的化学计量比是生态学研究的热点问题。该文研究了杭州湾滨海湿地3种优势物种海三棱藨草(Scirpus mariqueter)、糙叶薹草(Carex scabrifolia)和芦苇(Phragmites australis)叶片N、P生态化学计量特征的季节变化。结果发现, 3种植物叶片N含量范围分别是7.41-17.12、7.47-13.15和6.03-18.09 mg·g^-1, 平均值(±标准差)分别为(11.69 ± 2.66)、(10.17 ± 1.53)和(11.56 ± 3.19) mg·g^-1; 叶片P范围分别是0.34-2.60、0.41-1.10和0.35-2.04 mg·g^-1, 平均值为(0.93 ± 0.62)、(0.74 ± 0.23)和(0.82 ± 0.53) mg·g^-1; N:P范围分别是7.19-30.63、11.58-16.81和8.62-21.86, 平均值为16.83 ± 8.31、14.53 ± 3.91和16.49 ± 5.51, 可见不同植物其生态化学计量值范围存在一定差异, 但经方差分析发现3种草本植物间生长季节内N、P元素含量差异并不显著(p > 0.05)。各物种叶片N、P含量均表现出在生长初期显著大于其他生长季节(p < 0.05), 生长旺季(6、7月)随着叶片生物量的持续增加, N、P含量逐渐降低并达到最小值, 随后8-9月叶片不再生长而N、P含量逐渐回升, 在10月叶片衰老时N、P含量再次下降; 叶片N:P则在生长初期较小, 在生长旺季先升高后降低, 随后叶片成熟不再生长时又逐渐增加并趋于稳定。     

Consideration of Geography and Wetland Geomorphic Type in the Development of Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Bird Indicators

We examined how geographic distribution of birds and their affinities to three geomorphic wetland types would affect the scale at which we developed indicators based on breeding bird communities for Great Lakes coastal wetlands. We completed 385 breeding bird surveys on 222 wetlands in the US portion of the basin in 2002 and 2003. Analyses showed that wetlands within two ecoprovinces (Laurentian Mixed Forest and Eastern Broadleaf Forest) had different bird communities. Bird communities were also significantly different among five lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario) and among three wetland types (lacustrine, riverine, barrier-protected). Indicator values illustrated bird species with high affinities for each group (ecoprovince, lake, wetland type). Species with restricted geographic ranges, such as Alder and Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax alnorum and E. traillii), had significant affinities for ecoprovince. Ten bird species had significant affinities for lacustrine wetlands. Analyses on avian guild metrics showed that Lake Ontario wetlands had fewer long-distant migrants and warblers than other lakes. Numbers of short-distant migrants and total individuals in wetlands were higher in the Eastern Broadleaf Forest ecoprovince. Number of flycatchers and wetland obligate birds were not different among provinces, lakes, or wetland type. One potential indicator for wetland condition in Great Lakes wetlands, proportion of obligate wetland birds, responded negatively to proportion of developed land within 1 km of the wetland. We conclude that, although a guild approach to indicator development ameliorates species-specific geographic differences in distribution, individual species responses to disturbance scale will need to be considered in future indicator development with this approach.     

Algal-availability of particulate phosphorus from diffuse and point sources in the lower Great Lakes basin

Control of phytoplankton production in the Great Lakes can be achieved most efficiently by limiting inputs of biologically available P. We report the results of studies performed to characterize the chemical forms and availability of particulate P in wastewater and tributaries which enter the lower Lakes, the eroding bluffs which border Lake Erie, and bottom samples from the near-shore of western Lake Erie. Rates of release of available P were estimated from a simple first-order model of the process, as observed during algal bioassays. Available P in wastewater samples, as a fraction of total particulate P, was affected minimally by wastewater treatment, including chemical precipitation and filtration; it correlated well with levels of total particulate P. Available particulate P levels in fluvial suspended sediments showed regional uniformity, but appeared to be strongly dependent on levels of both NaOH-P and CDB-P. Rates of release of available P decreased during wastewater treatment to values which were similar in magnitude to those observed for fluvial sediments. Release rates, however, were not related to any of the particulate P fractions which were measured. Analysis of the bluff and bottom samples indicated that P availability in the former was negligible, but the latter contained levels which approached those of wastewater particulates, though available P was released from the bottom sediments at relatively low rates.     

