Print PageRecent appreciation for wetland benefits have driven an increase in restoration efforts to improve recovery in agriculturally degraded systems in the Platte River Valley of central Nebraska. Although restoration efforts are time and money intensive, evaluation of recovery has been limited. We measured several indicators of recovery (organic matter, soil bulk density, plant wetland indicator status, plant diversity, plant productivity, and invertebrate communities) in a chronosequence of 17 restored wetlands ranging from one to 19 years old and compared estimates in five natural wetlands to assess regional patterns in recovery. We tested for significant changes in these indicators over time using regression techniques.
Results/Conclusions
Bulk density showed significant recovery in the wettest habitats (sloughs; p=0.019), and soil organic matter showed significant recovery in both sloughs (p=0.002) and higher elevation transects (margins; p=0.034) in surface soils (0-10cm) across the chronosequence. However, there is little evidence of recovery in deeper soils (10-20cm). Results of this study suggest that although recovery is occurring at a regional level, rates are highly dependent on wetland hydrology (e.g., sloughs vs. margins) and may lag significantly in deeper soil profiles. We hope these indicators will provide a comprehensive assessment of restoration success to date in the Platte region and will be used to help improve outcomes in future restoration efforts by identifying factors related to recovery rates.
