Restoration of Nontarget Species: Bee Communities and Pollination Function in Riparian Forests

Nontarget species such as pollinators may be of great importance to the restoration process and the long‐term functioning of restored habitats, but little is known about how such groups respond to habitat restoration. I surveyed bee communities at five equal‐aged restored sites, paired with five reference sites (riparian remnants) along the Sacramento River, California, United States. Flower availability and bee visitation patterns were also measured to examine the restoration of pollination function. Restoration of structural vegetation allowed diverse and abundant native bee communities to establish at the restoration sites; however, the composition of these important pollinator communities was distinct from that in the remnant riparian sites. Differences did not arise primarily from differences in the composition of the flowering‐plant community; rather there must be other physical characteristics of the restored sites or differences in nesting site availability that led to the different pollinator communities. Because sites were spatially paired, the differences are unlikely to be driven by landscape context. Bee life‐history and other biological traits may partially explain the differences between bee communities at restored and remnant sites. Patterns of visitation to native plant species suggest that pollination function is restored along with pollinator abundance and richness; however, function may be less robust in restored habitats. An examination of interaction networks between bees and plant species found at both restored and remnant riparian sites showed less redundancy of pollinators visiting some plants at restored habitats.     

Response of medium‐ and large‐sized terrestrial fauna to corridor restoration along the middle Sacramento River

A fundamental challenge in restoration ecology is to understand when species are expected to colonize newly created habitat. Determining this is important for assessing progress toward restoration goals and, more generally, for gaining insight into ecosystem functioning and dynamics. We studied this question as it relates to mid‐ to large‐sized terrestrial fauna in restored riparian habitats at the Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge, in northern California. We used camera traps to document use of 16 riparian corridor sites of varying restoration age. Comparisons of species richness (diversity) and visitation frequency (activity) were made across different‐aged sites. We found that predator diversity and activity levels tended to be higher in restored forests than in remnant forests, and that they tended to be highest in young restored forests. This trend persisted when data from variable sampling periods were pooled, although significant differences occurred more often in wet and cold sampling periods. The trend did not always hold for the animal community at large (consisting of both predator and non‐predator species). We conclude that restoration age affects predator diversity and activity levels in restored and remnant floodplain forests, and that predator communities can establish soon after restoration. Our results suggest that restoring natural river processes that promote habitat regeneration may benefit mid‐ to large‐sized terrestrial predators that appear to mostly use early successional habitat.     

Demographic Analysis of a Disjunct Population of Froelichia floridana in the mid-Ohio River Valley

Froelichia floridana (cottonweed) occurs as a disjunct population along the Ohio River in southeastern Ohio. The anomalous occurrence of F. floridana in this area has led to its designation as a state endangered species and a management regime to maintain the habitat conditions in which it occurs. As part of this effort, a restoration site was established on public lands in 1984 from seed collected in areas threatened by development. This study seeks to determine the demographic characteristics of this species in the restored and non‐restored managed sites to provide basic ecological information regarding life history parameters and to judge the effectiveness of the restoration. For two years (1997–1998) we collected information on seed bank abundance, field seed germination, plant survivorship, and seed production to create a stage‐based transition matrix model. The model suggests that population growth and abundance as assayed by λ (rate of increase) are stable to declining and are similar between the restoration and natural sites. A reduction in competition had a positive effect on population growth. Elasticity analysis showed that plants germinating earlier in the spring and becoming established as an early cohort contributed a greater level of reproductive output than plants germinating in late spring. Lowered population growth for 1997 is attributed to a cooler and dryer than average early spring that delayed germination and subsequent seed production. Elasticity analysis also suggested that the presence of a persistent seed bank was crucial for long‐term population maintenance and may allow for recovery in areas of low aboveground abundance through soil manipulation.     

Abundance Patterns of Landbirds in Restored and Remnant Riparian Forests on the Sacramento River, California, U.S.A.

