Research on Wetland Restoration Technology and Design in Resource-exhausted Areas

Due to the lack of restrictions on the exploitation and use of coal mine resources in early China,many wetland lakes were formed because of the changes in geological structure and groundwater overflows,which seriously damaged the land for production and construction.At present,the research on the key technologies and landscape design of water ecosystems and wetland repair in subsidence areas is still insufficient.By analyzing the current situation of thePan'an Lake Wetland,this paper focuses on the strategies of wetland repair and landscape design in this resource-exhausted area.Further,it discusses the enlightenment of these strategies for transforming and planning similar areas in China.

Soil Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Concentrations and Stoichiometries Across a Chronosequence of Restored Inland Soda Saline-Alkali Wetlands, Western Songnen Plain, Northeast China

Soil carbon(C), nitrogen(N) and phosphorus(P) concentrations and stoichiometries can be used to evaluate the success indicators to the effects of wetland restoration and reflect ecosystem function. Restoration of inland soda saline-alkali wetlands is widespread, however, the soil nutrition changes that follow restoration are unclear. We quantified the recovery trajectories of soil physicochemical properties, including soil organic carbon(SOC), total nitrogen(TN), and total phosphorus(TP) pools, for a chronosequence of three restored wetlands(7 yr, 12 yr and 21 yr) and compared these properties to those of degraded and natural wetlands in the western Songnen Plain, Northeast China. Wetland degradation lead to the loss of soil nutrients. Relative to natural wetlands, the mean reductions of in SOC, TN, and TP concentrations were 89.6%, 65.5% and 52.5%, respectively. Nutrients recovered as years passed after restoration. The SOC, TN, and TP concentrations increased by 2.36 times, 1.15 times, and 0.83 times, respectively in degraded wetlands that had been restored for 21 yr, but remained 29.2%, 17.3%, and 12.8% lower, respectively, than those in natural wetlands. The soil C∶N(RC N), C∶P(R CP), and N∶P(R NP) ratios increased from 5.92 to 8.81, 45.36 to 79.19, and 7.67 to 8.71, respectively in the wetland that had been restored for 12 yr. These results were similar to those from the natural wetland and the wetland that had been restored for 21 yr(P > 0.05). Soil nutrients changes occurred mainly in the upper layers(≤ 30 cm), and no significant differences were found in deeper soils(> 30 cm). Based on this, we inferred that it would take at least 34 yr for SOC, TN, and TP concentrations and 12 yr for RC N, R CP, and RN P in the top soils of degraded wetlands to recover to levels of natural wetlands. Soil salinity negatively influenced SOC(r =-0.704, P < 0.01), TN(r =-0.722, P < 0.01), and TP(r =-0.882, P < 0.01) concentrations during wetland restoration, which indicates that reducing salinity is beneficial to SOC, TN, and TP recovery. Moreover, plants were an important source of soil nutrients and vegetation restoration was conducive to soil nutrient accumulation. In brief, wetland restoration increased the accumulation of soil biogenic elements, which indicated that positive ecosystem functions changes had occurred.

Changes of plant species diversity and biomass with reclaimed marshes restoration

Wetland restoration had been implemented for more than two decades in Sanjiang Plain,Northeast China.To assess the restoration effi ciency of wetland vegetation,we investigated plants composition of community,plant species diversity and aboveground biomass of restored sites in a chronosequence of restoration(1,2,3,6,8,11,15 and 25 years)in the Sanjiang Nature Reserve.As comparison,we also investigated the same factors in a cropland and a natural marsh adjacent to the restored sites.The results showed that wetland plant species can invade quickly after croplands were abandoned when there were suitable hydrology conditions.On the early stage of the restoration,weeds were main plant species in the restored sites.Wetland species appeared at the same time but diff ered from the dominant species from the adjacent natural marshes.Common native wetland species could dominance the community after 3-year restoration.Species richness and diversity increased on the early stage,and then decreased to the similar level of the natural marsh with the extension of restoration.Plant biomass could restore easier than the species composition and diversity.Our results indicated that plant species composition and diversity of abandoned reclaimed wetlands can restore gradually by natural succession in Sanjiang Plain.However,25-year restoration site had similarity index of only 56%with the natural marsh,which revealed that two decades are not enough for complete restoration of vegetation.

