Wetland Communities Research Articles

The Effects of Secondary Growth of Spartina alterniflora after Treatment on Sediment Microorganisms in the Yellow River Delta.

As a typical invasive species, Spartina alterniflora is widely recognized as one of the primary threats to biodiversity in various habitats, including wetlands. Although the invasion by S. alterniflora has been managed in multiple ways, it may reappear after treatment. How S. alterniflora affects the soil microbial community in coastal wetlands during its regeneration process has not yet been clarified. Here, rhizosphere soil samples (RSPs) and bulk soil samples (SSPs) were collected in the S. alterniflora community and a high-throughput sequencing method was conducted to analyze the composition and diversity of soil microorganisms. Meanwhile, we also obtain the soil physicochemical properties. In the present study, there was no significant difference in the alpha diversity of both bacterial and fungal communities in the SSP and RSP groups. The PCoA (principal coordinate analysis) also showed that the microbial community structure did not differ significantly between the SSP and RSP groups. The results showed that except for pH, the total sulfur (TS) content, total nitrogen (TN) content, and electrical conductivity (EC) did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between the SSP and RSP groups. The composition of the bacterial and fungal community in the rhizosphere of S. alterniflora was similar to that found in the surrounding soils. The top two dominant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria and Desulfobacterota in the present study. Venn diagram results also support this view; most OTUs belong to the common OTUs of the two groups, and the proportion of unique OTUs is relatively small. The LEfSe (LDA effect size) analysis showed that Campylobacterota (at the phylum level) and Sulfurimonas (at the genus level) significantly increased in the RSP group, implying that the increased Sulfurimonas might play an essential role in the invasion by S. alterniflora during the under-water period. Overall, these results suggest that the bacterial and fungal communities were not significantly affected by the S. alterniflora invasion due to the short invasion time.

Spatial distribution of soil iron across different plant communities along a hydrological gradient in the Yellow River Estuary wetland

Iron is an important element and its biogeochemical processes are vital to the matter and energy cycles of wetland ecosystems. Hydrology greatly controls characteristics of soil property and plant community in wetlands, which can regulate the behavior of iron and its oxides. However, it remains unclear how the spatial distribution of iron and its forms in estuarine wetlands responses to hydrological conditions. Five typical plant communities along a naturally hydrological gradient in the Yellow River Estuary wetland, including Phragmites australis in freshwater marsh (FPA), Phragmites australis in salt marsh (SPA), Tamarix chinensis in salt marsh (TC), Suaeda salsa in salt marsh (SS) and Spartina alterniflora in salt marsh (SA), as sites to collect soil samples. The total iron (FeT) and three iron oxides (complexed iron, Fep; amorphous iron, Feo; free iron, Fed) in samples were determined to clarify the spatial distribution of iron and explore its impact factors. The mean contents of FeT, Fep, Feo and Fed were 28079.4, 152.0, 617.2 and 8285.3 mg⋅kg–1 of soil at 0–40 cm depth in the different sites, respectively. The means were significantly different across communities along the hydrological gradient, with the higher values for SA on the upper intertidal zone and for SPA on the lower intertidal zone, respectively. Iron and its forms were positively correlated with the total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total nitrogen (TN) and clay, and negatively correlated with electrical conductivity (EC). The indexes of iron oxides (Fep/Fed, Feo/Fed and Fed/FeT) were also different across communities, with a higher value for SA, which were positively correlated with soil water content (WC) and TOC. The results indicate that a variety of plant community and soil property derived from the difference of hydrology might result in a spatial heterogeneity of iron in estuarine wetlands.