Riparian vegetation along the Sacramento River—California's largest river—has been almost entirely lost, and several wildlife species have been extirpated or have declined as a result. Large-scale restoration efforts are focusing on revegetating the land with native plants. To evaluate restoration success, we conducted surveys of landbirds on revegetated and remnant riparian plots from 1993 to 2003. Our objectives were to estimate population trends of landbirds, compare abundance patterns over time between revegetated and remnant riparian forests, and evaluate abundance in relation to restoration age. Of the 20 species examined, 11 were increasing, 1 was decreasing (Lazuli Bunting [ Passerina amoena ]), and 8 showed no trend. The negative trend for Lazuli Bunting is consistent with information on poor reproductive success and with Breeding Bird Survey results. There was no apparent guild association common to species with increasing trends. Nine species were increasing on revegetated and remnant plots, four were increasing on revegetated plots only, three were increasing on remnant plots only, the Lazuli Bunting was decreasing on both, and three species were stable on both. Although many species were increasing at a faster rate on revegetated plots, their abundance did not reach that of the remnant plots. For revegetated plots, "year since planting" was a strong predictor of abundance trends for 13 species: positive for 12, negative for 1. Our study shows that restoration activities along the Sacramento River are successfully providing habitat for a diverse community of landbirds and that results from bird monitoring provide a meaningful way to evaluate restoration success.     

石羊河中游沙漠化逆转过程土壤种子库的动态变化

在石羊河中游,应用空间代替时间的方法,选择流动沙丘以及封育恢复5a、15a和25a的沙漠化逆转过程序列,研究了沙漠化逆转过程土壤种子库的变化特征。结果表明:石羊河中游沙漠化土地土壤种子库由4科12种植物组成,种子库主要分布于表层0-5cm。在沙漠化逆转过程中,土壤种子库物种数趋于增加,物种组成以1年生草本植物占优势逐渐向多年生草本植物和半灌木植物转变;种子库密度、表层土壤种子比例、物种多样性指数、与地上植被的相似性呈现先增大后降低趋势;沙漠化土地生态恢复间隔的时间越长,土壤种子库间的相似性程度越低;沙漠化土地与地带性植被区种子库的相似性逐渐增大,但是恢复25a沙漠化土地也仅达到0.36。研究认为,沙漠化逆转过程也是沙漠化土地土壤种子库向地带性植被土壤种子库演变的过程,而且是一个十分缓慢的过程,该研究有助于丰富干旱区土壤种子库的理论和指导干旱内陆河流域沙漠化土地的生态恢复实践。     

Plant Pattern Development during Early Post‐Restoration Succession in Grasslands—A Case Study of Arabis nemorensis

The main objective of this study was to analyze whether plant material transfer is a suitable approach for establishing plant populations with spatial patterns and population structures resembling those of remnant populations. We studied pattern formation and population characteristics in three remnant and two restored populations of the biennial plant species Arabis nemorensis in the upper Rhine valley in southwestern Germany over a period of 2 years. We investigated spatial patterns of seedlings, juveniles, and adults as well as the small‐scale horizontal and vertical distribution of seeds in the soil, followed the fate of individual plants and recorded structural habitat parameters such as vegetation and litter cover. Population dynamics differed between the study sites, but there was no pronounced difference between restored and remnant sites. Seedlings, juveniles, and adults as well as seeds in the seed bank showed aggregated spatial patterns on all study sites, with positive autocorrelation on a scale of 20–60 cm. Within sites, patterns remained approximately stable through time. Restored sites experienced rapid seed bank formation as a result of the restoration measures. Our results suggest that the restoration measures were not only successful in transferring the target species but also triggered rapid formation of spatially structured populations that, years after restoration, closely resembled those of remnant sites.     

