The Effect of Wetland Restoration on Arthropod Communities
Date
2012-05
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
The objectives of this project were to study how restoration of a wetland
affected the biodiversity of terrestrial arthropods. The wetland restoration site was
originally filled with invasive reed canary grass. Terrestrial invertebrates at this site
were compared to those in a meadow dominated by native plants, and a non-restored
site dominated by reed canary grass. Each week during the summers of 2010 and
2011, samples were collected of terrestrial invertebrates in three sites by sweeping
along fixed transects. Arthropods were identified to species units, counted, and
weighed. The plants in each site were identified as well. A total of 38,241 arthropods
were sampled in this study. From April to early June 2010, the meadow and wetland
restoration sites were similar with few significant differences in abundance, species
richness, species diversity, or arthropod biomass. Following the herbicide and
mowing treatments required to restore the wetland in early June, invertebrates
declined in abundance, diversity and biomass in the wetland restoration site. In the
following year, the wetland restoration site recovered in terms of both plant and
arthropod diversity and abundance. From July 2011 onward, arthropods at the wetland
restoration site generally showed an increase in terms of abundance, species richness,
species diversity, and biomass to levels greater than the reed canary grass site, and
equal to or greater than the meadow site. I conclude that removal of reed canary grass and reseeding with native plants leads to rapid recovery of arthropod herbivores,
predator and parasitoids.
Description
Keywords
wetland restoration, terrestrial arthropod communities