The aim of the study was to assess the effects of fen rewetting on carabid beetle and vascular plant assemblages within riverine fens along the river Peene in north‐eastern Germany. Drained (silage grassland), rewetted (restored formerly drained silage grassland), and near‐natural (fairly pristine) stands were compared. Eighty‐four beetle species (7,267 individuals) and 135 plant species were recorded. The richness of vascular plant species and the number of endangered species were highest on near‐natural fens. Fourteen years of rewetting did not increase plant species numbers compared with drained fens. For carabid beetles, however, species richness and the number of stenotopic species were highest on rewetted fens. Rewetting caused the replacement of generalist carabids by wetland specialists, but did not provide suitable habitat for specialist fen carabids or for plant species of oligo‐ or mesotrophic fen communities. Therefore, raising the water table on fens with nutrient‐rich, degraded peat was not sufficient for restoring species assemblages of intact fens, although water level was the most important environmental factor separating species assemblages. Our study illustrated that insects and plants may respond differentially to restoration, stressing the need to consider different taxa when assessing the efficiency of fen restoration. Furthermore, species assemblages of intact fens could not be restored within 14 years, highlighting the importance of conserving pristine habitat.

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Fens and their associated bird species assemblages have undergone dramatic declines in recent decades. Given that many remaining or restored fens are currently lying fallow, an important question is which management regime, if any, is most effective in preserving fen-typical species. Against this background, we here investigate the effects of five management regimes (intensive grassland, moist meadows, summer-harvested sites, winter-harvested sites, fallows) on bird communities in riverine fens in north-eastern Germany. Summerharvested sites, resembling the historical management of wet meadows, were overall most effective to promote fen-typical bird species, while intensive grassland management was inappropriate. However, some species of conservation concern had their strongholds in other management types such as winter-harvested sites and fallows. Thus, owing to species-specific differences, a mixture of different management regimes is necessary to conserve the full range of fen-typical species. Managing a higher proportion of moist fallows than is currently the case seems to benefit conservation, as long as enough fallows remain. Our study also shows that a successful restoration of fen habitat for associated bird species relies on the realization of appropriate water levels. ZusammenfassungDer Einfluss unterschiedlicher Nutzungsformen auf die Avifauna nordostdeutscher Niedermoore Niedermoore und ihre Vogelgemeinschaften mussten in den letzten Jahrzenten dramatische Rückgänge hinnehmen. Da mittlerweile zahlreiche Niedermoore brach liegen stellt sich die Frage, welche Nutzungsformen am besten geeignet sind das niedermoortypische Artenspektrum zu erhalten bzw. ob es dazu überhaupt einer Nutzung bedarf. Vor diesem Hintergrund wurde der Einfluss fünf unterschiedlicher Nutzungsformen (Intensivgrünland, Feuchtwiesen, Sommermahd, Wintermahd, Brachen) auf die Vogelgemeinschaften eines nordostdeutschen Niedermoores untersucht. Die den historischen Feuchtwiesen vergleichbaren Sommermahdflächen waren am effektivsten im Erhalt niedermoortypischer Arten, während sich das Intensivgrünland dafür als besonders ungeeignet erwies. Jedoch auch die Wintermahdflächen und Brachen waren für bestimmte naturschutzfachlich bedeutsame Arten von großer Bedeutung. Aufgrund artspezifischer Unterschiede in den Habitatpräferenzen erscheint daher ein Mosaik unterschiedlicher Nutzungsformen notwendig zu sein, um das gesamte niedermoortypische Artenspektrum zu erhalten. Dennoch wäre die Nutzung eines höheren Anteils nasser Brachen naturschutzfachlich wünschensw-ert, solange ausreichend Brachflächen erhalten bleiben. Desweiteren zeigt diese Studie die große Bedeutung Communicated by F. Bairlein.

Peatlands have undergone dramatic changes through anthropogenic activities in the last centuries, causing a substantial loss of fen‐specific biodiversity. Therefore, restoration of already degraded stands is an important conservation issue. The effectiveness of fen restoration was evaluated through rewetting in the valley of the river Peene, NE Germany, by comparing three fen types: drained fens, rewetted fens, and near‐natural fens. Rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) were used as indicators, comprising an ecologically important yet understudied insect group. 5,398 individuals from 121 staphylinid species were recorded by 30 pitfall traps per fen type, which were biweekly emptied between April and October 2012, and related to environmental parameters. Rove beetle assemblages differed markedly between fen types. Community structure was affected by peat degradation, the extent of organic matter, water level, and vegetation height. Fen rewetting favoured the establishment of a distinct, species‐rich beetle community within 15 years only, caused by an increase in hygrophilous wetland species partially replacing generalists. Nevertheless, this time span was not sufficient to restore communities characteristic for near‐natural fens, which harboured several particularly sensitive species that were not found on rewetted fens. Rewetting provided suitable habitats for a substantial number of stenotopic and threatened staphylinid beetles. Thus, the protection of pristine habitats along with restoration measures are both important strategies in peatland conservation.