Restore it,and they will come: trap-nesting bee and wasp communities (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) are recovered by restoration of riparian forests

Riparian forests have been greatly affected by anthropogenic actions with formerly continuous riparian forests being slowly converted into small and isolated patches. Riparian forests are extremely important habitats for many groups of insects, including bees and wasps, because they are sources of shelter and food for them and their offspring. There is a growing body of evidence of success in the restoration of riparian forest plant communities; however, little research has been done on the associated invertebrate communities. We test whether restoring plant communities is sufficient for restoring the taxonomic composition of trap-nesting bees and wasps and which functional traits are favored in different sites. We predict that species richness, abundance, and community composition of trap-nesting bees and wasps of riparian sites undergoing restoration will converge on the “target” of a reference site with increasing time, since restoration increases habitat complexity. We also predict that the width of restored patches will also influence the species richness, abundance and community composition of trap-nesting bees and wasps. Bee richness and abundance, and wasp richness, were strongly related to fragment width, but not to age since restoration. Our results indicate that although restored sites are relatively small and scattered in a fragmented landscape, they provide suitable habitat for re-colonization by community assemblages of trap-nesting bees and wasps and the traits selected captured the responses to the habitat restoration. Hence, restored riparian areas can be considered important habitats for invertebrates, thus contributing to an increase in local biodiversity and, possibly, the restoration of some of the ecosystem services they originally provided.     

Small mammal abundance and seed predation across boundaries in a restored‐grazed woodland interface

Passive restoration is an effective tool for the maintenance and conservation of biodiversity. Often areas in recovery are immersed in a matrix of land uses, in which the expansion and intensification of human activities exert new visible pressures at their boundaries. The degree of connectivity between these areas and their peripheral lands can be analyzed by mobile link species, organisms that actively move in the landscape by connecting areas to one another through their functional roles. We focus our design on the interface generated by the long‐term restoration area and surrounding grazing lands. We analyze the changes on boundary structure, small mammal abundance, and on the function of native seed dispersal by these vertebrate species. We captured small mammals and determined seed removal of Prosopis flexuosa at three distances inside and outside a fence that delineates passively restored and currently grazed areas. Our results indicate that small rodents find more suitable habitats at the site under restoration than in grazing lands. The restored‐grazing interface shows a decrease in small mammal abundance from the protected area to the grazed lands. From a functional perspective, an increase in small mammal abundance results in an increase in their seed removal activity with implications for seed fate, because the long‐term recovery of vegetation could enhance seed predation on a native tree species.     

Successful restoration of abandoned terraced vineyards and grasslands in Southern Switzerland

Extensively managed semi-natural grasslands represent species-rich habitats and therefore play a key role for the maintenance of biodiversity in agricultural areas. In marginal and poorly accessible areas, the traditional management of grassland is frequently abandoned, which leads to the spread of forest. In Southern Switzerland, terraced vineyards (a special grassland type) and terraced grasslands are part of the cultural heritage and local biodiversity hotspots. Yet, many of them are overgrown by forest. In the past years, several abandoned terraced vineyards and grasslands have been restored by removing the forest, rebuilding the walls and re-introducing the traditional management. We examined restoration success by assessing plant species richness, diversity and species composition in both the aboveground vegetation and soil seed bank in (1) restored, (2) abandoned for 25–50 years, and (3) permanently used areas of six terraced vineyards and six terraced grasslands. Plant species richness and diversity were reduced and species composition altered in the aboveground vegetation of abandoned vineyards and grasslands compared to the permanently used and restored ones. However, species richness, Shannon-diversity and species composition of the aboveground vegetation did not differ between restored and permanently used areas, indicating a successful restoration of the vegetation 10–15 years after restoration. In abandoned vineyards, species richness of plants emerging from the soil seed bank was slightly higher than in permanently used and restored vineyards. No difference in seedling species richness was found between abandoned, permanently used and restored terraced grasslands. Our results showed that the soil seed bank played a minor role for the re-establishment of the above-ground vegetation. We assume that the large species pool in the surroundings and the presence of dispersal vectors are essential for the successful passive restoration of abandoned grassland in this region.     

