Stephanie Guisti, Beverly Collins, and Tom Hinton


Introduction

Drawdowns, which allow seed bank expression, are commonly used to manage wetland vegetation. Most plant species require moist soil rather than flooded environments for seeds to germinate. Drawdowns provide suitable germination conditions that allow recruitment of upland, woody, wetland, and successional species from the seed bank.

Although it is clear that seasonal drawdowns can enhance diversity, the effects of long term drawdowns and refilling on wetland vegetation reestablishment are not well known. Reestablishment of vegetation after refilling largely depends upon longevity and movement of wetland seeds in the seed bank, both of which are influenced by environmental conditions and water level fluctuations. In some managed systems, refilling may be augmented by water from one or more sources. Indirect effects of drawdowns and subsequent refilling on nutrient dynamics could influence wetland vegetation growth.

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