Supporting data: Shorebird responses to fine-scale water level fluctuations and macrofauna biomass in a newly constructed freshwater wetland

Data supporting "Shorebird responses to fine-scale water level fluctuations and macrofauna biomass in a newly constructed freshwater wetland" publication in Restoration Ecology (2026)Introduction: Restoration of marine and freshwater wetlands for shorebirds is essential for the recovery of their declining populations. An ongoing approach is to restore shorebird habitats by large-scale engineering, expecting the return of birds once suitable abiotic conditions are (re)established. However, this requires science-based knowledge on which abiotic conditions should be (re)constructed.Objectives: Here, we aimed to identify preferred water-level ranges of a diverse shorebird community by studying shorebird habitat use in a new 1300-ha heterogeneous freshwater wetland with spatio-temporal variation in food availability and water levels (Marker Wadden, the Netherlands). We hypothesized that (1) water levels regulate the attractiveness of wetland sites to shorebirds; (2) shorebird numbers are positively related to benthic and pelagic macrofauna biomass; (3) water level and macrofauna biomass interact, with the effect of macrofauna biomass diminishing as water levels increase.Methods: We combined Artificial Intelligence shorebird counting on 86400 camera trap images with automatic water level registrations and monthly macrofauna biomass sampling.Results: Statistical modelling identified water level as the key driver of shorebird numbers, and macrofauna biomass as less important during our one-year study. Optimal water levels ranged between just exposed saturated mudflats and mudflats with 5 cm of water on the sediment surface. Water level-regulated macrofauna accessibility overruled effects of macrofauna biomass on shorebird numbers.Conclusions: Fine-scale water level management can be a powerful approach to restore habitat suitability for foraging shorebirds, and thus contribute to recovery of their declining populations.Implications for Practice: Water levels determine the value of wetland areas for shorebirds at the resolution of centimeters. Two-thirds of all shorebirds were observed when water levels ranged between 10 cm below and 10 cm above the sediment surface. This makes high-resolution water level management a powerful tool for improving shorebird habitat suitability. This is particularly feasible in freshwater wetlands, in the absence of a tidal cycle. Variation in pelagic and benthic macrofauna densities is irrelevant if prey are inaccessible due to unsuitable water levels. Considering water levels during the design-phase of wetland restoration can ensure future habitat suitability for shorebirds throughout the annual cycle.

本数据集支撑发表于《恢复生态学（Restoration Ecology）》2026年的论文《新建淡水湿地中滨鸟（shorebird）对精细尺度水位波动与大型底栖动物（macrofauna）生物量的响应》。
引言：为滨鸟开展滨海与淡水湿地修复，对扭转其种群衰退趋势至关重要。当前主流修复手段为通过大规模工程手段重建滨鸟栖息地，期望在适宜的非生物条件（重新）建立后，吸引滨鸟回归。然而，此类修复需要依托科学依据，明确需（重新）构建的非生物环境参数。
研究目标：本研究聚焦荷兰马肯瓦登（Marker Wadden）一处面积达1300公顷的异质性新建淡水湿地，通过探究该湿地内滨鸟的栖息地利用模式，明确多样滨鸟群落偏好的水位区间。该湿地的食物可获得性与水位均存在时空异质性。我们提出三项假设：（1）水位调控湿地生境对滨鸟的吸引力；（2）滨鸟种群数量与底栖及浮游大型底栖动物生物量呈正相关；（3）水位与大型底栖动物生物量存在交互效应，即随着水位升高，大型底栖动物生物量对滨鸟的吸引作用会减弱。
研究方法：本研究将86400张相机诱捕（camera trap）图像的人工智能（Artificial Intelligence）滨鸟计数结果，与自动水位监测数据、月度大型底栖动物生物量采样数据相结合。
研究结果：统计建模结果显示，水位是调控滨鸟种群数量的核心驱动因子，而在本研究为期一年的观测周期内，大型底栖动物生物量的影响相对较弱。滨鸟偏好的最优水位区间为：仅裸露的饱和潮滩至沉积物表面覆盖5厘米水深的潮滩之间。水位通过调控大型底栖动物的可获取性，掩盖了大型底栖动物生物量本身对滨鸟种群数量的影响。
研究结论：精细尺度的水位管理可成为恢复滨鸟觅食生境适宜性的有效手段，进而助力扭转滨鸟种群的衰退趋势。
实践启示：水位以厘米级的分辨率决定了湿地生境对滨鸟的价值。当水位处于沉积物表面上下10厘米区间内时，观测到的滨鸟数量占总观测量的三分之二。这表明高分辨率水位管理是提升滨鸟生境适宜性的有力工具，在无潮汐周期的淡水湿地中尤其具备实施可行性。若因水位不适导致猎物不可获取，浮游与底栖大型底栖动物的密度差异便无实际意义。在湿地修复的设计阶段纳入水位考量，可确保未来全年均能为滨鸟提供适宜的栖息生境。