Using long-term data to inform a decision pathway for restoration of ecosystem resilience

Gillson, Lindsey; Dirk, Cherie J.; Gell, Peter

doi:10.1016/j.ancene.2021.100315

Cited by 22 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 93 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…With more detailed and long‐term data for each vegetation type, “hypothetical scenarios” could be developed that predict how environmental changes or restoration actions would affect vegetation and resiliency (Gillson et al, 2021). Recent hypothetical scenario modeling on submersed vegetation in the river estimated how major improvements in water clarity would increase submersed aquatic vegetation coverage, and those results can help prioritize restoration locations and the abiotic conditions to focus restoration (Carhart et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aquatic vegetation types identified during early and late phases of vegetation recovery in the Upper Mississippi River

2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Assemblage patterns and processes of aquatic vegetation in most large floodplain rivers are not well understood, particularly after plant recovery. Identifying vegetation types, which are recurring plant groupings based on species composition, diversity, and abundances, can describe plant assembly patterns and environmental drivers that aid conservation planning and management. We used a 22‐year dataset (n = 18,000 sampling plots) to identify aquatic vegetation types during an “early phase” and “late phase” of plant recovery at multiple spatial scales nested within a 500‐km river reach of the Upper Mississippi River, USA. We hypothesized that vegetation types varied according to scale because of the stark environmental differences among riverine habitats and differing regional species pools along the river's latitudinal gradient, and that the late phase of recovery had developed several new vegetation types. We first used cluster analyses at multiple spatiotemporal scales to identify the number of vegetation types and their characteristics, such as indicator species, species compositions and abundances, and diversity index. Then we applied a multivariate regression to pinpoint environmental factors (such as hydrodynamics, system productivity, local habitat, and water quality) that structured those vegetation types. Clustering revealed that ~90% of plots irrespective of recovery phase were not classified into vegetation types, which indicated that most aquatic sampling plots are unique in species composition and unpredictable. However, impounded areas upriver from dams had matured five vegetation types: lotus (Nelumbo lutea Willd.), submersed (a mix of 11 common submersed species), watercelery (Vallisneria americana Michx.), arrowheads (Sagittaria rigida Pursh and Sagittaria latifolia Willd.), and a diverse community (with high diversity indices and multiple life forms). The vegetation types were associated with three environmental gradients related to inundation depth and duration, system productivity, and water clarity. These five vegetation types are known to be of high ecological value to fish and wildlife and thus targets for restoration, for example, the watercelery community is principal forage for migrating canvasback ducks (Aythya valisineria) along the Mississippi River flyway. Our results provide insights on vegetation assembly during recovery and aid habitat conservation by providing quantitative, environmental targets for restoration.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aquatic vegetation types identified during early and late phases of vegetation recovery in the Upper Mississippi River

2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This widely recognised degraded state of the waterways of the Basin has driven the formulation of the MDB Plan, which seeks to restore waterway health through the recovery of environmental water (Murray-Darling Basin Authority 2012). The first water quality monitoring was conducted in 1951, and there are little or no preregulation water quality data available that could provide a reasonable understanding of the earliest phase of water resource development (Gell and Reid 2016;Gillson et al 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiproxy approach to track changes in the ecological condition of wetlands in the Gunbower Forest, a Ramsar site

Mall

Gell

Kattel

et al. 2022

Mar. Freshwater Res.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Gunbower Forest is bordered by the Murray River and Gunbower Creek and hosts several floodplain wetlands listed under the Ramsar Convention. Sediment cores were retrieved from three wetlands to trace changes to their ecological state over time. The basal sediments of the wetlands date back to the beginning of river regulation in the 1930s, suggesting that only after then were they inundated sufficiently often to allow for net sediment accumulation. The diatoms preserved in the lower levels of all cores suggest clear, freshwater conditions prevailed during that period. Increased sediment and nutrient loads are inferred by increased epiphytic forms and nutrient indicators. Over recent decades the wetlands have transitioned to plankton dominance, reflecting greater connectivity to the river and distributary, and a reduced light environment. This pattern resembles to that recorded both upstream and downstream, suggesting a regional-scale change in the wetlands of the southern Murray–Darling Basin.

show abstract

“…Travelling back in time to when human impact was minimal in comparison to today can help us to understand the direction and pace at which the planet's ecosystems naturally responded to different disturbances in the past (Cole et al, 2014). These insights can assist land managers to track and manage current changes in ecosystems better, with the aim of achieving long‐term restoration and maintenance goals (Dietl & Flessa, 2011; Gillson et al, 2021). Palaeoecological records offer the opportunity to investigate these themes by providing snapshots of past environments and ecological changes (Słowiński et al, 2019; Wingard et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term drivers and timing of accelerated vegetation changes in African biomes and their management implications

Adeleye

Connor

Haberle

et al. 2022

Global Ecol Biogeogr

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aim:Owing to its diverse bioclimatic zones, long human history and intense anthropogenic impacts, Africa provides a model system for studying how global terrestrial ecosystems might respond to accelerated socio-environmental stress. Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change and human impact, and insufficient baseline data hamper current environmental management efforts. Using palaeoecological data, we seek to identify the timing, pace and drivers of change in African biomes on a longterm scale to inform current ecosystem management frameworks on the continent. Location:Africa.Timeperiod:0-12 ka. Majortaxastudied:African biomes.Methods:Sixtyfour pollen records across Africa and nearby sites were retrieved from multiple databases/sources and grouped into biomes. Turnover (quantified using the squared chord distance dissimilarity metric) and rarefaction analyses were conducted on pollen records in each biome group to reconstruct regional temporal vegetation turnover and richness. Reconstructed vegetation turnover and richness were compared with independent records of climate, fire and human activity to identify possible drivers of change.Results:We found that the most stable biomes were those with the greatest floristic richness. Southern Africa's mediterranean-type (SAM) ecosystems were the most stable and northern Africa's mediterranean-type (NAM) ecosystems were the most unstable (mainly owing to fire). Tropical savannas (TS) and SAM ecosystems expressed the most sensitivity to climatic shifts from ≥6 ka, whereas tropical forests (TF) were relatively stable before human activities intensified from c. 2 ka. Floristic richness also declined across the tropics from c. 2 ka.Mainconclusions:Our analysis pinpoints NAM ecosystems as undergoing the fastest acceleration in turnover on the continent in response to fire, whereas TF and TS have been undergoing unprecedented changes in biodiversity in the last 2,000 years. We expect further changes in biodiversity where climate becomes warmer and drier and where human impacts are novel and rapid in comparison to long-term baselines.

show abstract

Using long-term data to inform a decision pathway for restoration of ecosystem resilience

Cited by 22 publications

References 93 publications

Aquatic vegetation types identified during early and late phases of vegetation recovery in the Upper Mississippi River

Aquatic vegetation types identified during early and late phases of vegetation recovery in the Upper Mississippi River

Multiproxy approach to track changes in the ecological condition of wetlands in the Gunbower Forest, a Ramsar site

Long‐term drivers and timing of accelerated vegetation changes in African biomes and their management implications

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About