Comparing disturbance gradients and bird-based indices of biotic integrity for ranking the ecological integrity of Great Lakes coastal wetlands

We compared different methods for generating indices of biotic integrity (IBIs) for Great Lakes coastal wetlands using bird community data collected by participants in Bird Studies Canada's Great Lakes Marsh Monitoring Program (GLMMP) including: rank sum and multivariate approaches for defining landscape disturbance gradients; and generalist-specialist (IBI-1), multimetric (IBI-2), and probabilistic (IBI-3) approaches for calculating IBIs. Scores from the multivariate disturbance gradient, IBI-1, and IBI-3 increased rapidly at the impaired and unimpaired ends of the impaired-to-unimpaired spectrum, whereas scores from the rank sum disturbance gradient and IBI-2 increased rapidly only at the unimpaired end. IBIs with metrics that both increased and decreased along the landscape disturbance gradient were more sensitive for identifying especially impaired and unimpaired sites (i.e., IBI-1 and IBI-3) compared to IBIs with metrics that only increased (i.e., IBI-2). Scores from all but one of the IBIs were significantly correlated with scores of at least one of the landscape disturbance gradients and scores from all three of the IBIs were significantly moderately correlated with each other (r_s = 0.3–0.7). Site ranks arranged from impaired to unimpaired differed by 25–50 positions out of 142 possible positions depending on the pair of IBIs chosen. Much of the variation that we observed could be explained by differences among IBIs in the metrics that contributed most to impaired and unimpaired sites. Thus, we recommend the following not only for IBI users assessing the integrity of Great Lakes coastal wetlands, but also any other ecosystem where multiple landscape disturbance gradients and IBIs are available for use: (1) use multivariate instead of rank sum approaches for defining landscape disturbance gradients; (2) use IBIs with metrics that both increase and decrease along the landscape disturbance gradient instead of IBIs with metrics that only increase or only decrease; and (3) ensure that site-level species lists are reasonably complete, particularly for species that disproportionately contribute to especially impaired and unimpaired scores. Following these guidelines will increase the sensitivity and accuracy of IBIs for identifying especially impaired and unimpaired sites and ultimately result in better conservation.     

Comparing the diversity and composition of waterbird functional traits between natural,restored, and artificial wetlands

1. The restoration of degraded areas and the creation of artificial ecosystems have partially compensated for the continuing loss of natural wetlands. However, the success of these wetlands in terms of the capacity of supporting biodiversity and ecosystem functions is unclear. Research is needed to improve our understanding of the value of restored and constructed wetlands for functional diversity of freshwater fauna.
2. We compared natural, restored, and artificially created wetlands present within the Doñana Natural Space, Spain and valued as important for waterbirds. We evaluated if these wetlands are equivalent in terms of waterbird functional trait diversity and composition, during both the wintering and breeding seasons. We modelled functional diversity measures and functional group species richness describing species diet, body mass, and foraging techniques with generalised linear mixed models in 20 wetlands monitored between 2006 and 2011. We used three different statistical approaches to evaluate the robustness of our results.
3. Artificial wetlands constructed for conservation failed to reach the functional diversity of natural and restored wetlands. Unexpectedly, artificial ponds constructed for fish production performed better, and even exceeded natural wetlands for functional richness during winter. Fish ponds stood out as having a unique functional composition, connected with increase in richness of opportunistic gulls and decrease of species sensitive to high salinity. Overall, the functional structure of breeding communities was more affected by wetland type than wintering communities.
4. Our findings suggest that compensating the loss of natural wetlands with restored and artificial wetlands results in systems with altered waterbird-supported functions, such as seed dispersal or nutrient cycling. Protection of natural Mediterranean wetlands is vital to maintain the original diversity and composition of waterbird functional traits. Furthermore, restoration must be prioritised over the creation of artificial wetlands, which, even when intended for conservation, may not provide an adequate replacement.

