A prioritization metric and modelling framework for fragmented saltmarsh patches restoration

Dongdong Shao; Kang Liu; Hannah L. Mossman; Matthew P. Adams; Hongfang Wang; Dongxue Li; Yu Yan; Baoshan Cui

Ecological Indicators (Sep 2021)

A prioritization metric and modelling framework for fragmented saltmarsh patches restoration

Dongdong Shao,
Kang Liu,
Hannah L. Mossman,
Matthew P. Adams,
Hongfang Wang,
Dongxue Li,
Yu Yan,
Baoshan Cui

Affiliations

Dongdong Shao: State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation & School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Yellow River Estuary Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education, Shandong, China; Tang Scholar, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Kang Liu: Key Laboratory of Space Utilization, Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China
Hannah L. Mossman: Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
Matthew P. Adams: School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4001, Australia; School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia; Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
Hongfang Wang: State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology & Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Dongxue Li: State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation & School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Yellow River Estuary Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education, Shandong, China
Yu Yan: School of Ocean Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Baoshan Cui: State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation & School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Yellow River Estuary Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education, Shandong, China; Corresponding author at: State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation & School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 128
p. 107833

Abstract

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Saltmarsh is a coastal ecosystem providing crucial ecosystem services, and its continued degradation and fragmentation has drawn increasing attention. However, how to effectively restore the connectivity between fragmented saltmarsh patches remains an open challenge. In this study, we developed a metric and modelling framework that prioritised saltmarsh patches for restoration. To demonstrate our approach, we simulated spatially explicit restoration schedules for Suaeda salsa patches at the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, China, using three strategies: increasing-patch-area, increasing-number-of-patches and a benchmark unrestrictive prioritization strategy. We prioritised patches for restoration based on a number of widely used graph-theoretic landscape connectivity and metapopulation capacity metrics. Our simulation results suggested the rank connectivity-importance of extant patches was correlated within the group of graph-theoretic connectivity metrics or metapopulation capacity metrics, but unrelated across group. The unrestrictive prioritization strategy clearly outperformed the strategies of increasing-patch-area and increasing-number-of-patches which returned comparable connectivity restoration outcomes. For the more effective unrestrictive prioritization strategy, there were substantial differences in the simulated priority patches between metrics that considered stepping stone effects and those did not. While the former resulted in corridor-building priority patches that led to a more connected landscape throughout the region, the latter led to local clustering. We recommend use of the total probability of connectivity (PC) among the metrics we tested due to similarity of results to other metrics and its simulation efficiency. The proposed framework is readily applicable to prioritise areas for connectivity conservation and restoration in any monospecific ecosystem at the regional scale.

Published in Ecological Indicators

ISSN: 1470-160X (Print); 1872-7034 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General): Ecology
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/ecological-indicators

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