Considering the Adaptive Cycle and Resilience of the Ecosystem to Define Reference Conditions for Wetland Restoration

Abstract

Ecosystem resilience to pressures expanding and contracting within the adaptive cycle as slow variables change. However, little is known about their role in defining reference conditions for wetland restoration. Here, we applied paleoecological data of two wetlands that have been degraded (Honghe, riparian peatland) and disappeared (Shenjiadian, valley peatland) to evaluate ecosystem resilience to anthropogenic pressures as the phases of the adaptive cycle progress. The slow variables of plants and diatoms gradually began to change from moisture to dry loving species under severe disturbances in the late 1970s. Then regime shift took place around 1990 CE (Current Era) based on a sequential T‐test analysis and F statistics on the slow variables. A drop in water level caused by human activities rather than climate moisture led to regime shifts in Honghe and Shenjiadian wetlands. Therefore, the ecosystem were in the conservation phase before the late 1970s, and were in the reorganization phase after 1990 CE. The ecosystems had high resilience and a stable state at the early conservation phase, and its characteristics can be used as reference conditions for wetland restoration. The reference water level was 11–13 cm and the NH4‐N ranged from 0.8 to 1.2 mg/L. The dominant vegetation was Drepanocladus aduncus and the dominant diatom was Pinnularia brevicostata. The referred enrich factors of nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metals were under 4.45, 2.12, and 1.11, respectively. Considering both adaptive cycle and resilience to define reference conditions can provide insight into the future restoration and management of wetland ecosystems worldwide.

An adaptive cycle resilience perspective to understand the regime shifts of social-ecological system interactions over the past two millennia in the Tarim River Basin

“…This theory highlights SESs' capacity to self-organize, learn, and adapt in response to disturbances [ 18 , 19 ]. The adaptation cycle model of resilience theory explains SESs' evolution, detailing the system's dynamics across four stages: rapid growth and exploitation (r), conservation (K), release (Ω), and reorganization (α) [ 20 , 21 ].…”

“…Recently, more studies have applied adaptive cycle resilience (ACR) theory to elucidate the relationship between societal systems and ecosystems [ 4 , 22 ]. Previous research has established resilience assessment models for domains such as water resources, agriculture, wetlands, cities, and islands [ 21 , [23] , [24] , [25] , [26] ]. These studies analyze changes in system elements in recent decades and their potential impact on socio-ecological system resilience in the face of future shocks [ 23 , 24 , 27 ].…”

Increasing Salt Marsh Elevation Using Sediment Augmentation: Critical Insights from Surface Sediments and Sediment Cores

“…Such records cannot capture the naturally variability in the ecosystem (Manzano et al 2020). The analysis of sediment cores provides one means of furnishing long-term records of pre-disturbance wetland conditions, rates and trajectories of change in physical and biological characteristics, and natural variability in wetland characteristics and processes (Liu et al 2022;Manzano et al 2020;Marshall et al 2020;Gell 2017;Gell et al 2019).…”