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.

Spatial distribution of heavy metals(Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd)in sediments of a coastal wetlands in eastern Fujian, China

We investigated the spatial distribution （horizontal and vertical concentrations） of copper （Cu）, lead （Pb）, zinc （Zn）, and cadmium （Cd） in five wetland types （mudflat, aquaculture wetland, water area, farmland wetland and mangrove） from three areas （Ningde, Fuding, and Xiapu）, China. Cu concentrations in five wetland types descended in the order： farm wetland, mudflat, aquaculture, water area and mangrove. Pb concentrations decreased in the order： aquaculture, mangrove, farm wetland, mudflat, and water area. Zn content decreased in the order： farm wetland, water area, aquaculture, mudflat and mangrove, and Cd content decreased as follows： mangrove, aquacul- ture, water area, rnudflat, and farm wetland. Comparison of the concentrations of the same heavy metals in different areas showed that the highest Cu （63.75 mg kg-1） and Zn （152.32mgkg-1） concentrations occurred in Ningdecoastal wetlands; Pb （110.58 mg kg-1） and Cd （2.81 mg kg-1） contents were highest in Fuding wetlands, and the average contents of all heavy metals were very low in Xiapu wetlands. Examination of the vertical distribution showed that the Cu content was high in all mudflat layers; Pb and Cd concentrations were highest in aquaculture and mangrove wetlands, respectively, and Zn content was highest in farm wetlands. The spatial distribution of Cu and Zn contents for different areas decreased as follows： Ningde 〉 Fuding 〉 Xiapu, for Pb and Cd were most concentrated in Fuding coastal wetlands. Concentrations of Zn and Cu were highly correlated, while Zn and Cu were not significantly correlated with Pb.

Compound extreme inundation risk of coastal wetlands caused by climate change and anthropogenic activities in the Yellow River Delta,China

The coastal wetlands of the Yellow River Delta(YRD)in China are crucial for their valuable resources,environmental significance,and economic contributions.However,these wetlands are also vulnerable to the dual threats of climate change and human disturbances.Despite substantial attention to the historical shifts in YRD's coastal wetlands,uncertainties remain regarding their future trajectory in the face of compound risks from climate change and anthropogenic activities.Based on a range of remote sensing data sources,this study undertakes a comprehensive investigation into the evolution of YRD's coastal wetlands between 2000 and 2020.Subsequently,the potential fate of coastal wetlands is thoroughly analyzed through the Land Use/Cover Change(LUCC)simulation using System Dynamic-Future Land Use Simulation(SD-FLUS)model and the extreme water levels projection integrated future sea-level rise,storm surge,and astronomical high tide in 2030,2050,and 2100 under scenarios of SSP1-2.6,SSP2-4.5,and SSP5-8.5.Results revealed that YRD's coastal wetlands underwent a marked reduction,shrinking by 1688.72 km²from 2000 to 2020.This decline was mostly attributed to the substantial expansion in the areas of artificial wetlands(increasing by 823.78 km2),construction land(increasing by 767.71 km²),and shallow water(increasing by 274.58 km²).Looking ahead to 2030-2100,the fate of coastal wetlands appears to diverge based on different scenarios.Under the SSP1-2.6 scenario,the area of coastal wetland is projected to experience considerable growth.In contrast,the SSP5-8.5 scenario anticipates a notable decrease in coastal wetlands.Relative to the inundated area suffered from the current extreme water levels,the study projects a decrease of 6.8%-10.6%in submerged coastal wetlands by 2030 and 9.4%-18.2%by 2050 across all scenarios.In 2100,these percentages are projected to decrease by 0.4%(SSP2-4.5)and 27.1%(SSP5-8.5),but increase by 35.7%(SSP1-2.6).Results suggest that coastal wetlands in the YRD will face a serious compound risk from climate change and intensified human activities in the future,with climate change being the dominant factor.More effcient and forward-looking measures must be implemented to prioritize the conservation and management of coastal wetland ecosystems to address the challenges,especially those posed by climate change.

