浅水富营养化湖泊生态修复过程中大型沉水植物群落结构变化以及对水质影响

实现富营养化浅水湖泊生态修复的根本途径是一个完善的生态系统的建立,而实现这一途径的核心则是沉水植物群落的恢复。因此,研究生态修复过程中沉水植物群落结构变化以及水质变化,对富营养化浅水湖泊的生态修复具有重要意义。本研究从2007年12月至2008年7月,对惠州西湖南湖生态修复过程中沉水植物群落结构变化以及对水质的影响进行了研究,以期为富营养化浅水湖泊生态修复提供重要的理论依据和实践指导。研究结果表明:5月份之前,南湖中黑藻比例明显高于苦草,分别为65%和30%左右;之后,在鱼类调控以及人为干扰等措施下,黑藻比例急剧下降,降至约5%以下;而苦草则大幅增到95%左右。沉水植物覆盖率也从40%增加到约95%左右。由此可见,南湖已由先锋物种黑藻为主的生态系统逐步过渡到以苦草为主生态系统。在沉水植物群落结构变化过程中,水中TN、TP以及chl a浓度变化趋势基本一致。在群落结构变化之前都保持较低水平,在5月份达最大值后迅速降低。其可能原因是沉水植物群落转变过程中,生态系统内部各因子变化剧烈,由原来以吸收水体中营养为主的黑藻生态系统逐步过渡到以底泥中营养为主的苦草生态系统,加之鱼类搅动及此过程中人为、降雨等因素干扰,导致营养盐水平和chl a浓度增加,但随着生态系统的逐步稳定,经过大型沉水植物对营养盐的竞争、悬浮物抑制以及克藻效应等因素,水体质量又逐步得到改善,TN、TP 浓度迅速降到0.840mg·L^-1和0.028 mg·L^-1L,chla则降到2.562μg·L^-1左右,透明度增加到120cm。由此可见,南湖已由修复前浮游植物主导的混浊态,经过一个短暂的黑藻为主的生态系统,逐步过渡到已苦草为主且较稳定的清水态生态系统。     

太湖五里湖生态修复示范区水质改善效果分析

鱼类清除和沉水植被恢复常是富营养化浅水湖泊生态系统修复的重要手段。为探讨这种生态系统修复方式对亚热带富营养化浅水湖泊太湖五里湖水质的改善效果,论文研究了五里湖生态修复区与未进行任何修复的对照湖区为期6个月(2010年7～12月)的水质监测数据。数据分析结果表明,生态修复区总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)、叶绿素-a(Chl-a)以及悬浮质(TSS)浓度显著降低,分别比对照区低43.4%、48.3%、65.5%和78.9%,透明度则明显升高,约为对照区的3倍。本研究表明以鱼类清除和沉水植被恢复为主要手段的生态系统修复措施能够有效改善亚热带富营养化浅水湖泊水体的水质。     

Community collocation of four submerged macrophytes on two kinds of sediments in Lake Taihu, China

To explore a method for rapid restoration and artificial regulation of submerged macrophytes in large-scale restoration of eutrophic lakes, the succession and the biodiversity changes of four communities composed of four native, common submerged macrophytes, Hydrilla verticillata, Potamogeton malaianus, Vallisneria spiralis and Najas marina, on two kinds of sediments were investigated. Under low light intensity (reduced by 99%), the plant biomass changed with seasonal changes, plant competition, and environmental stress. The competitive capability for light differed in the four species due to different shoot height and tiller number. After 405 days of transplantation, H. verticillata became dominant in all communities. The biomass of H. verticillata, with strong ability to endure low water light environment, accounted for more than 90% of the total community biomass, and P. malaianus had only weak growth, while V. spiralis and N. marina almost disappeared. Based on livability and biomass of submerged macrophytes on two sediment types, brown clay sediment appeared to be more favorable for the settlement of the plants, while fertile sludge sediment was suitable for vegetative growth. In conclusion, the improvement of habitats and the selection of appropriate plant species are of the greatest importance for ecological restoration of the aquatic ecosystem.     