     

Influence of physical processes on the design, functioning and evolution of restored tidal wetlands in California (USA)

The performance of two intertidal wetland mitigation projects constructed by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) in the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge (SMNWR) in San Diego Bay was evaluated over 5 years. Most of the Sweetwater wetland complex has been altered this century, including diking (with subsequent subsidence), filling, modification of the tidal regime, freshwater inflow and sediment fluxes. The mitigation project goals included a range of functional criteria intended to support two endangered bird species (light-footed clapper rail and California least tern) and one endangered plant (salt marsh bird's-beak). While the mitigation projects have achieved some of the performance criteria established in the regulatory permits (particularly, those related to fish), vegetation criteria for one of the bird species have not been met. The initial grading (in relation to local tidal datums) should support the target plant species, but growth has been less than required. Shortcomings of the habitat include elevated soil and groundwater salinity, low nutrient levels (especially nitrogen, which is readily leached from the coarse substrate), and eroding topography (where a single oversized and overly sinous channel and the lower-than-natural marshpalin result in high velocity surface water flow and erosion). The failure to achieve a large plain at low-marsh elevations highlights the importance of a more complete understanding of the relationship between the site physical processes (topography, hydrology, climate, geomorphology), substrate conditions, and biotic responses.Corresponding editor: R.E. Turner     

Distribution and habitat of Nitellopsis obtusa (Characeae) in the Laurentian Great Lakes

Nitellopsis obtusa, a macroalga (Characeae) native to Europe and Asia, was found in U.S. waters of the St. Clair-Detroit River system in 1983, thus extending the range of this taxon into the Laurentian Great Lakes about 850 km from the St. Lawrence River where it was first discovered in North America in 1978. Its occurrence only in water frequented by commercial shipping vessels suggests that it is distributed via this mechanism. In the St. Clair-Detroit River system, N. obtusa was collected with a Ponar grab at four locations, and with a grapnel at one additional location. It was the ninth most frequently found macrophyte and it was most abundant at Belle Isle in the Detroit River, where the mean dry-weight biomass in Ponar samples was 0 g m^-2 in June, 37 g m^-2 in August, and 32 g m⁻² in September. Maximum biomass of this taxon in one Ponar grab at this location was 289 g m^-2 in September. The alga occurred primarily in water of relatively low current velocity (11.3 cm s⁻¹) and in association with Vallisneria americana, Myriophyllum spicatum, Potamogeton richardsonii, Najas flexilis, and Elodea canadensis. Contribution 654, Great Lakes Fishery Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA Contribution 654, Great Lakes Fishery Laboratory, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA     

A comparison of wetland characteristics between Agricultural Conservation Easement Program and public lands wetlands in West Virginia,USA

In West Virginia, USA, there are 24 conservation easement program wetlands enrolled in the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). These wetlands are located on private agricultural land and are passively managed. Due to their location within fragmented agricultural areas, wetlands enrolled in ACEP in West Virginia have the potential to add wetland ecosystem services in areas that are lacking these features. We evaluated ACEP wetlands compared to reference wetlands on public land in West Virginia by using surrounding land cover, vegetative cover, and wetland features and stressors such as the presence or absence of erosion, upland inclusion, algal mats, and evidence of impacts from the surrounding landscape as surrogate measurements of wetland function on 13 ACEP wetlands and 10 reference wetlands. ACEP wetlands had higher percentages of tree coverage and a higher proportion of agricultural land in the areas immediately surrounding the wetland. Reference wetlands had higher percent coverage of emergent vegetation and had a higher proportion of forest in the immediate landscape. Our findings suggest that ACEP wetlands provide valuable early successional and forested wetland cover in a state that is largely forested. Because of this, it is important to maintain and even expand ACEP in West Virginia to continue providing a valuable source of early successional wetland habitat.     

