Method for restoring waterbird habitats based on ecological leverage theory

Abstract

A method for restoring waterbird habitats based on the ecological leverage theory is provided. The method includes: Step 1: Determining a target waterbird habitat to be restored based on the ecological environment of a target wetland area; Step 2: Selecting several suitable basic ecological units that are distributed in a scattered, circular, or S-shaped pattern from the target wetland area; Step 3: Optimizing the environment of the selected basic ecological units according to the target waterbird habitat; Step 4: Conducting long-term monitoring of the ecological environment and waterbird population of the optimized ecological units, assessing the restoration of the waterbird habitat, and further optimizing the ecological units based on the assessment results. The method of the present invention achieves an enhancement in waterbird diversity within a region with the minimum ecological space and waterbird habitat restoration efforts.

Claims

1. A method for restoring a waterbird habitat, comprising: step 1: determining a target waterbird habitat to be restored based on an ecological environment of a target wetland area, wherein the target waterbird habitat is a habitat for wading birds and natatorial birds; step 2: selecting a plurality of basic ecological units from the target wetland area, wherein each basic ecological unit comprises shallow shoals, open water areas, deep water areas, areas with emergent plants, areas with submerged aquatic plants, and buffer zones along the shore, and wherein the plurality of basic ecological units are distributed in a scattered, circular, or S-shaped pattern; step 3: optimizing an environment of selected basic ecological units according to the target waterbird habitat, wherein optimizing the environment comprises improving a wetland topography by adjusting shallow shoals to have a uniform contour with a slope between 1 and 4, adjusting a depth of open water areas and deep water areas to 1.5 m-2 m and adjusting a slope of an existing shore by micro-terrain modification, wherein the slope of an existing shore is less than 15; step 4: conducting a long-term monitoring of an ecological environment and a waterbird population of optimized basic ecological units, assessing a restoration of the waterbird habitat, and further optimizing the optimized basic ecological units based on an assessment result, wherein the further optimizing the optimized basic ecological units comprises installing artificial nest boxes and/or signages.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the target waterbird habitat comprises wetland environments and wetland biological communities.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the wetland environments comprise a wetland substrate, a wetland topography, and a wetland water environment.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of basic ecological units selected in step 2 have an ecological environment matching the target waterbird habitat.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein optimizing the environment further comprises improving a wetland substrate, a wetland water environment, wetland plant communities, wetland animal communities, and/or wetland microbial communities to meet ecological needs of a target waterbird.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein improving the wetland water environment comprises regulating a water quantity, a water quality, and a water level in a wetland ecosystem.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein improving the wetland plant communities comprises increasing or decreasing a type or a quantity of aquatic plants.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the method for restoring waterbird habitats in a typical embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIGS. 2A-2B show the layout of an exemplary project implementing the method for restoring waterbird habitats of the present invention. FIG. 2A shows the wetland restoration conditions of the target area before the start of the project, while FIG. 2B shows the layout of the project.

(3) FIGS. 3A-3B illustrate the waterbird habitat restoration results of the project shown in FIGS. 2A-2B. FIG. 3A shows a real-life photo before environmental optimization, and FIG. 3B shows a real-life photo after environmental optimization.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(4) The present invention will be further described in detail below by examples. It should be understood that the examples below are only for the purpose of explaining and illustrating the present invention and should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the invention in any way.

(5) The present invention provides a method for restoring a waterbird habitat, comprising: step 1: determining a target waterbird habitat to be restored based on an ecological environment of a target wetland area; step 2: selecting a plurality of basic ecological units from the target wetland area, wherein the plurality of basic ecological units are distributed in a scattered, circular, or S-shaped pattern; step 3: optimizing the environment of selected basic ecological units according to the target waterbird habitat; step 4: conducting a long-term monitoring of an ecological environment and a waterbird population of optimized basic ecological units, assessing a restoration of the waterbird habitat, and further optimizing the optimized basic ecological units based on an assessment result.

