Plant colonization after complete and partial removal of disturbed soils for wetland restoration of former agricultural fields in Everglades National Park
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Published source details
Dalrymple G.H., Doren R.F., O'Hare N.K., Norland M.R. & Armentano T.V. (2003) Plant colonization after complete and partial removal of disturbed soils for wetland restoration of former agricultural fields in Everglades National Park. Wetlands, 23, 1015-1029.
Published source details Dalrymple G.H., Doren R.F., O'Hare N.K., Norland M.R. & Armentano T.V. (2003) Plant colonization after complete and partial removal of disturbed soils for wetland restoration of former agricultural fields in Everglades National Park. Wetlands, 23, 1015-1029.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Remove surface soil/sediment: freshwater marshes Action Link |
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Remove surface soil/sediment: freshwater marshes
A study in 1989–1994 in a freshwater marsh in Florida, USA (Dalrymple et al. 2003) reported that areas where topsoil was removed were colonized by vegetation, with species richness and the amount of tall/shrubby vegetation depending on the amount of topsoil removed. After approximately 54 months, an area where topsoil had been completely removed contained 32 plant species/100 m2, 243% total vegetation cover and 79% cover of wetland-characteristic plants. The formerly-dominant shrub Brazilian pepper Schinus terebinthifolius occurred in only 4% of survey plots. Less than 1% of total cover was plants >2 m tall. An area where topsoil had been partially removed contained 20 plant species/100 m2, 245% total vegetation cover and 81% cover of wetland-characteristic plants. Brazilian pepper occurred in 86% of survey plots. Approximately 10% of total cover was plants >2 m tall. Results were similar 30–42 months after soil removal, although there was some variation in the first 6–18 months (see original paper). Methods: In early 1989, topsoil and vegetation were removed from a marsh that had been farmed and then became overgrown with Brazilian pepper. Topsoil was completely removed (down to bedrock) from 18 ha and partially removed (“thin layer” remaining) from an adjacent 6 ha. Plant species and cover were recorded each August between 1989 and 1994, in fourteen or forty-nine 100-m2 plots/area/year.
(Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)
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