Wetlands Reserve Program restorations improve floristic quality of understory plant community over time, but community differs from reference wetlands

The lower Mississippi River Valley and connecting tributaries have lost an estimated 80% of original bottomland hardwood forested wetlands to agricultural conversion. For the past three decades, the Wetlands Reserve Program has restored thousands of wetlands with the objective of recovering wetland functions and supporting wildlife diversity. To inform future restoration decisions, we assessed the recovery of the naturally colonizing understory plant community in wetlands restored from row‐crop agriculture in western Kentucky, U.S.A. We measured six floristic variables in 16 wetlands along a gradient of disturbance (degraded, restored, and reference) and a chronosequence ranging from 0 to 13 years since restoration. We found that reference wetlands had significantly higher floristic quality and a higher proportion of woody and perennial species than restored wetlands. Over time, the proportion of non‐native species decreased in restored wetlands and floristic quality increased. The successional trajectory of naturally colonizing plant communities in restored wetlands was likely inhibited by dispersal limitations, thus future projects should focus on optimizing project locations to increase recruitment, continue afforestation efforts for heavy seeded trees, and consider planting native understory species. Long‐term project monitoring, approximately three decades, will likely provide deeper insight into recovery trajectory. With ongoing biodiversity loss and the effects of climate change, the success of wetland restorations has important local and global implications.

Enriching our knowledge of Late Cretaceous wetland plant communities: Zlatkovia crenulata gen. et sp. nov., an amphibious angiosperm from the St. Mary River Formation, Alberta, Canada

Sixty-seven coalified compression specimens of leaves, one attached to a stem, have been found in the St. Mary River Formation (uppermost Campanian–lowermost Maastrichtian, Upper Cretaceous) near Cardston, Alberta, Canada. Leaves have long multi-veined petioles with clasping bases, and an ellipsoid to obovate lamina with a convex to almost flat apex, and a crenate margin with one order of convex-convex chloranthoid teeth with angular sinuses. Tooth apices often end in a small concavity interpreted as a hydathode. Several primary veins enter the lamina in a flabellate manner. The central primary vein branches pinnately while lateral primaries, dichotomize toward the margin producing a reticulodromous pattern of secondaries. Secondaries arising from the lateral primary veins are the result of consistent dichotomies and anastomoses with a concurrent loss of gauge. Tertiary veins are alternate percurrent, and quaternaries form an irregular reticulate fabric. Quaternary veins form polygonal areoles with freely ending veinlets. Some specimens show a polygonal pattern of sub-epidermal aerenchyma like that of many other aquatics. Plants are compared to other fossil aquatic taxa, including those from the St. Mary River Formation and extant members of Ranunculaceae, Menyanthaceae and Nymphaeaceae. The specimens are described as a new amphibious aquatic: Zlatkovia crenulata Rothwell & Stockey gen. et sp. nov., eudicot family incertae sedis. This assemblage meaningfully enriches our understanding of aquatic and adjacent wetland habitats near the close of the Cretaceous, and emphasizes that the structure of modern wetland communities was well established before the end of the Mesozoic.

Floodplain ecology: A novel wetland community of the Amazon

An expedition to the upper estuarine reaches of the Amazon River reveals intriguing overlap of tropical mangrove wetlands with riverine floodplain forests. This newly discovered type of forested wetland assemblage may provide a uniquely process-rich carbon hotspot.

Effects of Land Use Conversion on the Soil Microbial Community Composition and Functionality in the Urban Wetlands of North-Eastern China

Urban wetlands are undergoing intensive conversion from natural wetlands to farmlands, woodlands, and even alkaline land. This study aimed to determine the effects of land conversion on soil microbial communities of urban wetlands in the hinterland of Songnen Plain, Northeastern China. Soil samples were collected from various sites of Longfeng wetland, including swamp wetland (SW), meadow wetland (MW), woodland (WL), farmland (FL), and alkaline land (AL). High-throughput sequencing followed by bioinformatic analysis was conducted to evaluate the structure, composition, and function of soil bacterial and fungal communities. The most dominant bacterial and fungal phylum among the land-use types were Proteobacteria and Ascomycota, respectively. In addition, the bacterial diversity and functions varied significantly across different land-use types. However, no remarkable differences in fungal communities were observed under various land-use types. Edaphic parameters, including exchange sodium percent (ESP) and total nitrogen (TN), remarkably influenced the abundance and diversity of soil microbial communities. These results show that land-use type shapes various aspects of soil microbial communities, including soil physicochemical properties, microbial taxa structure, potential functional genes, and correlation with environmental factors. This study provides reliable data to guide land use management and supervision by decision-makers in this region.

Wetland health, water quality, and resident perceptions of declining ecosystem services: a case study of Mount Abu, Rajasthan, India.

