Study

Plant regenerative strategies after a major disturbance: the case of a riverine wetland restoration

  • Published source details Combroux I.C.S., Bornette G. & Amoros C. (2002) Plant regenerative strategies after a major disturbance: the case of a riverine wetland restoration. Wetlands, 22, 234-246.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Reprofile/relandscape: freshwater marshes

Action Link
Marsh and Swamp Conservation
  1. Reprofile/relandscape: freshwater marshes

    A before-and-after, site comparison study in 1983–1999 of two marshes within a cut-off meander in France (Combroux et al. 2002) reported that after one marsh was reprofiled and isolated from the river channel, its plant community composition changed and species richness increased. Statistical significance was not assessed. Community data were reported as graphical analyses, species abundance scores and statistical model results. Over the 12 years before intervention, both marshes were developing cover of few, dominant plant species. The plant community composition was becoming less variable across each marsh and the number of plant species was declining (e.g. to 17 species in one marsh in 1997). In the year after intervention, plant community variation had increased across the reprofiled marsh, but remained relatively stable in the unmanaged marsh. Excavated areas of the reprofiled marsh developed a different plant community (dominated by invasive Nuttall’s pondweed Elodea nutallii) to areas of the marsh where sediment had been added (dominated by emergent species). In the two summers after intervention, the reprofiled marsh contained 20 and 21 plant species. Methods: The study used a meander that was cut off from its river at one end. In June 1998, one section still joined the river (and thus drained when the river level dropped in the summer) was reprofiled to maintain water levels. Excess silt was removed, and one end was plugged to isolate the section from the river channel. Another section of the meander (naturally isolated from the river) was not reprofiled and was used as a reference. Plant species and their abundance (combination of cover and patchiness) were recorded in summer before (1983, 1992, 1997) and after (1998, 1999) reprofiling, along 5–7 transects/marsh.

    (Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)

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