Wetland Restoration Research Articles

Estimating mean groundwater levels in peatlands using a Bayesian belief network approach with remote sensing data

Large-scale management, protection, and restoration of wetlands require knowledge of their hydrology, i.e., the status and dynamics of the groundwater table, which determine the evolution of the wetland ecosystem, its conservation value, and possible economic use. Unfortunately, in many cases, hydrological monitoring data are unavailable, resulting in the search for a proxy for the average annual depth of the groundwater level (GWL). This study presents an approach to estimating the mean GWL in peatlands using a Bayesian belief network (BBN) model, leveraging long-term hydrological and remote sensing data in the Biebrza National Park in Poland. The remote sensing data employed includes the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) backscatter coefficient, peat subsidence, rate and distance to watercourses. The BBN model achieved a predictive accuracy of 83.3% and 73.1%, depending on the validation approach used. Among the remote sensing variables considered, the SAR backscatter coefficient was the most sensitive in predicting the GWL in the peatlands. However, the model presents multiple uncertainties resulting from limitations of the available remote sensing data, low variability of class combinations in the conditional probability table, and lack of upscaling to other regions performed. Despite these uncertainties, the developed BBN model remains a valuable next step in reaching the goal of efficient peatland monitoring and management.

Stronger increase of methane emissions from coastal wetlands by non‐native Spartina alterniflora than non‐native Phragmites australis

Societal Impact StatementThe invasive species S. alterniflora and P. australis are fast growing coastal wetland plants sequestering large amounts of carbon in the soil and protect coastlines against erosion and storm surges. In this global analysis, we found that Spartina and Phragmites increase methane but not nitrous oxide emissions, with Phragmites having a lesser effect. The impact of the invasive species on emissions differed greatly among different types of native plant groups, providing valuable information to managers and policymakers during coastal wetland planning and restoration efforts. Further, our estimated net emissions per wetland plant group facilitate regional and national blue carbon estimates.Summary Globally, Spartina alterniflora and Phragmites australis are among the most pervasive invasive plants in coastal wetland ecosystems. Both species sequester large amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and biogenic carbon in soils but also support production and emission of methane (CH4). In this study, we investigated the magnitude of their net greenhouse gas (GHG) release from invaded and non‐invaded habitats. We conducted a meta‐analysis of GHG fluxes associated with these two species and related soil carbon content and plant biomass in invaded coastal wetlands. Our results show that both invasive species increase CH4 fluxes compared to uninvaded coastal wetlands, but they do not significantly affect CO2 and N2O fluxes. The magnitude of emissions from Spartina and Phragmites differs among native habitats. GHG fluxes, soil carbon and plant biomass of Spartina‐invaded habitats were highest compared to uninvaded mudflats and succulent forb‐dominated wetlands, while being lower compared to uninvaded mangroves (except for CH4). This meta‐analysis highlights the important role of individual plant traits as drivers of change by invasive species on plant‐mediated carbon cycles.

Characterizing Juvenile Common Snook and Tarpon Habitat to Guide Conservation and Restoration of Coastal Wetlands

To conserve or restore juvenile fish habitat, resource managers, restoration practitioners, and engineers need fine-scale information to understand what conditions they need to preserve or what specifications are needed to create new habitat. The objective of this study was to develop statistical models using a dataset of 18 coastal ponds in Southwest Florida, USA, to predict the abundance of juvenile common snook Centropomus undecimalis (hereafter snook) and presence of juvenile tarpon Megalops atlanticus, both of which are flagship species used for conservation and restoration of subtropical and tropical wetlands. Model predictors included water conditions and characteristics of vegetation, sediment, and geographic position. Modeling results indicated that juvenile snook used coastal ponds that were directly connected to tidal creeks. In contrast, juvenile tarpon were more likely to be present in coastal ponds that were separated from tidal creeks by dense mangrove forest (e.g., elevation > 0.48 m above Mean Low Water) characterized by highly organic sediment and low dissolved oxygen, to which tarpon are well adapted. Overlap between snook abundance and tarpon presence was greatest where connections between ponds and the nearest tidal creek were at a relatively low elevation (e.g., -0.12 m relative to Mean Low Water). Although these findings are most applicable to management and conservation of populations in areas along the Gulf coast of Florida (i.e., in areas of similar tidal range and coastal geomorphology), incorporating more detailed habitat surveys to better capture landscape context, geomorphology, and connectivity into fish sampling designs should be broadly applicable to estuarine fish ecology.

