Does Facilitation of Faunal Recruitment Benefit Ecosystem Restoration? An Experimental Study of Invertebrate Assemblages in Wetland Mesocosms

Authors:
Brady, V.J., B.J. Cardinale, J.P. Gathman and T.M. Burton

Publication Date:
2002

Abstract/Summary:
We used wetland mesocosms (1) to experimentally assess whether inoculating a restored wetland site with vegetation/sediment plugs from a natural wetland would alter the development of invertebrate communities relative to unaided controls and (2) to determine if stocking of a poor invertebrate colonizer could further modify community development beyond that due to simple inoculation. These results suggest that facilitation of invertebrate recruitment does indeed alter invertebrate community development and that facilitation may lead to a more natural community structure in less time under conditions simulating wetland restoration.

Resource Type:
Peer-reviewed Article

Source:
Restoration Ecology

Link:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1526-100X.2002.01042.x/abstract