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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbus, Ohio » Soil Drainage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #157356

Title: NATURAL RECOLONIZATION- IS IT EFFECTIVE FOR ESTABLISHING WETLAND SPECIES IN TREATMENT BASINS

Author
item Luckeydoo, Lee
item Fausey, Norman
item DAVIS, C - THE OHIO STATE UNIV.

Submitted to: Land and Water
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/2/2004
Publication Date: 1/16/2004
Citation: LUCKEYDOO, L.M., FAUSEY, N.R., DAVIS, C.B. NATURAL RECOLONIZATION- IS IT EFFECTIVE FOR ESTABLISHING WETLAND SPECIES IN TREATMENT BASINS. LAND AND WATER. 2004. P. 26-27.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Vegetation in treatment wetlands is most often established by seeding or transplanting seedlings in the basin following construction, but an alternative and very cost effective approach would be to allow natural recolonization. Three such naturally recolonized wetlands were constructed at Wetland Reservoir Subirrigation System (WRSIS) project sites (1995/6) on previously converted cropland adjacent to agricultural fields in northwest Ohio for the primary purposes of water quality improvement, and providing additional wildlife habitat. Data were collected at these locations from 1998-2001 using vegetation surveys. Wetland indicator species made up 45% (35 species) of the total species (77) present, and the majority of the wetland species (23 species) were facultative in wetlands. Dominant species included: Salix exigua Nutt., Scirpus atrovirens Willd., Phalaris arundinaceae L., Polygonum persicaria L., Carex vulpinoidea Michx, . Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) P. Beauv., Phleum pratense L., Medicago sativa L., Dactylis glomerata L. Bromus sp. and Festuca sp., and were likely from local sources. Less than 50% of the dominant species were wetland species. Many of the dominant species, including: Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) P. Beauv., Phleum pratense L., Medicago sativa L., Dactylis glomerata L., Bromus sp. and Festuca sp., had been applied in erosion control plantings on the upper buffers of the basins after construction. Results suggest that planting or seeding basins with desired wetland species, will be required if 50% percent or greater wetland vegetation is desired within 6 years of construction in treatment basins or constructed wetlands which are built within agricultural settings where limited water-tolerant and wetland species seed supply exists. A cost effective idea to increase the potential for wetland species establishment, is to add desired seed of wetland species into erosion control plantings applied after construction. A list of suggested species and revegetation resources are available in the article text.