Wetland Restoration benefits both climate and biodiversity

Wetland Restoration benefits both climate and biodiversity In GRIP on LIFE IP, public authorities in Sweden work together with forest owners’ associations, non-governmental organisations and researchers to improve environmental consideration of waters and wetlands in the forest landscape while continuing active forest management. Our goal is to improve the environment and conditions for animals and plants living in the forest’s watercourses and wetlands.

Calculating carbon: The value of information in precision for blue carbon restoration projects

Coastal wetland restoration projects can receive payments for ecosystem services but often occur in regions with limited data, and additional data collection can be financially prohibitive. Value of Information analysis can quantify the difference between the expected value of an action before and after new information has been collected, aiming to understand how much data is required to make decisions that balance the costs of implementation versus the benefits of the project. The Australian carbon market provides a method that uses reintroduction of tidal flows to restore coastal wetland ecosystems for their carbon sequestration functions. The method requires a hydrological assessment of prospective sites, which is employed to estimate carbon sequestration potential. This research investigates how different amounts of data collection and different levels of complexity in the hydrological assessment influence the carbon abatement emissions estimated using the method. The results indicate that tidal restoration for blue carbon credits on grazing land may not be financially viable. We found that tidal data collected onsite were important for decision-making while complex hydrological models have low value compared to more simplistic approaches. While investing in data collection provides more value than increasing the complexity of modelling approaches, the value of information was still low. Additionally, restoration of coastal wetlands is unlikely to be financially attractive at current carbon prices, and the land would have to be unsuitable for cattle to become profitable for restoration. This work provides a framework for evaluating the financial benefit of collecting on-site data and using robust methods for estimating inundation, that can be used to guide decision-making to achieve optimal income.

Biodiversity conservation and restoration of wetlands in suburban areas: challenges and prospects

Context Wetland loss threatens global biodiversity. Peri-urban wetlands face acute pressures from urban expansion. Aims Investigate biodiversity and land-cover changes in two wetlands undergoing suburbanisation near Hangzhou, China. Methods Seasonal field surveys of birds, fish and amphibians, coupled with remote-sensing analysis of land-cover changes from 2009 to 2020. Key results Suburban wetlands exhibited unique degradation patterns, including reduced species diversity, simplified community structures and proliferation of invasive species, with 91 bird species being recorded, dominated by common residents, 25 still-water fish species with few carnivores and migratory species, and 5 ubiquitous amphibian species detected. Species richness was lower than in nearby conserved wetlands. From 2009 to 2020, 6–7% of the wetlands were lost to urban expansion and converted to artificial vegetation or infrastructure. Conclusions Ecological degradation is driven by rapid urbanisation, with habitats being fragmented by roads and converted to artificial land covers. Water pollution from insufficient treatment and abandoned aquaculture further impairs habitats. Implications Innovative integrated-management framework was proposed for wetlands biodiversity restoration in suburban area. Key strategies include (1) modernising traditional circular economies to sustain wise use, (2) wildlife-friendly infrastructure design, (3) targeted invasive species control, and (4) adaptive co-management informed by ongoing monitoring. This socio-ecological systems approach aims to harmonise biodiversity conservation, cultural heritage and sustainable development in threatened suburban wetlands.

