The global decline of marine foundation species (kelp forests, mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses) has contributed to the degradation of the coastal zone and threatens the loss of critical ecosystem services and functions. Restoration of marine foundation species has had variable success, especially for seagrasses, where a majority of restoration efforts have failed. While most seagrass restorations track structural attributes over time, rarely do restorations assess the suite of ecological functions that may be affected by restoration. Here we report on the results of two small-scale experimental seagrass restoration efforts in a central California estuary where we transplanted 117 0.25-m² plots (2,340 shoots) of the seagrass species Zostera marina. We quantified restoration success relative to persistent reference beds, and in comparison to unrestored, unvegetated areas. Within three years, our restored plots expanded ~8,500%, from a total initial area of 29 to 2,513 m². The restored beds rapidly began to resemble the reference beds in (1) seagrass structural attributes (canopy height, shoot density, biomass), (2) ecological functions (macrofaunal species richness and abundance, epifaunal species richness, nursery function), and (3) biogeochemical functions (modulation of water quality). We also developed a multifunctionality index to assess cumulative functional performance, which revealed restored plots are intermediate between reference and unvegetated habitats, illustrating how rapidly multiple functions recovered over a short time period. Our comprehensive study is one of few published studies to quantify how seagrass restoration can enhance both biological and biogeochemical functions. Our study serves as a model for quantifying ecosystem services associated with the restoration of a foundation species and demonstrates the potential for rapid functional recovery that can be achieved through targeted restoration of fast-growing foundation species under suitable conditions.

中文翻译：

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沿海基础物种恢复后多种生态系统服务的快速增强

海洋基础物种（海带林、红树林、盐沼和海草）的全球衰退导致沿海地区退化，并威胁到关键生态系统服务和功能的丧失。海洋基础物种的恢复取得了不同程度的成功，特别是对于海草，大多数恢复工作都失败了。虽然大多数海草修复随着时间的推移跟踪结构属性，但修复很少评估可能受修复影响的一系列生态功能。在这里，我们报告了在加利福尼亚中部河口进行的两次小规模实验性海草恢复工作的结果，我们在那里移植了 117 个 0.25-m ²地块（2,340 个枝条）的海草物种Zostera marina. 我们量化了相对于持久参考床的恢复成功，并与未恢复的无植被区域进行了比较。在三年内，我们修复的地块扩大了约 8,500%，从最初的总面积 29 到 2,513 m ². 恢复的海床迅速开始在 (1) 海草结构属性（冠层高度、枝条密度、生物量）、(2) 生态功能（大型动物物种丰富度和丰度、表动物物种丰富度、苗圃功能）和 (3) 方面与参考床相似) 生物地球化学功能（调节水质）。我们还开发了一个多功能指数来评估累积功能性能，该指数显示恢复的地块介于参考栖息地和无植被栖息地之间，说明多种功能在短时间内恢复的速度。我们的综合研究是量化海草恢复如何增强生物和生物地球化学功能的少数已发表研究之一。