Ecosystem services provided by wetlands are essential for communities living near wetlands, especially in an underdeveloped semi-arid landscape. The land use land cover changes and ecosystem degradation and water quality change over the past few decades have had immense effects on declining wetland ecosystem services. With the degradation, it is exerting superfluous effects on wetland communities including loss of livelihood, and decline in other wetland services like fishing, aquaculture, fuelwood, fodder, and many more. The present study attempts to assess the changing nature of wetland health, water quality, and declining ecosystem services of Mount Abu wetlands in Rajasthan, India. For assessing the change of wetland extent, we have used the remote sensing-based data for preparation of land use land cover change from 1992 to 2020. The water samples have been collected from the wetland, and different biophysical parameters of the water have been tested in the laboratory. A questionnaire-based household survey has been conducted to understand the perception of the wetland communities on the loss of ecosystem services over three decades. Further, a correlation and cluster assessment has been conducted to understand the degradation of wetland health in the selected wetlands. The study results indicated deteriorating conditions of wetland health and declining ecosystem services in the study area over the time periods. The land use land cover change analysis indicated a decrease in the spatial extent of the wetlands in the study area. Wetland communities are being affected due to the degradation of wetland health. The study recommended executing a wetland management plan for long-term conservation and livelihood management for the Mount Abu wetlands and communities.

Macroinvertebrate communities in high mountain desert wetlands: Building biological indexes to address the vulnerability of species and communities

Abstract Andean wetlands in arid climates are isolated ecosystems surrounded by steep terrain and have crucial relevance as a water resource. The species inhabiting them are adapted to these habitats and vulnerable to environmental changes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the vulnerability of invertebrate aquatic species to climate change and organic pollution through an index adapted from the species distributional models (SDM) score [vulnerability of aquatic invertebrate species index (Vais)], and the vulnerability of the invertebrate communities through an index developed herein [wetland community vulnerability index (Wcv)]. The Vais index ranges from 1 (highly vulnerable) to 0 (non‐vulnerable species). It was calculated for 22 species of the orders Coleoptera, Ephemeroptera, Hemiptera, and Odonata. According to our results, the most vulnerable species belong to the orders Ephemeroptera (2) and Odonata (8) (scores 0.63–0.76); species with medium vulnerability belong to the orders Coleoptera (1) Ephemeroptera (1), Hemiptera (4) and Odonata (1) (scores 0.43–0.54); and the most tolerant species belong to the orders Coleoptera (2) and Hemiptera (3) (0.31–0.29). The Wcv index was calculated for 31 communities in Andean wetlands. Lower Wcv values correspond to less vulnerable communities and higher values to more vulnerable communities. According to our results, communities can be divided into three groups: the most vulnerable (scores 0.61–0.71), the ones with medium vulnerability (scores 0.49–0.59), and the least vulnerable (scores 0.33–0.48). The Vais and Wcv indexes are useful tools for evaluating the vulnerability of aquatic species and wetland communities, providing valuable information for defining conservation strategies.

Features of Plant Community and Driving Forces of Plant Community Succession in the Typical Desert Wetlands

Desert wetlands play a significant role in flood regulation, water purification, biodiversity maintenance, and regional ecological environment improvement. Vegetation is a key factor affecting wetland function and it is important to study the features of plant community and the driving forces of plant community succession. The Ningxia Habahu National Nature Reserve, a typical desert wetland ecosystem, was selected to study the features of wetland plant communities including plant density, biomass and frequency, and vegetation coverage, as well as the habitats, structural characteristics, species composition, dominant population structure, and other characteristics of different ecosystems. Data was collected using long-term fixed-point observation, sampling monitoring, and other methods. The results showed that the total plant density, total biomass, Magalef index and Shannon–Wiener index of the different desert wetlands in the reserve area were all relatively low, which was caused by the poor habitat and salinization of the arid environment. There was no significant difference between the root–shoot ratio of the wetland plants in the reserve area and that of the construct species of other ecosystems. The specific leaf area of the wetland plants was also not significantly different from that of the construct species of other ecosystems. Vegetation nitrogen-to-phosphorus (N/P) ratios were found to be the key driving force for the succession of plant community in the desert wetlands. These results not only provide underlying insights for the improvement of species diversity and ecological environment, but also provide a scientific basis for the sustainable protection and restoration of typical desert wetlands.