Deciphering soil environmental regulation on reassembly of the soil bacterial community during wetland restoration

Soil bacteria are vital to regulate biogeochemical processes in wetlands, however, little is known about the patterns and mechanisms of soil bacterial re-organization during wetland restoration. Here, we used a space-for-time substitution approach and examined the ecological processes that drive soil bacterial assembly from cultivated to restored to natural wetlands. Results showed a decrease of soil bacterial α diversity and increase of bacterial community similarity and bacterial interaction (cooperation vs. competition) with years of restoration, which was dominantly influenced by deterministic processes. Identified bacterial keystone taxa (e.g. Variibacter, Acidibacter) with nutrient metabolism capacity exerted strong positive effect on bacterial interaction. Furthermore, changes of soil water condition and nutrient status showed dominantly direct positive effects on soil bacterial reassembly, while falling soil pH significantly promoted bacterial reassembly by increasing keystone taxa and bacterial interaction during wetland restoration. Overall, findings highlighted the crucial role of environmental filtering and its pathway in influencing keystone bacterial taxa that promotes the reassembly of bacterial community during wetland restoration. Our work thus provides a new crucial and timely insight for improving the management of soil bacterial community assembly within the plethora of current and future wetland restoration projects.

New perspectives on temperate inland wetlands as natural climate solutions under different CO2-equivalent metrics

There is debate about the use of wetlands as natural climate solutions due to their ability to act as a “double-edged sword” with respect to climate impacts by both sequestering CO2 while emitting CH4. Here, we used a process-based greenhouse gas (GHG) perturbation model to simulate wetland radiative forcing and temperature change associated with wetland state conversion over 500 years based on empirical carbon flux measurements, and CO2-equivalent (CO2-e.q.) metrics to assess the net flux of GHGs from wetlands on a comparable basis. Three CO2-e.q. metrics were used to describe the relative radiative impact of CO2 and CH4—the conventional global warming potential (GWP) that looks at pulse GHG emissions over a fixed timeframe, the sustained-flux GWP (SGWP) that looks at sustained GHG emissions over a fixed timeframe, and GWP* that explicitly accounts for changes in the radiative forcing of CH4 over time (initially more potent but then diminishing after about a decade)—against model-derived mean temperature profiles. GWP* most closely estimated the mean temperature profiles associated with net wetland GHG emissions. Using the GWP*, intact wetlands serve as net CO2-e.q. carbon sinks and deliver net cooling effects on the climate. Prioritizing the conservation of intact wetlands is a cost-effective approach with immediate climate benefits that align with the Paris Agreement and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change timeline of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. Restoration of wetlands also has immediate climate benefits (reduced warming), but with the majority of climate benefits (cooling) occurring over longer timescales, making it an effective short and long-term natural climate solution with additional co-benefits.

A study on ecological sustainable cities based on LCA-emergy-carbon footprint and geographic information system (GIS) approach

ABSTRACT Sustainable cities, as an effective response to global climate aberrations, have increasingly garnered the attention of researchers. However, due to the wide range of interpretations and applications associated with sustainable cities, diverse methodologies can yield starkly contrasting results. This paper adopts ecological and low-carbon perspectives to evaluate and discuss urban sustainability. The core of this investigation involves quantitatively measuring a city’s sustainability based on the lifecycle metrics of emergy and carbon footprint. The findings reveal that Yangzhou, recognized as a model ecological city by authorities, exhibits an emergy sustainability index below the standard benchmark (ESI = 0.02 < 1). GIS mapping reveals that the city’s largest ecological service system is situated in the northwest water region. Both the emergy and carbon footprint analyses indicate that urbanized areas exert a detrimental influence on the city’s overall sustainability. Additionally, the administrative authorities in Yangzhou have implemented proactive measures to transition the city towards sustainability. Currently, the impacts of clean energy adoption and urban wetland restoration are particularly pronounced. The application of lifecycle emergy and carbon footprint methods offers a holistic approach for urban managers, enabling sustainable urban planning that harmoniously integrates ecological emergy and low-carbon considerations. This approach is instrumental in the realization of sustainable cities.

Subjective perceptions about benefit and cost levels in contingent valuation

Abstract This paper hypothesizes that respondents in contingent valuation surveys may form different benefit and cost levels that deviate from the levels specified by the researcher. The conceptual framework investigates potential biases based on the direction of deviations. Survey data on the restoration of wetlands in Tampa Bay show that a significant portion of the respondents deviate from the benefit and cost levels presented in the scenario. Empirical results indicate that willingness-to-pay (WTP) estimates are very sensitive to the perceived benefit and cost levels. Depending on the direction of the deviations, WTP estimates could fluctuate up to +61 percent and −82 percent, compared to the estimate from those who evaluate the scenario at the presented levels.