Seasonal response of nitrogen exchange fluxes to crab disturbance at sediment-water interface in coastal tidal wetlands

Coastal wetlands are hotspots for nitrogen(N)cycling,and crab burrowing is known to transform N in intertidal marsh soils.However,the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.This study conducted field experiments and used indoor control test devices to investigate the seasonal response of nitrogen to crab disturbance at the sediment-water interface in coastal tidal flat wetlands.The results showed that crab disturbance exhibited significant seasonality with large seasonal differences in cave density and depth.Due to crab disturbance,nitrogen fuxes at the sediment-water interface were much greater in the box with crabs than in the box without crabs.In summer,NH-N showed a positive flux from the sediment to the overlying water,but NO2-N and NOg-N showed positive fluxes from the sediment to the overlying water only in early stages.In winter,NH-N showed a positive flux from the sediment to the overlying water,but NO-N and NO,-N both exhibited positive and negative fluxes.These results indicated that the presence of crab burrows can cause the aerobic layer to move downward by approximately 8-15 cm in summer and directly promote nitrification at the sediment surface.

A numerical study of hydrodynamic characteristics and hydrological processes in the coastal wetlands during extreme events

Providing accurate predictions of extreme water levels through numerical simulation has become essential for disaster prevention and damage mitigation in coastal wetland areas.This study applies the FVCOM model to simulate storm surges caused by several typhoons in the Bohai Sea and the North Huanghai Sea.The vegetation drag force caused by salt marsh plants is inserted into the FVCOM model for model improvement with vegetation effect by integrating RS and GIS technologies.A parametric typhoon model is coupled with background wind fields derived to acquire the spatio-temporal variations of wind and pressure fields in the computational domain.The simulation results reproduce the extreme storm surges induced by typhoon events very well.The modeling results are compared by validating with literature results to examine the effect of vegetation on tidal waves in tidal mud flats.Moreover,the coupled model is also applied to explore storm surge attenuation and land intrusion during Typhoon Winnie in the wetlands of the Liao River Estuary.The simulation results indicate that salt marsh plants can reduce the flow current with little impact on tide flooding/ebbing in vegetated regions.Furthermore,the results show that typhoon presence increases the inundation depth and extendes the flood time in the tidal wetlands of the study region.The FVCOM model incorporating the method with vegetation drag force can provide new insights to understand the comprehensive impact of tidal wetland plants on hydrodynamic characteristics in the Bohai Sea and other waters,hence presents a more accurate quantification of the hydrological process of storm surge in the tidal wetlands.

Analysis of the contributions of human factors and natural factors affecting the vegetation pattern in coastal wetlands

Introduction:Accurate identification of the dominant factors affecting coastal wetlands can provide a reference for vegetation rehabilitation.In this study,quantitative analysis was performed on the Yancheng coastal wetland using ANOVA and geostatistical methods.Outcomes/other:The results indicated that in the directions perpendicular and parallel to the coastline,the soil moisture and salinity in the study area exhibited relatively significant(p<0.05)spatial variability.Vegetation in the southern experimental zone was in a low-moisture,low-salinity ecological niche,whereas vegetation in the northern experimental zone was in a high-moisture,high-salinity ecological niche.Soil salinity exhibited higher spatial variability than soil moisture,and it was most correlated with unvegetated mudflats,followed by areas with Spartina alterniflora,Suaeda glauca,and Phragmites australis.Discussion:The fitting of the semivariogram showed that the nugget and sill of the ratio were relatively low(<25%)for soil moisture and salinity in the northern experimental zone and northern buffer zone,whereas these values were relatively high(>75%)for soil moisture and salinity in the southern experimental zone and southern buffer zone.Conclusion:Compared with the northern study area,the contribution of human disturbance to the spatial heterogeneity of soil moisture and salinity in the southern study area is higher.