(6) In some embodiments, the target waterbird habitat is a habitat for wading birds. In other embodiments, the target waterbird habitat is a habitat for natatorial birds. In yet other embodiments, the target waterbird habitat is a habitat for both wading and natatorial birds.

(7) In some embodiments, the target waterbird habitat includes wetland environments and wetland biological communities.

(8) In some embodiments, the wetland environments include a wetland substrate, a wetland topography, and a wetland water environment.

(9) In some embodiments, the wetland substrate is natural wetland substrate. In other embodiments, the wetland substrate is a combination of natural wetland substrate and artificial wetland substrate.

(10) In some embodiments, the wetland biological communities include wetland plant communities, wetland animal communities, and wetland microbial communities.

(11) In some embodiments, the plurality of basic ecological units selected in step 2, compared with remaining ecological units in the target wetland area, have an ecological environment closer to the target waterbird habitat.

(12) In some embodiments, based on the habitat preferences of the target waterbirds, the suitability of the target wetland area is analyzed. Several basic ecological units that are more conducive to restoring the target waterbird habitat and that are distributed in a scattered, circular, or S-shaped pattern are selected from the target wetland area for environmental optimization.

(13) In some embodiments, optimizing the environment includes improving a wetland substrate, a wetland topography, a wetland water environment, wetland plant communities, wetland animal communities, and/or wetland microbial communities to meet ecological needs of a target waterbird.

(14) In some embodiments, improving the wetland water environment includes adjusting a water quantity, a water quality, and a water level in a wetland ecosystem.

(15) In some embodiments, improving the wetland plant communities includes increasing or decreasing a type or a quantity of aquatic plants.

(16) In some embodiments, optimizing the environment also includes installing artificial nest boxes and/or signages.

(17) In some embodiments, the ecological environment of each basic ecological unit is compared with the target waterbird habitat, optimization schemes are formulated, and the environment of each basic ecological unit is optimized.

(18) In some embodiments, the method of the present invention comprises: a) Determining optimization goals based on the ecological needs of the target waterbirds, such as optimizing nesting habitats, breeding conditions, etc.; b) Understanding the ecological characteristics of basic ecological units, including hydrology, soil, vegetation, and other factors, and analyzing their impact on the target waterbird habitat; c) Formulating corresponding optimization schemes based on the optimization goals and the ecological characteristics of the basic ecological units, such as increasing water depth, adjusting water levels, and adding aquatic plants; and conducting scientific, reasonable, and targeted layouts of the ecological units to achieve the targeted restoration of different waterbird habitats; d) Continuously checking and adjusting the ecological characteristics of the ecological units during the implementation of optimization schemes to ensure that the waterbird habitat restoration achieves the expected results.

(19) In some embodiments, the method of the present invention comprises: Construction of Basic Ecological Units: Selecting suitable basic ecological units in the wetland ecosystem, which comprises aquatic plants, sediments, and water bodies, for appropriate restoration and arrangement; Optimization of the Layout of the Ecological Units: Optimizing the layout of the basic ecological units according to the ecological needs and habits of different waterbird species to achieve targeted restoration of different waterbird habitats; Water Regulation and Management: Adjusting and managing water bodies according to the ecological needs of waterbirds to ensure that conditions such as water quantity, water quality, and water level in the wetland ecosystem meet the ecological needs of waterbirds; Installation of Artificial Nest Boxes and Signage: Installing artificial nest boxes and signage appropriately in the restored waterbird habitat to provide more nesting and breeding sites, and to facilitate ecological research and monitoring of waterbirds; Long-term Monitoring and Assessment: Based on the construction of ecological units and water regulation and management, conducting long-term monitoring of the restored waterbird habitat to assess changes in indicators such as ecosystem restoration and waterbird populations, and further optimizing the layout of the ecological units according to the assessment results.

