Restoration of Degraded Wetland Ecosystems

Wetlands are among the Earth’s most valuable yet at-risk ecosystems. They provide crucial water-related ecosystem services, notably those that improve water security, protection from natural hazards, and climate change resilience. As functionally-active transition zones between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and between the atmosphere, soils, and groundwater, wetlands influence: water supply by stabilizing flows in river networks and recharging groundwater aquifers; global carbon and nitrogen budgets by altering gas fluxes and elemental cycling; water quality by transforming or trapping sediment and contaminants; and biodiversity by providing critical habitat and refuges for more than 40% of all plant and animal species. Globally losses of these valuable ecosystems have been substantial. More than 60 years of wetland restorations have attempted to make up for those losses and diminished ecological function. However, we are just beginning to understand how targeted ecosystem functions respond to restoration practices, and what the implications of restoration are for human well-being.

Hard evidence from global reviews of attempts to restore wetlands and associated ecosystem services show that many underperform are short-lived, or simply fail. To be successful, wetland restoration requires careful consideration of the broad hydrologic context, existing soils, proximity to sources of colonists or seedbanks. To be sustainable, restoration also requires careful consideration of the socio-economic context of community needs and stakeholder motivations. The science of wetland restoration must, therefore, emphasize the use of practices that seek to re-establish wetland hydrologic regimes sufficient to support the biodiverse assemblages, freshwater sources, soil and water biogeochemical processes, and other wetland services that sustain communities, ecosystems, and public health. Our goal is to confront challenges to successful wetland restoration with advances in the development and application of truly transdisciplinary approaches that engage all scientists, including social scientists and economists, as well as stakeholders and other decision-makers in restoration planning, implementation, and monitoring efforts. Beyond individual projects, published research can inform transdisciplinary assessments used by local, national, and international organizations to improve the success of mandates for wetland governance and restoration. Important areas of research include linking restoration to:

1) the power of small (<1 h) distributed wetlands in intercepting, storing, and gradually releasing water to regulate the stability and magnitude of hydrologic flows through streams, rivers, and groundwater systems;

 2) how wetland-scale biogeochemical processes translate to larger-scale outcomes;

3) climate change at global to regional scales and associated changes in wetland biodiversity and function.

For each of these, research is critical on how restoration outcomes are influenced by specific implementation or management actions, especially in different watershed and socio-economic contexts. In turn, it is critical to determine how differences in climate, regional physiography, and past or present surrounding land use influence the supply of water to communities and agroecosystems and the extent to which stakeholder engagement enhances those supplies. Research, reviews, and theory papers within this scope are welcome, regardless of wetland class, location, restoration size, or objective. We especially welcome papers that demonstrate success in linking policies and practices to public engagement and the socio-economic motivations of people who are the stewards and beneficiaries of these valued resources.