A review of the wetland's restoration mechanisms and its economic and social benefits

ABSTRACT Our earth has given many ecosystems that will heal themselves from the degradations. One of those ecosystems is the wetland, which is a precious natural sponge, naturally purifying and replenishing the water, head off from the flood, and mainly giving tremendous biodiversity to the flora and fauna. However, human activities are degrading the wetlands and polluting them indiscriminately with solid wastes and domestic and industrial wastewater discharge. With the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, nations around the world have acknowledged the critical benefits of wetland restoration and development. In this review article, we contributed to address the general wetland policies in the world, both nationally (India) and regionally (Tamil Nadu). In this paper, we will be discussing the reviews on the characteristics of wetland ecosystems, indices of biodiversity, risks to the wetland's restoration tactics, its main obstacle, and the financial advantages of wetlands. After clearly analyzing 226 previous research and review articles, a clear coherence between the explored hypothesis of wetland restoration mechanisms and the resulting economic and social benefits was arrived. Our findings indicate that effective restoration not only enhances ecosystem services but also leads to significant economic gains and improved community well-being. This alignment underscores the importance of investing in wetland restoration for sustainable development.

Wetland-mediated nitrate reductions attenuate downstream: Insights from a modeling study

Connections between agricultural runoff and excess nitrogen in the Upper Mississippi River Basin are well-documented, as is the potential role of constructed wetlands in mitigating this surplus nitrogen. However, limited knowledge exists about the “best” placement of these wetlands for downstream nitrogen reductions within a whole watershed context as well as how far downstream these benefits are realized. In this study, we simulate the cumulative impacts of diverse wetland restoration scenarios on downstream nitrate reductions in different subbasins of the Raccoon River Watershed, Iowa, USA, and spatially trace their relative effects downstream. Our simulated results underscore previous work demonstrating that the total area of wetlands and the wetland-catchment-to-wetland area ratio are both significant factors for determining the nitrate load reduction benefits of wetlands at subbasin scales. Simulated wetland conservation scenarios resulted in nitrate load decreases ranging from 7.5 to 43.2% of our baseline model loads. However, we found these wetland-mediated nitrate reduction benefits are quickly attenuated downstream: load reductions were <1% at the watershed outlet across all model scenarios, despite the magnitude of the subbasin-scale nitrate decreases. The relatively rapid attenuation of wetland effects is largely due to downstream nitrate load contributions from untreated subbasins. However, higher subbasin-scale nitrate reductions from wetland-based conservation practices resulted in longer downstream distances prior to attenuation. This study highlights the importance of considering the spatial location of constructed or restored wetlands relative to the area within the watershed where nitrogen reductions are most needed.

Dynamic Change Characteristics of Wetlands in Hefei and their Driving Factors Along the Urban–Rural Gradient

Wetlands, as vital components of urban ecological infrastructure, provide essential ecosystem services. However, they face increasing risks of degradation and loss due to their vulnerability, environmental changes, and human activities. Therefore, effective restoration efforts are urgently needed. This study adopts a novel approach by considering the urban–rural gradient and integrates land use data, ecological parameters, and anthropogenic factors in Hefei City. Through morphological spatial pattern analysis, principal component analysis, and affinity propagation, this study identifies and analyzes urban–rural gradients. Using the optimal parameter geographic detector, the drivers of wetland changes from 1990 to 2020 are quantitatively assessed across different urban–rural gradients in Hefei. The findings indicate the following. (1) A persistent reduction in wetland expanse throughout the study duration, diminishing from 1274.56 km2 in 1990 to 1119.37 km2 in 2020, constituting a decrement of 12.17%. (2) Based on geographic detector outcomes, disparate driving forces underpin wetland dynamics across urban–rural gradients, with urban locales predominantly influenced by organic carbon and the proportion of impervious surface factors. Meanwhile, in agricultural and semi-ecological villages, silt is the primary factor, while ecological villages are primarily modulated by both silt and gross domestic product factors. Additionally, synergistic interactions manifest heightened explanatory power. This study elucidates the mechanistic underpinnings of wetland dynamics along urban–rural gradients, providing pivotal insights for developing targeted wetland restoration and conservation policies pertinent to the urban–rural developmental trajectory in Hefei City. Concurrently, it offers relevant recommendations for the multifaceted stewardship and sustainable development of wetlands in Hefei City in the foreseeable future.