Analysis of intrinsic value and estimating losses of “blue carbon”in coastal wetlands:a case study of Yancheng, China

Introduction:Large stocks of“blue carbon”exist in the ecosystems of coastal wetlands.This paper presents a case study of the Chinese city of Yancheng.First,through field surveys and laboratory analysis,changes in the organic carbon(OC)content in typical plant communities throughout the study area are described in detail.Second,an OC burial rate and economic value model is constructed to analyze the composition of the carbon sink values.Outcomes/other:The results are as follows:Of the typical plant communities,Spartina alterniflora has the highest OC content(5.80 g·kg-1),followed by Suaeda glauca(4.78 g·kg-1)and Phragmites australis(3.76 g·kg-1);the contemporary OC sedimentation rates are 2.01,1.48,and 1.22 cm·yr-1,respectively.Spartina alterniflora communities have the highest annual average carbon sink value($418.74/ha)in the study area,followed by Phragmites australis($176.29/ha)and Suaeda glauca($101.54/ha).Discussion:As a result of both the expansion of the Spartina alterniflora area and coastal erosion,the total OC value since 1987 has displayed two-stage characteristics:it first increased and then decreased.Conclusion:In recent years,the annual average decline in OC value has ranged from approximately$82,100 to$123,100(reference:the Sweden carbon tax provided by the World Bank,130$/ton)

Sulfur mediated heavy metal biogeochemical cycles in coastal wetlands:From sediments,rhizosphere to vegetation

The interactions and mechanisms between sulfur and heavy metals are a growing focus of biogeochemical studies in coastal wetlands.These issues underline the fate of heavy metals bound in sediments or released into the system through sediments.Despite the fact that numerous published studies have suggested sulfur has a significant impact on the bioavailability of heavy metals accumulated in coastal wetlands,to date,no review article has systematically summarized those studies,particularly from the perspective of the three major components of wetland ecosystems(sediments,rhizosphere,and vegetation).The present review summarizes the studies published in the past four decades and highlights the major achievements in this field.Research and studies available thus far indicate that under anaerobic conditions,most of the potentially bioavailable heavy metals in coastal wetland sediments are fixed as precipitates,such as metal sulfides.However,fluctuations in physicochemical conditions may affect sulfur cycling,and hence,directly or indirectly lead to the conversion and migration of heavy metals.In the rhizosphere,root activities and microbes together affect the speciation and transformation of sulfur which in turn mediate the migration of heavy metals.As for plant tissues,tolerance to heavy metals is enhanced by sulfur-containing compounds via promoting a series of chelation and detoxification processes.Finally,to further understand the interactions between sulfur and heavy metals in coastal wetlands,some major future research directions are proposed.

ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF COASTAL VEGETATED WETLANDS IN CHINA

This paper discusses in detail the distributions, plant charactenstics and environmental conditions of the coastal vegetated wetlands in China. In contrast to most of fhe European and American salt marshes where Spartina is dominant, the China's ones are dominated by Suaeda in area. Given a great amount of fine sediments by rivers, China's coastal wetlands are accumulated rapidly. Ths factor combined with the human's ruthless reclaimation makes the marshes inmature. The vegetated wetlands are classified into four types, each having differential features in geomorphological background, deposits and vegetation.

Spatio-temporal variation of water salinity in mangroves revealed by continuous monitoring and its relationship to floristic diversity

Salinity is among the most critical factors limiting the growth and species distribution of coastal plants.Water salinity in estuarine ecosystems varies temporally and spatially,but the variation patterns across different time scales and salinity fluctuation have rarely been quantified.The effects of salinity on floristic diversity in mangroves are not fully understood due to the temporal and spatial heterogeneity of salinity.In this study,we monitored water salinity at an interval of 10-min over one year in three mangrove catchment areas representing the outer part,middle part,and inner part respectively of Dongzhai Bay,Hainan,China.The number of mangrove community types and dominant mangrove species of the three catchment areas were also investigated.We found that the diurnal variation and dry-season intra-month variation in water salinity were driven by tidal cycles.The seasonal variation in water salinity was mainly driven by rainfall with higher salinity occurring in the dry season and lower salinity occurring in the wet season.Spatially,water salinity was highest at the outer part,intermediate at the middle part,and lowest at the inner part of the bay.The intra-month and annual fluctuations of water salinity were highest at the middle part and lowest at the outer part of the bay.The number of mangrove community types and dominant species were lowest at the outer part,intermediate at the middle part,and highest at the inner part of the bay.These results suggest that the temporal variation of water salinity in mangroves is driven by different factors at different time scales and therefore it is necessary to measure water salinity at different time scales to get a complete picture of the saline environment that mangroves experience.Spatially,lower salinity levels benefit mangrove species richness within a bay landscape,however,further research is needed to distinguish the effects of salinity fluctuation and salinity level in affecting mangrove species richness.

