Ecosystem recovery in restored saltmarshes detected through invertebrate communities

Abstract Introduction Saltmarsh ecosystems support rich biodiversity and provide key ecosystem services. Invertebrate communities underpin essential processes such as nutrient cycling and decomposition. However, saltmarshes have been widely degraded by land use change. Restoration strategies including livestock exclusion and tidal reinstatement are increasingly applied, yet their ecological outcomes for invertebrate communities remain poorly assessed. Objective To evaluate ecosystem recovery in restored saltmarshes by assessing macroinvertebrate community across disturbed, restored, and reference sites using traditional sampling and environmental DNA (eDNA) which capture complementary components of biodiversity. Methods We compared macroinvertebrate assemblages detected by eDNA metabarcoding and traditional techniques (bush beating, sweep nets, and soil cores) across disturbed, restored, and reference sites. Results eDNA detected fewer families than traditional sampling (146) but provided finer taxonomic resolution and captured compositional differences between disturbed and restored sites that traditional surveys did not detect. Species accumulation curves revealed differences in detection efficiency among sampling methods. Reference sites were dominated by taxa typical of oxygenated sediments, while restored sites supported taxa tolerant to fluctuating environmental conditions, indicative of early recovery. Livestock exclusion sites showed little differentiation from disturbed areas. Community change increased with restoration age; presence–absence data indicated convergence toward reference communities, and relative‐abundance data suggested ongoing reorganization of dominance, highlighting method‐dependent interpretations of recovery. Conclusion eDNA and traditional sampling capture complementary components of saltmarsh macroinvertebrate diversity and together provide a comprehensive understanding of restoration trajectories.