Life Sciences Commons^™

Negative Resistance And Resilience: Biotic Mechanisms Underpin Delayed Biological Recovery In Stream Restoration, Isabelle C. Barrett, Angus R. Mcintosh, Catherine Febria, Helen J. Warburton

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Traditionally, resistance and resilience are associated with good ecological health, often underpinning restoration goals. However, degraded ecosystems can also be highly resistant and resilient, making restoration difficult: degraded communities often become dominated by hyper-tolerant species, preventing recolonization and resulting in low biodiversity and poor eco-system function. Using streams as a model, we undertook a mesocosm experiment to test if degraded community presence hindered biological recovery. We established 12 mesocosms, simulating physically healthy streams. Degraded invertebrate communities were established in half, mimicking the post-restoration scenario of physical recovery without biological recovery. We then introduced a healthy colonist community to all mesocosms, …