Human impacts and the status of water quality in the Bundala RAMSAR wetland lagoon system in Southern Sri Lanka

The brackish coastal wetlands in the Bundala National Park, the only RAMSAR site of southern Sri Lanka, are an important waterfowl habitat and economic zone. Bundala Lagoon, one of the three key lagoons of the Bundala wetlands, remains largely intact and relatively pristine, but the other two interconnected lagoons, namely, Embilikala and Malala, are impacted by drainage from 25.6 km² of upstream agricultural lands. Seasonal variations of water quality of the three lagoons and the key processes affecting water quality and quantity in these lagoons were studied during three agricultural seasons, to better understand the characteristics of the system. Bundala Lagoon, which was not affected by agriculture, recorded the highest ammonia and total nitrogen concentrations and the lowest phosphorus levels. Higher phosphorus levels in Embilikala Lagoon were related to the upstream agricultural activities with 65% of its total phosphorus measured being reactive phosphorous. Phosphorus additions occurred during the early months of the paddy cultivating seasons. Processes affecting the water quality of the Embilikala-Malala lagoon system included agricultural drainage, livestock additions, and breaching of the sand bar between Malala Lagoon and the sea. The salinity level of the Bundala Lagoon was higher than the others due to the connection to the sea, salt farms in the western part, and less dilution of salt from relatively low surface runoff and rainwater. All three lagoons reported pH levels conducive to most aquatic species. The primary production by phytoplankton in the lagoons of the Bundala wetland was phosphorus limited regarding their ratios of nitrogen to phosphorus. This study provides an overview of the present status of the lagoons of the wetland. Further work is needed to evaluate the impact of the external nutrient and water inputs on the flora and fauna of the lagoon environments. Suitable management practices to ensure the sustainability of the lagoon ecosystem can be derived through this increased understanding.     

Livestock grazing in intermountain depressional wetlands: effects on breeding waterfowl

Livestock grazing is a prevalent land use in western North American intermountain wetlands, and physical and biotic changes related to grazing-related disturbance can potentially limit wetland habitat value for waterfowl. We evaluated breeding waterfowl use in 34 wetlands in relation to water retention, amount of wetlands on the landscape, and livestock grazing intensity. The study was conducted over 2 years in the southern intermountain region of British Columbia, Canada. For a subset of 17 wetlands, we measured aquatic invertebrate abundance over 1 year. Waterfowl breeding pairs and broods were classified into three functional groups: dabbling ducks, and two types of diving ducks, overwater and cavity nesters. We evaluated candidate models with variables considered singly and in combination using the Akaike Information Criterion. When selected, bare ground (an indicator of grazing intensity) and wetland density were negatively associated with breeding use while wetland fullness and invertebrate density were positively associated. Each factor was a significant predictor in at least one of the models, but unexpectedly, grazing intensity was the most consistent predictor of waterfowl wetland use (e.g., it was present in more ‘best models’ than wetland fullness). Grazing was associated with declines in the number of waterfowl pairs and broods, likely mediated through effects on wetland vegetation and aquatic macroinvertebrates. Models with site- and landscape-scale variables generally performed better than simpler models. Waterfowl breeding use of wetlands can be improved by reduced livestock grazing intensity adjacent to wetlands and by grazing later in the season. Wetland water retention is also an important constraint on waterfowl use of wetlands and may become more limiting with a shifting climate.     

Energetic Carrying Capacity of Actively and Passively Managed Wetlands for Migrating Ducks in Ohio

