Predicting the effects of restoring tidal connectivity on the vegetation of fresh and oligohaline wetlands: Clarence River floodplain, northern NSW

TL;DRAbstract

Tidal wetlands are decreasing in number and extent worldwide due to the effects of drains and tidal barriers. These disrupt salinity gradients, reduce the depth, duration and frequency of inundation, prevent exchange of organic and inorganic materials, and interrupt movement of aquatic biota and propagules. Common effects include reductions in bird and fish populations, invasion by terrestrial and freshwater macrophytes, sediment subsidence caused by peat degradation, and activation of acid sulfate soils leading to land degradation and water quality problems. Active management of floodgates has been proposed to restore tidal exchange to waterways and wetlands of the Clarence River floodplain, on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia. Predicting the potential effects of tidal restoration on macrophyte communities is of high priority, particularly for wetlands in the fresher half of the estuarine salinity gradient. The vegetation at these sites provides important foraging and nes

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