Geographical Variation and Influencing Factors of Spartina alterniflora Expansion Rate in Coastal China

Biological invasion poses a huge threat to ecological security.Spartina alterniflora was introduced into China in 1979,and its arrival corresponded with negative effects on native ecosystems.To explore geographical variation of its expansion rate in coastal China,we selected 43 S.alterniflora sites from Tianjin Coastal New Area to Beihai.The area expansion rate,expansion rate paralleling and vertical to the shoreline were analysed based on Landsat images and field survey in 2015.Simple Ocean Data Assimilation(SODA)and climate data were collected to statistically analyse the influential factors of expansion rate.Results showed that significant difference of S.alterniflora area expansion rate among different latitude zones(P<0.01),increasing from 6.08%at southern(21°N–23°N)to 19.87% in Bohai Bay(37°N–39°N)along latitude gradient.There was a significant difference in expansion rate vertical to shoreline in different latitude zones(P<0.01)with the largest occurring in Bohai Bay(256m/yr,37°N–39°N),and showed an decreasing tendency gradually from north to south.No significant difference and latitudinal clines in expansion rate paralleling to shoreline were observed.Expansion rate had significant negative correlation with mean seawater temperature,the lowest seawater temperature,current zonal velocity and meridional velocity and presented a reducing trend as these biotic factors increased;however,they were not significantly correlated with the highest seawater temperature and mean seawater salinity.We identified significant correlations between expansion rate and annual mean temperature,the lowest temperature in January and annual precipitation,but there was little correlation with annual diurnal difference in temperature and the highest temperature in July.The rapid expansion rate in high-latitude China demonstrated a higher risk of potential invasion in the north;dynamic monitoring and control management should be established as soon as possible.

Reclamation-oriented spatiotemporal evolution of coastal wetland along Bohai Rim,China

Coastal wetlands are located in the ecotone of interaction between the land surface and sea,and anthropogenic activities extensively interfere with these wetlands through the reclamation of large tidal wetlands and destruction of the function of the ecosystems.In this study,we investigated the dynamic evolutionary characteristics of the Bohai Rim coastal area over the past 40 years using the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index,the fractal dimension,object-oriented classification,the land-use transfer trajectory,and regression analysis.Additionally,we quantified and monitored the evolution of reclamation and analyzed the correlation between reclamation and coastal wetlands based on 99 Landsat-2,-5,and-8 images(at 60 m and 30 m spatial resolution) over the period 1980–2019.The results are as follows.(1) The coastline of the Bohai Rim increased by 1 631.2 km from 1980 to2019 with a zigzag variation.The artificial coastline increased by 2 946.1 km,whereas the natural coastline decreased by 90%.(2) The area of man-made wetlands increased by 3 736.9 km~2,the area of construction land increased by 1 008.4 km~2,and the natural wetland area decreased by 66%.The decrease of tidal flats is the main contributor to the decrease of natural wetland area(takes account for 91.1%).Coastal areas are affected by intense human disturbance,which was taken place across a large area of tidal flats and caused the landscape to fragment and be more heterogeneous.The coastal zone development activities were primarily concentrated in the southern Laizhou Bay,the Yellow River Delta,the Bohai Bay,the northern Liaodong Bay,and the Pulandian Bay.The solidified shorelines and increase in sea level have resulted in intertidal wetlands decreasing and impaired wetland ecology.(3) There is a good agreement between reclamation and the size of the coastal wetlands.Both land reclamation and the reduction in coastal wetland areas are significantly related to the population size,fishery output value,and urbanization rate.In summary,human activities,such as the construction of aquaculture ponds and salt pans,industrialization,and urbanization,are the primary forces that influence the environmental changes in the coastal region.This study is beneficial for establishing and improving the systems for the rational development and utilization of natural resources,and provides theoretical references for restoring wetland ecology and managing future reclamation activities in other coastal zone-related areas.