Exploring the Influence of the Interaction of Climate Change, Manmade Threats and COVID-19 on the Livelihoods of Wetland Communities in Sub-Saharan Africa

Wetlands are very important because of the wide range of ecosystem services they provide. Despite their ecological, social and environmental importance, these ecosystems are threatened and fragmented under the combined effects of climate change (CC) and man-made activities (MMA). Such a state of things could be exacerbated by the advent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with its many implications. In order to help decision-makers take good decisions, the combined effect of CC, MMA and COVID-19 on the livelihoods of communities around wetland ecosystems have been reviewed based on available scientific knowledge. First, we analyzed the different concepts and theories underlying the wetlands-related studies and then summarized the merits and demerits of the different methodologies underlying wetland studies. The empirical evidences that exist in previous literatures have been highlighted. Similarly, common livelihood strategies for wetland communities in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have been highlighted. The diversity of wetlands’ functions and services makes them a source of livelihood, food security and poverty alleviation for riverside communities. However, these communities lack the knowledge and awareness to understand the impact of their activities and CC on their livelihoods. The review also helped to identify that, out of the three factors investigated, the livelihoods of rural wetland dwellers in SSA are mostly influenced by CC and MMA. However, climate change and COVID-19 remain life-altering transboundary threats that extend in space and time, with large uncertainties on wetlands communities livelihoods.

Effects of Environment and Human Activities on Plant Diversity in Wetlands along the Yellow River in Henan Province, China

Background and Objectives: The Yellow River is the sixth longest river in the world, and it is considered the mother river of China. Biodiversity conservation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River is an urgent concern due to the impact of topography, sediment deposition, and human activities. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the diversity of plant communities in wetlands along the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River from the perspectives of the natural environment and human disturbance. Materials and Methods: In this study, 830 plots were set up in seven nature reserves in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River to investigate wetland plant diversity. The distribution characteristics of plant diversity and the effects of environmental and human activities on plant diversity were analyzed. Results: (1) A total of 184 plant species belonging to 52 families and 135 genera were found in the seven nature reserves. Network analysis showed that the connectance index was 0.3018. (2) Betadisper analysis followed by ANOVA revealed differences in the community composition of the wetland plants (F = 21.123, p < 0.001) in the different nature reserves. (3) Analysis of variation partitioning indicated that the effects of pure environmental factors (elevation, precipitation, evaporation, and temperature) on the beta diversity of the wetland plants in the nature reserves was the strongest (15.45% and 17.08%, respectively), followed by the effects of pure human disturbance factors (population density, industrial output value, and agricultural output value) (15.13% and 16.71%, respectively). Conclusions: Variations occurred in the assemblage characteristics of the wetland plants in the different Yellow River wetland nature reserves. The wetland species exhibited strong associations with the reserves in the Yellow River wetland in Henan Province. Elevation, longitude, precipitation, and evaporation were important factors that affected the diversity of wetland plants in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River in China. The findings provide insights into plant biodiversity conservation in riverine wetlands.

Can functional leaf traits be used for monitoring wetland restoration? A comparison between commonly used monitoring metrics and functional leaf traits

Monitoring is essential to restoration, but the standard metrics used to monitor wetland restoration do not explicitly account for function in plant communities. Functional traits may be a useful addition to the wetland monitoring toolkit, because they can represent aspects of ecosystem functioning that standard metrics may not. Our objective was to determine how abiotic factors that influence wetland community composition and structure relate to both functional leaf traits and standard vegetation monitoring metrics to determine if functional leaf traits could add a functional component to wetland monitoring. We surveyed 66 100-m2 plots in 22 floodplain wetlands in Illinois that were restored between 1997 and 2010. We used plant species data to calculate the mean coefficient of conservatism (mean C) and richness, and collected leaves to determine community weighted means of specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC) at each plot. Hydrologic data were used to calculate variables related to frequency, depth, and duration of inundation, and soil samples were collected to determine soil pH, organic matter content, and nitrogen and phosphorous content at each plot. We used structural equation models to understand how predictor variables (hydrological variables, soil variables, canopy cover, time since restoration, and latitude) influenced each other, and ultimately how they influenced response variables (mean C, richness, percent non-native species cover, SLA, and LDMC). LDMC and SLA were poorly explained by predictor variables and had relatively few significant relationships within models. Predictor variables best explained variance in mean C, followed by percent non-native cover, richness, then LDMC and SLA. Mean C was positively influenced by canopy cover and negatively influenced by soil fertility, whereas richness was negatively influenced by latitude. There was a strong latitudinal gradient of species richness from north to south, such that southern plots were significantly more diverse and had less cover by non-native species than northern plots. Our research suggests that SLA and LDMC may not be well suited for use as wetland restoration monitoring tools in Midwestern floodplain wetlands, and that monitoring tools already in place may sufficiently reflect abiotic conditions.