How Does the Blue C Stock Vary in Restored and Degraded Wetlands Across Land Cover Mosaics? Evidences from Medinipur Coastal Plain, India

Coastal wetlands are of paramount importance as major reservoirs of blue carbon(C),playing a crucial role in providing nature-based solutions to mitigate climatic changes.This research aimed to analyse the dynamics of total blue C(TBC)and its components;viz.soil organic C(SOC),below ground C,and above ground C;as well how they are influenced by land use/land cover(LULC)categories and wetland situations.Subsequently,study were identified as one restored wetland and another degraded wetland in the Medinipur Coastal Plain,India.The LULC categories were analyzed using Pleiades 1A and 1B satellite imagery,corresponding to the restored and degraded wetland,respectively.The quantification of SOC was based on point-specific sample data collected from both wetlands(nr=250;nd=84).Above ground biomass(AGB)was appraised employing allometric relationships involving field-measured dendrometric variables.Below ground biomass values were calculated using indirect allometric equations that take into account the AGB values.Integrating all the components,TBC stock of the restored and degraded wetlands were estimated at 246710.91 Mg and 7865.49 Mg,respectively.In the restored wetland,dense mangrove and open mangrove exhibited higher concentrations of blue C components,while other LULC categories demonstrated moderate to low densities.In the degraded wetland,the open mangrove category rechigh densities of C pools,whereas herbaceous vegetation,bare earth and sand,and waterbody exhibited lower concentrations.The results portrayed significant disparities(P<0.05)in blue C pools among different LULC categories in both wetlands.Furthermore,it was evident that wetland type and LULC category had notable(P<0.001)impacts on TBC dynamics,both individually and in combination.Overall,this research may aid in effective management of coastal wetlands as blue C sinks,emphasizing their significance as essential elements of climate mitigation strategies.

Ecosystem Health Assessment of Honghu Lake Wetland of China Using Artificial Neural Network Approach

Honghu Lake,located in the southeast of Hubei Province,China,has suffered a severe disturbance during the past few decades.To restore the ecosystem,the Honghu Lake Wetland Protection and Restoration Demonstration Project(HLWPRDP) has been implemented since 2004.A back propagation(BP) artificial neural network(ANN) approach was applied to evaluatinig the ecosystem health of the Honghu Lake wetland.And the effectiveness of the HLWPRDP was also assessed by comparing the ecosystem health before and after the project.Particularly,12 ecosystem health indices were used as evaluation parameters to establish a set of three-layer BP ANNs.The output is one layer of ecosystem health index.After training and testing the BP ANNs,an optimal model of BP ANNs was selected to assess the ecosystem health of the Honghu Lake wetland.The result indicates that four stages can be identified based on the change of the ecosystem health from 1990 to 2008 and the ecosystem health index ranges from morbidity before the implementation of HLWPRDP(in 2002) to middle health after the implementation of the HLWPRDP(in 2005).It demonstrates that the HLWPRDP is effective and the BP ANN could be used as a tool for the assessment of ecosystem health.

Phosphorus release: A biogeochemical insight from a restored lakeside wetland in the Yangtze-Huaihe region, China

The heavy intensification of agriculture in East China since the 1980s caused the decrease of lake area and water storage capacity with impediment of regulation, lake eutrophication and frequent floods. Many restoration projects have been conducted. However, the knowledge of biogeochemical factors that drive nutrient cycles during the early stage of restoration is still limited. We studied the effect of the remediation of a patch of near-shore shallow wetland on the northern bank of Chaohu Lake in the Yangtze-Huaihe region, China, which was used as rice paddy for many years, on the behavior of phosphorus. Redox potential （ORP）, temperature and dissolved oxygen were monitored in situ from May 2006 to November 2007. Samples of soil pore water were collected during this time for the determination of different forms of iron and phosphorus. ORP showed a clear transition of the wetland soil from an oxidized state in winter to a reduced state in summer. The decrease of ORP correlated with the release of large amounts of Fe and P. The maxima of total dissolved Fe and total dissolved P in the summer of the second year were （13.8 ± 6.8） mg/L and （0.88 ± 0.27） mg/L, respectively. It is worth noticing that P concentration far exceeded the critical value of lake eutrophication （0.02 mg/L）. The pressure of P release to the adjacent lake during the first two years of wetland restoration from rice fields should be taken into account by environmental policy makers.

