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Updated: May 7, 2026
12:44
Watershed Planning within a Quantitative Scenario Analysis Framework
Published on: July 24, 2016
Structural and functional loss in restored wetland ecosystems.
David Moreno-Mateos1, Mary E Power, Francisco A Comín
1Integrative Biology Department, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America. davidmor@stanford.edu
Plos Biology
|February 1, 2012
Summary
Wetland restoration efforts often fall short, with biological structure and ecosystem functions remaining significantly diminished even after a century. Current practices may not fully recover original wetland conditions.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Restoration Ecology
Background:
- Wetlands are highly productive ecosystems vital for numerous services.
- Significant wetland loss has occurred globally due to human activities.
- Ecological restoration aims to recover lost wetland functions and structure, but success is uncertain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the long-term effectiveness of wetland ecological restoration.
- To quantify the recovery of biological structure and biogeochemical functioning in restored wetlands.
- To identify factors influencing the rate and degree of wetland recovery.
Main Methods:
- A global meta-analysis of 621 wetland sites.
- Comparison of restored wetland sites with undegraded reference sites.
- Analysis of biological structure (plant assemblages) and biogeochemical functioning (soil carbon storage).
Main Results:
- Restored wetlands showed, on average, 26% lower biological structure and 23% lower biogeochemical functioning compared to reference sites, even after 100 years.
- Recovery rates were influenced by environmental settings: larger wetlands (>100 ha), warmer climates, and greater hydrologic exchange (riverine, tidal) recovered faster.
- Smaller, colder, and depressional wetlands showed slower recovery.
Conclusions:
- Current wetland restoration practices are limited in their ability to fully recover original ecosystem functions and structure.
- Slow recovery or shifts to alternative stable states may explain persistent deficits.
- Continued degradation justified by current restoration practices could lead to widespread global loss of wetland ecosystem services.
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