Anthropogenic activities are causing a global decline in aquatic plant density and diversity. Ecological restoration of aquatic plant communities may reestablish ecosystem functioning associated with aquatic plant populations, but research on best practices remains sparse and inconclusive. Currently practiced planting methods show variability in establishment and are often not scalable due to financial and practical limitations. To address these challenges, we sought to evaluate the best planting methods for aquatic plant restoration with a focus on scalable planting methods and planting design. In summer 2021, we initiated a field experiment at the Provo River Delta Restoration Project in Provo, Utah. Four blocks of eighteen single-species plots were installed to evaluate establishment (measured as percent cover and plug survival) of three species (Potamogeton nodosus, Ruppia cirrhosa, and Stuckenia pectinata) across three planting methods (burlap wrapped plugs, coir pellets, and hand-planting) and two planting designs (clumped and dispersed). Initial results after three months show that species identity affects establishment more than planting method or design. Scalable planting methods show similar survival compared to hand-planting, indicating that they may be an efficient alternative. Monitoring will continue in summer 2022. The results of this study will aid aquatic plant restoration by identifying successful and scalable aquatic plant revegetation techniques.
Kate Sinnott
Kate Sinnott is an Ecology MS student advised by Dr. Karin Kettenring in the Department of Watershed Sciences. Her research is on the restoration of submerged aquatic vegetation with a focus on planting methods and invasion resistance in aquatic plant communities. More broadly, Kate is interested in finding effective ways to produce genetically diverse, regionally-appropriate plant materials for use in restorations.
Karin Kettenring