Persistence of fertilization effects on soil organic carbon in degraded alpine wetlands in the Yellow River source region

In the restoration of degraded wetlands,fertilization can improve the vegetation-soil-microorganisms complex,thereby affecting the organic carbon content.However,it is currently unclear whether these effects are sustainable.This study employed Biolog-Eco surveys to investigate the changes in vegetation characteristics,soil physicochemical properties,and soil microbial functional diversity in degraded alpine wetlands of the source region of the Yellow River at 3 and 15 months after the application of nitrogen,phosphorus,and organic mixed fertilizer.The following results were obtained:The addition of nitrogen fertilizer and organic compost significantly affects the soil organic carbon content in degraded wetlands.Three months after fertilization,nitrogen addition increases soil organic carbon in both lightly and severely degraded wetlands,whereas after 15 months,organic compost enhanced the soil organic carbon level in severely degraded wetlands.Structural equation modeling indicates that fertilization decreases the soil pH and directly or indirectly influences the soil organic carbon levels through variations in the soil water content and the aboveground biomass of vegetation.Three months after fertilization,nitrogen fertilizer showed a direct positive effect on soil organic carbon.However,organic mixed fertilizer indirectly reduced soil organic carbon by increasing biomass and decreasing soil moisture.After 15 months,none of the fertilizers significantly affected the soil organic carbon level.In summary,it can be inferred that the addition of nitrogen fertilizer lacks sustainability in positively influencing the organic carbon content.

Mangrove wetlands distribution status identification, changing trend analyzation and carbon storage assessment of China

This research investigates the ecological importance,changes,and status of mangrove wetlands along China’s coastline.Visual interpretation,geological surveys,and ISO clustering unsupervised classification methods are employed to interpret mangrove distribution from remote sensing images from 2021,utilizing ArcGIS software platform.Furthermore,the carbon storage capacity of mangrove wetlands is quantified using the carbon storage module of InVEST model.Results show that the mangrove wetlands in China covered an area of 278.85 km2 in 2021,predominantly distributed in Hainan,Guangxi,Guangdong,Fujian,Zhejiang,Taiwan,Hong Kong,and Macao.The total carbon storage is assessed at 2.11×10^(6) t,with specific regional data provided.Trends since the 1950s reveal periods of increase,decrease,sharp decrease,and slight-steady increases in mangrove areas in China.An important finding is the predominant replacement of natural coastlines adjacent to mangrove wetlands by artificial ones,highlighting the need for creating suitable spaces for mangrove restoration.This study is poised to guide future mangroverelated investigations and conservation strategies.

Responses of breeding waterbird communities to environmental changes in subsidence wetlands in the North China Plain

In the context of global degradation and loss of natural wetlands,waterbirds have been increasingly using artificial wetlands as alternative habitats.However,waterbirds are facing various threats in these artificial wetlands,due to dramatic environmental changes induced by anthropogenic activities.Exploring the effects of these changes on the temporal dynamics of the waterbird communities can help understand how waterbirds adapt to environmental changes and thus formulate effective management and conservation plans.In this study,we carried out field surveys on waterbirds and environmental factors across 20 subsidence wetlands created by underground coal mining in the Huainan coal mining area in the breeding seasons of 2016 and 2021.We predicted that the waterbird assemblages(i.e.,number of individuals,species richness,Shannon-Wiener diversity,Pielou evenness and species composition) differed between the two years,and that these differences were correlated with the temporal changes in environmental factors.Across the surveyed wetlands,we recorded 26 waterbird species in 2016 and 23 in 2021.For individual wetlands,the number of waterbird individuals and species richness increased by 71.6% and 20.1%,respectively,over the five years,with no changes in Shannon-Wiener diversity and Pielou evenness.The overall increase in the number of bird individuals was mainly caused by an increase in vegetation gleaners and gulls that adapt well to anthropogenic activities.The species composition was significantly different between the two years,which was mainly caused by changes in the number of individuals of dominant species under influence of changes in human activities.For most wetlands,the temporal pairwiseβ-diversities could be explained by species turnover rather than nestedness,probably due to high mobility of waterbird species and dramatic changes in local environments.Our study suggests that waterbird communities could respond to environmental changes in subsidence wetlands,providing important implications for waterbird conservation in human-dominated artificial wetlands.