Effect of Hydrological Connectivity on Soil Carbon Storage in the Yellow River Delta Wetlands of China

Hydrological connectivity has significant effects on the functions of estuarine wetland ecosystem.This study aimed to examine the dynamics of hydrological connectivity and its impact on soil carbon pool in the Yellow River Delta,China.We calculated the hydrological connectivity based on the hydraulic resistance and graph theory,and measured soil total carbon and organic carbon under four different hydrological connectivity gradients(Ⅰ0‒0.03,Ⅱ0.03‒0.06,Ⅲ0.06‒0.12,Ⅳ0.12‒0.39).The results showed that hydrological connectivity increased in the north shore of the Yellow River and the south tidal flat from 2007 to 2018,which concentrated in the mainstream of the Yellow River and the tidal creek.High hydrological connectivity was maintained in the wetland restoration area.The soil total carbon storage and organic carbon storage significantly increased with increasing hydrological connectivity fromⅠtoⅢgradient and decreased inⅣgradient.The highest soil total carbon storage of 0‒30 cm depth was 5172.34 g/m^(2),and organic carbon storage 2764.31 g/m^(2)inⅢgradient.The hydrological connectivity changed with temporal and spatial change during 2007‒2018 and had a noticeable impact on soil carbon storage in the Yellow River Delta.The results indicated that appropriate hydrological connectivity,i.e.0.08,could effectively promote soil carbon storage.

Investigation on Water Pollution of Four Rivers in Coastal Wetland of Yellow River Estuary

[Objective] The study aimed at analysing water pollution of four rivers in coastal wetland of Yellow River estuary. [Method] Taking four seriously polluted rivers (Guangli River, Shenxian Ditch, Tiao River and Chao River) in coastal wetland of Yellow River estuary as study objects, water samples were collected from the four rivers in May (dry period), August (wet period) and November (normal period) in 2009 and 2010 respectively, then pollution indices like nutritive salts, COD, chlorophyll-a, petroleum, etc. were measured. Afterwards, the status quo of water pollution was assessed based on Nemero index and comprehensive trophic level index (TLI), so as to find out the integral status quo of water quality of wetland rivers and damages to aquatic ecological environment. [Result] On the whole, water pollution of four rivers in coastal wetland of Yellow River estuary was serious, in the eutrophication state, and the main pollutants were TN, TP, NH+4-N and petroleum. In addition, excessive N and P in the four rivers resulted in water eutrophication of Bohai Bay, so further leading to ride tide, which destroyed the coastal ecological environment of Bohai Sea. Moreover, compared with historical data, water pollution by nitrogen and phosphorus became more serious, while there was no obvious aggravation in the water pollution by petroleum. In a word, water pollution wasn’t optimistic on the whole. [Conclusion] The research could provide theoretical bases for the protection and utilization of river water in coastal wetland of Yellow River estuary and its coastal sea area.

Effects of Tamarisk shrub on physicochemical properties of soil in coastal wetland of the Bohai Sea