ABSTRACT Habitat conservation strategies of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) are guided by current understanding of factors that limit growth of waterfowl populations. The 1998 implementation plan of the Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region Joint Venture (UMR and GLRJV) assumed that availability of foraging resources during autumn in wetlands actively managed for waterfowl was the primary limiting factor for duck populations during the nonbreeding season. We used multistage sampling during autumn and spring 2001–2004 to estimate energetic carrying capacity (ECC) of actively and passively managed wetlands in Ohio, USA, and examine this assumption. Energetic carrying capacity during autumn was similar between actively and passively managed wetlands each year. Averaged across years, energetic carrying capacity was 3,446 and 2,047 duck energy-days (DED)/ha for actively and passively managed wetlands, respectively. These estimates exceeded the UMR and GLRJV assumption that 1,236 DED/ha were provided by managed wetland habitats. Energetic carrying capacity declined each year by >80% between autumn and spring migration. Consequently, ECC of actively and passively managed wetlands was low during spring ( = 66–242 DED/ha). These results suggested that duck foraging resources in actively and passively managed wetland habitats are abundant during autumn, but overwinter declines may create food-limiting environments during spring.     

Macroinvertebrate abundance, water chemistry, and wetland characteristics affect use of wetlands by avian species in Maine

Our objective was to determine use by avian species (e.g., piscivores, marsh birds, waterfowl, selected passerines) of 29 wetlands in areas with low (<200 μeq l⁻¹) acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC) in southeastern Maine. We documented bird, pair, and brood use during 1982–1984 and in 1982 we sampled 10 wetlands with a sweep net to collect invertebrates. We related mean numbers of invertebrates per wetland to water chemistry, basin characteristics, and avian use of different wetland types. Shallow, beaver (Castor canadensis)-created wetlands with the highest phosphorus levels and abundant and varied macrophyte assemblages supported greater densities of macroinvertebrates and numbers of duck broods (88.3% of all broods) in contrast to deep, glacial type wetlands with sparse vegetation and lower invertebrate densities that supported fewer broods (11.7%). Low pH may have affected some acid-intolerant invertebrate taxa (i.e., Ephemeroptera), but high mean numbers of Insecta per wetland were recorded from wetlands with a pH of 5.51. Other Classes and Orders of invertebrates were more abundant on wetlands with pH > 5.51. All years combined use of wetlands by broods was greater on wetlands with pH ≤ 5.51 (77.4%) in contract to wetlands with pH > 5.51 that supported 21.8% of the broods. High mean brood density was associated with mean number of Insecta per wetland. For lentic wetlands created by beaver, those habitats contained vegetative structure and nutrients necessary to provide cover to support invertebrate populations that are prey of omnivore and insectivore species. The fishless status of a few wetlands may have affected use by some waterfowl species and obligate piscivores.     

Energetic implications of floodplain wetland restoration strategies for waterfowl

Modifications of the Illinois River and associated tributaries have resulted in altered hydrologic cycles and persistent river‐floodplain connections during the growing season that frequently impede the establishment of hydrophytic vegetation and have reduced value for migratory waterfowl and other waterbirds. To help guide floodplain restoration, we compared energetic carrying capacity for waterfowl in two wetland complexes along the Illinois River under different management regimes during 2012–2015. The south pool of Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge (CNWR) was seasonally flooded due to a partial river connection and managed for moist‐soil vegetation. Emiquon Preserve was hydrologically isolated from the Illinois River by a high‐elevation levee and managed as a semipermanently flooded emergent marsh. Semipermanent emergent marsh management at Emiquon Preserve produced 5,495 energetic use‐days (EUD)/ha for waterfowl and other waterbirds across wetland cover types and years, and seasonal moist‐soil management at CNWR produced 6,199 EUD/ha in one of 4 years. At Emiquon Preserve, the aquatic bed cover type produced 9,660 EUD/ha, followed by 5,261 EUD/ha in moist‐soil, 1,398 EUD/ha in persistent emergent, 1,185 EUD/ha in hemi‐marsh, and 12 EUD/ha in open water cover types. At CNWR, the annual grass and sedge cover type produced 7,031 EUD/ha, followed by 5,618 EUD/ha in annual broadleaf and 1,305 EUD/ha in perennial grass cover types. Restoration of floodplain wetlands in isolation from frequent flood pulses during the growing season can produce hemi‐marsh and aquatic bed vegetation communities that provide high‐quality habitat for waterfowl and which have been mostly eliminated from large river systems in the Midwest, U.S.A.     