A conceptual ecological model to aid restoration of Cootes Paradise Marsh,a degraded coastal wetland of Lake Ontario,Canada

An ecological model is derived from recent studies, based on 60 years of empirical observations and experimental data, that conceptualizes how Cootes Paradise Marsh was transformed from a lush emergent marsh with considerable ecological diversity in all trophic levels, to one that is currently turbid, devoid of vegetation, and dominated by a few exotic plant and fish species. This conceptual model contains 17 key components that interact and contribute to the overall unhealthy state of the marsh. The most influential component is high water level which caused the initial loss of emergent vegetation in the 1940s and 1950s. In the absence of plants to attenuate sediment and assimilate nutrients, the marsh became turbid and windswept, and this led to the disappearance of submergent vegetation over the next two decades. Currently, high water turbidity is being maintained by wind re-suspension, high sediment loading from the watershed during the summer, high algal biomass resulting from excessive nutrient loads from sewage effluent and surface runoff, and the feeding and spawning activities of a very large population of common carp ( Cyprinus carpio). Due to vegetation loss, the substrate has become mostly loose sediment that is no longer suitable for the diverse assemblage of aquatic insect larvae that lived on the plants and detrital material in the 1940s. Benthic grazers have been kept in low abundances due to predation by benthivorous carp; consequently, epiphytic algae have proliferated and further contribute to light limitation of macrophytes. High nutrient loadings contribute to high diurnal fluxes in dissolved oxygen levels that tend to select against less tolerant organisms such as insect larvae (other than chironomids) and piscivores (northern pike and largemouth bass). Without piscivores in the marsh, the planktivores have become dominant and have virtually eliminated all of the large herbivorous zooplankton (e.g., Daphnia), except for a few pockets in the marsh inlets close to residual macrophyte beds. Because of the dominance of small-bodied inefficient grazers (rotifers and small cladocerans), algal biomass is high, and the community has a large proportion of heterotrophic forms that tolerate low light environments. This ecological model suggests that the current turbid un-vegetated state of Cootes Paradise may be very stable. It will persist as long as water levels remain unfavorable for natural re-colonization by the emergent flora, and/or water turbidities remain sufficiently high to suppress the growth of submergent vegetation. Using this conceptual model, I developed a model of how Cootes Paradise Marsh may have functioned as a healthy marsh prior to the 1940s, and use these models as a basis to explore a number of restoration and management options and discuss their implications on the aquatic foodweb.     

Nutrient and hydrologic budgets of a great lakes coastal freshwater wetland during a drought year

A coastal wetland along Lake Erie (Ohio, U.S.A.) was studied to determine hydrologic and phosphorus budgets and spatial and temporal variation of phosphorus and related chemical parameters. The wetland was influenced by changing Lake Erie water levels, seiches, shifting shoreline sediments, and watershed inflow during a year of severe drought. The water budget for a 7-month period (March – September, 1988) had average inflow of 15 200 m³ day^–1 from the watershed and 3.5 m³ day^–1 from Lake Erie. The wetland increased in volume by 700 m³ day^–1 despite a drought that resulted in 80% more evapotranspiration than rainfall as a barrier beach isolated the wetland from Lake Erie for 77% of the study period. Conductivity decreased by 34% as water flowed through the wetland and turbidity and total suspended solids were variable and statistically similar at inflow and outflow. Average total phosphorus concentrations in the inflow and outflow were also similar (247 and 248 µg P l^–1 respectively) although total soluble phosphorus and soluble reactive phosphorus decreased significantly (=0.05) from inflow to outflow (averages 94 to 45 µg P l^–1 and 7.5 to 4.0 µg P l^–1 respectively). Nutrient budgets from field data estimate a retention of 36% of the phosphorus, presumably in the sediments (0.8 mg P m^–2 day^–1). A general nutrient retention model, an estimated deposition rate from a sediment core and a simulation model predicted higher mass retention of phosphorus but similar percentage retention.SommaireUn marecage qui côtoie le lac Erie (USA) a servi de site expérimental pour en déterminer les budgets d'eau et de phosphore, de même que pour la variation spatiale et temporelle du phosphore et d'autres facteurs chimiques. Le marécage a été influencé par: niveaux d'eau qui changeaient; seiches; sédiments mouvants du littoral; et afflux de la ligne de partage des eaux dans une année de grande sécheresse. Le budget d'eau dans une période de 7 mois (mars–septembre 1988) montre un afflux de 15 200 m³ jour^–1 de la ligne de partage, et 3.5 m³ jour^–1 du lac Erie. Le volume du marécage a augmenté par 700 m³ jour^–1 malgré une sécheresse qui a produit plus d'évapotranspiration (80%) que de pluie pendant qu'une plage-obstacle a isolé le marecage du lac Erie pendant 77% de la période d'observation. La conductivité a diminué par 34% pendant que l'eau coulait, et la turbidité et les TSS ont varié, tout en démontrant des statistiques similaires à l'afflux et au déversement. Les moyennes pour les concentrations du total du phosphore à l'afflux et au déversement ont été similaires (247 and 248 µg P l^–1), quoique le TSP et le SRP ont diminué (=0.05) de l'afflux au déversement (donant des moyennes de 94 à 45 µg P l^–1 et de 7.5 à 4.0 µg P l'^–1). Les budgets de substances nutritives pour les données suggèrent une reténtion de 36% du phosphore, évidemment dans les sédiments (0.8 mg P m^–2 jour^–1). Un modèle pour la rétention des nutrients, un taux de déposition, estimé par un noyau de sédiments, et une simulation avaient prédit un plus grand taux de rétention de phosphore, mais un pourcentage similaire pour la rétention.From a paper presented at the Third International Wetlands Conference, 19–23 September, 1988, University of Rennes, France.     

