Wetland Restoration Research Articles

Global complexities and challenges in the restoration of hypersaline coastal wetlands

Global complexities and challenges in the restoration of hypersaline coastal wetlands

Telomere-to-telomere Phragmites australis reference genome assembly with a B chromosome provides insights into its evolution and polysaccharide biosynthesis

Phragmites australis is a globally distributed grass species (Poaceae) recognized for its vast biomass and exceptional environmental adaptability, making it an ideal model for studying wetland ecosystems and plant stress resilience. However, genomic resources for this species have been limited. In this study, we assembled a chromosome-level reference genome of P. australis containing one B chromosome. An explosion of LTR-RTs, centered on the Copia family, occurred during the late Pleistocene, driving the expansion of P. australis genome size and subgenomic differentiation. Comparative genomic analysis showed that P. australis underwent two whole gene duplication events, was segregated from Cleistogenes songorica at 34.6 Mya, and that 41.26% of the gene families underwent expansion. Based on multi-tissue transcriptomic data, we identified structural genes in the biosynthetic pathway of pharmacologically active Phragmitis rhizoma polysaccharides with essential roles in rhizome development. This study deepens our understanding of Arundinoideae evolution, genome dynamics, and the genetic basis of key traits, providing essential data and a genetic foundation for wetland restoration, bioenergy development, and plant stress.

Relationships Between Floodplain Topography, Peat, Soil Moisture, and Alder Growth over a Decade After River Meandering Restoration in the Kushiro Wetlands, Hokkaido, Japan

This study aimed to identify the predominant factors that are important for environmental sustainability in wetland restoration in the Kushiro Wetlands, Hokkaido, Japan, where a nature restoration project was implemented over a decade ago. Field surveys of topography and vegetation, as well as laboratory soil tests, were conducted in the meandering-restored section of the Kushiro River, where alder trees have flourished, and in the reference section, where wetland grasslands have been maintained. We then applied correlation analysis to the data to examine the relationship between the peat soil characteristics and alder tree size. The results showed a significant positive correlation between organic matter and the water content ratio in all the survey sections (correlation coefficient: 0.88; p-value < 0.05). The reference section had 24.1 ± 11.1% organic matter, indicating well-developed peat with sufficient moisture retention, while the re-meandering section had 13.1 ± 3.8%, indicating underdeveloped peat with limited moisture retention. Furthermore, no correlation was found between the relative elevation and water content ratio (correlation coefficient: −0.01; p-value > 0.05), nor was there any difference in nutrient concentrations between the survey sections. Therefore, it is possible that the difference in alder tree sizes between the sections depended on the soil moisture retention capacity based on the degree of peat soil development. These results suggest that peat soil restoration is crucial in human sustainable development for suppressing alder proliferation and restoring original peat grasslands.

Scoping the suitability of water‐tolerant species of trees for swamp restorations across Australia and its Great Barrier Reef catchment

Wetlands are vital for humanity and include some of the most productive, diverse, and service‐rich ecosystems in the world. Service provided include food production (e.g., fish, birds, and vegetables), protection from flooding and storm surge inundation, provision of clean water and climate stability, and timber resources for construction. Despite these benefits, vast areas of wetlands have been drained across the globe, including in Australia. With growing awareness of the value of wetlands, there is increasing push to restore wetlands and the values they support, such as carbon sequestration. A major challenge for restoration practitioners is to identify what land parcels could be restored and what species they could support. This study scoped the environmental suitability of 125 water‐tolerant species of trees across Australia, using random forest modeling to relate records observed within the Atlas of Living Australia database with spatial datasets of soil and climatic characteristics and water observations from space. Of the 125 species of trees examined, 105 species were modeled with excellent performance. Models were then used to predict tree suitability for existing wetlands nationally, as well as across potentially suitable restoration sites within the Great Barrier Reef catchment, given the strong push for wetland restoration to improve water quality. Within the Great Barrier Reef catchment, over 2200 land parcels covering over 20,000 ha were identified as being potentially suitable for restoration with diverse tree swamps. This study allows restoration practitioners to identify where swamp restoration could occur and potentially suitable trees for planting at those locations.