Significance of Substrate Selection in the Efficiency of Wastewater Treatment in Constructed Wetlands (CWs)

Constructed wetlands (CWs) can achieve a high-quality wastewater treatment and a quality that meets the prescribed standard, defined by legislation on wastewater discharge. A limitation in the application of constructed wetlands (CWs) is the large area requirement, which limits their application. The subject matter of this research is to check the possibility of improving the efficiency of wastewater treatment and reducing the required area for constructed wetlands (CWs) by using an adequate substrate under the conditions found in Montenegro. In the described experiment, the constructed wetlands (CW) have a vertical flow system and play the role of a secondary wastewater treatment, receiving water from the existing WWTP in Podgorica after the primary treatment. These vertical flow systems reflect experience with the use of similar systems in Slovenija, Austria and Italy. Measurements to date show that the substrate plays an important role and that wastewater treatment efficacy varies significantly with respect to the type of substrate when used under the conditions available in Montenegro.

Assessment of the Impacts of Converting Natural Wetlands to Agricultural Farms. Case of Nyabugogo, Kigali City, Rwanda

The assessment of the impacts of converting natural wetlands to agricultural farms in Nyabugogo wetland was the main objective for this research. Considering the efficiency of agricultural activities management, operation and their maintenance in Kigali is essential to reduce the increasing environmental pollution, to raise production and to search for a sustainable method of environmental conservation, this research assesses the pollutant removal efficiency of agriculture such as crops and animal residues in order to enhance the sustainable agriculture development mainly physico-chemical characteristics and some biological characteristics and based on the preliminary assessment and review of existing literature on agriculture management systems for water resources and other environmental conservation concerns in Kigali, the research aims at contributing to the search of an appropriate agriculture management that is more efficient in terms of the increase in productivity, hence contributing to environmental sustainability. Six sampling sites were chosen in Nyabugogo wetland that is Nyabugogo, Karuruma, Kabuye (2 destinations), and Nyacyonga (2 destinations). Nyabugogo and Karuruma in the rural area, and Nyacyonga in the urban area, were chosen for the investigation of fecal coliforms. On the two first locations, Nyabugogo (80 cfu/100ml) and Karuruma (40 cfu/100ml), the study found low but not insignificant results. This is related to the dispersion of habitation in rural areas. Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) ranged from 178.1 mg/l to 179.9 mg/l at Site 1 (dry season) and subsequent test (rainy season) results ranged from 178 to 200 mg/l. The results showed different TDS in different test areas. The TDS was as low as 145.4 mg/l in the surface water of SP4 and as high as 179.9 mg/l in SP1, and in the second survey, the minimum value was 140.3 mg/l and the maximum value was 285 mg/l in SP3. Because the high turbidity levels seen along the river, in the Nyabugogo catchment, erosion protection measures should be implemented, including the use of terraces where there is agricultural activity and tree plantations, particularly at Nyabugogo sites. As a result, the Nyabugogo Riverbanks must be preserved. It would cut down on the quantity of sediment that ends up in waterways.

Waterbirds in the Wetlands of Casiguran, Aurora, Philippines

The wetlands of Casiguran, Aurora, Philippines are primarily the source of livelihood for most of the coastal communities of the area. However, this also serves as a feeding ground for many of the migratory and resident waterbirds. There are waterbird species occurring in the area that need protection but only a few studies of these species exist. This study was conducted from February to March 2019 to census and identify the water birds present in the study site, determine the conservation status and index of abundance of identified waterbirds, and describe their habitat association. Based on the result, 18 waterbird species in five families were present in the area. Family Ardeidae had six representative species, Family Charadriidae had five representative species, Family Scolopacidae had five representative species while only one species represents the Family Anatidae and Family Rallidae. Two waterbird species observed (Anas luzonica and Egretta eulophotes) were listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as vulnerable and another species (Numerius madagascariensis) was listed as endangered. In terms of abundance, Intermediate Egret (Egretta intermedia) was revealed as the most abundant (94.68%) among waterbirds. Different waterbird species prefer specific habitats. Some usually frequent freshwater and saltwater habitats, including mangroves, open sea, and watercourses inside forests while some were observed in mudflats, and rice fields during the survey.