The influence of three mangrove species on the distribution of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus in the Quanzhou Bay estuarine wetland soils

This study aims to investigate the effects of region and three regional dominated mangrove species(Avicennia marina, Aegiceras corniculatum and Kandelia candel) on the distribution of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus. Measurement of the inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus and enzymatic activities was carried out in soils covered by three mangrove species in the Quanzhou Bay estuarine wetlands, a typical coastal wetland in China.Species with a higher biomass in upstream and midstream absorb more nitrogen from soils, and the retention of the available phosphorus in the soils of different regions causes the regional variation of phosphorus. In areas dominated by A. marina, nitrate nitrogen is lower while available phosphorus is higher. Meanwhile, nitrate nitrogen and available phosphorus are higher in the soils covered by K. candel.Moreover, all three species affect the elemental and enzymic stoichiometry. The mangrove species influences the diversity of the elemental and enzymic stoichiometric relationship through differential microenvironments, which induce the biodiversity of wetland ecosystems. Thus, this study may facilitate a better understanding of the transformation ability of mangroves to nitrogen and phosphorus and will therefore be beneficial for providing a basis for the ecological restoration of estuarine wetlands.

Seasonal and Spatial Variability of Water Quality and Nutrient Removal Efficiency of Restored Wetland： A Case Study in Fujin National Wetland Park, China

To investigate the spatio-temporal and compositional variation of selected water quality parameters and understand the puri- fying effects of wetland in Fujin National Wetland Park （FNWP）, China, the trophic level index （TLI）, paired samples t-test and correla- tion analysis were used for the statistical analysis of a set of 10 water quality parameters. The analyses were based on water samples collected from 22 stations in FNWP between 2014 and 2016. Results initially reveal that total nitrogen （TN） concentrations are above class V levels （2 mg/L）, total phosphorus （TP） concentrations are below class III levels （0.2 mg/L）, and that all other parameters fall within standard ranges. Highest values for TN, pH, and Chlorophyll-a were recorded in 2016, while the levels of chemical oxygen de- mand （CODMn） and biochemical oxygen demand （BODs） were lowest during this year. Similarly, TN values were highest between 2014 and 2016 while dissolved oxygen （DO） concentrations were lowest in the summer and TP concentrations were highest in the autumn. Significant variations were also found in Secchi depth （SD）, TN, CODMn （P 〈 0.01）, TP, and DO levels （P 〈 0.05） between the inlet and outlet of the park. High-to-low levels of TN, TP, and TDS were found in cattails, reeds, and open water （the opposite trend was seen in SD levels）. Tested wetland water had a light eutrophication status in most cases and TN and TP removal rates were between 7.54%-84.36% and 37.50%-70.83%, respectively. Data also show no significant annual changes in water quality within this wetland, although obvious affects from surrounding agricultural drainage were nevertheless recorded. Results reveal a high major nutrient removal efficiency （N and P）. The upper limits of these phenomena should be addressed in future research alongside a more efficient and scientific agricultural layout for the regions in and around the FNWP.

Isotopic evidence for soil water sources and reciprocal movement in a semi-arid degraded wetland:Implications for wetland restoration

Understanding water dynamics is a prerequisite for the restoration of degraded ecosystems in arid and semiarid regions.In this study,we carried out δD and δ^(18)O analyses of precipitation,unsaturated soil water,overland flow,surface runoff,and groundwater samples from a seasonally flooded wetland in the Momoge National Nature Reserve of the Songnen Plain,Northeast China,to identify the water sources and understand the mechanisms of unsaturated soil water movement.Unsaturated soil water content(W/W%)at every 20 cm along with a soil profile(0–100 cm)was collected during the growing season,and the HYDRUS-1D model was used to simulate temporal-spatial variations.The results showed that the local meteoric water line(δD=5.90δ18O-7.34,R2=0.95)had a smaller slope and intercept than the global meteoric water line because of strong evaporation at our study site under semi-arid climate.The groundwater was partly recharged by local precipitation via overland flow and unsaturated soil water infiltration.Unsaturated soil water was sourced from both precipitation and groundwater with variations at different depths.The upper soil layer at 0–15 cm was mainly sourced from limited precipitation,while the groundwater could move up to a 25 cm layer during the dry period.The unsaturated soil water content increased with soil depth in the top 40 cm,decreased at depths of 40 to 80 cm,and increased again at depths of 80 to 100 cm.The HYDRUS-1D model could simulate the unsaturated soil water dynamics well in the upper(0–40 cm)and lower(80–100 cm)sections,but poorly for depths of 40–80 cm due to the upward and downward flow.The bidirectional unsaturated soil water movement highlights the importance of capillary groundwater for wetland plants with similar climatic or hydrogeological conditions.