There are many different and even controversial results concerning the effects of Tamarisk on the physicochemical properties of soil. A year-round monitoring of soil salinity, p H and moisture is conducted beneath the Tamarisk shrub in a coastal wetland in the Bohai Sea in China, to ascertain the effects of Tamarisk on the physicochemical properties of soil in coastal wetland. Compared with the control area, the soil moisture content is lower around the area of the taproot when there is less precipitation in the growing season because of water consumption by Tamarisk shrub. However, the soil moisture content is higher around the taproot when there is more precipitation in the growing season or in the non-growing period because of water conservation by the rhizosphere. The absorption of salt by the Tamarisk shrub reduces the soil salinity temporarily, but eventually salt returns to the soil by the leaching of salt on leaves by rainfall or by fallen leaves. The annual average soil moisture content beneath the Tamarisk shrub is lower than the control area by only 6.4%, indicating that the Tamarisk shrub has little effect on drought or water conservation in soils in the temperate coastal wetland with moderate annual precipitation. The annual average salinity beneath the Tamarisk shrub is 18% greater than that of the control area, indicating that Tamarisk does have an effect of rising soil salinity around Tamarisk shrubs. The soil p H value is as low as 7.3 in summer and as high as 10.2 in winter. The p H of soil near the taproot of the Tamarisk shrubs is one p H unit lower than that in the control area during the growing season. The difference in p H is less different from the control area in the non-growing season, indicating that the Tamarisk shrub does have the effect of reducing the alkalinity of soil in coastal wetland.

Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Heavy Metals Cu and Zn in Coastal Wetland Sediments

The content of Cu,Zn in the sediments from coastal wetlands of the Yellow River Delta was determined.The results showed that:(i)The content of Cu,Zn range was 16.70-50.40 mg/kg,18.15-48.80 mg/kg,respectively.The mean content of Cu,Zn was 31.12mg/kg,36.74 mg/kg,respectively.Compared with the soil environmental background values of Shandong Province,the content of Cu was excessive,while the content of Zn was below the background.(ii)The concentrations of Cu,Zn in sediment in the coast of the Yellow River Delta were higher than in the other two areas.(iii)Vertical distribution characteristics of the concentrations of Cu,Zn were increasing with depth.The maximum content of Cu,Zn was 80-100 cm,in general,the content of Cu,Zn in the bottom sediments was higher than that in the surface sediments.The growth and decline trends of Zn in Tamarix and Suaeda areas were much the same and all higher than in the Phragmites communis area.(iv)The distribution characteristics of Cu concentration in different vegetation cover in sediment is Suaeda>Phragmites communis>Tamarix,which reflected different effects on retention of Cu in the sediments because of the different vegetation types.The highest content of Zn in the 0-20 cm sediments in Tamarix area was 44.07 mg/kg.

Processes,feedbacks,and morphodynamic evolution of tidal flat-marsh systems:Progress and challenges

Tidal flats and saltmarshes have been a long-standing research focus because of their high socio-economic and ecological values.The evolution of tidal flat-marsh systems is highly complex due to the intertwined processes operating over a variety of spatial and temporal scales.As a traditional research highlight,the role of regular hydrodynamic processes such as tides,waves,and river flows have been explored comprehensively with fruitful outcomes.Over past decades,the changing environment(e.g.,sea level rise,increasing anthropogenic activities,and extreme weather conditions)has attracted more attention with many reported insightful results.More recent advances indicate that biological activities play a critical role in tidal flat-marsh morphodynamics but are still poorly understood.The field of research that connects the bio-logical and physical processes is commonly described as"biogeomorphology"and requires the joint efforts by scientists from multiple dis-ciplines ranging from hydraulics,ecology,and geography to sociology.This review aims to provide a synthesis of the current research status of tidal flat-marsh morphodynamics,with a particular emphasis on the understanding of various processes and feedbacks underlying the devel-opment of morphodynamic models.Some future research needs and challenges are identified to facilitate a more sustainable management strategy for tidal flats and saltmarshes under climate change.

Porewater-derived dissolved inorganic carbon and nutrient fluxes in a saltmarsh of the Changjiang River Estuary