Vulnerability assessment of coastal wetlands in Minjiang River Estuary based on cloud model under sea level rise

The change of coastal wetland vulnerability affects the ecological environment and the economic development of the estuary area.In the past,most of the assessment studies on the vulnerability of coastal ecosystems stayed in static qualitative research,lacking predictability,and the qualitative and quantitative relationship was not objective enough.In this study,the“Source-Pathway-Receptor-Consequence”model and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change vulnerability definition were used to analyze the main impact of sea level rise caused by climate change on coastal wetland ecosystem in Minjiang River Estuary.The results show that:(1)With the increase of time and carbon emission,the area of high vulnerability and the higher vulnerability increased continuously,and the area of low vulnerability and the lower vulnerability decreased.(2)The eastern and northeastern part of the Culu Island in the Minjiang River Estuary of Fujian Province and the eastern coastal wetland of Meihua Town in Changle District are areas with high vulnerability risk.The area of high vulnerability area of coastal wetland under high emission scenario is wider than that under low emission scenario.(3)Under different sea level rise scenarios,elevation has the greatest impact on the vulnerability of coastal wetlands,and slope has less impact.The impact of sea level rise caused by climate change on the coastal wetland ecosystem in the Minjiang River Estuary is mainly manifested in the sea level rise,which changes the habitat elevation and daily flooding time of coastal wetlands,and then affects the survival and distribution of coastal wetland ecosystems.

Application of Community Climate Change Adaptation Assessment Tools for Climate Adaptation Planning in Yala Wetlands Complex, Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya

Yala Wetland is a complex of Nzoia and Yala rivers that drain their waters into Lake Victoria, but face various pressure which is thought to originate from the impacts of climate change. The riparian communities are generally poor and use the wetland resources for small-holder livelihood activities. This paper describes how community climate change adaptation assessment (C3A2) tools were applied to identify resilient community-level adaptation options and would inform local climate adaptation planning. Eight participatory C3A2 tools were applied for data collection in which two (adaptation attributes and story-telling) were administered at the meso or local government (County) level while all the eight tools (community protocol, risk mapping, techno-transect, resilience ranking, community calendars, story-telling, adaptation attributes and give back) were administered at the micro or community level. Qualitative research method was adopted and 80 respondents (20 at meso and 60 at micro) were purposively selected for the study. Data were collected through interviews, focus group discussions (FGD), and plenary discussions. Data were analyzed at four levels: pre-analysis in situ, daily team triangulation, team conclusions, and cross-community reporting. The study found that communities experienced climate risks that tended to shift along with prolonged and irregular hydro-meteorological events, which affected their capacities for adaptation especially the resource-constrained individuals and vulnerable households. Drought (45%) and flood hazards (39%) were the most felt strongly. Drought was manifested mainly by prolonged dry-spell, increased atmospheric temperatures, and strong winds while floods were characterized by unpredictable and short but high-intensity rainfall with associated loss of lives and property damage. Women, children, and poor households were the most exposed to climatic hazards. Farm/agro-forestry was the most perceived adaptation strategy for drought, flood, and soil erosion while alternative livelihoods particularly ecotourism was the commonly perceived adaptation strategy for human-wildlife conflict (HWC). Three community-based adaptation action plans (CBAP) were prepared to guide future village-level planning and development. The CBAPs were used to identify three sample projects which were funded by the donor and implemented by the community. The C3A2 approach provides adequate participatory tools that can be applied in the lake and river basins, and potentially other ecosystems to guide the development of community-based adaptation plans and resilient community-based adaptation projects with wider local acceptance especially those geared towards designing programs for climate-smart livelihoods. However, the application of the methodology may be site-specific and the tools can be administered based on local scenarios and the availability of resources.

Hydrologic Thresholds of Ecosystem Resiliency:Have Wetlands on the Anoka Sand Plain Changed over Time?

Wetlands have long been used as environmental indicators for changes in climate and land use because they are sensitive to hydrologic change;however,wetlands set in transmissive groundwater can be more resilient to climate and land use change.In Anoka County,Minnesota,USA,a monitoring network was established in 1997 and maintained by the Anoka Conservation District to the present day to assess wetland hydrologic response over time.We examined a combination of data including water level(stage)from these wetlands,precipitation from local gages,pan evaporation data,and historical land use,including a measure of runoff flashiness,using regression and k-mean analysis.Results did not detect any clear trends over a 25-year time period,though some p-values showed potential.A clear statistical trend in the measured hydrologic parameters would suggest exceedance beyond historical thresholds of natural hydrologic variation and alert the need to better protect wetlands and groundwater from anthropogenic stress.Study results may provide useful information to management and regulatory decisions for wetland systems set in sandy soils.This is particularly important for Anoka County because most wetlands are intrinsically connected to the surficial ASP(Anoka Sand Plain)Aquifer,which overlay vulnerable deeper aquifers used for domestic water supply.

