Defining Success Criteria for Spartina alterniflora Restoration Projects in Southwestern Louisiana

Joshua M. Soileau; Eddie K. Lyons; Byungkyun Chung; Justin Hoffman; Frederick LeMieux

doi:10.1656/058.017.0401

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1 November 2018 Defining Success Criteria for Spartina alterniflora Restoration Projects in Southwestern Louisiana

Joshua M. Soileau, Eddie K. Lyons, Byungkyun Chung, Justin Hoffman, Frederick LeMieux

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Southeastern Naturalist, 17(4):541-553 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1656/058.017.0401

Abstract

Evaluation of success in salt-marsh restoration is often driven by subjective measures. By defining success criteria (SC), project effectiveness can be measured quantitatively. Herein, we quantify SC for an existing Spartina alterniflora (Smooth Cordgrass) restoration program. We selected stem density as an indicator of primary production and canopy structure—2 important salt-marsh functions. We established SC through use of stem densities from the literature and prior restoration projects and calculated a coefficient of variation (CV) for reference groups. By using the CV, we determined the strength of a particular reference group for SC formulation. We calculated success criteria for reference groups with CV ≤ 0.25. Three reference groups met the CV requirement. Only 1 project met the SC of the strongest reference group (CV = 0.04). Four of 5 projects met the SC of the weakest reference group (CV = 0.21). Reference sites with low variation in the target indicator should be selected for SC formulation.

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Joshua M. Soileau, Eddie K. Lyons, Byungkyun Chung, Justin Hoffman, and Frederick LeMieux "Defining Success Criteria for Spartina alterniflora Restoration Projects in Southwestern Louisiana," Southeastern Naturalist 17(4), 541-553, (1 November 2018). https://doi.org/10.1656/058.017.0401

Published: 1 November 2018

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