Promoting low-canopy macrophytes to compromise conservation and recreational navigation in a shallow lake

The shift from a turbid-water state to a clear macrophyte-dominatedstate in the shallow lake Veluwemeer (The Netherlands) has led to nuisance forrecreational navigation. The nuisance concerns the dense beds ofPotamogeton perfoliatus in particular, whereas thelow-canopy forming charophytes cause much less harm. On the other hand, theimportance of macrophyte cover for the stability of the clear-water state hasbeen recognised. To assess the potential of mechanical removal of densemacrophyte beds, several cutting regimes were simulated in a mixed vegetation ofP. perfoliatus and Chara aspera, usingthe individual-based model Charisma. These species occupy a wide range of waterdepths between 0.5 and 2.5 m, with C. asperadominating the shallower zone and P. perfoliatus dominatingthe deeper zone; intermediary is a zone where either species may dominate asalternative equilibria. Both the cutting height and timing affected the amountof biomass present in summer. The effect of cutting was more profound fortreatment later in the season. With a cutting level above theChara-canopy, the simulations showed an increased biomassof C. aspera and reduction of P.perfoliatus. In the zone of alternative equilibria, it was possibleto provoke a sustainable shift from P. perfoliatusdominance to C. aspera dominance. To achieve this, annualrepetition of cutting for a number of years was necessary. A harvesting regimeaimed at shifting the vegetation dominance from P.perfoliatus towards C. aspera could be an optionfor management of the lake, since it holds the perspective of decreasedmanagement effort after a number of years. Moreover, removing only high-canopyvegetation implies high conservation values and recreational use can becombined.     

Ecosystem response to changes in water level of Lake Ontario marshes: lessons from the restoration of Cootes Paradise Marsh

A general understanding of how aquatic vegetation responds to water-level fluctuations is needed to guide restoration of Great Lakes coastal wetlands because inter-annual and seasonal variations often confound effects of costly remedial actions. In 1997, common carp (Cyprinus carpio) was removed from Cootes Paradise Marsh (L. Ontario) to reduce sediment resuspension and bioturbation, and thus regenerate marsh plants that had declined dramatically since the 1930s. Data from 1934 to 1993 were re-assembled from the literature to relate percentage cover of emergent vegetation to mean summer water level. A non-linear regression equation explained close to 90% of the variation compared with 80% for a non-linear equation, and this trend was confirmed for the dominant species, Typha latifolia. A modest recovery of emergent vegetation in 1999 following carp exclusion could have been predicted from declining water level alone, without invoking any effects of the biomanipulation. An unusually cool spring in 1997 delayed the migration of spawning planktivores into the marsh. This resulted in a grazer-mediated clear-water phase that coincided with a resurgence of the submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) community in 1997, which declined again in 1999 when low water levels occurred. Even though decrease in water level was significantly related to increased suspended solids and greater light attenuation, light conditions appeared to have been adequate in marsh embayments to support SAV growth, according to a published relationship between maximum depth of SAV colonization and light extinction coefficient. I suggest that wave disturbance and propagule burial associated with shallow water depths may have been the main reasons for the decline of the SAV in 1999 and 2000.     

山水林田湖草生态保护修复的系统性认知

系统治理是山水林田湖草生态保护修复的核心,然而在工程实施和评估中如何有效落实和考核山水林田湖草生态保护修复的系统性仍是目前一大难题。通过厘清系统性与整体性的逻辑关系,从山水林田湖草生态保护修复的对象、主体及其耦合联系入手,明晰系统治理是山水林田湖草生态保护修复的必然选择,进而提出关键要素控制与全要素耦合相结合的治理思路,并以云南抚仙湖项目区为例阐明系统治理在山水林田湖草生态保护修复中的实践路径。最后,依据结构-功能复杂度、要素关联紧密度及其认知,将山水林田湖草治理系统分为形态系统、级联系统、过程-响应系统、控制系统等四级递进系统,从流域内和流域外的空间视角出发,提出基于“目标-约束-成本”的山水林田湖草生态保护修复系统性评估方法,为山水林田湖草系统治理的实施与考核提供核心科学支撑。     

An experimental system to study ecophysiological responses of submerged macrophytes to temperature and light

An experimental growth system was devised to study the ecophysiological responses of submerged macrophytes to temperature and light. Using the system, a pilot study was conducted to compare responses to light of three representative species common to the littoral zone of Lake Biwa: Vallisneria asiatica Miki var. biwaensis Miki, which is endemic to Japan, Potamogeton maackianus A. Benn., a dominant submerged macrophyte in Lake Biwa, and Elodea nuttallii (Planch.) St. John, one of the most influential submerged exotic macrophytes naturalized in Japan. Different relative growth rate responses and other growth parameters among the species were observed. We ascertained the experimental system to be useful for the comparison of ecophysiological responses of submerged macrophytes.     