Wetland mapping in the Liaohe River Estuary using multi-source remote sensing image feature selection

ABSTRACT As a crucial node in the East Asia–Australasia migratory bird network, the Liaohe River Estuary Wetland (LREW) contributes significantly to coastal ecological balance and biodiversity. Accurate and timely mapping of the LREW is essential for monitoring ecological changes and understanding shifts in the wetland’s ecosystem structure and functions. In this study, an innovative approach that integrates radar (Sentinel-1), optical (Sentinel-2), and DEM data on Google Earth Engine (GEE) is proposed to achieve a more optimized and accurate wetland mapping. Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) is employed to improve feature collection, facilitating the construction of an optimal feature set for Random Forest (RF) classification to extract detailed LREW information. Mapping conducted from 2017 to 2023 using the proposed approach demonstrates its effectiveness and stability in mapping the LREW, achieving overall accuracies ranging from 89.84% to 93.73% and Kappa from 0.85 to 0.91. Compared to single-source methods, the integration of multi-source data substantially enhances mapping accuracy, while RF-RFE effectively eliminates redundant features, further refining classification precision. Texture features (Sum Average, SAVG) and the Water Index 2019 (WI2019) were found to significantly influence wetland mapping. The importance of different feature types is ranked as follows: spectral features > vegetation/water body index > PCA features > SAR texture features > red-edge index > other spectral index > spectral texture features > backscatter coefficient > H-Alpha. During the study period, the wetland area increased from 849.60 km2 to 979.49 km2. This expansion was caused primarily by wetland protection policies that led to the dismantling of coastal aquaculture ponds, resulting in a reduction of 90.28 km2 in waterbodies over 7 years, with many areas transitioning to tidal flats and Suaeda salsa habitats. In conclusion, the proposed method is effective in mapping the LRE wetlands and provides reliable data support for wetland ecological protection and restoration.

Groundwater driven carbon fluxes in a restored coastal saltmarsh wetland: Implications for coastal wetland restoration

Coastal wetlands play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle, yet they have been extensively degraded over the past decade. Though restoration efforts are underway worldwide, there is limited understanding of the role groundwater plays in transporting dissolved carbon within restored wetlands. Here, we address this knowledge gap by investigating water and carbon fluxes in the restored Tomago Wetlands in coastal NSW, Australia. We aim to 1) quantify surface water exports of the main carbon components, 2) estimate greenhouse gas emissions from the aquatic parts of the wetland, and 3) determine the contribution of groundwater discharge to the surface water carbon export and greenhouse gas emissions from the wetland. Sampling took place following a wet period and a freshening event. A radon mass balance model estimated groundwater discharge contributing 10 % to the surface water flow in the restored wetland. The wetland was a source of four of the five main carbon components including DOC, DIC, alkalinity, and CO2, with most of the exported carbon being in the form of alkalinity. Surface water DOC, DIC, alkalinity, and CO2 exports were, 1.3 ± 0.5, 35.5 ± 13.1, 39.4 ± 14.6 and 6.5 ± 2.1 mmol/m2/d, respectively. The average water to atmosphere flux of CO2 and CH4 were 104 ± 209 (mmol/m2/d) and 21 ± 42 (µmol/m2/d). Groundwater-driven carbon fluxes contributed 100 % of the surface water DOC, 30 % of the DIC, 15 % of the alkalinity exports, and 5 % of the overall CO2 losses (lateral aqueous export + atmospheric emissions) from the wetland, with minor contributions to CH4. Carbon exports from both the wetland and groundwater observed in this restored wetland were found to be lower than those reported in the literature for natural or mature wetlands. This would have important implications when developing carbon accounting methods. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of groundwater in carbon transport within restored wetlands and emphasise the need for inclusion of shallow groundwater dynamics in carbon budgets and inventories of coastal wetlands that have or will undergo restoration.