Application of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Inocula Might Be A Promising Method in the Restoration of Severely Degraded Wetlands

The application of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inocula in severely degraded wetlands could ensure success in restoration.Mycorrhizal fungi play an important role in plant individual's survival and development in a low nutrient condition.Based on the importance that mycorrhizal fungi have to their host plants,mycorrhizal inocula have been produced and applied in terrestrial ecosystems in order to let the plants become mycorrhizal.However,mycorrhizal inocula have not been used in wetland restorations,despite increasing evidence that mycorrhizal fungi are commonly found in various wetland systems and have the ability to survive under anoxic conditions.Evidence also shows that mycorrhizal fungal inocula in the soil could have been destroyed in the degraded wetland or could be destroyed during traditional wetland restoration process.Therefore,AM inocula production is strongly recommended for wetland restoration.In this paper,I will argue that AM inocula production is required when introduced recovery is necessary,and aeroponic culture technique is a preferable method to produce AM inocula.Last,a renewed wetland restoration flow chart is summarized.

The Countermeasures of Ecological Rehabilitation in Jinghe National Wetland Park

By analyzing the ecological status of Jinghe National Wetland Park of Qinggang,Heilongjiang,the countermeasures of ecological rehabilitation in Jinghe National Wetland Park are put forward.

中国湿地保护修复管理经验与未来研究趋势

Wetlands are important natural resources for humans and play an irreplaceable ecological function in the terrestrial ecosystem.To curb the continued loss of wetlands globally,international organizations and many countries have taken a series of major conservation and restoration measures.This work reviews these wetland conservation and restoration measures,interprets China’s wetland conservation and restoration management policies,and proposes that future research on wetland resources in China should be conducted from the aspects of international frontiers and national strategic plans,socioeconomics,and smart services.The results show that the 27 International Wetlands Days from 1997 to 2023 provided new goals and tasks for the protection and management of wetlands.The important topics and outcomes of the 14 Conferences of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands from 1980 to 2022 provided new directions and new challenges for wetland development.In the future,we should enhance wetland ecological functions,promote sustainable wetland development,and overcome the technical bottleneck of fragile wetland ecosystem restoration.From 1992 to 2022,China embarked on a new phase of wetland protection and restoration.The overall experience of wetland protection and restoration in China has been formed through national strategic deployment,legal policy establishment,and project planning and implementation.The needs to provide for and plan the long-term protection of wetlands at the national level,to innovate restoration and management techniques and application systems,and to effectively address the complex issues of wetland protection and restoration through collaborative division of labor among multiple departments were emphasized.Research on the future trends of wetlands should be directed towards the exploration and practice of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and several international conventions in support of sustainable wetland development.Wetland protection,restoration,and management services should be promoted for national strategic needs and local,high-quality social and economic development.In addition,research on cross-integration and academic innovation should be enhanced for disciplinary development,global supervision,comprehensive assessment,and smart decision making.

Soil fauna diversity at different stages of reed restoration in a lakeshore wetland at Lake Taihu,China

Introduction:Wetland soil fauna support material cycling and restoration processes in wetland ecosystems.In our study,we observed variations in wetland soil fauna on the shores of Lake Taihu,China.We examined the relationships between fauna and major environmental factors,and looked at the short-and long-term changes in reed wetlands under restoration and in the natural reed lakeshore.Outcomes:We identified 93 groups of soil fauna in different wetlands and found significant differences in the lakeshore wetlands’soil fauna assemblages,depending on the length of the restoration period.By analyzing the soil fauna community evenness,dominance,number of taxa,and diversity,we found minimal seasonal variation in the soil fauna community diversity and abundance.The abundance of soil fauna in the sites under restoration decreased with depth below the soil surface.The reed restoration was obvious in the succession of the soil fauna groups in the long-term site.Although the restoration had an overall positive long-term effect on the soil fauna communities,there were no obvious short-term changes in the number of individuals.Conclusion:The study explored various potential measures to restore soil fauna in the Lake Taihu wetland and developed a theoretical basis for restoring the lakeshore wetland ecosystem.