三江自然保护区湿地保护与退耕还湿政策的农民响应

通过对三江自然保护区核心区边缘6个村屯和实验区内5个村屯的310家农户家庭就湿地保护与退耕还湿的问卷调查和访谈研究,探讨了农民对湿地保护和退耕还湿政策的响应.调查发现:湿地保护与退耕还湿的农民响应具有很大的相似性,不同年龄结构,认知水平和区域位置,决定了他们对湿地保护和退耕还湿支持意愿的不同,表现在年轻人、受教育程度高和居住在实验区的人更倾向于湿地保护和退耕还湿.在退耕还湿问题上,农民反对退耕还湿的原因和农民接受退耕还湿的补偿方式选择都反映出农民对现有耕地及补偿制度的思考.研究表明:湿地重要性已经被广大农民所认可,农民对湿地保护和退耕还湿政策的支持主要取决于能否保证农民的经济利益;缺乏明确的退耕还湿补偿制度和替代生计引导是湿地保护和退耕还湿实施的制度障碍和政策缺失.     

Relationships between fish feeding guild and trophic structure in English lowland shallow lakes subject to anthropogenic influence: implications for lake restoration

The shallow lakes of Eastern England have been subject to intense anthropogenic pressures including nutrient enrichment and fish stocking. We sought to determine the relationships between fish community structure and other ecosystem characteristics in 28 of these lakes through classification of fish species into piscivorous, zooplanktivorous and benthivorous feeding guilds according to the literature. Canonical correspondence analysis produced clear associations between fish and ecosystem characteristics that generally agreed with other theoretical (e.g. the alternative stable states hypothesis) and empirical studies, but with some important differences. There was a striking lack of relationships between nutrients and other variables, indicating the importance of top-down rather than bottom-up processes as a structuring force in the generally eutrophic study lakes. The presence of submerged (and shoreline) vegetation was associated with a diverse assemblage of apparently co-existing piscivorous (principally pike Esox lucius) and zooplanktivorous species. Perch Perca fluviatilis, a significant predator in other studies, was unimportant and argued to be limited by water quality in the extremely shallow lakes. In contrast, the benthivorous fish guild (principally carp Cyprinus carpio, bream Abramis brama and tench Tinca tinca) essentially represented the inverse of the potential pelagic associations between piscivores/zooplanktivores and vegetation. The introduction of large benthivores to many study lakes could have precipitated a loss of submerged vegetation through direct uprooting during foraging, with the effect of simplifying the fish community being most acute where littoral vegetation was limited by other anthropogenic factors. It is implied that attempts to promote or restore submerged vegetation in these lakes would best target benthivorous species.     

The restoration of Lake Apopka in relation to alternative stable states: an alternative view to that of Bachmann et al. (1999)

Bachmann et al. (1999) postulated that wind energy initiated, and has maintained, high turbidity in hypertrophic (mean chlorophyll a = 92 g l^–1) Lake Apopka, Florida (mean depth = 1.6 m; area = 12500 ha). They asserted that the turbid condition was initiated by a hurricane in late 1947 that destroyed submersed plant beds and that high turbidity has since been maintained by wind-driven resuspension of fluid sediments. In their view, there has been sufficient light for re-establishment of submersed plants over about 38% of the lake bottom, but plant growth has been precluded by the fluid character of the sediments. They concluded that the restoration program of the St. Johns River Water Management District, which includes reduction of the phosphorus (P) loading rate, will not restore water clarity or submersed vegetation. An alternative explanation for Lake Apopka's turbid state is that it was initiated, and has been maintained, by excessive P loading that led to algal blooms and elimination of submersed vegetation through light limitation. The transition to the turbid state was contemporaneous with drainage of 7300 ha of the floodplain wetland to create polders for farming, beginning in the early 1940s. Lake P budgets indicate that drainage of the farms caused a seven-fold increase in the P loading rate (0.08 g TP m^–2 yr^–1 to 0.55 g TP m^–2 yr^–1). Paleolimnological analysis of lake sediments also indicates an increase in the P loading rate in mid-century, concomitant with the decline in submersed vegetation and the increase in phytoplankton abundance. After the increase in P loading, wind disturbance may have accelerated the transition to the turbid state; but, before the increase in P loading, wind disturbance was insufficient to elicit the turbid state, as evidenced by the stability of the clear-water state in the face of 14 hurricanes and 41 tropical storms from 1881 to 1946. Measurements of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) indicate that light limitation has inhibited submersed plant growth except on the shallowest 5% of the lake bottom. Further, the correlation between the diffuse attentuation coefficient (K _PAR) and chlorophyll a (CHLA) indicates that light limitation would be removed over about 82% of the lake bottom with a reduction in CHLA from 92 g l^–1 to 25 g l^–1. Recently, following a 40% reduction in the P loading rate, the mean total P (TP) concentration, mean CHLA, and total suspended solids fell by about 30% while mean Secchi depth increased by more than 20%. Submersed plant beds appeared in areas devoid of macrophytes for nearly 50 years. These improvements, during a period with no change in mean wind speeds measured at Lake Apopka, provide the strongest evidence that the turbid state has been maintained by excessive P loading and that the current restoration program, which combines P load reduction with planting and removal of planktivorous fish, will be effective.     

