Restoration
Models and Assesments
Predicting
the outcome of restoration efforts can be challenging, especially
for forested systems with long development times. At the least,
important structural and functional properties of restored wetlands
need to be on a pathway toward successful recovery. Two conceptual
tools to aid in predicting recovery are reference ecosystem models
and successional chronosequences.
Reference
wetlands serve as important benchmarks for determining the goals
of a restoration and the degree to which restored sites are meeting
those goals. Because wetlands are naturally variable, it is preferable
to use reference systems rather than a single reference
site. Reference systems describe the range of structural and
functional properties in undisturbed wetlands, but can also incorporate
dynamic models to predict wetland responses and offer adaptive
management options. Center scientists are leading efforts to
develop reference ecosystem data and models for Carolina bay
depression wetlands and bottomland hardwood forests. These data
will be used to evaluate the utility of various measures of restoration
success. In addition, successional chronosequences that include
unimpacted reference wetlands and sites naturally recovering
from disturbance can be used to estimate pathways that ecosystem
properties may follow as recovery proceeds. Restored systems
can then assessed to determine if they are moving along pathways
that predict recovery. This approach provides a holistic ecosystem
view of the biotic and abiotic parameters that have most promise
as success indicators.
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