Waterbird Response to Wetlands Restored Through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program

Abstract: Conservation programs that facilitate restoration of natural areas on private land are one of the best strategies for recovery of valuable wetland acreage in critical ecoregions of the United States. Wetlands enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) provide many ecological functions but may be particularly important as habitat for migrant and resident waterbirds; however, use of, and factors associated with use of, CREP wetlands as stopover and breeding sites have not been evaluated. We surveyed a random sample of CREP wetlands in the Illinois River watershed in 2004 and 2005 to quantify use of restored wetlands by spring migrating and breeding waterbirds. Waterbirds used 75% of wetlands during spring migration. Total use-day abundance for the entire spring migration ranged from 0 to 49,633 per wetland and averaged 6,437 ± 1,887 (SE). Semipermanent wetlands supported the greatest total number of use-days and the greatest number of use-days relative to wetland area. Species richness ranged from 0 to 42 (x̄ = 10.0 ± 1.5 [SE]), and 5 of these species were classified as endangered in Illinois. Density of waterfowl breeding pairs ranged from 0.0 pairs/ha to 16.6 pairs/ha (x̄ = 1.9 ± 0.5 [SE] pairs/ha), and 16 species of wetland birds were identified as local breeders. Density of waterfowl broods ranged from 0.0 broods/ha to 3.6 broods/ha and averaged 0.5 ± 0.1 (SE) broods/ha. We also modeled spring stopover use, waterbird species richness, and waterfowl reproduction in relation to spatial, physical, and floristic characteristics of CREP wetlands. The best approximating models to explain variation in all 3 dependent variables included only the covariate accounting for level of hydrologic management (i.e., none, passive, or active). Active management was associated with 858% greater use-days during spring than sites with only passive water management. Sites where hydrology was passively managed also averaged 402% greater species richness than sites where no hydrologic management was possible. Density of waterfowl broods was 120% greater on passively managed sites than on sites without water management but was 29% less on sites with active compared to passive hydrologic management. Densities of waterfowl broods also were greatest when ratios of open water to cover were 70:30. Models that accounted for vegetation quality and landscape variables ranked lower than models based solely on hydrologic management or vegetation cover in all candidate sets. Although placement and clustering of sites may be critical for maintaining populations of some wetland bird species, these factors appeared to be less important for attracting migrant waterbirds in our study area. In the context of restored CREP wetlands, we suggest the greatest gains in waterbird use and reproduction may be accomplished by emphasizing site-specific restoration efforts related to hydrology and floristic structure. (JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 72(3):654–664; 2008)     

Use of Restored Small Wetlands by Breeding Waterfowl in Prince Edward Island, Canada

Abstract Since 1990 under the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture over 100 small wetlands have been restored in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Wetlands were restored by means of dredging accumulated sediment from erosion to emulate pre‐disturbance conditions (i.e., open water and extended hydroperiod). In 1998 and 1999 we compared waterfowl pair and brood use on 22 restored and 24 reference wetlands. More pairs and broods of Ring‐necked Ducks, Gadwall, Green‐winged Teal, and American Black Ducks used restored versus reference wetlands. In restored wetlands waterfowl pair density and species richness were positively correlated with wetland/cattail area, percent cattail cover, and close proximity to freshwater rivers. In addition, a waterfowl reproductive index was positively correlated with percent cattail cover. Green‐winged Teal pair occurrence in restored wetlands was positively correlated with greater amounts of open water and water depths. American Black Duck pairs occurred on most (86%) restored wetlands. Restored small wetlands likely served as stopover points for American Black Duck broods during overland or stream movements, whereas they likely served as a final brood‐rearing destination for Green‐winged Teal broods. We suggest that wetland restoration is a good management tool for increasing populations of Green‐winged Teal and American Black Ducks in Prince Edward Island.     