Example 1

(20) A specific implementation case of the present invention is located in the northeast of Zhangziying Town, Daxing District, Beijing, mainly covering villages such as Beixinzhuang, Beisishang, Xiaoheifa, and Sunzhuang, with an area of approximately 7 square kilometers. The project aims to restore the waterbird diversity in this area. The project was started in March 2022 and completed in February 2023.

Specific Implementation Steps

(21) (1) Determination of the Target Waterbird Habitat to be Restored

(22) Based on the preliminary investigation of the project area, wetland vegetation in the wetland area mainly includes reeds, cattails, lotus, flatstalk bulrush, and duckweed. Waterbirds include Black-winged Stilt, Egret, Pond Heron, Little Grebe, and Gallinules. The wetlands have lush vegetation, a few shallow shoals and open water surfaces, and limited resting and foraging places for waterbirds, with low suitability for waterbird habitats. This project aims to restore habitats for both wading and natatorial birds, optimizing foraging and resting places for different types of waterbirds.

(23) Wading birds have long beaks, necks, and legs, and they prefer foraging in tidal flats and shallow water areas. The vegetation in tidal flat habitats mainly consists of low wetland plants such as sedge grass and bulrush. There are also bare flats without vegetation, often rich in shellfish and snails. Wading birds usually require a certain runway distance for takeoff, hence requiring open space.

(24) Natatorial birds have webbed toes, and generally shorter beaks with flat or pointed shapes. Natatorial birds prefer swimming and diving for food in open water surfaces, requiring habitats with more open and deep water areas, significant elevation differences, fewer shallow areas, and dense emergent aquatic plants. Small fish, submerged plants, and associated snails are the main food sources for Anatidae.

(25) (2) Selection of Basic Ecological Units

(26) Based on the terrain, hydrology, vegetation, and other requirements of habitats for wading and natatorial birds, it is determined that each ecological unit should comprise shallow shoals, open and deep water areas, areas with emergent and submerged aquatic plants, and buffer zones along the shore to meet the foraging and resting needs of different waterbirds. Four wetlands distributed in a scattered pattern in the northeast of Zhangziying Town were selected as basic ecological units for environmental optimization (FIG. 2B).

(27) (3) Environmental Optimization of Ecological Units

(28) According to the requirements of habitats for wading and natatorial birds, environmental optimization was conducted for the selected basic ecological units. Specifically: the shallow shoals were adjusted to have a relatively uniform contour with a slope between 1% 0 and 4%; the depth of the open and deep water areas was adjusted to 1.5 m-2 m; in addition to reeds and cattails, plants such as Lythrum salicaria, water lilies and foxtail algae were added to form a distribution area of emergent and submerged aquatic plants, with a coverage of less than 30%; the slope of the existing shore was reduced through micro-terrain modification, with a slope less than 15, and mulberry were planted as a food source. As shown in FIGS. 3A-3B, before environmental optimization (FIG. 3A), wetlands have lush vegetation, a few shallow shoals and open water surfaces, and limited resting and foraging sites for waterbirds; After environmental optimization (FIG. 3B), there are well-matched wetland plants; there are shallow shoals with suitable size and shape, providing resting and foraging places and runway areas for wading birds; and there are open and deep water areas, providing swimming and foraging places for natatorial birds.

(29) (4) Monitoring of Ecological Environment and Waterbird Numbers

(30) Long-term monitoring of the ecological environment and waterbird numbers in the optimized ecological units was conducted to assess the restoration of waterbird habitats. Based on the assessment results, further environmental optimization of the ecological units was carried out, such as installing multiple artificial nest boxes and signage for waterbird roosting.

Waterbird Habitat Restoration Effect

(31) Before the implementation of the project, there were only 5 species of waterbirds, totaling just over 20 individuals in the area. After the implementation of the project, there are nearly 30 species of birds, totaling over 100 individuals. It can be seen that the method for restoring waterbird habitats of the present invention achieved the point-to-area effect through environmental restoration of scattered basic ecological units, and greatly enhanced the waterbird diversity in the entire area.