The Spatio-temporal Patterns of Macro Benthos Functional Groups and the Associated Factors Affecting Them after Wetland Restoration

This study examines how the spatiotemporal patterns of functional groups of macro benthos responded to coastal wetland restoration projects. Compared with the traditional single-species approach, methods for identifying functional groups of macro benthos more comprehensively reflect the states of the wetland, i.e., spatiotemporal patterns and the related influencing factors. In this study, the macro benthos samples, soil samples, and plant samples were collected at each same sample site in April, July, and October of 2017 and January of 2018. After classification of the macro benthos functional groups according to some traits, the factors influencing the functional groups were examined by a linear stepwise regression. The results showed that all macro benthos were classified into 11 different functional groups based on their traits of forms of locomotion, feeding habits, and food gathering methods. The semi-mobile suspensivores(FDX), semi-mobile surface detritivores(SDX), and Jawed mobile carnivores(CMJ) were the main groups observed in a year. Regression analysis showed that particle size,moisture content, and plant height were important common factors influencing most groups. The main influencing factor of FDX was particle size(P=0.020). Moisture content(P=0.004), plant cover degree(P=0.008), and particle size(P=0.032) comprised the main restrictions of SDX in summer. Soil salinity(P=0.040) and plant height(P=0.011)were the factors influencing CMJ in autumn and winter. This study shows the changing characteristics of macro benthos functional groups to promote coastal wetland restoration and future biogeomorphological studies.

Restoring Wetlands

FERTILE LAND:The Qixing River Wetland in Heilongjiang Province was recently named a wetland of international importance at the Sixth Asian Wetland Symposium held in Wuxi City, east China’s Jiangsu Province, on October

Process analysis and mitigation strategies for wetland degradation caused by increasing agricultural water demand:an ecology-economy nexus perspective

Background Farmland expansion has played a major role in wetland degradation in Heilongjiang Province,China in recent decades.Farmland expansion increases the demands for water,thereby affecting wetland water cycles,and promoting the shrinkage of wetland areas and degradation of ecosystem functions.As an open system,agricultural production is limited by both ecological and socioeconomic conditions.However,our understanding of wetland degradation caused by farmland expansion from the perspective of the ecology-economy nexus is limited.Methods A correlation between farmland expansion and agricultural economic activities was established,and wetland degradation driven by agroeconomic activities was inversely derived using a multi-regional input-output(MRIO)analysis.We developed an ecology-economy nexus framework to explore the ecological process of the area and water demand tradeoffs between wetland degradation and farmland expansion,the economic process of wetland degradation driven by food consumption,and the nexus between the two processes.We finally explored strategies to mitigate wetland degradation due to increased agricultural water demand.Results Farmland expansion contributed to 93.76%of the total degraded wetland area.There was a significant negative correlation between wetland area and the water consumption for crop production,but no significant correlation between wetland area and the ecological footprint of croplands.The direct wetland degradation caused by local final demand accounted for 63.02%,while the indirect degradation caused by non-local final demand accounted for 36.98%.Hebei,Shandong,Liaoning,Inner Mongolia,and Shanghai were the top five provinces contributing to indirect wetland degradation in Heilongjiang.Our findings indicated that a mixed scenario combining water footprint reduction per unit yield with food export reduction could maximize wetland restoration while reducing local farmland-wetland competition for water.Conclusions Our research highlights the effects of economic processes in the agricultural sector on wetland degradation,and showed that the adjustment of food trade patterns can effectively promote wetland restoration.

Effects of salinity and clonal integration on the amphibious plant Paspalum paspaloides:growth,photosynthesis and tissue ion regulation

Aims Clonal integration can increase performance of clonal plants suffer-ing from environmental stress,and clonal plants in many wetlands commonly face stress of flooding accompanied by salinity.However,few studies have tested roles of clonal integration in amphibious plants expanding from terrestrial to aquatic saline habitats.Methods Basal(older)ramets of clonal fragments of Paspalum paspaloides were grown in soil to simulate terrestrial habitats,whereas their apical(younger)ramets were placed at the surface of saline water containing 0,50,150 and 250 mmol l^(−1)NaCl to mimic different salinity levels in aquatic habitats.Stolons connecting the apical and basal ramets were either intact(connected)to allow clonal integra-tion or severed(disconnected)to prevent integration.Important Findings Increasing salinity level significantly decreased the growth of the apical ramets of P.paspaloides,and such effects on the leaf growth were much higher without than with stolon connection after 60-day treatment.Meanwhile,leaf and total mass ratios of the connected to the disconnected apical ramets were higher at high than at low saline treatments.Correspondingly,Fv/Fm and F/Fm′of the apical ramets were higher with than without stolon connection in highly saline treatments.The results suggest that clonal integration can benefit the spread of apical ramets from terrestrial soil into saline water,and that the positive effects increase with increasing salinity.However,clonal integration did not significantly affect the growth of the whole frag-ments.Due to clonal integration,Na^(+)could be translocated from the apical to the basal ramets to alleviate ion toxicity in apical ramets.Our results suggest that clonal integration benefits the expansion of P.paspaloides from terrestrial to aquatic saline habitats via maintained photosynthetic capacities and changed biomass allocation pattern.