Exploring the influence of flexural rigidity variability of aquatic plants on stem deflection geometry and flow characteristics

The existing assumption of a constant flexural rigidity (EI) for the entire height of aquatic plants in the analysis of flow past flexible vegetation may not translate in to real scenario as EI of a flexible plant stem varies along the height due to variation in tissue structure and cross section. This variation is therefore needed to be effectively quantified for better analysis of flow-vegetation interaction. In this regard, the own-weight cantilever method was used to represent the variability of EI along the stem height of three plants: water lily, water chestnut, and lotus. Analytical models are proposed to predict stem deflection geometry and vertical velocity distribution across channel depth incorporating EI as a function of stem height. Analytical and experimental data, obtained from open-channel flume tests, significantly support the developed models and confirm the assumption of variable flexural rigidity. Further investigations show that the flexural rigidity, transcends being a mere constant numeric value; it profoundly influences various aspects of the fluid-vegetation interaction such as: the extent of deflection geometry, velocity reduction, Reynold stress variation, and penetration length. Therefore, this study is crucial for better understanding of the physics of sediment transport, pollutant mixing, and wetland management and restoration.

Remote sensing analysis of spatiotemporal impacts of anthropogenic influence on mountain landscape ecology in Pir Chinasi national park

Mountain landscapes can be fragmented due to various human activities such as tourism, road construction, urbanization, and agriculture. It can also be due to natural factors such as flash floods, glacial lake outbursts, land sliding, and climate change such as rising temperatures, heavy rains, or drought.The study’s objective was to analyze the mountain landscape ecology of Pir Chinasi National Park under anthropogenic influence and investigate the impact of anthropogenic activities on the vegetation. This study observed spatiotemporal changes in vegetation due to human activities and associated climate change for the past 25 years (1995–2020) around Pir Chinasi National Park, Muzaffrabad, Pakistan. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 200 residents to evaluate their perceptions of land use and its effects on local vegetation. The findings reveal that 60% of respondents perceived spatiotemporal pressure on the park. On the other hand, the Landsat-oriented Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was utilized for the less than 10% cloud-covered images of Landsat 5, 7, and 8 to investigate the vegetation degradation trends of the study area. During the entire study period, the mean maximum NDVI was approximately 0.28 in 1995, whereas the mean minimum NDVI was − 2.8 in 2010. QGIS 3.8.2 was used for the data presentation. The impact of temperature on vegetation was also investigated for the study period and increasing temperature trends were observed. The study found that 10.81% (1469.08 km2) of the area experienced substantial deterioration, while 23.57% (3202.39 km2) experienced minor degradation. The total area of degraded lands was 34.38% (or 4671.47 km2). A marginal improvement in plant cover was observed in 24.88% of the regions, while 9.69% of the regions experienced a major improvement. According to the NDVI-Rainfall relationships, the area was found to be significantly impacted by human pressures and activities (r ≤ 0.50) driving vegetation changes covering 24.67% of the total area (3352.03 km2). The area under the influence of climatic variability and change (r ≥ 0.50 ≥ 0.90) accounted for 55.84% (7587.26 km2), and the area under both climatic and human stressors (r ≥ 0.50 < 0.70) was 64%. Sustainable land management practices of conservation tillage, integrated pest management, and agroforestry help preserve soil health, water quality, and biodiversity while reducing erosion, pollution, and the degradation of natural resources. landscape restoration projects of reforestation, wetland restoration, soil erosion control, and the removal of invasive species are essential to achieve land degradation neutrality at the watershed scale.