The first fossil record of a giant horsetail (Equisetum, Equisetaceae) is from the Miocene of Patagonia, Argentina

A Miocene macroflora recovered from Ñirihuau Formation sediments exposed at Quebrada Vera site in northwesterern Patagonia, Argentina, is recorded and described for the first time. The assemblage is composed exclusively of free-sporing plants, mainly by Equisetum remains with subordinate occurrences of four fern morphotypes (represented by bi-, tri- and pinnate fronds). Equisetum imprints and molds include distinctive jointed stems with whorls of linear and basally fused leaves, numerous scars of lateral branches arranged in a radially symmetrical pattern situated at the nodes, and nodal diaphragms of up to 4 cm in diameter. The large size and regular branching of the stems link the fossils to the South American giant members of the genus and they probably represent a new fossil species. This is the first conclusive fossil record of a giant Equisetum worldwide, and consequently, it is biogeographically and evolutionarily relevant. The new findings attest that members of the giant horsetail clade were components of the Patagonian vegetation in the Miocene, implying that the age of the clade must predate that estimated from morphological and/or molecular data. The plant fossil assemblage represents part of a wetland community probably growing close to a riverside or lakeshore in coincidence with previous sedimentological estimates.

The Effects of Drainage on the Soil Fungal Community in Freshwater Wetlands

Wetland drainage has been intensively implemented globally, and it has exerted significant effects on wetland ecosystems. The effects of wetland drainage on the soil fungal community remain to be clarified. Soil samples were collected at depths of 0–5 and 5–10 cm in freshwater Phragmites australis wetlands to investigate changes in the fungal community before and after drainage (termed FW and DFW, respectively) using high-throughput sequencing of the fungal-specific internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) gene region. No significant differences in the α diversity of the soil fungal community were found in 0–10 cm soils between FW and DFW (p > 0.05), except for the abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE) and Chao1 indices in 5–10 cm soils. Significantly higher values of ACE and Chao1 in 5–10 cm soils in FW than in DFW indicated that wetland drainage may reduce fungal community richness in 5–10 cm soils. Ascomycota, Sordariomycetes, and Cephalothecaceae were the dominant fungal phylum, class, and family, respectively, in 0–5 and 5–10 cm soils of both FW and DFW, representing as high as 76.17, 58.22, and 45.21% of the fungal community in 5–10 FW soils, respectively. Saprotrophic fungi predominated in both FW and DFW. Drainage altered both the fungal community structure and some edaphic factors. Mantel tests and Spearman correlation analyses implied that edaphic factors [i.e., soil organic matter (SOM), electronic conductivity (EC), pH, and clay] also affected soil fungal community structure. Overall, wetland drainage altered the community structure of the fungal community in the freshwater wetlands.

High Nutritional Vulnerability and Associated Risk Factors of Bangladeshi Wetland Community People Aged 50 Years and Older

