Groundwater extraction compromises the function of groundwater-dependent ecosystems, such as freshwater wetlands. Identifying whether groundwater conservation restores wetland hydrology is a first step toward rehabilitating impaired wetlands. In the Tampa Bay region of Florida (U.S.), groundwater extraction rates have been declining since 1998, partly in response to desiccation of wetlands and waterbodies. This study uses monthly water-level data from 152 depressional wetlands over 28 years (1991–2018) to identify trends in wetland inundation, determine whether those trends vary among wetlands historically exposed to different rates of groundwater extraction, and describe relationships between the timing and extent of cutbacks in groundwater extraction and the timing and extent of changes in wetland inundation. Many wetlands (57 %) exhibited increased inundation in response to cutbacks in groundwater extraction, indicating that water conservation measures are inducing recovery. Further, increased inundation began in most wetlands immediately upon, or within two years of, the time extraction cutbacks occurred, although some recovering wetlands exhibited longer lags. An additional 26 % of wetlands had steady-state water levels with inundation similar to that of reference wetlands, potentially revealing a population of wetlands hydrologically unimpaired by nearby groundwater extraction. Another subset of wetlands (14 %) with steady-state water depths exhibited increasing deviations from basin-full water levels, suggesting subsidence of the wetland basin. Active intervention beyond cutbacks in groundwater extraction may be necessary to restore this subset, whereas passive restoration (reducing extraction) appears adequate for the majority of impacted wetlands. Rising water levels may amplify surface-water connections among wetlands, with ecological and biogeochemical consequences both for individual wetlands and for the whole wetlandscape. As a host of human activities continue to rely on groundwater extraction, this study demonstrates the potential for, as well as variability in, hydrological recovery across a wetland-rich, low-relief landscape following the enactment of water conservation policies.

中文翻译：

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三十年来地下水管理转变的湿地水文变化和恢复


地下水开采损害了淡水湿地等依赖地下水的生态系统的功能。确定地下水保护是否可以恢复湿地水文是恢复受损湿地的第一步。在美国佛罗里达州坦帕湾地区，地下水开采率自 1998 年以来一直在下降，部分原因是湿地和水体干燥。本研究使用 28 年（1991 年至 2018 年）152 个洼地湿地的月水位数据来确定湿地淹没趋势，确定这些趋势在历史上暴露于不同地下水抽取率的湿地之间是否有所不同，并描述时间和水位之间的关系。地下水开采量减少的程度以及湿地淹没变化的时间和程度。许多湿地（57%）因地下水开采量减少而出现洪水增加，这表明节水措施正在促进恢复。此外，大多数湿地在减少抽水后立即或两年内就开始增加洪水，尽管一些恢复的湿地表现出更长的滞后期。另外 26% 的湿地具有与参考湿地相似的稳态水位和淹没情况，这可能表明湿地群的水文状况并未因附近地下水抽取而受到损害。另一个具有稳态水深的湿地子集 (14%) 与全盆地水位的偏差越来越大，表明湿地盆地发生了沉降。为了恢复这部分湿地，除了减少地下水抽取之外，还可能需要采取主动干预措施，而被动恢复（减少抽取）似乎足以满足大多数受影响的湿地的需求。 水位上升可能会放大湿地之间的地表水联系，对单个湿地和整个湿地景观产生生态和生物地球化学影响。由于许多人类活动继续依赖地下水开采，这项研究证明了在制定节水政策后，湿地丰富、低地势景观的水文恢复的潜力和变化。