Prediction of potential macrophyte development in response to restoration measures in an urban riverine wetland

Wetland restoration efforts require practical models for predicting the effects of various measures on ecosystem structure and function. The present study examined the species diversity and abundance of macrophytes in relation to hydrological parameters in the Alluvial Zone National Park along the Austrian Danube with a main focus on the Lobau, an urban riverine wetland within the city limits of Vienna. A macrophyte regression model was developed based on the output of a 2D hydraulic model for different wetland management options. These management options describe possible rehabilitation measures by re-connecting the riverine wetland with the Danube. Stepwise multiple regressions revealed that the most important predictors of macrophyte diversity and abundance were water velocity at bankfull discharge (maximum water velocity) and size of shallow water areas (<1 m depth) during the growing season. Macrophyte abundance and diversity increased with decreasing water velocity and increasing shallow water area. These parameters integrate information about environmental features such as nutrients, light availability and hydrological disturbance for macrophytes and explained between 65 and 85% of the macrophyte distribution in an analysis. The model results enabled us to predict quantitatively the development and spatial distribution of macrophytes for different management options in this urban riverine wetland. These predictions suggest that partial reconnection could be a compromise solution at the scale of the whole riverine wetland, increasing the availability of suitable aquatic habitats and diversifying the types of existing wetland water bodies to establish potential new habitats for macrophyte species.     

喀斯特石漠化地区不同恢复和重建措施对土壤质量的影响

采取4种不同恢复和重建措施对典型喀斯特石漠化地区进行了13年的生态治理研究.结果表明,喀斯特严重石漠化区（对照）植物多样性极低,土壤肥力极差,生态环境极为恶劣;改为花椒种植或多种乔-灌-藤混交种植后,植物多样性明显增大,土壤质量得到一定程度恢复,生态系统朝着良性循环方向发展;采取封山育林措施后,林下植被层和群落多样性恢复得最快,林地土壤质量得到较快的恢复;保留较好的喀斯特次生林中植物多样性较高,土壤质量最好.采用合适的生物措施,辅以必要的工程措施,是促进严重喀斯特石漠化地区生态重建的有效途径之一.     

山水林田湖草生态保护修复的理论支撑体系研究

山水林田湖草生态保护修复关系到我国生态文明建设和美丽中国建设进程,关系到国家生态安全和中华民族永续发展。开展山水林田湖草生态保护修复是生态文明建设的重要内容,是贯彻绿色发展理念的有力举措,也是破解当前生态环境与经济发展之间难题的必然要求。通过总结梳理当前我国山水林田湖草生态保护修复工作的进展与概况,立足于“山水林田湖草是生命共同体”的理论核心,详细阐释了山水林田湖草生态保护修复的内涵及理论体系。山水林田湖草生命共同体的基础理论是以生态系统生态学为支撑,基于流域生态学、恢复生态学和景观生态学的理论诠释山水林田湖草生命共同体的时空区域尺度及流域内部各生态系统之间的耦合机制,通过复合生态系统理论构建山水林田湖草生命共同体的社会、经济、自然生态系统的“架构”体系,明确了流域可持续发展是山水林田湖草生命共同体的最终发展目标。在构建山水林田湖草生态保护修复理论支撑体系的基础上,进一步总结凝练了山水林田湖草生态保护修复的技术体系,包括生态保护、修复与恢复技术、生态建设技术、生态功能提升技术、生态服务优化技术与监督管理技术等,为我国山水林田湖草生态保护修复工作提供坚实的理论和技术支撑体系。     