People aged 50 years and over often show nutritional vulnerability in South Asia, including Bangladesh. Consequently, they present physical weakness and illness that escalate overtime. Community-focused investigations have the potential to inform healthcare interventions in Bangladesh, but current studies examine older adults’ nutrition status which are not all-encompassing (e.g., wetland communities). We, therefore, assessed the malnutrition status among wetland community-dwelling older adults aged ≥50 years in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 400 older adults living in the north-eastern wetland community of the country through simple random sampling. Demographics and general health information were collected using a structured questionnaire, and the Nestlé Mini Nutrition Assessment—Short Form was used to assess nutrition status. Respondents’ socio-demographic and health profiles were assessed, and the Pearson Chi-square test was performed to identify the associated risk factors of malnutrition. The prevalence of malnutrition and risk of malnutrition were 59.75 and 39.75 percent, respectively. The malnutrition prevalence rate was higher with increasing of age and females were more malnourished than males. Age, gender, educational status, occupation, and income were significantly associated with the participants’ malnutrition. The wetland community-dwelling people suffering from sleep disorders and having poor health condition, were found to be more malnourished. The findings confirm that the prevalence of malnutrition and risk of malnutrition are high among the wetland community-dwelling people aged ≥50 years. Our findings suggest health professionals to implement public health nutrition surveillance and clinical interventions simultaneously in wetland elderly to improve nutritional status of this cohort.

Classifying vegetation communities karst wetland synergistic use of image fusion and object-based machine learning algorithm with Jilin-1 and UAV multispectral images

Fine classification of wetland vegetation communities using machine learning algorithm and high spatial resolution images have attracted increased attention. However, there exist several challenges in image fusion, data dimension reduction and algorithm tuning. To resolve these issues, this paper attempts to fuse Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) images with spaceborne Jilin-1 (JL101K) multispectral images for classifying vegetation communities of karst wetland using the optimized Random Forest (RF), Extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and Light Gradient Boosting (LightGBM) algorithms. This study also quantitatively evaluates image fusion quality from spatial detail and spectral fidelity, and explores the effects of different image feature combinations and classifiers on mapping vegetation communities by variable selection and dimensionality reduction. Finally, this paper further evaluates and quantifies the importance and contribution rate of feature variables for typical vegetation communities using Recursive feature elimination (RFE) algorithm. The results showed that: (1) the Gram-Schmidt (GS)algorithm produced the high-quality fusion image of JL101K and UAV, and the fusion image achieved higher overall accuracy (82.8%) than the original JL101K multispectral image; (2) UAV multispectral image and its derivatives (scheme 3) achieved the highest overall accuracy (87.8%) in all classification schemes; (3) The optimized object-based LightGBM algorithm outperformed XGBoost and RF algorithm, which provided an improvement of 0.6%∼3.5% in overall accuracy (OA). McNemar's test indicated that there existed significant differences in vegetation communities’ classification between the three algorithms. (4) The average accuracy (AA) of vegetation communities in karst wetlands was mainly ranged from 60% to 90%. The water hyacinth and herbaceous vegetation were sensitive to the Mean Digital Surface Model (DSM) and Standard RedEdge band.

Presence of the Herbaceous Marsh Species Schoenoplectus americanus Enhances Surface Elevation Gain in Transitional Coastal Wetland Communities Exposed to Elevated CO2 and Sediment Deposition Events.

Coastal wetlands are dynamic ecosystems that exist along a landscape continuum that can range from freshwater forested wetlands to tidal marsh to mudflat communities. Climate-driven stressors, such as sea-level rise, can cause shifts among these communities, resulting in changes to ecological functions and services. While a growing body of research has characterized the landscape-scale impacts of individual climate-driven stressors, little is known about how multiple stressors and their potential interactions will affect ecological functioning of these ecosystems. How will coastal wetlands respond to discrete climate disturbances, such as hurricane sediment deposition events, under future conditions of elevated atmospheric CO2? Will these responses vary among the different wetland communities? We conducted experimental greenhouse manipulations to simulate sediment deposition from a land-falling hurricane under future elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations (720 ppm CO2). We measured responses of net primary production, decomposition, and elevation change in mesocosms representing four communities along a coastal wetland landscape gradient: freshwater forested wetland, forest/marsh mix, marsh, and mudflat. When Schoenoplectus americanus was present, above- and belowground biomass production was highest, decomposition rates were lowest, and wetland elevation gain was greatest, regardless of CO2 and sediment deposition treatments. Sediment addition initially increased elevation capital in all communities, but post-deposition rates of elevation gain were lower than in mesocosms without added sediment. Together these results indicate that encroachment of oligohaline marshes into freshwater forested wetlands can enhance belowground biomass accumulation and resilience to sea-level rise, and these plant-mediated ecosystem services will be augmented by periodic sediment pulses from storms and restoration efforts.