Changes in aquatic vegetation and fish communities following 5 years of sustained low water levels in coastal marshes of eastern Georgian Bay,Lake Huron

Aquatic vegetation in the relatively pristine coastal wetlands of eastern Georgian Bay provides critical habitat for a diverse fish community. Declining water levels in Lake Huron over the past decade, however, have altered the wetland plant assemblages in favour of terrestrial (emergent and meadow) taxa and have thus reduced or eliminated this important ecosystem service. In this study, we compared IKONOS satellite images for two regions of eastern Georgian Bay (acquired in 2002 and 2008) to determine significant changes in cover of four distinct wetland vegetation groups [meadow (M), emergent (E), high‐density floating (HD) and low‐density floating (LD)] over the 6 years. While LD decreased significantly (mean ?2995.4 m²), M and HD increased significantly (mean +2020.9 m² and +2312.6 m², respectively) between 2002 and 2008. Small patches of LD had been replaced by larger patches of HD. These results show that sustained low water levels have led to an increasingly homogeneous habitat and an overall net loss of fish habitat. A comparison of the fish communities sampled between 2003 and 2005 with those sampled in 2009 revealed that there was a significant decline in species richness. The remaining fish communities were also more homogeneous. We suggest that the observed changes in the wetland plant community due to prolonged low water levels may have resulted in significant changes in the fish communities of coastal wetlands in eastern Georgian Bay.     

杭州湾滨海滩涂盐基阳离子对植物分布及多样性的影响

滨海滩涂由于其高含盐量显著影响了植物群落分布及生物多样性。目前有关滩涂含盐量与生物多样性的关系研究较多,但不同区域盐基离子组成不同,且对植物的影响也存在较大差异,以杭州湾南岸不同年代形成的滩涂为研究对象,系统监测了50个样方土壤交换性盐基阳离子的组成、分布和植物组成及多样性特征等,采用去趋势典范对应分析(DCCA)、线性回归和多元逐步回归分析了4种盐基阳离子对物种数量、分布和多样性的影响。结果表明,杭州湾南岸滩涂4种主要盐基阳离子含量(g/kg)大小顺序为Ca²⁺>Na⁺>Mg²⁺>K⁺,其中Ca²⁺占到总含量的61.97%;经DCCA分析发现4种盐基阳离子对植物群落的分布均有显著影响,但以Ca²⁺的影响程度最大;随着盐基离子含量的逐渐降低,物种数量逐渐增加,多样性指数逐渐增加,同时也发现Ca²⁺对两种多样性指数影响最大。     

Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in rivermarginal wetlands; a model examination of landscapegeochemical flows

