A major highlight of restoration efforts is to improve the ecological structure and function of the natural ecosystem in the restored habitat. Assessment of restoration success is a crucial component of an optimal ecological management strategy. In studies to determine the restoration success of a transplanted seagrass habitat by assessing trophic recovery, we examined carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of organic matter sources and macrobenthic assemblages in a transplanted eelgrass Zostera marina bed. The eelgrass bed was restored about 2 years after transplantation in a southern coastal bay of Korea, and consequently, the food web structure in the bed was compared with that in a natural reference site. Our results revealed no significant differences in isotopic values of both macrobenthic consumers and their putative food sources between the transplanted and natural seagrass beds. These isotopic similarities in florae and faunae in the two beds suggest a uniformity in food web structure formed by the diversity and availability of resources, and thereby suggest similarities in the resource–consumer relationship. Isotopic niche indices and high dietary overlaps of feeding guilds in the transplanted and natural beds further suggest the transplanted habitat provides similar ecological functions and ecosystem services to its natural counterpart. Collectively, our results suggest the eelgrass transplantation led to successful restoration of a common seagrass bed, with recovery of the functional properties of the food web structure. Finally, our findings support the idea that stable isotope measures can provide a better understanding of the functioning of restored ecosystems, and improve post-transplantation monitoring efforts for the future planning and managing of successful habitat restoration.

恢复工作的一大亮点是改善恢复生境中自然生态系统的生态结构和功能。恢复成功的评估是最佳生态管理策略的关键组成部分。在通过评估营养恢复来确定移植的海草栖息地恢复成功的研究中，我们研究了移植的鳗草Zostera滨海地区有机质源和大型底栖动物组合的碳氮稳定同位素比床。移植后约2年，在韩国南部沿海海湾恢复了鳗草床，因此，将床中的食物网结构与自然参考地点的网状结构进行了比较。我们的研究结果表明，大型底栖动物的消费者及其假定的食物来源的同位素值在移植的海草床和天然海草床之间没有显着差异。两张床的动植物区系的这些同位素相似性表明，资源多样性和可利用性形成的食物网结构均一，从而暗示了资源与消费者关系的相似性。同位素生态位指数以及移植床和天然床中的行会饲料在膳食上的高度重叠进一步表明，移植后的生境与其天然对应物具有相似的生态功能和生态系统服务。总体而言，我们的结果表明，鳗草移植成功恢复了常见的海草床，并恢复了食物网结构的功能特性。最后，我们的发现支持这样的想法，即稳定的同位素措施可以更好地了解恢复的生态系统的功能，并改善移植后的监测工作，以用于未来规划和管理成功的生境恢复。可以恢复食物网结构的功能特性。最后，我们的发现支持这样的想法，即稳定的同位素措施可以更好地了解恢复的生态系统的功能，并改善移植后的监测工作，以用于未来规划和管理成功的生境恢复。可以恢复食物网结构的功能特性。最后，我们的发现支持这样的想法，即稳定的同位素措施可以更好地了解恢复的生态系统的功能，并改善移植后的监测工作，以用于未来规划和管理成功的生境恢复。