Regenerating Urban Landscapes through Wetlands Restoration and Outdoor Open Space Connectivity: Off-road Bicycle Lane Planning Principles for Tourism Development

Purpose – Sustainable tourism development and outdoor activities are linked to the effective utilization of open spaces and green corridors within the city. The regeneration and revitalization of this landscape are vital for the emergence of a smart, resilient, and biophilic city for the health and well-being of both the residents and the tourists. This area is part of the urban fabric and is essential for the transportation network development and interconnectivity within the metropolitan space. The wetland and green corridor comprise marshes and canal drainage routes located within the setbacks of the Ikeja, Ojodu, Agidingbi, Opebi, Oregun, Maryland, Yaba, and Iwaya rivers floodplain. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative and descriptive analysis of the on-site data collection, observations, and evaluations, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were utilized to map out the developmental and adaptive strategies through GIS-based network mapping. This involved randomly selecting twenty-six (26) points that are landmarks and notable hubs within the city at approximately 750m intervals aligned within the 20km corridor of the waterways and wetlands of the selected study area. Findings – Through a variety of on-site observations, assessments, interviews, and inferential methods, people’s perceptions of the use of off-road bike lanes, and its economic and social information were gathered. Research limitations/implications – A healthy ecosystem, less reliance on fossil fuels, more green space, habitat restoration, clean water and air, and increased green space are all important for a city's overall well-being. Practical implications – This study suggested off-road non-motorized transportation connectivity, and other strategically adapted alternatives for resilient and sustainable city growth, in addition to carbon sequestration through restoration and preservation of already-existing wetlands. Originality/value – The restoration of urban desolate spaces, improvement of sanitation, governance of floodplains, recreation, and cultural values within metropolitan areas.

A phenological knowledge transfer-based fine grained land cover change sample collection method: a case study of coastal wetlands

ABSTRACT Methods for fine-grained sample collection are essential for detecting land cover changes at large scales. The complexity of wetland types increases the difficulty of obtaining training samples for high-precision wetland changes, while existing methods mainly focus on coarse-grained classification of urban areas, ignoring the physical growth cycle of vegetation. To solve the above problems, we propose a method for phenological knowledge transfer-based fine grained land cover change sample collection (PKT). Taking the Yellow River Delta as an example, the experimental results are shown as follows. (1) The overall accuracy of the results of the PKT method is 77.03%, and k is 0.42, which is better than the results of the other methods. (2) The PKT method is able to obtain the area of wetland change more accurately and can identify the wetland type changes in the area of change. (3) Making full use of multisource data and fine-grained category information can effectively improve the accuracy of change training samples. (4) Changes in coastal wetlands are the result of the interaction between natural factors and human activities. (5) Further restoration and management of wetlands can be carried out in terms of appropriate protective measures and restrictions on construction behavior.

