Macrobenthos functional groups as indicators of ecological restoration in reclaimed intertidal wetlands of China's Yangtze Estuary

The functional group method of community assessment was used in this study to assess the ecological success of reclaimed wetland restoration in the Yangtze Estuary. Macrobenthos were collected from reclaimed intertidal wetlands at contrasting stages of succession and divided into five functional groups that comprised planktivores, herbivores, carnivores, detritivores, and omnivores. There was a comprehensive recovery in species number, abundance, and biomass in long-restored wetland, and in vegetated short-restored wetland, there was an increase in the abundance of planktivores and herbivores. In contrast, species number, abundance, and biomass of all functional groups declined in bald short-restored wetland. Cluster and NMDS analyses suggested similar community structures between the long-restored and non-reclamation wetlands, indicating effective artificial restoration of wetland habitat was possible. Ecological health was fully restored in the long-restored wetland, partially restored in vegetated short-restored wetland, but had deteriorated in the bald wetland. Successional restoration improves with time, and recruitment of vegetation is key to the initiation of macrobenthic community development.