A comparison of dipterans from ten created and ten natural wetlands

Published source details Streever W.J., Portier K.M. & Crisman T.L. (1996) A comparison of dipterans from ten created and ten natural wetlands. Wetlands, 16, 416-428.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Restore/create freshwater marshes or swamps (specific action unclear) Action Link

Restore/create freshwater marshes or swamps (specific action unclear)

A replicated, site comparison study in 1993 of 20 freshwater marshes in Florida, USA (Streever et al. 1996) found that stands dominated by pickerelweed Pontederia cordata had similar vegetation cover and density in created and natural marshes. After 1–11 years, pickerelweed-dominated stands contained a statistically similar abundance of vegetation in created marshes and natural marshes. This was true for pickerelweed cover (created: 54%; natural: 55%) and density (created: 157 stems/m²; natural: 164 stems/m²). Ignoring one unusual natural site, the same was also true for non-pickerelweed cover (created: 20%; natural: 39%) and density (created: 31 stems/m²; natural: 35 stems/m²). Twelve plant species were recorded in pickerelweed stands across all the created marshes (vs 15 species in natural marshes). Methods: In summer 1993, vegetation was surveyed in pickerelweed-dominated stands within ten marshes created after mining, and ten natural marshes (fifteen 0.5-m² quadrats/marsh). All marshes were 1–80 ha in area. Created marshes had been excavated between 1982 and 1992. Some were probably amended with wetland soil and/or planted with wetland plants, although details of wetland creation are not clear. The study did not attempt to measure the overall vegetation composition of the marshes, only that of pickerelweed stands.

(Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)