中亚热带植被恢复过程中崩岗土壤性质分异特征

崩岗是我国南方红壤丘陵山区坡面沟道侵蚀后期发育而成的侵蚀地貌,探讨崩岗系统植被恢复过程中不同部位土壤性质分异特征,对揭示强度侵蚀环境下土壤环境效应以及指导崩岗区生态恢复具有重要借鉴意义。以闽西南长汀县濯田镇黄泥坑崩岗群内植被盖度分别为2%、20%和95%的3处毗邻崩岗为研究对象,研究各崩岗集水坡面、崩壁(顶部、中部及底部)、崩积体(上部和下部)和沟道出口等部位0—20 cm土壤理化性质的分异特征。结果表明:土壤容重、粉粒、pH、速效养分含量均表现为崩岗Ⅲ崩岗Ⅱ≈崩岗Ⅰ,土壤有机碳、全氮、全磷和全钾含量表现为崩岗Ⅲ崩岗Ⅱ≈崩岗Ⅰ。从集水坡面至沟道出口,土壤容重和砂粒含量呈增加→减少→增加趋势,粉粒和黏粒含量呈降低变化趋势,集水坡面和崩积体有机碳、全氮、全磷和全钾含量明显高于其他部位,在崩壁顶部及沟道出口最低。从集水坡面至沟道出口,铵态氮和硝态氮含量呈先增加后减少的态势,速效钾含量呈"V"型变化态势,最低值出现在崩壁底部,速效磷和pH呈增加态势。本研究表明,崩岗系统内土壤结构和土壤养分含量总体水平较差,不同侵蚀部位土壤性质存在明显空间差异,自然植被恢复过程对土壤特性有一定的改良效应。     

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.     

Palaeolimnology as a tool to inform shallow lake management: an example from Upton Great Broad,Norfolk, UK

This palaeolimnological study investigates recent changes in the biological structure of an English shallow lake (Upton Great Broad, Norfolk). By focusing on the historical occurrence of submerged macrophytes, particularly the rare UK species, Najas marina L. (Holly-leaved Naiad), we address a management question that frequently arises for shallow lakes, namely whether to undertake sediment removal to increase water depth and/or restore conservation value. Macro-remains of aquatic macrophytes and molluscs were analysed in two littoral sediment cores and combined with other historical ecological data covering the last 100 years. Before around 1900, the lake had Chara meadows (including at least three species) and an associated species-rich community of Mollusca. Between around 1900–1970 a period of high angiosperm diversity is suggested with a reduction of Characeae and the development of patches of water-lily (particularly Nymphaea alba L.) and fen swamp in the open water. Then, after around 1970, our data indicate a rapid shift towards Najas-dominance coupled with a decrease in the seasonal length of the plant-covered period. The expansion of Najas was clearly associated with, and may even be dependent upon, a highly unusual fluid, green sediment formation that developed at the site from around the same time. Thus, despite the loss of an earlier more diverse vegetation and associated fauna, we suggest that best practice conservation may be allow natural site development and not to undertake active management such as sediment removal which might threaten the status of Najas. Our conclusion could only have been arrived at through the long-term ecological perspective that a palaeolimnological approach provides.     

Sediment Fe:PO4 ratio as a diagnostic and prognostic tool for the restoration of macrophyte biodiversity in fen waters

1. Globally, freshwater wetlands, including fen waters, are suffering from biodiversity loss due to eutrophication, water shortage and toxic substances, and to mitigate these pressures numerous restoration projects have been launched. Water quality data are generally used to evaluate the chances of reestablishment of aquatic vegetation in fen waters and shallow peat lakes. Here we investigated whether sediment characteristics, which are less prone to fluctuate in time, would result in more reliable predictions. 2. To test if sediment characteristics can indeed be used not only for an easy and early diagnosis of nutrient availability and water quality changes in fen waters, but also for the prognosis of biodiversity response, we recorded the aquatic vegetation and collected surface water, sediment pore water and sediment samples in 145 fen waters in the Netherlands, Ireland and Poland. 3. Endangered macrophyte species were more closely related to surface water chemistry than common species in terms of occurrence and abundance. Sites featuring endangered species appeared to have significantly lower turbidity and pH, and lower concentrations of SO₄, PO₄, total phosphorus (TP) and NH₄ than other sites. 4. PO₄ and TP concentrations in the water layer increased markedly at PO₄ concentrations above 5–10 μmol L^?1 in the sediment pore water. High surface water PO₄ and TP concentrations appeared to be SO₄‐induced and only occurred below certain threshold values for pore water Fe:PO₄ (3.5 mol mol^?1) and total sediment Fe:P (10 mol mol^?1). 5. Interestingly, the occurrence of endangered species also correlated strongly with sediment and sediment pore water ratios; the number of endangered species increased markedly at pore water Fe:PO₄ ratios above 1 mol mol^?1, whereas their actual abundance had the greatest increase at ratios above 10 mol mol^?1. Additionally, endangered species seemed to be more sensitive to accumulation of potentially toxic substances such as sulphide and ammonium than non‐endangered species. 6. As an indicator of both biogeochemical processes and biodiversity, pore water Fe:PO₄ ratios could be a valuable diagnostic and prognostic tool for the restoration of water quality and biodiversity in fen waters, e.g. for selecting the most promising sites for restoration and for optimization of restoration measures.     