Measuring devices on Wild Animals in Protection Project

Wild animal protection projects are initiatives that seek to protect and conserve wild animals and their habitats from various threats. These projects aim to ensure the survival of endangered species and promote biodiversity in natural ecosystems. The conservation of wild animals is critical because they play an essential role in maintaining the balance of nature and are integral to the functioning of ecosystems. Wild animals face numerous threats, including habitat destruction, climate change, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict. Many of these threats are driven by human activities, such as deforestation, overfishing, and the illegal wildlife trade. Wild animal protection projects, therefore, work towards addressing these issues and mitigating the negative impacts on wild animals and their habitats. Habitat restoration is a crucial aspect of wild animal protection projects. It involves efforts to restore degraded habitats and create new ones that are suitable for wild animals. These efforts can include reforestation, wetland restoration, and the creation of wildlife corridors to link fragmented habitats. Anti-poaching measures are also a crucial part of wild animal protection projects. Poaching is a significant threat to many wild animals, particularly those that are in high demand for their skins, tusks, or other body parts. Anti-poaching measures may include increased law enforcement, education and awareness campaigns, and the use of technology such as drones and camera traps to monitor and deter poachers. Wildlife research and monitoring are other essential components of wild animal protection projects. These efforts help to gather data on wild animals, their habitats, and the threats they face. This information is used to inform conservation strategies, assess the effectiveness of conservation efforts, and identify emerging threats to wild animals. Working with local communities is also a critical aspect of wild animal protection projects. Many of the threats to wild animals are driven by human activities, and therefore, involving local communities in conservation efforts can be very effective. This may involve promoting sustainable livelihoods that reduce human-wildlife conflict, educating communities about the importance of conservation, and working with them to develop alternative solutions that benefit both humans and wild animals. In conclusion, wild animal protection projects are essential initiatives that seek to safeguard wild animals and their habitats from various threats. By protecting wild animals, we help to maintain the balance of nature and ensure the survival of both humans and animals. The commercial wildlife trade is a significant threat to wildlife conservation in China but also its neighboring nations as well as a major source of species endangerment. conserving biodiversity There is a legal system. Wild animal criminal protection is a very important topic. The best place to practise criminal guardianship of wild animals is in developed nations. This article is mainly about biodiversity conservation Investigates wildlife crime protection and issues under the system and proposes reasonable improvement measures. Wildlife trade regulations are very lax, because government agencies exploit wildlife as a natural resource.”

Similarities and differences in physiological adaptation to cadmium interactions with nitrogen levels between two aquatic iris life forms in urban wetlands.

Plants play a key role in the ecological restoration of urban wetlands. Previous studies have shown that heavy-metal accumulation capacities and adaptation strategies of wetland plants may be related to their life forms. In this study, pot experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of nitrogen (N) on the adaptation strategies of two evergreen and deciduous aquatic iris life forms under cadmium (Cd) stress. Our results showed that Cd stress decreased the gas exchange parameters and biomass in both evergreen and deciduous irises. However, the interactions between N and Cd reversed this effect. Specifically, for deciduous irises, the shoot mass (SM) and root-to-shoot ratio (S/R) increased with higher N concentrations, whereas in evergreen irises, these parameters initially increased and then decreased as N levels increased, suggesting that the two life forms have different efficiencies in utilizing N. Additionally, under the combined stress of N and Cd, evergreen irises exhibited higher malondialdehyde (MDA) content and antioxidant enzyme activity than deciduous irises, whereas deciduous irises had higher chlorophyll content and aboveground biomass. These findings suggest that evergreen and deciduous irises employ distinct adaptive strategies to Cd toxicity; evergreen irises mitigate oxidative stress through enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, whereas deciduous irises dilute Cd toxicity by increasing biomass. These results provide valuable insight into the use of different aquatic iris life forms for heavy-metal pollution remediation in wetlands.

Problems of Implementation of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in China

The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention) was signed in February 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, and currently has 172 parties. China acceded to this Convention in 1992, became the 67th party, and was elected a member of the Standing Committee in 2005. Wetlands conservation in China has achieved some positive results, but it still faces serious challenges. China’s wetlands level is much lower than the world average (global wetlands level is 8.60%), and the wetlands area per capita is only 1/5 of the world average. Until 2022, China lacked legislation to protect wetlands; the article’s objective is to analyze the recently adopted Chinese legislation in this area. Ultimately, the authors conclude that it is necessary to strengthen legal standards in China to contribute to the conservation and restoration of global wetlands.

Biodiversity and distribution of zoobenthos in the ecological water replenishment area of the Yellow River estuary coastal wetland revealed by eDNA metabarcoding.