Construction of Wetland Ecological Security Pattern in Wuhan Metropolitan Core Area Considering Wetland Ecological Risk

Wetlands play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance. Preserving the ecological security of wetlands is critically important for regional environmental protection and sustainable development. However, in the core area of the Wuhan metropolitan circle, which is rapidly urbanizing, its wetlands are more susceptible to external natural environmental risks, such as changes in temperature and rainfall, as well as risks to human activity, such as social and economic activities, urban expansion, land use changes, and population growth. Meanwhile, the internal vulnerability of wetlands in terms of their spatial extent, structure, and functions also exacerbates ecological risks. These factors collectively influence the formation and development of wetland ecological risks. This study aims to comprehensively assess wetland ecological risks in the core area of the Wuhan metropolitan circle by combining external hazards and internal vulnerabilities and to construct and optimize the wetlands’ ecological security pattern. We used the MSPA method to identify potential ecological sources. Additionally, the MCR model was employed to integrate ecological risk assessment results into the resistance surface, identify potential ecological corridors and nodes, construct the wetland ecological security pattern for the urban circle, and propose specific optimization strategies. In total, 31 primary and 106 secondary ecological sources were selected, along with 20 primary and 42 secondary ecological nodes. Furthermore, 10 major ecological corridors were constructed. Considering the landscape characteristics of the wetlands in the core area of the Wuhan metropolitan circle, the southern Yangtze River region will center around the Liangzi Lake group to establish a crucial corridor network, promoting overall wetland restoration and connectivity. Meanwhile, the northern Yangtze River region will form a chain-like distribution along the river, creating diverse ecosystems. This study provides a theoretical foundation for constructing and optimizing the ecological security pattern of wetlands, laying a solid groundwork for promoting regional wetland conservation and sustainable development.

Wetland Restoration and Conservation. Case of Uganda

Wetlands are the “natural filters with a variety of important ecosystem benefits and are more relevant in improving people’s livelihoods. However, as a result of increasing global economic pressures, they have drastically decreased resulting in more global environmental challenges such as climate change. This has attracted international and regional attention for wetland management through restoration which has several success and failure stories. This review aimed at establishing the dynamics for wetland restoration success and failure in Uganda through narrative literature review. This showed that institutional and policy environment, land tenure systems, traditional and indigenous knowledge, and project scope significantly affect the restoration outcomes. Therefore, there is a need for comprehensive interdisciplinary collaboration for effective and efficient governance and alternative live- hoods analysis, the integration of traditional knowledge for land tenure system support, fostering gender sensitive and a multisectoral, approach and prioritizing community-centered practices to address land tenure system complexities and ensure the sustainability of wetland ecosystems for future generations in restoration initiatives

Seas the opportunity: multi-criteria decision analysis to identify and prioritise blue carbon wetland restoration sites

IntroductionThe emergence of voluntary carbon markets is creating new opportunities to sustainably finance Natural Climate Solution (NCS) projects. In Australia, the federal government recently enacted the Tidal Restoration of Blue Carbon Ecosystems Methodology Determination 2022 (Tidal Reconnection Method), whereby restoration activities that reintroduce tidal flows to allow the re-establishment of coastal wetland (blue carbon) ecosystems, through the removal or modification of a tidal restriction, can be used to gain and sell Australian carbon credit units. Australia has the highest net blue carbon wealth in the world, with 5%–11% of global carbon stocks, yet there is currently a lack of large-scale feasibility assessments and supporting methodologies to identify and prioritise sites with the greatest potential for NCS project implementation to help inform investment decisions.MethodsIn this study, we applied a spatial Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to identify, map, and prioritise potential sites for blue carbon coastal wetland restoration in South Australia that meet criteria outlined in the Tidal Reconnection Method. This study compared information on 1) predicted flooding extent following tidal reconnection and under sea level rise (SLR; present-day, 2050 and 2,100); 2) project implementation complexity (e.g. who possesses land tenure); and 3) carbon sequestration potential through predicted area of vegetation change under the above SLR scenarios. ResultsOur results identified 64 sites of interest, of which 32 received an overall “high” prioritisation score of 3 or more out of 5. This equates to approximately 21,114 ha of high priority potential blue carbon restoration sites.DiscussionThe MCDA enables development of a portfolio of viable restoration projects through a rapid “desktop” prioritisation of sites of interest, which can then guide investment in further detailed cost/benefit feasibility assessments. This study demonstrates an adaptable MCDA approach to map potential NCS projects at meaningful spatial scales and in-line with carbon market-based opportunities.