Bird response to hydrologic restoration of montane riparian meadows

Montane riparian meadows foster biodiversity and support critical ecosystem services. A history of exploitation has left most riparian meadows throughout the Mountain West of the United States with incised channels, severely compromising their functionality. Hydrologic restoration of riparian meadows aims to increase overbank flow during spring run‐off and elevate groundwater levels in the dry season. Outcome‐based evaluations of the dominant meadow restoration methods are lacking and needed to ensure objectives are being met and to guide modifications where needed. We completed 1,282 point count surveys from 2009 to 2017 at 173 sampling locations across 31 montane riparian meadows in California restored using partial channel fill techniques (e.g. pond‐and‐plug) to evaluate the expected outcome of increased abundance of meadow birds. We analyzed trends in abundance for 12 focal bird species from 1 to 18 years after hydrologic restoration, substituting space for time in our mixed effects Poisson regression models that included covariates for the amount of riparian deciduous vegetation (RDV) before restoration, stream flow, precipitation, and temperature. We found evidence for a positive effect of time since restoration on abundance for 6 of the 12 species. Although pre‐restoration RDV cover was the most frequently supported predictor of abundance, high pre‐restoration cover of RDV slowed response rates for only two species, suggesting other elements of hydrologic function are also important for meadow birds. Drawing on our results, we provide suggestions for enhancing hydrologic restoration efforts in riparian meadows so that benefits may accrue more quickly to more bird species.     

Differential Responses of Epiphytic and Planktonic Toxic Cyanobacteria to Allelopathic Substances of the Submerged Macrophyte Stratiotes aloides

The present study investigates the allelopathic effects of Stratiotes aloides on the growth and antioxidative biomarkers of epiphytic and planktonic toxic cyanobacteria in a batch experiment over a 15‐day exposure to different concentrations of aqueous acetone extract of this macrophyte. The results showed that epiphytic and planktonic species of cyanobacteria showed differential responses to the allelopathic activity of this macrophyte. S. aloides extract reduced the growth, alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) and toxin production of the planktonic cyanobacterium, Anabaena variabilis, with an increase in lipid peroxidation, glutathione and activities of antioxidative enzymes of this cyanobacterium. Conversely, this extract did not affect the growth and increased the toxin production in epiphytic cyanobacteria, with no significant effect on lipid peroixdation or the activities of APA and antioxidative enzymes of these species. This study is the first to suggest that the macrophyte S. aloides supports the growth and toxin production of its epiphytic cyanobacteria. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Governance and forest landscape restoration: A framework to support decision-making

Governance challenges are frequently underestimated in forest landscape restoration. Forest restoration practitioners are generally foresters or ecologists and their focus tends to be limited to the specific restoration interventions themselves, such as removing exotic species, protecting sites for natural regeneration and re-planting indigenous trees. Indeed there are many technical challenges, unknowns in technical aspects of forest landscape restoration and knowledge gaps. However, and even more so when dealing with large scales, additional challenges that fall under the governance umbrella such as tenure, policy measures and institutions have a significant impact on restoration, influencing it either positively or negatively. Conversely, the landscape-scale restoration work itself can influence and shape governance arrangements. This paper attempts to explore this wider relationship between large scale forest restoration − and specifically forest landscape restoration (FLR) − and governance. It is intended to assist and provide guidance to forest landscape restoration practitioners, researchers and policymakers on the consideration and importance of governance, and alternative ways in which the two-way relationship (between governance and FLR) plays out. A framework is proposed to support practitioners, researchers and decision-makers to address governance in forest landscape restoration.