Reestablishment of wetland vegetation on gas pipeline rights-of-way in six different wetland ecosystems

摘要

Vegetational surveys were carried out to compare reestablished vegetation on pipeline rights-of-way (ROWS) with that in adjacent natural ecosystems undisturbed by pipeline installation. Six sites of various ages were surveyed in ecosystems ranging from coastal marsh to forested wetland. At all sites except one, both the number and the percentage of wetland species on the ROW approximated or exceeded those in the adjacent natural area. In four ecosystems, the vegetation on the ROW was limited to a herbaceous layer by ROW maintenance; thus, the ROWs often involved a complex of species quite different from that found in the adjacent ecosystems.