The coastal wetland of the Yellow River Estuary, one of China's largest wetlands, is essential for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services. Ecological water replenishment, a typical wetland restoration measure in the Yellow River Delta, has significantly impacted the habitat of zoobenthos, which are critical indicators of ecosystem health and water quality. However, the community characteristics of zoobenthos in this coastal wetland are poorly understood. This study utilized eDNA metabarcoding to assess the diversity and community structure of zoobenthos in the ecological water replenishment area of Yellow River Estuary Coastal Wetland. Zoobenthos from 174 families were identified, with 307 species recognized at the generic level, significantly more than those identified through traditional morpho-taxonomic approaches. Salinity emerged as a crucial factor in shaping these ecosystems. Contrary to expectations, in this study, brackish water exhibited the lowest species richness compared to freshwater and seawater, which may be attributed to local environmental stressors and fluctuating salinity conditions in the Yellow River Estuary. Environmental factors such as salinity, organic matter, and nutrient elements significantly influence the composition and distribution of zoobenthos. Specifically, cations, particularly Mg2⁺ and Ca2⁺, have a more substantial impact on zoobenthos than anions. Our results provide crucial information on zoobenthic biodiversity within ecological water replenishment areas, offering insights into the ecological dynamics and environmental factors shaping zoobenthos communities under ecological management.

Management of Tidal Wetland Restoration and Fish in the Upper San Francisco Estuary: Where are We Now and How Do We Move Forward? A Summary of the 2023 Wetland Science Symposium

Tidal wetland restoration to benefit at-risk fish species in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Marsh has gained momentum over the past decade, much of it in response to mitigation requirements for the State Water Project and Central Valley Project. In fall 2023, the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Contractors convened a symposium, entitled Delta–Suisun Tidal Wetland Restoration Symposium: State of the Science and Future Directions, to discuss the latest wetland restoration research and future directions. The symposium was held 10 years after the 2013 symposium Tidal Marshes and Native Fishes in the Delta: Will Restoration Make a Difference?, and so served as an opportunity to follow up on the progress that has been made over the past decade. This paper synthesizes the key findings from the 2023 workshop. The paper begins with the historical context of wetland restoration in the Delta and Suisun Marsh, and outlines the restoration process as it is currently implemented. It then describes the monitoring of tidal wetlands in terms of their capacity to support fish (capacity), the opportunity fish have to use the habitat (opportunity), and the realized functions provided when fish actually use the site. Finally, the paper identifies priority science actions to advance our understanding and management of tidal wetland restoration sites. These actions include further research into fish habitat utilization, improved monitoring techniques, and enhanced adaptive-management strategies. This list of information needs is intended to inform future monitoring of restoration sites, scientific studies, funding, and prioritization of wetland research.

Investigation of Floating Peat Wetlands, Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California

Tidal wetland restoration is integral to achieving the Delta coequal goals. Deeply subsided islands limit the potential for tidal wetland restoration. Floating peats may offer an opportunity to create tidal habitat in the subsided western and central Delta. We conducted a mesocosm experiment to assess the feasibility of floating peat blocks, and the potential food-web benefits, biomass production, carbon sequestration, methane emissions, and water-quality effects. We evaluated the effect of varying water residence time and initial peat-block density. The peat blocks floated during the entire experiment, and accreted biomass at rates consistent with those reported for Delta non-tidal managed wetlands. Peat blocks placed in mesocosms with 45% open water expanded horizontally about 21% per year. We estimated average vertical accretion rates of 5.5 to 8.6 cm yr – 1 for all the mesocosms. Vertical and horizontal expansion increase floating peat-block stability. We measured a 3-fold zooplankton population increase during the first year after deployment, relative to the Mokelumne River, which was the mesocosm’s water source. Measured and modeled methane emissions were lower than those reported in Delta non-tidal managed wetlands. Aqueous methane concentrations and methane fluxes were significantly lower for the shorter water-residence-time of about 5 days compared to longer residence times of about 11 days. Elevated dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations generally corresponded with low methane concentrations. Our estimated net ecosystem carbon balance of – 820 +/– 137 g C m – 2 yr – 1 indicates that the floating wetlands are potentially greater carbon sinks than Delta non-tidal wetlands. Nitrogen data indicated consumption by wetland plants, and denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction in the mesocosms. Our preliminary results point to potential ecosystem benefits of floating peats on a larger scale.

The taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of birds in Xiaohongxiang Wetland, southwest China.

Small wetlands are essential for preserving global biodiversity, yet they are frequently neglected in conservation strategies due to vague definitions and a lack of research attention. In this study, we conducted thirty-six surveys via the point count method in the Xiaohongxiang Wetland, Anning City, Yunnan Province, China, from November 2023 to June 2024. We aimed to evaluate the impact of various habitats surrounding Xiaohongxiang Wetland (wetlands, villages, farmlands, cherry plantations and pine forests) on the taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of avian species and investigate the significance of these habitats for ecological conservation and restoration efforts. A total of 62 species were recorded. Small wetlands are vital for supporting common waterbirds, but may not safeguard rare species effectively. While cherry plantations and pine forests enhance avian diversity near wetlands, their low functional diversity could limit the ecological niches available to birds. This indicates that monoculture plantations might restrict the habitat variety needed for a diverse bird community. Our study found no clear phylogenetic clustering or overdispersion amongst bird species across habitats, suggesting that community assembly is shaped by competitive exclusion, habitat filtering and neutral processes. Despite a limited sample size, our results highlight a gap between taxonomic and functional diversity, indicating that multidimensional biodiversity metrics are essential for thoroughly evaluating wetland restoration and habitat impacts on bird diversity.

Pricing blue carbon to promote the protection and restoration of the marine environment: A real option model

Pricing blue carbon will allow the monetization of the implicit carbon sequestration value of socioeconomic activities in marine ecosystems. This will empower those engaged in marine environment protection and restoration to reap economic benefits while imposing costs on those who harm the marine environment or carbon-emitting enterprises. This can significantly increase the enthusiasm of local governments, enterprises, and others for protecting and restoring the marine environment. However, owing to the characteristics of public goods and the externalities of blue carbon, it is difficult to price them through the supply and demand relationship of the traditional market. This paper focuses on how to price blue carbon under government policies and market uncertainties to encourage investors to engage in blue carbon projects involving the ecological protection and restoration of coastal wetlands. First, a universal blue carbon pricing model is established via the real option approach. The mangrove blue carbon project in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, was used as a case study to evaluate the price of mangrove blue carbon. This research provides technical support for the formation of blue carbon prices, and this method can be used not only to promote the protection and restoration of the marine environment but also to optimize the supply of blue carbon, fully leveraging its role in addressing climate change.

Carbon dioxide fluxes and the dominant role of vegetation in recently created and reference Gulf Coast marshes

AbstractCoastal wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth with the capacity to sequester large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). Wetland loss due to anthropogenic and natural causes reduces the carbon (C) storage capacity and potentially releases previously fixed C in biomass and soil to the water column and atmosphere through decomposition. Coastal wetland restoration has the potential to mitigate some of the C losses depending on the balance of C fluxes. However, the role of vegetation and environmental conditions in governing rates of C accumulation in restoration sites is not well resolved. The purpose of this study was to examine seasonal C fluxes, specifically, gross ecosystem productivity (GEP), ecosystem respiration (ER), and net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of CO2 in unvegetated and vegetated (Spartina alterniflora) areas of a 2‐year old created marsh, and S. alterniflora and Spartina patens communities in a “natural” reference brackish marsh. S. alterniflora‐dominated areas were sinks for CO2 in both the newly created and reference marsh with an average CO2 uptake rate of 7.0 ± 1.0 μmol m−2 s−1. The unvegetated areas in the newly created marsh and S. patens areas in the reference marsh had approximately net neutral CO2 fluxes. S. alterniflora areas of the created marsh had similar carbon fluxes to that in the reference marsh, despite a much lower soil organic matter content. Because vegetation develops much faster than soil properties, restored marshes can be a C sink equivalent to natural marshes as soon as the marsh is vegetated. Ecosystem productivity and C assimilation in S. alterniflora areas of the reference marsh were enhanced by lower elevations (up to 6 cm) and higher soil bulk density (up to 0.28 g cm−3). At similar elevations, S. alterniflora in both the created and reference marshes was a greater C sink than S. patens areas of the reference marsh. Our findings illustrate that establishment of vegetation is critical to promoting C sink functions in created marshes and, notably, species do matter.

