Improving Native Species Recruitment in Seed-based Wetland Restoration

One of the greatest threats to Great Salt Lake wetlands is the invasion of Phragmites australis. Recent research has highlighted effective control strategies for Phragmites, however natural recolonization of native plants needed to support wetland functions has been limited. Seeding is a feasible restoration option, however seedling mortality is often high. Understanding the mechanisms that drive early seedling outcomes by quantifying regeneration traits can improve our ability to manipulate and predict restoration actions. Additionally, managers involved in wetland restoration need to know how many seeds to sow, which sites should be prioritized for restoration, and when they should seed. I developed a simulation model to explore changes in native and invasive seed germination across initial seeding density, restoration site, and seasonal timing scenarios. Additionally, I incorporated the influence of seed mass on native species germination into my model. This approach represents a starting point for developing an important management tool that can be used to identify targeted, cost-effective wetland restoration strategies following Phragmites treatment.

大盐湖（Great Salt Lake）湿地面临的最主要威胁之一为芦苇（Phragmites australis）的入侵。现有研究已明确针对该入侵植物的有效防控策略，但支撑湿地生态功能所需的本土植物自然再定植过程仍十分有限。播种是一种可行的湿地修复手段，但幼苗死亡率往往居高不下。通过量化再生性状以解析调控幼苗早期存活与生长的内在机制，能够提升我们对修复措施的调控与预测能力。此外，湿地修复从业者需要明确三个核心问题：适宜的播种量、优先开展修复的点位，以及最佳播种时段。本研究构建了一套模拟模型，用于探究初始播种密度、修复点位与季节时间梯度下，本土与入侵植物种子萌发的变化规律。同时，模型还纳入了种子质量对本土物种萌发的影响效应。该研究可为开发关键管理工具奠定基础，该工具可用于精准识别芦苇防控完成后兼具针对性与成本效益的湿地修复策略。