Evaluating soil seed banks of phosphate mining restoration in the hyper-arid Negev desert

Ecological systems are severely damaged by the anthropogenic disturbance of mining. Phosphate open-pit mining fields cover over 200 km² of the Negev desert, Israel. However, the effects of the ongoing mine site restoration efforts on the plant community have not been studied. Plants and their seed banks have a major role in ecosystem processes and restoration. In this study, we focused on three mining sites, restored in different years, along Zin River valley. We compared the plant community of restored mining plots within these areas to adjacent natural plots. We asked whether plant community germination potential from the soil seed bank differs between the restored plots and the adjacent natural plots within a mining site. We hypothesized that: (1) there is a lack of seed bank in the restored plots; (2) the altered soil composition at the restored plots inhibits germination. We used soil samples collected from the different mining sites and set up greenhouse experiments. One experiment compared natural and restored areas with different soil treatments. In another experiment, we added native seeds to test their germination potential on restored soil. Our results indicate that lack of seed bank is the major limiting factor hindering germination and not the composition of the soil after restoration. Our findings shed light on the constraints of seed bank establishment in post-mining areas of hyper-arid regions. We suggest considering active restoration practices to facilitate natural dispersal and improve seed bank establishment.     

Unusually high‐quality soil seed banks in a Midwestern U.S. oak savanna region: variation with land use history,habitat restoration,and soil properties

An overarching conclusion in the literature is that soil seed banks rarely contain many restoration‐target species and are often liabilities rather than assets to restoration. Our objective was to evaluate composition and spatial variation of seed banks and their potential contributions to restoration, including restoration‐target species such as rare species and those characterizing historical habitats. On 64 sites in a Midwestern U.S. oak savanna landscape, we sampled soil seed banks in seven habitat types (restored oak savannas, oak woodlands, and mesic prairies; unmanaged upland oak and mesic forests; and unmanaged and managed pine plantations). The germinable seed bank was exceptionally rich in restoration‐target species. In total for the 64 sites, seedlings of 127 species emerged from seed bank samples. Of the 101 native species, 56 were restoration‐target species, an unusually high number among seed bank studies. Restoration‐target species in seed banks included 13 threatened or endangered species, in addition to 43 other specialist species associated with high‐quality native habitats or on a floral list thought to characterize historical ecosystems. When analyzed across the 64‐site gradient, seed banks differed among the seven habitat types and varied with historical (1939) land use, recent management activities that restored open‐structured habitats, and biophysical gradients of tree density, soil drainage, and soil texture. While not all restoration‐target species were detected in the seed bank, the unusually high‐quality seed bank is a potential asset to restoration and was partly structured along environmental gradients across the landscape.     

Comparison of Leaf Litter Decomposition Rates in Restored and Mature Riparian Forests on the Sacramento River, California

One of the largest riparian restoration projects in the United States is currently taking place in California on the Sacramento River. Nearly 2,000 ha of land adjacent to the river channel have been revegetated with native riparian species in an effort to reestablish riparian forests. The objective of this study was to compare leaf litter decomposition rates in restored riparian forests to those in mature, naturally established riparian forests, in order to monitor the development of this ecosystem function in restored forests. Leaf litter decomposition rates were measured over 1 year in six restored riparian forests (4, 7, and 9 years old) and two mature remnant riparian forests (>50 years old), in order to test two hypotheses: (1) decomposition rates of restored and mature forests are significantly different and (2) decomposition rates in the chronosequence of restored forests are moving along a trajectory, approaching the decomposition rates characteristic of mature forests as they age. Statistical analyses revealed no significant differences in annual decay rates among the four different forest ages and no trajectory among leaf litter decomposition rates in restored forests. These results suggest that a functionally equivalent process of leaf litter decomposition occurs in both restored and naturally established forests and show promise for the efficiency of nutrient cycling processes in these restored forests.     

