Restoration of Wet Dune Slacks on the Dutch Wadden Sea Islands: Recolonization After Large‐Scale Sod Cutting

Abstract

The effects of sod cutting were studied in a dune area on the Dutch Wadden Sea Island of Texel. Sod cutting was carried out in a range of different dune slacks in order to restore dune slack vegetation with many endangered Red List species. Sod cutting removed approximately 96% of the soil seed bank. Species abundant in the seed bank, notably Juncacea, also had a high frequency in the vegetation that established during the first year after the restoration measures. Many other species not registered in the seed bank or in the former vegetation also appeared. Species richness in the monitored plots exceeded that of uncut reference plots after a few years. Colonization rates were higher than extinction rates in most plots, indicating that a stable state has not been reached after 5 years. Differences in species richness between slacks appeared to be related to the occurrence of source areas nearby and availability of dispersal agents, such as flooding and animals.

Ecological Restoration: State of the Art or State of the Science?

“…The third and most ambitious level can be called “true” restoration and consists of a reconstruction of a prior ecosystem. This includes not only the reestablishment of former functions but also of the characteristic species, communities and structure (Pfadenhauer 2001; Grootjans et al 2001).…”

Beach–dune sediment budgets and dune morphodynamics following coastal dune restoration, Wickaninnish Dunes, Canada

“…Recent research examining restoration approaches in a variety of habitats note that the re-establishment of ecosystem processes and flows of material and energy in dynamic systems may be a more important indicator of ecological resilience across scales, rather than fixed or target states (e.g. De Raeve, 1989;Pickart and Sawyer, 1998;Doody, 2001Doody, , 2013Arens and Geelen, 2006;Arens et al, 2001Arens et al, , 2004Arens et al, , 2005Arens et al, , 2013aGrootjans et al, 2001Grootjans et al, , 2002Grootjans et al, , 2013Zarnetske et al, 2012;Pickart, 2013;Martinez et al, 2013;Pye et al, 2014). Moreover, newer research in coastal dune environments highlights the importance of beach-dune sediment budgets and foredune dynamics in allowing sandy coasts to gradually adapt to rising sea-levels (e.g.…”

Factors affecting vegetation establishment and development in a sand dune chronosequence at Newborough Warren, North Wales

“…In much of northwest Europe, dune systems are seen as over-stabilised (Provoost et al 2009). Therefore, in the context of current conservation focus to maintain or increase dune mobility and to revert habitats to earlier successional phases (Arens and Geelen 2006;Grootjans et al 2001;Jones et al 2009), the findings from this study have important implications for what dune managers can achieve. They suggest that, despite our capacity for large-scale engineered re-mobilisation (Arens et al 2004;Rhind et al 2007), the system will respond within the bio-climatic envelope defined by current climate, which may speed up or slow down vegetation colonisation and growth accordingly and affect the outcome of any management activity.…”