Diversity of waterbirds wintering in Douz wetlands (south Tunisia): factors affecting wetland occupancy and species richness

Understanding the environmental factors shaping wetland attractiveness for waterbirds is an important question in wetland ecology and for conservation purposes. However, detailed data from numerous North African wetlands, notably those situated in inland areas, are still lacking. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify the factors influencing wetland use by waterbirds wintering in one of such poorly known habitat systems, namely the Saharan wetland complex of Douz, in south-western Tunisia. Thirty-four waterbird species (20 wading birds and 14 waterfowl species) were found to winter in this area. Using discriminant function analyses, we found that wetland size was the unique variable discriminating between occupied and unoccupied sites for total waterbirds and wading birds, while waterfowl distribution was related to both wetland size and water depth. Wetland size also provided the strongest predictor of species richness of wading birds, waterfowl and total waterbirds. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of wetland size as a key factor determining the attractiveness of wetlands for waterbirds wintering in the Saharan wetland complex of Douz. The possible explanations of this wetland size effect are discussed.     

Upland burning and grazing as strategies to offset climate-change effects on wetlands

Wetland ecosystems perform a multitude of services valued by society and provide critical habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. Despite their importance, wetlands have been lost to different local, regional, and global drivers. Remaining wetlands are extremely sensitive to changing temperature and precipitation regimes. Management of grassland areas in wetland catchments may be an effective strategy for counteracting potentially negative impacts of climate change on wetlands. Our objective was to estimate the effects of climate changes on wetland hydrology, and to explore strategies for increasing surface-water inputs to wetlands. We coupled a field study with process-based simulation modeling of wetland-water levels. We found that climate change could decrease the number of wetlands that hold ponded water during the waterfowl breeding season by 14% under a hot wet scenario or 29% under a hot dry scenario if no upland-management actions were taken. Upland burning reduced pond losses to 9% (hot wet) and 26% (hot dry). Upland grazing resulted in the smallest loss of ponded wetlands, 6% loss under the hot-and-wet scenario and 22% loss under the hot-and-dry scenario. Overall, water inputs could be increased by either burning or grazing of upland vegetation thereby reducing pond losses during the waterfowl breeding season. While field results suggest that both grazing and burning can reduce the vegetative structure that could lead to increases in runoff in grassland catchments, our model simulations indicated that additional actions may be needed for managers to minimize future meteorologically driven water losses.

     

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。     

Restoration of Wetlands from Abandoned Rice Fields for Nutrient Removal, and Biological Community and Landscape Diversity

A number of experimental freshwater wetlands (150 m long × 75 m wide) with different ages since they were abandoned as rice fields, were used to analyze the prospects of multipurpose wetland restoration for such degraded areas. Nitrogen and phosphorus removal rate of the wetlands were determined monthly during the flooding season to estimate their efficiency as filters to remove nutrients from agricultural sewage. The number of wetland birds was recorded regularly to identify their habitat preferences. Both the temporal dynamics and changes in the spatial pattern of land use cover during the last 20 years were determined from aerial photographs and field analysis. All the wetlands appeared to be very efficient in the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus exported from rice fields. Usually 50–98% of the nitrogen and less than 50% of the soluble phosphorus were removed by the wetlands at any stage of restoration. Wetland birds preferred wetlands with intermediate plant cover for resting and sleeping activities better than rice fields and either very open wetlands or very dense ones with tall vegetation. Apart from the improvement in water quality and the restoration of natural habitats, restoration of wetland belts around lagoons will increase spatial heterogeneity and diversity of the landscape.     

Influences of landscape composition on hunter-harvested mallard body mass and condition in eastern Arkansas

Waterfowl with more body mass and a greater body condition during the non-breeding season are thought to be more likely to survive and have increased productivity during the following breeding season. Body mass and body condition in waterfowl should reflect the resources available to them locally. We analyzed the relationship of landscape composition on mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) body mass and body condition (mass-wing length index) among age and sex groups. We calculated these variables from hunter-harvested mallards during the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 duck hunting seasons in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley of Arkansas, USA. We used linear mixed-effects models to analyze changes in body mass and body condition with changes in the percent landscape composition of water cover, woody wetlands, herbaceous wetlands, rice, soybeans, and disturbance. We found that body mass and condition of harvested mallards were positively associated with greater proportions of water cover and woody wetlands but negatively associated with greater proportions of herbaceous wetlands and human disturbance from human infrastructure. Management actions focused on providing flooded and woody wetland areas on the landscape that allow waterfowl to access food resources, while decreasing the disturbance around wetlands in the form of road density and human infrastructure, should increase body mass and body condition in mallards spending the non-breeding season in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley.     

