Salt marsh vegetation distribution patterns along groundwater table and salinity gradients in yellow river estuary under the influence of land reclamation. (September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Feng, Y.; Sun, T.; Zhu, M.S.; Qi, M.; Yang, W.; Shao, D.D.
• Is Part Of: Ecological indicators. Volume 92(2018)
• Page Start: 82
• Page End: 90
• Publication Date: 2018-09
• Subjects: Groundwater gradient -- Land reclamation -- Vegetation distribution -- Watershed management -- Yellow river estuary; Environmental monitoring -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environmental impact analysis -- Periodicals; Environmental risk assessment -- Periodicals; Sustainable development -- Periodicals; 333.71405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.09.027
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1470-160X

Abstract

Highlights: We Studied the space competitiveness of plants with Field Box Dimension and the interspecific interaction with Relative Interaction Index. Groundwater salinity will be lower and the peak will disappear after embanking, resulting in a less stressful environment for plants. Vegetation distribution pattern will change from zonation to mosaic after embanking. Abstract: Estuary protection is a fundamental part of watershed management. However, land reclamation activities affect species distribution patterns and cause ecological degradation. To improve watershed management, we studied the distribution patterns of three typical salt marsh species and their interspecific interactions along groundwater table depth and salinity gradients using an index of Field Box Dimension and a Relative Interaction Index. We also simulated the groundwater gradient after two typical land reclamation activities, sea reclamation and embanking, after ten years. Our results showed that sea reclamation will change the location of the groundwater salinity peak along a land-to-sea transect and that there is no salinity peak after embanking. Vegetation distribution patterns also differed, from a zonal pattern (in salt marsh) to a mosaic pattern (after embanking). The decrease in the salinity gradient of the non-core area is an important cause for the differences we found in vegetation patterns.