The importance of landscape geochemical flows wasinvestigated using a dynamic model simulating carbon,nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in riverine wetlands,which has been described in a previous paper. Thehydro-geomorphic unit (HGMU) concept was incorporatedin the model by defining a separate, completeunit-model for each unit (HGMU) within the wetland.These unit-models were connected by defining the flowsof nitrogen and phosphorus between them. These flows,also called landscape geochemical flows, usuallyconsist of flows of water containing N and P.The model was applied to a site at Kismeldon Meadows,in south-western England. This site consists of twounits, a slope and a floodplain, separated by a ditch,which catches most of the run off and shallowgroundwater flows from the slope. Only an estimated1% of the N and P that leaves the slope unit in thewater outflow reaches the floodplain unit; the rest iscaught in the system of ditches, which prevent thegeochemical flows taking their natural course. Toexamine the influence of this system of ditches, themodel was run for the same site, but without theditches. This is comparable to a situation of arestored site, where run off and shallow groundwaterflows containing nutrients, can freely get from theslope to the floodplain.The computer simulation experiment reconnecting theslope and floodplain showed that this (1) increasedthe nutrient input into the floodplain, causing ahigher biomass production, and (2) increased thewetness of the floodplain, causing slowerdecomposition, which together (3) led to a faster soilorganic matter accumulation in the floodplain.Nutrient inflows became relatively more importantcompared to atmospheric deposition, especially forphosphorus. By connecting the slope and the floodplainmore nitrogen and less phosphorus flowed into theriver.     

Long-term response of the biotic community to fluctuating water levels and changes in water quality in Cootes Paradise Marsh,a degraded coastal wetland of Lake Ontario

During the early 1900s, more than 90% of the surface area of Cootes Paradise Marsh was covered with emergent vegetation; currently, less than 15% of the surface is covered with aquatic vegetation and the remainder is wind-swept, turbid, open water. The loss of emergent cover is significantly correlated with mean annual water levels that increased more than 1.5 m over the past 60 years. Species diversity and the percent cover of the submerged macrophtye community also declined dramatically after the 1940s, coincident with decreased water clarity and increased nutrients from pollution by sewage and stormwater effluent. Phosphorus levels in the marsh dropped ten-fold after the sewage plant was upgraded to a tertiary-treatment facility in 1978; however, there was no measurable improvement in water clarity, in spite of a decrease in chlorophyll concentrations. Long-term changes in the composition of the planktonic, benthic and fish communities accompanied changes in water clarity, nutrient status and macrophyte cover. Phytoplankton changed from a community dominated by diverse taxa of green algae and diatoms during the 1940s, to a less diverse community dominated by a few taxa of green and blue-green algae in the 1970s, then to a much more diverse community recently, including many taxa of green algae, diatoms and chrysophytes; however, because water turbidity continues to be high, and algae tolerant of low light levels are now very abundant. Daphnia, which were prominent during the 1940s (especially in the vegetated sites) were replaced in the 1970s by smaller zooplankton such as the cladoceran, Bosmina, and several rotifer species including Brachionus, Asplanchna and Keratella. In the recent survey conducted in 1993 and 1994, small-bodied forms still dominate the turbid open-water areas, while medium-sized cladocerans such as Moina were common near macrophyte beds. Generally, total herbivorous zooplankton biomass tended to be highest next to Typha beds and declined with increasing distance from the plants. Conversely, biomass of edible algae at these sites increased with distance from the macrophytes. Species diversity of aquatic insects declined dramatically over the past 40 years, from 57 genera (23 families and 6 orders) in 1948, to 9 genera (6 families and 3 orders) in 1978, to only 5 genera (3 families and 2 orders) in 1995. The diverse benthic community present 5 decades ago has now been replaced by a community consisting primarily of chironomid larvae, oligochaetes and other worms associated with low-oxygen environments. These successional changes illustrate the impact of natural (fluctuating water levels) and anthropogenic (deterioration in water quality) stressors on the character of the biotic communities, and reveal the complex interactions among the various trophic levels and the abiotic environment as degradation and remediation proceeded.