Lagoon of Islands,Tasmania: Ecosystem response to dam wall removal

Lagoon of Islands was a rare wetland of high conservation value, supporting floating islands of vegetation before it was dammed to supply water for consumptive use downstream. After damming, water quality declined to such an extent that in 2013, the dam wall was removed and a wetland restoration project was commenced, resulting in immediate improvements in water quality and, within five years, regeneration of a plant community largely composed of dominant species of the original wetland.     

Creating riverine wetlands: Ecological succession, nutrient retention, and pulsing effects

Successional patterns, water quality changes, and effects of hydrologic pulsing are documented for a whole-ecosystem experiment involving two created wetlands that have been subjected to continuous inflow of pumped river water for more than 10 years. At the beginning of the growing season in the first year of the experiment (1994), 2400 individuals representing 13 macrophyte species were introduced to one of the wetland basins. The other basin was an unplanted control. Patterns of succession are illustrated by macrophyte community diversity and net aboveground primary productivity, soil development, water quality changes, and nutrient retention for the two basins. The planted wetland continued to be more diverse in plant cover 10 years after planting and the unplanted wetland appeared to be more productive but more susceptible to stress. Soil color and organic content continued to change after wetland creation and wetlands had robust features of hydric soils within a few years of flooding. Organic matter content in surface soils in the wetlands increased by approximately 1% per 3-year period. Plant diversity and species differences led to some differences in the basins in macrophyte productivity, carbon sequestration, water quality changes and nutrient retention. The wetlands continued to retain nitrate–nitrogen and soluble reactive phosphorus 10 years after their creation. There are some signs that sediment and total phosphorus retention are diminishing after 10 years of river flow. Preliminary results from the beginnings of a flood pulsing experiment in the two basins in 2003–2004 are described for water quality, nutrient retention, aboveground productivity, and methane and nitrous oxide gaseous fluxes.     

Drain it,dam it: alteration of water regime in shallow wetlands on the New England Tableland of New South Wales,Australia

Shallow, still-water wetlands on the New England Tablelands, an upland region of eastern Australia, have changed in the past 160 years in their types, abundance and in the diversity of their water regimes. These changes have been natural, intentional or the unintentional consequences of management actions. Changing attitudes and land-use and management practices have led to a large proportion of natural wetlands being drained or dammed, but with a relatively high proportion of those remaining being conserved in some way. The water regimes of those that remain have been greatly altered, usually increasing their stability (more continuously either inundated or dry). Farm dams and domestic water-storage dams are two new and distinct wetland types that are far more numerous than the wetland types in the original landscape. We discuss how changes in water regime have modified wetland attributes. Two case studies: Mother of Ducks Lagoon and the Llangothlin group of lagoons, are used as examples of how attitudes towards wetlands and reasons for water regime alteration have interacted with the tenure and management of wetlands on local, regional, national and international scales.     

