Restoration promotes ecological functioning through greater complementarity

Ashley J. Rummell; Hayden P. Borland; Jackson J. Hazell; Jesse D. Mosman; Christopher J. Henderson; Javier X. Leon; Ben L. Gilby; Andrew D. Olds

doi:10.1111/rec.14083

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Restoration promotes ecological functioning through greater complementarity

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Restoration promotes ecological functioning through greater complementarity

Ashley J. Rummell, Hayden P. Borland, Jackson J. Hazell, Jesse D. Mosman, Christopher J. Henderson, Javier X. Leon, Ben L. Gilby and Andrew D. Olds

Restoration Ecology, Vol.32(3), pp.1-12

2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.14083

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Abstract

Australia

carrion consumption

crustaceans

fish

wetlands

Restoration projects are increasingly widespread and many promote habitat succession and the diversity and abundance of faunal communities. These positive effects on biodiversity and abundance may extend to enhancing the ecological functioning and resilience of previously degraded ecosystems, but this is rarely quantified. This study surveyed a 200‐ha restoring coastal wetland and three control wetlands in the Maroochy River, eastern Australia to compare the effects of wetland restoration on the consumption of carrion and the biodiversity, abundance, and functional diversity of functionally important fish and crustaceans. Carrion consumption by fish and crustaceans was measured every 6 months from spring 2017 until spring 2021 for nine events using a combination of baited cameras and scavenging assays. We found restoration improved rates of carrion consumption and the biodiversity, functional diversity, and abundance of scavenger species. Despite positive effects on the diversity of scavengers and carrion consumption, the abundance of two species, longfin eels ( Anguilla reinhardtii ) and mud crabs ( Scylla serrata ), was the most important predictors of carrion consumption rates. The spatial distribution of carrion consumption was concentrated in areas with high saltmarsh extent, moderate to high mangrove extent, and high salinity, which also resembled the distribution of both longfin eels and mud crabs. We show that restoration can promote the rates of key ecological functions but that increases to functions are likely to be characterized by low functional redundancy and greater complementarity. Therefore, maintaining or increasing the abundance of functionally important species should become a key objective in future restoration projects.

Details

Title: Restoration promotes ecological functioning through greater complementarity
Authors: Ashley J. Rummell (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Hayden P. Borland (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Jackson J. Hazell (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Jesse D. Mosman (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Christopher J. Henderson (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Javier X. Leon (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Ben L. Gilby (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Andrew D. Olds (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Publication details: Restoration Ecology, Vol.32(3), pp.1-12
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
Date published: 2024
DOI: 10.1111/rec.14083
ISSN: 1526-100X; 1061-2971
Copyright note: © 2024 The Authors. Restoration Ecology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Ecological Restoration. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Grant note: Unity water
Organisation Unit: School of Health - Nursing; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; Sustainability Research Cluster
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99991180702621
Output Type: Journal article

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