LTREB: Trajectory for the recovery of stream ecosystem structure and function during reforestation

河流恢复是一项价值数十亿美元的产业，然而，由于缺乏关于恢复工作效果的信息，因此需要对河流生态系统恢复后的长期研究。白粘土溪流域的恢复工作包括在草地和牧场上重新造林，种植本地落叶树木，并清除入侵植物。随着种植的溪边落叶林的生长和成熟，将研究白粘土溪中物理环境（如水温、溪流中的光可用性）、水生生物群落（如物种组成、营养动力学）和营养物质命运的变化顺序。该项目将建立在对河流恢复的长期研究基础上，增加我们对恢复后生态变化的基本认识，并为负责实施恢复工作的资源管理者提供信息。其他更广泛的影响将包括为宾夕法尼亚州东南部和特拉华州北部的教师举办为期一周的研讨会，向他们介绍怀特克莱克里克的研究。初高中教师将接受长期环境数据使用方面的培训，增强他们利用生态数据来提高学生数学技能、分析能力以及环境知识和对科学本质的理解的能力。

Stream restoration is a multi-billion dollar industry, however the dearth of information about the efficacy of restoration efforts has created a need for long term studies of stream ecosystem recovery following restoration. Restoration in the White Clay Creek watershed has involved reforestation of meadows and pastures with native deciduous trees and the removal of invasive plants. The sequence of changes in the physical environment (e.g., water temperature, light availability in the stream), in aquatic biological communities (e.g., species composition, trophic dynamics), and in the fate of nutrients within White Clay Creek will be studied as the planted streamside deciduous forest grows and matures. This project will build on a long term study of stream restoration, adding to our basic understanding of ecological change following restoration and informing resource managers tasked with implementing restoration efforts. Additional broader impacts will include week-long workshops for teachers from SE Pennsylvania and Northern Delaware to introduce them to research at White Clay Creek. Middle and high school teachers will be trained in the use of long term environmental data, enhancing their ability to use ecological data to enhance students' math skills, analytical abilities, and their environmental knowledge and understanding of the nature of science.