Effects of Local and Landscape Variables on Wetland Bird Habitat Use During Migration Through the Rainwater Basin

ABSTRACT Staging areas and migratory stopovers of wetland birds can function as geographic bottlenecks; common dependence among migratory wetland bird species on these sites has major implications for wetland conservation. Although 90% of playa wetlands in the Rainwater Basin (RWB) region of Nebraska, USA, have been destroyed, the area still provides essential stopover habitat for up to 10 million waterfowl each spring. Our objectives were to determine local (within wetland and immediate watershed) and landscape-scale factors influencing wetland bird abundance and species richness during spring migration at RWB playas. We surveyed 36–40 playas twice weekly in the RWB and observed approximately 1.6 million individual migratory wetland birds representing 72 species during spring migrations 2002–2004. We tested a priori hypotheses about whether local and landscape variables influenced overall species richness and abundance of geese, dabbling ducks, diving ducks, and shorebirds. Wetland area had a positive influence on goose abundance in all years, whereas percent emergent vegetation and hunting pressure had negative influences. Models predicting dabbling duck abundance differed among years; however, individual wetland area and area of semipermanent wetlands within 10 km of the study wetland consistently had a positive influence on dabbling duck abundance. Percent emergent vegetation also was a positive predictor of dabbling duck abundance in all years, indicating that wetlands with intermediate (50%) vegetation coverage have the greatest dabbling duck abundance. Shorebird abundance was positively influenced by wetland area and number of wetlands within 10 km and negatively influenced by water depth. Wetland area, water depth, and area of wetlands within 10 km were all equally important in models predicting overall species richness. Total species richness was positively influenced by wetland area and negatively influenced by water depth and area of semipermanent wetlands within 10 km. Avian species richness also was greatest in wetlands with intermediate vegetation coverage. Restoring playa hydrology should promote intermediate percent cover of emergent vegetation, which will increase use by dabbling ducks and shorebirds, and decrease snow goose (Chen caerulescens) use of these wetlands. We observed a reduction in dabbling duck abundance on wetlands open to spring snow goose hunting and recommend further investigation of the effects of this conservation order on nontarget species. Our results indicate that wildlife managers at migration stopover areas should conserve wetlands in complexes to meet the continuing and future habitat requirements of migratory birds, especially dabbling ducks, during spring migration.     

Factors Affecting Wetland Use by Spring Migrating Ducks in the Southern Prairie Pothole Region

There is increasing recognition of the importance of wetlands in the prairie pothole region (PPR) of the northern United States for stopover habitat for spring-migrating waterfowl. The quality and quantity of stopover habitat found near breeding areas can affect speed and success of migration and subsequent breeding events. Conservation and management of wetlands in the region has traditionally focused narrowly on reproductive phases of the life cycle, and little to no research has examined how ducks use a diversity of available wetlands in the region during migration. We conducted weekly surveys on 1,061 wetlands during spring 2018 and 2019 to examine factors affecting duck use of wetlands in the intensively modified southern PPR landscape of Iowa, USA, for wetland restoration and conservation strategies. We compared wetland types, which included farmed, seasonal, and semi-permanent wetlands, and lakes. The highest duck use per unit area occurred on semi-permanent wetlands, followed by seasonal, and then farmed wetlands, and lakes. Ducks were highly clustered in our study, with 75% of all use-days occurring on only 37 wetlands comprising 41% of all wetland area surveyed. We used hurdle models to examine how local and landscape factors measured within and around wetlands influenced duck use during spring migration. Multiple factors related to duck use at local and landscape scales, such as wetland area, vegetation abundance, and number of wetlands in the surrounding landscape. Among semi-permanent wetlands, local factors within wetlands were more important than landscape factors in determining duck use. Collectively, our findings suggest semi-permanent wetlands within the PPR play a key role in transitioning birds from wintering areas to breeding areas and that management of semi-permanent wetlands should promote interspersion of emergent vegetation and open water and growth of submersed aquatic plants to improve their function for migrants. © 2021 The Authors. The Journal of Wildlife Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Wildlife Society.     

