Biodiversity Monitoring of a Riparian Wetland in a Mixed-Use Watershed in the Central Appalachians, USA, before Restoration

Abstract

Wetland mitigation efforts have increased in numbers over the past two decades to combat wetland loss in the United States. Data regarding wetland function such as biodiversity are required to be collected 5–10 years after a project is complete; however, pre-restoration data that can inform the effectiveness of mitigation are often not collected. We conducted pre-restoration surveys on various taxa along or within Ruby Run, a tributary of Deckers Creek in north-central West Virginia, USA, from 2016 to 2020 to determine the baseline relative abundance and diversity within the stream and the associated riparian zone. In five years, we observed 237 species (154 plant, 58 bird, 13 fish, 6 small mammal, and 6 anuran) and 25 families of macroinvertebrates. Seasonal fluctuations in diversity were present, but mean diversity was relatively consistent among years across taxa, except in anurans, where there was a decrease each year. Wetland mitigation efforts should continue to be monitored for success using multiple taxa, because land use change can affect taxa in different ways, resulting in well-rounded assessments that can improve wetland management practices.