The ecological barriers to the recovery of bridal creeper (Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce) infested sites: Impacts on vegetation and the potential increase in other exotic species

Abstract To protect native biodiversity from environmental weeds, the impacts that these weeds cause need to be known before weed control commences. Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce (bridal creeper) (Asparagaceae) is a serious environmental weed and has been selected for biological control in Australia. To predict the responses of plant communities to the control of bridal creeper, a prerelease baseline of the impacts of bridal creeper on native plant communities was undertaken. Plant assemblages in areas invaded by bridal creeper were compared with reference areas that contained little or no bridal creeper. Areas invaded by bridal creeper contained 52% fewer native plant species when compared with nearby reference areas. However, there was no difference in the number of other exotic plant species between areas. Similar trends were found for the germinable seed bank. Although a greater number of exotic species were present in the seed bank compared with the vegetation surveys, there was still no difference between areas with and without bridal creeper. In a glasshouse trial, exotic species germinated more frequently compared with native species. This could indicate that as bridal creeper density decreases following control, exotic species have an advantage over native species when colonizing areas left vacant by bridal creeper. Second, as bridal creeper areas contained reduced native species richness and cover, they may be susceptible to further weed invasion after bridal creeper is removed. Therefore, simply reducing the presence of bridal creeper may not guarantee successful restoration of invaded areas and additional restoration efforts will be needed to ensure the ultimate goal of protecting native biodiversity is reached.     

Current Status of Western Yellow-Billed Cuckoo along the Sacramento and Feather Rivers,California

To evaluate the current status of the western population of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) along the Sacramento and Feather rivers in California’s Sacramento Valley, we conducted extensive call playback surveys in 2012 and 2013. We also quantified the amount and distribution of potential habitat. Our survey transects were randomly located and spatially balanced to sample representative areas of the potential habitat. We estimated that the total area of potential habitat was 8,134 ha along the Sacramento River and 2,052 ha along the Feather River, for a total of 10,186 ha. Large-scale restoration efforts have created potential habitat along both of these rivers. Despite this increase in the amount of habitat, the number of cuckoos we detected was extremely low. There were 8 detection occasions in 2012 and 10 occasions in 2013 on the Sacramento River, in both restored and remnant habitat. We had no detections on the Feather River in either year. We compared our results to 10 historic studies from as far back as 1972 and found that the Yellow-billed Cuckoo had unprecedentedly low numbers in 2010, 2012, and 2013. The current limiting factor for the Yellow-billed Cuckoo in the Sacramento Valley is likely not the amount of appropriate vegetation, as restoration has created more habitat over the last 30 years. Reasons for the cuckoo decline on the Sacramento and Feather rivers are unclear.     

Effects of stream restorations on riparian mesohabitats,vegetation and carabid beetles

We investigated the effects of hydromorphological restoration measures (mainly the removal of bank fixations) on riparian mesohabitats, vegetation and carabid beetles by comparing 24 restored to nearby non-restored floodplain sections in Germany. Mesohabitats were recorded along ten equally-spaced transects, plant communities and riparian plant and carabid beetle species along three transects per section. Based on 18 indices including habitat and species diversity, taxonomic diversity and functional indices we compared the frequency and magnitude of changes following restoration, both for the overall dataset and for each site individually. Riparian habitat diversity doubled in restored sections compared to non-restored sections. The numbers of vegetation units and plant and carabid beetle species richness also doubled in restored sections, whereas changes in Shannon diversity were most pronounced for mesohabitats and riparian plants. Taxonomic diversity of carabid beetles decreased in restored sections reflecting post restoration dominance of riparian Bembidion species. Stress-tolerant pioneers of plant and especially carabid species benefit strongly from the re-establishment of open sand and gravel bars, while hygrophilous species, which also include non-riparian species, did not respond to restoration. We conclude that restoring river hydromorphology has almost generally positive effects on riparian habitats and riparian biodiversity. Riparian biota are thus well-suited indicators for the effects of hydromorphological restoration.     

