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Flood Exposure Affects Long-Term Tree Survival in Compensatory Mitigation Wetlands

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Abstract

Survival of planted trees is commonly used as a performance metric for compensatory mitigation wetlands. However, establishing floodplain forest through planting is difficult due to flood-induced tree mortality. We used multiyear tree census and hydrologic data from 17 compensatory mitigation projects in Illinois, USA, to relate planted and volunteer tree establishment to flood frequency, depth, and duration. Annual survival of planted trees decreased with greater annual maximum flood depth and duration. By the end of official compliance monitoring, sites with greater flood exposure had greater planted tree mortality. We resurveyed 10 sites that were at least 10 years old, and found that long-term tree survival was significantly lower in sites with greater flood exposure. Naturally colonizing trees differed in species composition from planted trees; specifically, wind dispersed species were well-represented among volunteer trees, whereas hard mast species were absent. There was no clear relationship between volunteer tree recruitment and measured flood variables. Across all sites, compliance with tree survival standards was poor, but influenced by hydrologic conditions. Current performance standards for tree survival may be unrealistic in restored wetlands that are exposed to long-duration floods. Regulators and practitioners should seek alternative methods to establish desired floodplain forest structure and function.

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Acknowledgments

This publication is based on the results of ICT-R27-143, Tree Establishment in Response to Hydrology at IDOT Wetland Mitigation Sites. ICT- R27-143 was conducted in cooperation with the Illinois Center for Transportation; the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Highways; and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. This research was additionally supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Hatch project 1001050. Original site monitoring was funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation and performed by staff of the Illinois Natural History Survey and Illinois State Geological Survey. Jordan Jessop and Christopher Castle assisted with field work in 2014.

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  1. Edward P. F. Price

    Present address: Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, 1102 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA

    Jeffrey W. Matthews, Edward P. F. Price & Adrianna E. Krzywicka

  2. Illinois State Geological Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA

    Geoffrey E. Pociask

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  1. Jeffrey W. Matthews
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Correspondence to Jeffrey W. Matthews.

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Matthews, J.W., Pociask, G.E., Price, E.P.F. et al. Flood Exposure Affects Long-Term Tree Survival in Compensatory Mitigation Wetlands. Wetlands 39, 1129–1138 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-019-01158-7

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