Seasonal Abundance and Diversity of Birds of Prey and Owls in Al Wathba Wetland Reserve in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Inland wetlands in Abu Dhabi Emirate are wintering and stopover sites for migratory birds of prey. We conducted long-term regular monitoring surveys in Al Wathba Wetland Reserve (AWWR) from January 1995 to December 2022. Both diurnal and occasionally nocturnal surveys were undertaken to record the migratory raptors and owls in the Wetland Reserve. During the study, a total of 1282 regular monitoring visits were undertaken and 27 species of diurnal raptors and owls representing five families and three orders were detected. These represent 57% of the total species of birds of prey recorded in the UAE. Overall, 63% of all the species that we observed were Accipitriformes followed by 26% Falconiformes and 11% Strigiformes. We found that changes in mean daily temperature have a positive effect on raptor species diversity and abundance in the Wetland Reserve. The species encounter rate was higher in low temperature as compared to high temperature and overall regression equation was statistically significant F (4, 1126) = 8.49), p = 0.00). However, the numbers of raptors did not vary significantly across the years (p = 0.51). Western Marsh-harrier (Circus aeruginosus) and Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga) were recorded to be the most abundant species in the wetland reserve followed by Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). However, the encounter rate of globally threatened Greater Spotted Eagle was detected to have significantly decreased since 2016. Moreover, 63% of the species detected were uncommon and rarely recorded such as 1) Saker Falcon 2) Lanner Falcon 3) Long-eared Owl & Merlin, which were the rare records from the wetland reserve. Furthermore, 27 years of regular monitoring in the wetland have yielded diverse diurnal raptors and owl fauna (H) = 0.83, (E) = 1.43 (Shannon Diversity Index). The results demonstrate that long-term monitoring surveys in arid environments are essential to determine the trends in the raptor populations and to document rare and globally important species.

Impact of Sky Conditions on Net Ecosystem Productivity over a “Floating Blanket” Wetland in Southwest China

Based on eddy covariance(EC) measurements during 2016–20, the effects of sky conditions on the net ecosystem productivity(NEP) over a subtropical “floating blanket ” wetland were investigated. Sky conditions were divided into overcast, cloudy, and sunny conditions. On the half-hourly timescale, the daytime NEP responded more rapidly to the changes in the total photosynthetic active radiation(PARt) under overcast and cloudy skies than that under sunny skies. The increase in the apparent quantum yield under overcast and cloudy conditions was the greatest in spring and the least in summer. Additionally, lower atmospheric vapor pressure deficit(VPD) and moderate air temperature were more conducive to enhancing the apparent quantum yield under cloudy skies. On the daily timescale, NEP and the gross primary production(GPP) were higher under cloudy or sunny conditions than those under overcast conditions across seasons. The daily NEP and GPP during the wet season peaked under cloudy skies. The daily ecosystem light use efficiency(LUE) and water use efficiency(WUE) during the wet season also changed with sky conditions and reached their maximum under overcast and cloudy skies, respectively. The diffuse photosynthetic active radiation(PAR_d) and air temperature were primarily responsible for the variation of daily NEP from half-hourly to monthly timescales, and the direct photosynthetic active radiation(PAR_b) had a secondary effect on NEP. Under sunny conditions, PAR_b and air temperature were the dominant factors controlling daily NEP. While daily NEP was mainly controlled by PAR_d under cloudy and overcast conditions.

Sustainable Wetland Management Using the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework as a Guide in the Sierra Leone Case

The Sustainable Wetland Management adopted for this study depicts that, the identification of drivers and impacts is needed first, in other to get a clearer roadmap, after which the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework would come into play to serve as a pathway for Sustainability. The study evaluates how Sierra Leone might implement the Framework’s proposed strategies in National Wetland Management. As a result, the research tried to thoroughly examine the factors that contribute to wetland degradation as well as the effects they have on the people who live nearby. The purposive sampling method was used to administer 385 structured questionnaires to inhabitants. The data was then processed in an Excel spreadsheet. Microsoft Publisher was used to draw the framework and a descriptive analysis was done. Results indicated that;the majority of the inhabitants of Aberdeen Creek are traders/self-employed, furthermore, the majority chose the place because it’s less expensive and nearer to the workplace, settlement expansion and pollution are the two most common degrading activities, while flooding and health-related issues are some of the consequences, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework is regarded to be a perfect tool for wetland management. It was concluded that to accomplish the objectives in the framework, it is necessary to have both political and social will. Satellite data and water quality research are further needed to validate the report.