Effects of Spartina alterniflora invasion on the community structure and diversity of wetland soil bacteria in the Yellow River Delta.

The exotic plant Spartina alterniflora is expanding rapidly along China's coast regions, seriously threatening native ecosystems. Soil bacteria are important for biogeochemical cycles, including those of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, in wetland ecosystems. There is growing evidence that microorganisms are important in case of plant invasion. In the present study, we studied the interlacing area of S. alterniflora and Suaeda heteroptera, selected soil of invaded and non‐invaded regions and explored the effect of the composition and diversity of bacterial communities in coastal wetlands. The bacterial community composition of invasive and noninvasive areas was subjected to high‐throughput sequencing. In the five areas tested, the main bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria, Bacteroides, and Acidobacteria; the richness of the bacterial community in the soil increased after S. alterniflora invasion, most changes occurred at the genus level. The relative abundances of Desulfobulbus and Sulfurovum were higher in invasive areas than in noninvaded areas. PCA, RDA, and LEfSe analyses found that the S. alterniflora invasion significantly influenced the bacterial community and physicochemical properties of wetland soil. In conclusion, soil microbial community composition was tightly associated with S. alterniflora invasion. This study provide an important scientific basis for further research on the invasion mechanism of S. alterniflora.

Potential impacts of emerald ash borer and adaptation strategies on wildlife communities in black ash wetlands.

Black ash wetlands cover approximately 1.2 million ha of wetland forest in the western Great Lakes region, providing critical habitat for wildlife. The future of these wetlands is critically threatened by a variety of factors, including emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis; emerald ash borer [EAB]), which has been eliminating native populations of otherwise healthy ash throughout the Great Lakes region since it was discovered in 2002. To quantify the potential impacts of tree mortality from EAB on wildlife communities, we measured seasonal bird, mammal, and amphibian diversity in black ash wetlands using a dual approach: (1) documenting bird and amphibian species across 27 mature reference black ash wetlands in northern Minnesota, USA and (2) assessing how bird, mammal, and amphibian communities respond to experimental manipulations of black ash forests that emulate mortality and management strategies related to the potential impact of EAB. In total, 85 wildlife species were recorded for the entire study including 57 bird species, 5 amphibian species, and 23 mammal species. Results from the reference sites show that hydrologic regime, percentage of ash canopy cover, and understory cover were important habitat characteristics for bird and amphibian communities. Results from the experimental sites show there may be short-term increases in species richness for mammal and bird communities associated with changes in forest structure due to ash mortality; however, anticipated changes resulting from EAB-caused mortality, particularly the conversion of these sites to non-forested wetlands, will lead to significant shifts in bird and mammal community composition. Loss of ash may cause declines in forest-dependent species and increases in open-canopy and wetland-associated species. Additionally, whereas increased ponding extent and longer hydroperiods may be beneficial for some amphibian species, the loss of the forest canopy will result in an overall decrease in bird diversity and reduce forest connectivity for all species. Our results indicate the potential for significant large-scale impacts of black ash mortality on forest-associated wildlife. Management strategies that focus on establishing alternative trees species to maintain long-term forest cover and structural complexity in these wetlands will help to maintain and conserve wildlife diversity.

Comparing Social Sustainability: Traditional Practices in Wooden Houses with Contemporary Practices in Masonry Houses in Munshiganj

Contemporary lifestyle, needs, and advancements have resulted in replacing the unique indigenous practices of the traditional wetland communities with modern methods and materials. Higher consideration of environmental concerns in the 21st century has shadowed pressing societal concerns in the sustainability assessment paradigm. The social aspects impact the lifestyle, adaptability, as well as behavior of the inhabitants, especially in developing countries. The objective of the present study is to evaluate and compare social sustainability in the traditional wooden houses of Munshiganj, Bangladesh, with contemporary masonry houses through social sustainability indicators. Empirical data is collected through a series of on-site workshops. The study also follows an innovative approach of collecting users’ feedback through a questionnaire survey. The findings of the study indicate that within a proposed set of indicators, the traditional practices adopted in a wooden house have higher social sustainability than the contemporary practices made of brick and cement.