Natural succession and artificial management have different effects on soil microbial ecological patterns in wetland resulting from land-use change

Soil microbiomes play a crucial role in maintaining soil ecosystem functions and are sensitive to environmental changes. Land-use change is one of the important human activities affecting the Earth ecosystem. Understanding microbial community dynamics in land-use change is a key step in assessing and predicting its impact on ecological sustainability. Wetland restoration after land-use change has been widely implemented to help conserve ecological services, but the patterns of microbial dynamics during wetland formation, natural succession and artificial management remain unclear. In this study, taking coal-mining subsidence areas as research areas, soil samples from farmland, newly formed wetlands (1, 6 and 15 years old) following farmland subsidence, and a wetland under artificial management were collected to explore the ecological patterns of soil microbiome in response to land-use change. Results showed that the conversion from farmland to wetland increased microbial α-diversity (4.09 % for bacteria and 12.94 % for fungi), β-diversity (5.95 % for bacteria and 13.89 % for fungi), soil multifunctionality (293.91 %) and co-occurrence network complexity. The relative importance of stochastic processes in the microbial community assembly decreased in the early stage of wetland formation and further increased with wetland succession. Soil multifunctionality significantly decreased by 181.72 % after the artificial management in wetland. Additionally, bacteria and fungi responded differently to artificial management, and bacteria were more sensitive to the land-use change than fungi. Overall, our study broadens the understanding of soil microbial ecological patterns in newly formed wetland after land-use change, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining newly formed wetlands in its natural state.

Sustainable water resources allocation for wetlands based on triple bottom line analytical hierarchy collaborative elicitation

Hydrological restoration of wetlands has become a critical pressing issue in environmental preservation due to climate change. This study seeks to develop a novel methodology to identify which type of water resources available are the most appropriate for restoring a particular wetland, considering a holistic perspective based on the triple bottom line (TBL) assessment, which is a logical framework for identifying and integrating social, environmental, and economic factors into decision-making processes. The elicitation was addressed through a comprehensive holistic index using analytic hierarchy process for ranking TBL dimensions and drivers. This new hybrid technique was applied for elaborating sustainable rules of water allocation to restore the wetlands of the Tablas de Daimiel National Park, located in central Spain. The environmental dimension was analyzed using six drivers: the synergistic use of infrastructures, the water resources location, the wastewater reuse, the energy consumption, the landscape degradation, and the impact on water resources. The social dimension was evaluated measuring three drivers: community acceptance, political acceptance, and market acceptance. And finally, the economic dimension was assessed through the expropriation of land costs, the infrastructure costs, the maintenance costs, and opportunity costs associated. These drivers guarantee traceability and transparency in the elicitation process, becoming a novel allocation framework to support policy makers in wetland conservation. Applying the proposed methodology, Tagus-Segura interbasin water transfer is the best ranked option (83.13%), closely followed by pumping well areas (79.12 and 78.24%) and wastewater recycling plants (74.34 and 68.26%). The unique holistic index proposed is a transparent and traceable decision support tool to address water allocation in wetland restoration.