雄安新区白洋淀生态属性辨析及生态修复保护研究

湿地是自然界生物多样性最丰富的生态系统之一,与社会发展和人类福祉息息相关。近年来,由于全球气候变化和人类活动的过度干扰,湿地正面临着面积萎缩、功能减弱、多样性降低等诸多问题,湿地退化已经成为制约区域可持续性发展的重大阻碍。伴随着生态文明建设逐渐成为中国特色社会主义建设的重要支柱,湿地生态修复工作得到前所未有的制度保障。深入剖析湿地属性,结合政策保障,有针对性的提出湿地保护与修复的治理措施,对区域的生态环境建设和可持续性发展具有重要意义。选择国家级新区-雄安新区的水命脉-白洋淀湿地为研究对象,在深入剖析其生态属性和已存在的生态问题的基础上,结合生态修复的原则、方法和步骤,提出生态修复与保护的可行性策略。研究结果表明,白洋淀本质是典型的湖泊湿地,同时兼具沼泽湿地特征,由于人类活动的剧烈干扰,白洋淀有向沼泽湿地逆向演替的变化趋势。湿地内存在面积萎缩、水资源量短缺、水环境污染问题突出及生物多样性减少等生态问题。本研究建议:为顺利建设雄安新区,首先,白洋淀湿地在算清"水账"、"污账"和"生态账"的前提下,进一步加强流域水资源调配,科学确定白洋淀湿地最佳水位,恢复淀区水量;其次,通过使用清洁生产技术和限制高排污企业建设等措施,加强污染防治,恢复湿地水质;最后,依据生态承载力理论,划分白洋淀流域的生态功能红线、环境质量红线和资源利用红线等国家生态保护红线体系,为尽快恢复湿地结构与功能提供制度保障。     

人工湿地脱除富营养化水体氮磷的研究进展

水体中氮磷营养物质不断积累,部分藻类及水生生物的过度繁殖,导致了水体的富营养化。水体富营养化防治的关键是减小水中氮、磷的含量。人工湿地是一项新型的废水处理技术,近年来在脱除富营养化水体氮磷中获得广泛研究和应用。本文在简述脱氮除磷机理的基础上,较系统地阐述了影响人工湿地脱除氮磷的因素及工艺的在改善水体富营养化的研究进展,以便在构建人工湿地中对各项因素综合考虑及兼顾利用,提高人工湿地修复富营养化水体的综合效能。     

筑坝扩容下高原湿地拉市海植物群落分布格局及其变化

基于遥感与地理信息系统技术、结合实地调查与验证,对高原湿地拉市海筑坝扩容13a来湿地植物群落类型、物种组成、空间分布格局进行研究,对比分析筑坝扩容前后植物群落变化特征。结果表明,拉市海当前分布有水葱 (Scirpus tabernaemontani)、两栖蓼 (Polygonum amphibium) 等2个挺水植物群落,鸭子草 (Potamogeton tepperi)、菱 (Trapa bispinosa)等2个浮叶植物群落,穗状狐尾藻 (Myriophyllum spicatum)、篦齿眼子菜 (Potamogeton pectinatus)、菹草 (Potamogeton crispus)、穿叶眼子草 (Potamogeton perfoliatus)、小叶眼子菜 (Potamogeton pusillns)等5个沉水植物群落,草甸植被分布于湖周。湿地植物物种共计61种,隶属于25科、48属,物种丰富度随沉水→浮叶→挺水→草甸逐渐增加。沉水植物群落分布面积最大(615.08 hm²),其次是草甸(214.60 hm²)、浮叶植物群落(140.01 hm²),挺水植物群落分布面积最小 (9.34 hm²),群落垂直层次随沉水→浮叶→挺水呈复杂化的趋势。筑坝13a来,拉市海植物群落类型从单一的沉水型植物群落发展成为由沉水、浮叶、挺水型组成的、水平空间多样化配置的湿地植被系统,其中穗状狐尾藻、篦齿眼子菜、小眼子菜等植物群落在筑坝蓄水13a后没有发生演替得以保留,而扇叶水毛茛(Butrachium bungei)、马来眼子菜(Potamogeton malaianus)和轮藻(Chara spp.)群落发生演替而消失。研究掌握了筑坝扩容下拉市海湿地植物群落分布格局及其变化特征,为科学评估筑坝蓄水对湿地生态系统的影响提供了基础性数据,同时也为水文改变下高原湿地生态系统的保护、管理以及资源可持续利用提供了一定的理论依据。