江苏省主要农田杂草种子库物种组成和多样性及其与环境因子的相关性分析

采用水洗镜检法对江苏省31个农田样点(包括旱田和水田)0～15 cm土层土壤杂草种子库的种类组成和物种多样性进行了调查研究;采用典范对应法分析了杂草种子库种类与环境因子(包括淹水天数、土壤有机质含量、土壤pH、年降水量、年均温、样点经度和样点纬度)的相关性并绘制了样点和种类与环境因子的二维排序散点图.调查结果表明:在31个样点的土壤杂草种子库中共检测到杂草种子15科54种,旱田和水田各有41和45种,二者共有种类占多数但优势种有差异,通泉草[ Mazus japonicus (Thunb.) Kuntze]、异型莎草(Cyperus difformis L.)、水苋菜(Ammannia baccifera L.)、千金子[Leptochloa chinensis (L.) Nees]、棒头革(Polypogon fugax Nees ex Steud.)和牛繁缕[ Malachium aquaticum (L.) Fries]等种类为二者的共有优势种;杂草种类最多的为禾本科(Gramineae)和莎草科(Cyperaceae),分别占种类总数的22.6％和20.8％.旱田不同样点杂草种子库的优势种类变化较大,而水田杂草种子库优势种较稳定;二者优势种频度差异较大,旱田中频度高于0.30的杂草有19种,水田中频度高于0.50的杂草有20种;旱田和水田中平均重要值大于0.03的杂草各有11和9种,这些频度高的种类重要值也较大.旱田和水田土壤种子库种子密度分别为21 015和37 847 m-2,平均为31 008 m-2;旱田3层土壤中种子密度差异不显著,而水田上、中层土壤的种子密度显著高于下层.旱田以夏熟和秋熟杂草为主,而水田则以水田和夏熟杂草为主.按形态类型划分,水田及旱田中杂草种类数和密度从大到小均依次排序为阔叶草类、禾草类、莎草类,且水田中这3类杂草的种类数和种子密度均高于旱田.与旱田相比,水田杂草种子库的物种丰富度指数(S)、Shannon-Wiener 指数(H')和Simpson指数(D)较高,但Pielou均匀度指数(E)较低;旱田杂草种子库的S、H'和D指数随土层深度增加而降低、E指数逐渐升高,水田各土层的物种多样性指数则无明显变化趋势.第1种类排序轴与淹水天数负相关性最高(R=-0.8143),第2种类排序轴与年降水量和经度也有较高的负相关性;相关性分析和CCA分析结果均表明淹水天数是影响杂草种子库群落构成的最大因素.通过二维排序可将31个样点分为旱田和水田2大类,旱田可划分为长期旱连作和水旱轮作2个亚类;水田可划分为淮河以北地区和淮河以南长江流域地区2个亚类.研究结果说明:杂草种子库潜群落优势种与地上部农田杂草显群落优势种具有一致性,通过土壤杂草种子库的研究可以预测地上杂草的发生和危害情况.     

Evaluation of topsoil inversion in U.K. habitat creation and restoration schemes

Habitat creation and restoration schemes on former agricultural soils can be constrained by high residual soil fertility, a weedy seed bank, and a lack of suitable species in the seed rain. Topsoil inversion has been trialled across the United Kingdom as a novel technique to address these constraints. We investigated 15 topsoil inversion sites ranging in age (time since inversion) from 6 months to 5 years. We assessed surface soil fertility compared to adjacent noninverted soil, and vegetation composition with respect to the species introduced at each site. Soil organic matter, total and extractable N and P were lower in topsoil inversion surface soils, demonstrating that topsoil inversion can successfully reduce surface soil fertility prior to habitat creation and restoration. This reduction was maintained over the timescale of this study (5 years). Cornfield annual nurse crops provided instant visual appeal and gave way to grassland species over time. Sown species varied widely in their establishment success, and sowings were more successful than plug plantings. Grasses colonized naturally following sowing forb‐only seed mixes, allowing introduced forbs to establish early on with reduced competition from the seed bank. Plant communities did not yet resemble seminatural communities, but all were in the early stages of community development. Results indicate that topsoil inversion can successfully lower surface soil fertility and reduce competition between sown species and agricultural weeds.     

