Rapid Avian Diversity Recovery Following Photovoltaic Module Removal: Rebounds in Larger Waterbirds Composition and Habitat Restoration in Lake Littoral Areas

In the context of accelerated progress in clean energy development, an increasing number of regions are utilizing photovoltaic modules (PVMs) for the purpose of energy production. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the installation of these PVMs can exert both positive and negative effects on local ecosystems in different regions. However, there is a paucity of studies that have explored the ecological recovery mechanisms following PVM removal from another perspective, which may hinder a comprehensive understanding of PVM ecological impacts and impede the formulation and implementation of ecological management policies. The PVMs installed on Jiaogang Lake, which were to be removed due to policy adjustments, provided a valuable opportunity to address this issue. The taxonomic and functional diversity of waterbird communities in Jiaogang Lake was assessed and compared before and after the removal of PVMs. The results demonstrated that following the removal, there was a significant increase in both waterbird species richness and functional diversity, whilst the functional nestedness patterns between waterbird communities became more pronounced, implying the restoration of lake littoral areas. Subsequent analysis of individual waterbird functional traits revealed a significant trend towards larger body sizes in waterbirds following the removal of PVMs. Although temporal changes in certain traits did not attain statistical significance, the consistent trends observed in numerous traits led to this extrapolation with confidence. The present study thus aims to encourage decisive decision-making, particularly in short-term macroecological research in the local-scale region, avoiding delays in ecological management measures due to an obsession with perfect statistical data and analysis outcomes.