Research Frontiers in Ecological Restoration and Carbon Sequestration in Mining Areas: A Visual Analysis Using VOSviewer

The functioning and progress of modern industrial systems are deeply reliant on mineral resources. While mining offers substantial economic and social gains, it also imposes notable environmental impacts. In the context of global climate change, sustainable mining and ecological restoration in mined areas are increasingly connected to carbon sequestration efforts. Enhancing carbon sink capacity in ecological restoration processes is crucial for achieving carbon neutrality. This study aims to review the current research landscape, identify key research areas, and explore future trends in this field. Relevant literature from the Web of Science was selected, key information extracted, and co-occurrence networks were mapped and analyzed using VOSviewer. Covering publications from 2000 to the present, the analysis spans 84 countries and regions, 1,184 institutions, 3,757 authors, and 858 papers. The main research areas include: (1) strategies for ecological and vegetative restoration of mining areas; (2) carbon sequestration processes in vegetation and soil in mining areas; (3) mechanisms for soil health restoration in mining areas; (4) the role of plants and microbes in pollution remediation; (5) importance of water resource management and wetland restoration in mining areas; and (6) ecological succession and biomass accumulation in mining area rehabilitation. This study highlights major contributors, countries, and institutions, elucidates research hotspots, and outlines directions for future development. By systematically summarizing research trends and hotspots in ecological restoration and carbon sequestration in mining areas, this work provides a valuable reference for researchers seeking to navigate and advance this dynamic field.

Hydrological dynamics and its impact on wetland ecological functions in the Sanjiang Plain, China

The hydrological environment of wetlands is vital for ensuring the stable development of their ecological functions. However, previous sample-scale studies have failed to capture the spatial heterogeneity of the hydrology-function relationship. The objective of this study is to elucidate the hydrological driving mechanisms responsible for the formation of and changes in the spatial patterns of wetland functions at different spatial and time scales. This study established a multi-dimensional hydrological element and wetland function index system through space technology and multi-source remote sensing images and proposed a multi-scale hydrology-function relationship analysis framework to reveal the relationships between hydrological elements and wetland function spatial patterns at different spatial and temporal scales. The final results demonstrated that, at different spatial and time scales, increasing water coverage contributes greatly to the improvement of habitat, soil conservation, and water supply functions, and increasing the flooding frequency and connectivity structure are more effective at improving the water purification function. At the grid scale, the proportion of grids with medium or strong correlations ranges from 26.63 % to 51.19 %, whereas with respect to temporal correlations, the proportion of grids with medium or strong correlations ranges from 50.67 % to 92.76 %, indicating a pronounced scale effect and spatial heterogeneity of the hydrology-function relationship. The opposite relationships between hydrological elements and functions in some grids (with proportions ranging from 9.89 % to 37.38 %) may result from geographical, environmental constraints, which disrupt the normal correlation between hydrological elements and wetland functions. This study contributes to a deep understanding of the hydrological driving mechanism of wetland functional patterns and provides guidance for wetland protection and restoration planning and hydrological condition regulation by developing specific strategies for improving ecological function.

Effects of environmental and biological characteristics on leaf decomposition under wetland restoration conditions

The implementation of ecological restoration projects, such as wetland rehabilitation, is essential for achieving sustainable development. However, current research on monitoring recovery status primarily focuses on evaluating water quality and aquatic community structure, with limited understanding of macroinvertebrate and microbial networks, as well as the functions of restored ecosystems. To address this gap, we compared the leaf decomposition rates of reed (Phragmites australis) and sedge (Carex appendiculata) in short-term (1, 2, and 3 years) and long-term (17 years) restoration wetlands, using natural wetlands as controls to assess ecosystem function. Our results indicate that the leaf decomposition rate in restored wetlands is significantly lower than in natural wetlands. No significant difference in decomposition rates was detected between the two types of leaves (P>0.05). All evaluation categories, including biological network structure, influenced leaf decomposition in different wetlands, with distinct effects observed on reed and sedge leaves. Compared to sedges, the decomposition of reed leaves exhibited a stronger correlation with macroinvertebrates while showing a weaker association with microorganisms and co-occurring network topological parameters. Overall, the execution of wetland restoration projects positively influences the recovery of biodiversity co-occurrence networks and ecosystem functions. These findings provide valuable insights for environmental and sustainability assessments.