Application of computational fluid dynamic to model the hydraulic performance of subsurface flow wetlands

A subsurface flow wetland(SSFW)was simulated using a commercial computational fluid dynamic(CFD)code.The constructed media was simulated using porous media and the liquid resident time distribution(RTD)in the SSFW was obtained using the particle trajectory model.The effect of wetland configuration and operating conditions on the hydraulic performance of the SSFW were investigated.The results indicated that the hydraulic performance of the SSFW was predominantly affected by the wetland configuration.The hydraulic effciency of the SSFW with an inlet at the middle edge of the upper media was 0.584 and the best among the SSFWs with an inlet at the top,the middle,and the bottom edge of the upper media.The constructed media affected the hydraulic performance by the ratio(K)of the upper and lower media resistance.The selection of appropriate media resistance in the protection layer can improve the hydraulic effciency.When the viscous resistance coeffcient of the media in the protection layer changed from 2.315×105 to 1.200×108,the hydraulic effciency of the SSFW increased from 0.301 to 0.751.However,the effect of operating conditions on the hydraulic effciency of the SSFW was slight.

Identification of coastal wetlands of international importance for waterbirds:a review of China Coastal Waterbird Surveys 2005–2013

Background:China's coastal wetlands belong to some of the most threatened ecosystems worldwide.The loss and degradation of these wetlands seriously threaten waterbirds that depend on wetlands.Methods:The China Coastal Waterbird Census was organized by volunteer birdwatchers in China's coastal region.Waterbirds were surveyed synchronously once every month at 14 sites,as well as irregularly at a further 18 sites,between September 2005 and December 2013.Results:A total of 75 species of waterbirds met the 1 % population level Ramsar listing criterion at least once at one site.The number of birds of the following species accounted for over 20 % of the total flyway populations at a single site:Mute Swan(Cygnus olor),Siberia Crane(Grus leucogeranus),Far Eastern Oystercatcher(Haematopus osculans),Bar-tailed Godwit(Limosa lapponica),Spotted Greenshank(Tringa guttifer),Great Knot(Calidris tenuirostris),Spoon-billed Sandpiper(Calidris pygmeus),Saunders' s Gull(Larus saundersi),Relict Gull(Larus relictus),Great Cormorant(Phalacrocorax carbo),Eurasian Spoonbill(Platalea leucorodia),Black-faced Spoonbill(Platalea minor) and Dalmatian Pelican(Pelecanus crispus).A total of 26 sites supported at least one species of which their number met the1 % criterion.Forty-two species met the 1 % criterion in the Yellow River Delta,Shandong;29 at the Cangzhou coast,Hebei and 26 species at the Lianyungang coast,Jiangsu.Conclusions:The results highlight the international importance of China's coastal wetlands for waterbirds.This study also demonstrates that participation of local birdwatchers in waterbird surveys results in data that are invaluable not only for understanding the current status of waterbirds in China's coastal regions but also for waterbird conservation and management.

Macroinvertebrate assemblages of surface mine wetlands of Southwest Virginia，USA

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Effect of Hydraulic Loading Rate on the Efficiency of Effluent Treatment in a Recirculating Puffer Aquaculture System Coupled with Constructed Wetlands

Constructed wetlands(CWs) were integrated into an indoor recirculating aquaculture system of obscure puffer(Takifugu obscurus) for effluent treatment. The effect of hydraulic loading rate(HLR) on the efficiency of effluent treatment by CWs was examined for over a month. The CWs were operated under brackish conditions(salinity 7.4–7.6) at 3 different HLRs(0.762, 0.633, and 0.458 m d–1) 3 times, 10 days each. Overall, the CWs exhibited high efficiency in removal of total ammonium nitrogen(by 81.03–92.81%) and nitrite nitrogen(by 99.40%–99.68%). The efficiency of CWs in removal of total ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, total phosphorous, and total suspended solids(TSS) increased with the decrease of HLR. The CWs operated at the 3 HLRs in a decreasing trend proves to be effective, providing a useful method for effluent treatment in commercial puffer aquaculture systems.