Exotic Plant Alnus trabeculosa Alters the Composition and Diversity of Native Rhizosphere Bacterial Communities of Phragmites australis

Alnus trabeeulosa, a rhizobia-nodulating tree, was introduced into the Chongxi tidal wetland in the Yangtze River estuary of China to increase the biodiversity of plants and restore tidal wetland functions. However, the effect of the introduced plant on soil bacterial communities and restoration outcomes remains unknown. In this study, the rhizosphere bacterial community structure and diversity were compared between Phragrnites australis monospecific community and A. trabeculosa-P, australis mixed communities, aiming to assess whether A. trabeculosa influenced the rhizosphere bacterial communities of P. australis and to investigate whether different taxonomic groups within a soil community may respond similarly to the presence of an introduced exotic plant. Among the 14 phylogenetic phyla detected, Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were the dominant bacterial taxa in the rhizosphere. Phylogenetic analysis of the predominant Proteobacteria showed that the clones from the rhizosphere soils of A. trabeculosa and P. australis in A. trabeculosa-P, australis mixed communities were more diverse than those in the rhizosphere soil of P. australis in P. australis monospecific community. The rhizosphere community in the wetland potentially included active microbial community related to carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycling in the Yangtze River estuary. The rhizosphere soil of P. australis in A. trabeculosa-P, australis mixed communities exhibited the highest Shannon diversity index （Hr） and Simpson diversity index （l/D） （H = 4.52, 1/D = 253）. Correspondence analyses revealed that the bacterial community structures were altered after A. trabeculosa was introduced.

Wetland conservation legislations:global processes and China’s practices

Natural wetland areas in China have experienced a continuous decline over the past two decades,which is partly due to the lack of comprehensive wetland protection laws and regulations.Despite investing over 4.24 billion USD in wetland conservation and restoration since 2000,the deterioration of wetlands persists.This study reviews the development of global wetland protection laws and regulations,analyzes the progress of wetland legislation in China and explores the impact of economic development levels on wetland protection legislation,while also providing an in-depth interpretation of the core elements of the‘Wetland Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China’.The results indicate that since the late 1940s,wetland protection laws and regulations have begun to emerge,with most developed countries gradually implementing related policies between the 1980s and 1990s;about 71%of wetland protection laws are concentrated in 29 countries,while 69 countries still lack specific wetland protection laws.An analysis of 962 global documents reveals that wetland protection legislation mainly focuses on the protection of water resources,species and ecosystems.China’s wetland legislation started late,with the‘Wetland Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China’being officially implemented only in June 2022.Furthermore,the study points out that economic development plays a crucial role in wetland legislation worldwide.Lastly,the article summarizes the key features of the‘Wetland Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China’,including the improvement of the environmental protection legislative system,increased penalties for illegal occupation of wetlands,clearer protection goals and the assurance of the integrity and connectivity of wetland ecosystems through stringent policies.

Soil macropores induced by plant root as a driver for vertical hydrological connectivity in Yellow River Delta

The protection and management of the wetland should consider the changes in hydrological connectivity(HC)caused by the structural modifications of the soil macropores.The main purpose of our work is to clarify and quantify the influence of the soil macropores volume on the vertical soil hydrodynamic process mechanically and statistically by taking the form of a case study in Yellow River Delta(YRD),and further reveal the vertical hydrological connectivity in this area.Based on X-ray computed tomography and constant head permeability test,the results showed a highly spatial heterogeneity of the soil structure in the YRD,hydraulic parameter(K_(s))was negatively correlated with bulk density and positively with soil macropore volume,soil aeration and maximum water capacity.Using Hydrus 1-D software and the Green–Ampt model,we estimated the characteristics of the hydrodynamic process in the soil without macropores,then evaluated the effect of the soil macropore on soil hydrodynamic process by comparing the experimental results with the simulation results.We found that increasing soil microporosity improved the convenience of water movement,which would enhance the HC of the region.The results will further help to reveal the eco-hydrological process at a vertical scale in soil and provide a theoretical guide for wetland conservation and restoration.