Spatial variability of the soil seed bank in a heterogeneous ephemeral wetland system in semi-arid Australia

Soil seed banks are an important component of plant community diversity in ephemeral wetlands, allowing many species to persist through unpredictable periods of flood and drought. Spatial variation of extant vegetation in such habitats commonly reflects patterns of flood history and often varies predictably between broadly differing hydro-geomorphic habitat types. Here we investigate whether spatial variation of soil seed banks is similarly controlled by fluvial processes at this scale. Results are presented from a seedling emergence trial using samples collected from a range of habitat types, and at different scales within these, in the ephemeral Narran Lakes system in semi-arid Australia. Composition and structure of soil seed banks varied significantly between habitat types reflecting broad differences in flood frequency. As predicted, germinable seed abundance was found to be highest in intermediately flooded habitats. Variability in soil seed bank composition at a local scale was also found to be influenced by hydrology with greater spatial heterogeneity evident in the river channel as well as amongst the least frequently inundated riparian and floodplain habitats.     

Soil seed banks of two montane riparian areas: implications for restoration

Understanding the role of seed banks can be important for designing restoration projects. Using the seedling emergence method, we investigated the soil seed banks of two montane, deciduous riparian forest ecosystems of southeastern Arizona. We contrasted the seed banks and extant vegetation of Ramsey Canyon, which is the site of riparian restoration activities, with that of Garden Canyon, which has been less affected by human land uses. Fewer plant species were found at Ramsey Canyon than Garden Canyon, for both the seed bank and extant vegetation, and the vegetation at Ramsey Canyon (seed bank and extant) had consistently drier wetland indicator scores. As well, vegetation patterns within sampling zones (channel margins and adjacent riparian forests) differed between canyons. At Garden Canyon channel margins, the seed bank and extant vegetation had relatively high similarity, with herbaceous wetland perennial species dominating. Extant vegetation in the floodplain riparian forest zone at Garden Canyon had a drier wetland indicator score than the seed bank, suggesting that the floodplains are storing seeds dispersed from wetter fluvial surfaces. Vegetation patterns for Ramsey Canyon channel margins were similar to those for Garden Canyon floodplains. Vegetation patterns in the Ramsey Canyon riparian forest zone were indicative of non-flooded conditions with an abundance of upland species in the soil seed bank and extant vegetation. Channel geomorphology measurements indicated that much of the riparian forest zone at Ramsey Canyon is functionally a terrace, a condition that may be a legacy of channel erosion from historic land uses. Steep, erodible channel slopes may contribute to the low seed bank germinant density at Ramsey Canyon channel margins, and narrower flood-prone area may explain the greater terrestrialization of the vegetation in both sampling zones. We recommend testing the use of donor soils from more diverse stream reaches to restore biodiversity levels at Ramsey Canyon, following restoration activities such as channel-widening. Seed banks from Garden Canyon, for example, although predominantly consisting of herbaceous perennials, would supply species with a range of moisture tolerances, life spans, and growth forms. We also recommend that restorationists take care not to harm seed banks exposed during removal of introduced species; at Ramsey Canyon, soil seed banks were equally diverse in areas with high and low cover of the introduced Vinca major (a legacy of Ramsey Canyon land use).     

Restored native prairie supports abundant and species‐rich native bee communities on conventional farms

Native pollinators are increasingly needed on conventional farms yet rarely fostered via management. One solution is habitat restoration in marginal areas, but colonization may be constrained if resident pollinator richness is low or if restored areas fail to provide sufficient floral or nesting resources. We quantified restoration outcomes for native bees, and associated resources, on three conventional farms with forb‐grass prairie plantings on marginal areas of varying sizes, in a heavily farmed region of central North America. We tested bee abundance and richness in restored prairie versus the dominant habitats of the region—crops, forest remnants, and edges of fields and roads. Restored prairie supported 2× more species (95 of 119 total species) and 3× more bees (72% of captured individuals) compared to the other cover types. All richness and abundance differences among habitat types were associated with higher floral resources in restored prairie. Thirty percent of the bee species were unique to prairie, consistent with long‐distance dispersal but begging the question of origin given the absence of prairie regionally. Our results suggest that road and field edges may be the source, as these areas had more floral and nesting resources than forest or crop fields combined and supported 55% of all species despite covering only approximately 5% of the sampled farms. Habitat scarcity is not the only constraint on native bees in agricultural landscapes, with increasing concern over disease and chemicals. However, we observed that restored areas on marginal lands of conventional farms can support abundant and species‐rich populations of native bees.