Evaluating the ecological performance of wetland restoration in the Yellow River Delta, China

Long-term monitoring is essential to evaluate the effects of wetland restoration projects. A monitoring program before and after restoration has been carried out in the study area located in the Yellow River Delta since 2001. Water quality, soil salinity, soil organic matter, plant community, and bird species were chosen as indicators in this program. During the past seven years, the restored wetland showed increasing efficiency in reducing water pollution levels. Soil quality was constantly improved through salinity reduction and soil organic matter accumulation. The vegetation community quickly re-established after the restoration was initiated in 2002. The restored vegetation communities provide favorable habitat conditions for birds and thirty-seven bird species were observed in October 2007. Based on Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA), plant species and vegetation community are mainly influenced by soil salinity and water depth. These indicate that conducting freshwater to the project area is an efficient measure for vegetation restoration. While monitoring results show that the restoration project had positive effects on the wetland ecosystem over the past seven years, two issues remain for future study: (1) the contribution of harvesting vegetation to stabilizing nutrient removal rate and the accumulation of soil organic matter in the soil; and (2) the effects of excessive propagation of Phragmites australis on spatial heterogeneity and plant diversity.