Abstract
This collection of papers provides insights into methods and data currently available to quantify the benefits associated with estuarine habitat restoration projects in the northern Gulf of Mexico, USA, with potential applicability to other coastal systems. Extensive habitat restoration is expected to occur in the northern Gulf of Mexico region over the next several decades through funding associated with the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Papers in this section examine the development of vegetation, soil properties, invertebrate fauna, and nekton communities in restored coastal marshes and provide a conceptual framework for applying these findings to quantify the benefits associated with compensatory marsh restoration. Extensive meta-analysis of existing data for Gulf of Mexico coastal habitats further confirms that structured habitats such as marsh, submerged aquatic vegetation, and oyster reefs support greater nekton densities than nonvegetated bottom habitat, with oyster reefs supporting different species assemblages than marsh and submerged aquatic vegetation. Other papers demonstrate that while vegetation cover can establish rapidly within the first 5 years of restoration, belowground parameters such as root biomass and soil organic matter remain 44% to 92% lower at restored marshes than reference marshes 15 years after restoration. On average, amphipod and nekton densities are also not fully restored until at least 20 and 13 years following restoration, respectively. Additional papers present methods to estimate the benefits associated with marsh restoration projects, nekton productivity associated with coastal and estuarine habitats, and the benefits associated with the removal of derelict crab traps in Gulf of Mexico estuaries.
Highlights
A common goal of ecological restoration is to establish habitat that is self-sustaining and resembles natural conditions in both structure and function (Thayer et al 2003; Turner and Streever 2002)
Key questions remain about how to re-establish and sustain key ecological functions over time. These questions include the following: (1) to what extent do mature restoration projects function to natural habitats?; (2) what is the rate of development for specific ecological functions?; (3) what additional data are needed to reduce uncertainty in the rates of development of ecological functions?; (4) what restoration actions might increase the rates of development for desired functions?; and (5) are there synergies between different types of restoration projects that enhance restoration outcomes?
The restoration trajectory or the rate of development of ecological structure and functions and the time required for restored habitats to resemble to Estuaries and Coasts (2020) 43:1680–1691 natural habitats, can have important implications for setting realistic expectations and calculating compensatory restoration requirements (e.g., Fonseca et al 2000; Strange et al 2002)
Summary
A common goal of ecological restoration is to establish habitat that is self-sustaining and resembles natural conditions in both structure and function (Thayer et al 2003; Turner and Streever 2002). This substantial investment in coastal habitat restoration is intended to provide broad ecosystem benefits, including provision of food, shelter, and spawning and nursery areas, to help restore the wide range of species and life stages that were injured by the spill. The papers identify gaps where additional data collection would improve the understanding of functional development and benefits to associated faunal resources, providing a foundation for future restoration work in the region and an approach that could be applied in other regions
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