Ecological Offsetting in China's Coastal Wetlands: Existing Challenges and Strategies for Future Improvement

Land-use changes in coastal wetlands have led to a worldwide degradation of marine coastal ecosystems and a loss of the ecological services they provide. Ecological offsetting is a popular strategy and an effective mitigation measure for ecosystems that have been degraded, damaged, or destroyed and is critical for habitats where natural recovery is hindered. However, the current understanding of the theory and practice of ecological offsetting for coastal wetlands is extremely limited in many developing countries. We conducted a review of ecological offsetting for coastal wetlands projects and studies in China in 1979–2017 to explore the application and limitations of ecological offsetting theory. It was found that China's coastal ecological offsetting regime has recently entered a rapidly developing stage, with an increasing number of different types of offsetting projects conducted, but theoretical research lags behind practical applications. Considerable governmental, social, technological and ethical challenges remain to resolve. Coastal ecological offsetting schemes have been inconsistent in meeting conservation objectives or preventing net losses because of the challenges of ensuring they are fully consistent in practice(mainly in-kind offsets) and theory(mainly out-of-kind offsets). Ecological offsetting projects were primarily implemented by government, developers, and non-profit organizations. The available funding of coastal ecological offsetting projects is insufficient, which makes ecological offsetting a risky operation. Therefore, we propose strategies for improvement that integrate the consideration of theoretical and practical challenges in the offsetting process, while providing a scientific basis and directional guidance for the future practice of biodiversity conservation and environmental management.

ASSESSMENT ON THE COMMONWEAL VALUES OF WETLANDS

Assessment on wetland values is being payed more and more attention by researchers, administrators and public. This question is related to human’s sustainable development in biosphere. This article analyses the commonweal values of wetlands and establishes an index system by Analytical Hierarchy Process, then assigns quantitatively the system through calculating matrix eigenvalue and characteristic vector, at last, sets up an integral way of commonweal value assessment .This paper takes Zhalong Wetland and Xianghai Wetland as study cases , the assessment results show that the both wetlands belong to the first grade importance protective wetland, which validates the method’s practicability , scientific nature and rationality.

Comparison of Carbon, Nitrogen, and Sulfur in Coastal Wetlands Dominated by Native and Invasive Plants in the Yancheng National Nature Reserve, China

The rapid invasion of the plant Spartina alterniflora in coastal wetland areas can threaten the capacity of their soils to store carbon(C),nitrogen(N),and sulfur(S).In this study,we investigated the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of C,N and S of both soil and(native and invasive)plants in four typical coastal wetlands in the core area of the Yancheng National Nature Reserve,China.The results show that the invasive S.alterniflora greatly influenced soil properties and increased soil C,N and S storage capacity:the stock(mean±standard error)of soil organic carbon(SOC,(3.56±0.36)kg/m^3),total nitrogen(TN,(0.43±0.02)kg/m^3),and total sulfur(TS,(0.69±0.11)kg/m^3)in the S.alterniflora marsh exceeded those in the adjacent bare mudflat,Suaeda salsa marsh,and Phragmites australis marsh.Because of its greater biomass,plant C((1193.7±133.6)g/m^2),N((18.8±2.4)g/m^2),and S((9.4±1.5)g/m^2)storage of S.alterniflora was also larger than those of co-occurring native plants.More biogenic elements circulated in the soil-plant system of the S.alterniflora marsh,and their spatial and temporal distribution patterns were also changed by the S.alterniflora invasion.Soil properties changed by S.alterniflora’s invasion thereby indirectly affected the accumulation of soil C,N and S in this wetland ecosystem.The SOC,TN,and TS contents were positively correlated with soil electrical conductivity and moisture,but negatively correlated with the pH and bulk density of soil.Together,these results indicate that S.alterniflora invasion altered ecosystem processes,resulted in changes in net primary production and litter decomposition,and increased the soil C,N and S storage capacity in the invaded ecosystems in comparison to those with native tallgrass communities in the coastal wetlands of East China.

Study on ecological fragility of wetlands in Sanjiang Plain

As the largest inland freshwater wetlands in China. Sanjiang Plain plays an important role in environmental protection from local scale to global scale. However, due to the fragility of the wetland ecosystems and the environmental disturbances on them caused by natural disasters and human activities, loss and degeneration of wetlands in this area are considerable. Characteristics and reasons of wetlands’ ecological fragility in Sanjiang Plain are analyzed and then the evaluation method and index system on ecological fragility of wetlands in Sanjiang Plain are presented. The result of the evaluation shows that the wetlands’ ecological fragility in Sanjiang Plain is serious. The value of this method and index system is also discussed in the paper.