Saltmarshes are one of the most productive ecosystems,which contribute significantly to coastal nutrient and carbon budgets.However,limited information is available on soil nutrient and carbon losses via porewater exchange in saltmarshes.Here,porewater exchange and associated fluxes of nutrients and dissolved inorganic carbon(DIC)in the largest saltmarsh wetland(Chongming Dongtan)in the Changjiang River Estuary were quantified.Porewater exchange rate was estimated to be(37±35)cm/d during December 2017 using a radon(^(222)Rn)mass balance model.The porewater exchange delivered 67 mmol/(m^(2)·d),38 mmol/(m^(2)·d)and 2690 mmol/(m^(2)·d)of dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN),dissolved silicon(DSi)and DIC into the coastal waters,respectively.The dominant species of porewater DIN was NH_(4)^(+)(>99%of DIN).However,different with those in other ecosystems,the dissolved inorganic phosphorus(DIP)concentration in saltmarsh porewater was significantly lower than that in surface water,indicating that saltmarshes seem to be a DIP sink in Chongming Dongtan.The porewater-derived DIN,DSi and DIC accounted for 12%,5%and 18%of the riverine inputs,which are important components of coastal nutrient and carbon budgets.Furthermore,porewater-drived nutrients had obviously high N/P ratios(160–3995),indicating that the porewater exchange process may change the nutrient characteristics of the Changjiang River Estuary and further alter the coastal ecological environment.

Identifying important habitats for waterbird conservation at a Greek Regional Nature Park

Background:Small coastal wetlands are vital sites for wintering waterbirds.Identifying important habitats is critical for managing waterbirds effectively.The Vourkari inlet is a small coastal wetland located near the capital Athens,within the most urbanized and industrialized area of Greece.We aimed at identifying the most important habitats for waterbirds at the Vourkari inlet during winter.Methods:Data about habitat use and availability were collected for 14 waterbird species and for seven habitat classes.Habitat selection(Manly’s selection ratio),overlap indices(Pianka’s niche overlap index)and null models were calculated.Results:All the studied waterbird species selected available habitats nonrandomly.Shallow waters(0–2 m),were used by 13 waterbirds and selected by five waterbirds.Pools and channels were used and selected by 10 species.Mud was used by nine species and selected by six species.Mud with rocky substrate was used by nine species and selected by eight species.Medium(2–4 m)and deep(4–6 m)open water habitats were used by seven species and selected by four species.Halophytic vegetation was used by six species and selected by two species.Several habitats were selected by nationally important populations:mudflat habitats(i.e.,mud,mud with rocky substrate and pools and channels)by Common Redshanks(Tringa totanus),halophytic vegetation by Little Egrets(Egretta garzetta),shallow waters by Common Shelducks(Tadorna tadorna)and medium and deep waters by Sandwich Terns(Thalasseus sandvicencis),whilst shallow waters and mudflat habitats were preferred by a possibly internationally important population of Mediterranean Gulls(Ichthyaetus melanocephalus).Although overlap in habitat use between species was generally low,null models indicated habitat sharing and a lack of competition.Conclusions:Waterbirds coexisted in the absence of competition for habitats at Vourkari,where they mostly used and preferred shallow water and mudflats.Small coastal wetlands are numerous,both in Greece and worldwide,therefore our findings would be useful as a basis for comparisons,both temporal at the inlet and spatial with other sites,that would help assess the importance of habitats and improve management strategies to benefit waterbirds,especially in areas with similar Mediterranean-type habitats and climate.

Risk assessment and binding mechanisms of potentially toxic metals in sediments from different water levels in a coastal wetland

The excessive accumulation of potentially toxic metals(Pb and Cd)in coastal wetlands is among the main factors threateningwetland ecosystems.However,the effects ofwater table depth(WTD)on the risk and binding mechanisms of potentially toxic metals in sediments remain unclear.Here,sediments from different WTD obtained from a typical coastal wetland were evaluated using a newly developed strategy based on chemical extraction methods coupled with high-resolution spectroscopy.Our findings indicated that the WTD of the coastal wetland fluctuates frequently and the average enrichment factor for Pb was categorized as minor,whereas Cd enrichment was categorized as moderate.High-resolution spectroscopy techniques also demonstrated that organic functional groups and partly inorganic compounds(e.g.,Fe-O/Si-O)played a vital role in the binding of Pb and Cd to surface sediments.Additionally,mineral components rather than organic groups were mainly bound to thesemetals in the bottom sediments.Collectively,our findings provide key insights into the potential health effects and binding characteristics of potentially toxic metals in sediments,as well as their dynamic behavior under varying sediment depths at a microscale.