Restoration of native mangrove wetlands can reverse diet shifts of benthic macrofauna caused by invasive cordgrass

1. Ecological replacement using native mangrove species combined with physical treatments has become an effective method in controling the spread of invasive Spartina alterniflora. To re-establish ecosystem functions, trophic interactions between macrofauna and their potential food resources must be considered during the restoration process. 2. Here we examined the changes in the diets of macrofauna in three restored mangrove ecosystems with different invasion histories following the removal of S. alterniflora in southern China. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios for dominant macrofauna, as well as their potential food sources, were analyzed. The relative contributions of the different carbon sources to the diets of benthic macrofauna and isotopic niche width, including convex hull areas and standard ellipse areas of the macrofaunal community, were then calculated and compared among sampling sites in each region. 3. Our results indicated that Spartina-derived detritus contributed...