Coastal salt marsh changes in China: Landscape pattern, driving factors, and carbon dynamics
Coastal salt marshes provide critical ecological services, including carbon sequestration. However, the landscape patterns, driving factors, and carbon dynamics associated with salt marsh losses and gains remain insufficiently explored, which is vital for effective restoration. This study conducted...
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Elsevier
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Geography and Sustainability |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666683925000203 |
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| author | Jiali Gu Jiaping Wu Dongfeng Xie |
| author_facet | Jiali Gu Jiaping Wu Dongfeng Xie |
| author_sort | Jiali Gu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Coastal salt marshes provide critical ecological services, including carbon sequestration. However, the landscape patterns, driving factors, and carbon dynamics associated with salt marsh losses and gains remain insufficiently explored, which is vital for effective restoration. This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of these aspects across China, with a focus on species-specific differences. Based on historical salt marsh data, landscape analysis was applied for identifying the spatiotemporal characteristics of changes. XGBoost algorithm was used for driving factor analysis. Carbon dynamics derived from salt marsh changes were estimated with statistical calculation. Our results indicated that the distribution patterns of salt marshes, as indicated by mean center, ellipse area, and landscape indices, varied significantly from 1985 to 2019, particularly between 2005 and 2010. Native species, such as Phragmites australis and Suaeda salsa, experienced significant losses with a 72 % reduction, while exotic species Spartina alterniflora showed substantial gains with a 680-fold. Human disturbances emerged as the primary driver of these changes, with mean temperature and precipitation influencing certain regions and years. Overall, salt marsh changes resulted in a net emission of 68.1 Mt CO2, with the highest emission in Shandong and linked to the loss of Phragmites australis. Conversely, carbon sequestration equivalent to 11.1 Mt CO2 mainly resulted from the expansion of Spartina alterniflora, with Shanghai contributing the most. This species-specific and site-specific analysis of landscape patterns, drivers, and carbon dynamics in China could enhance our understanding of salt marsh changes and offer valuable insights for targeted restoration efforts at both local and national levels. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bc9abe68b05345bea1d72e245afea61b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-6839 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geography and Sustainability |
| spelling | doaj-art-bc9abe68b05345bea1d72e245afea61b2025-08-20T03:38:43ZengElsevierGeography and Sustainability2666-68392025-08-016410028110.1016/j.geosus.2025.100281Coastal salt marsh changes in China: Landscape pattern, driving factors, and carbon dynamicsJiali Gu0Jiaping Wu1Dongfeng Xie2Zhejiang Institute of Hydraulics & Estuary, Zhejiang Institute of Marine Planning & Design, Hangzhou 310020, China; Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, China; Corresponding author.Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, ChinaZhejiang Institute of Hydraulics & Estuary, Zhejiang Institute of Marine Planning & Design, Hangzhou 310020, ChinaCoastal salt marshes provide critical ecological services, including carbon sequestration. However, the landscape patterns, driving factors, and carbon dynamics associated with salt marsh losses and gains remain insufficiently explored, which is vital for effective restoration. This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of these aspects across China, with a focus on species-specific differences. Based on historical salt marsh data, landscape analysis was applied for identifying the spatiotemporal characteristics of changes. XGBoost algorithm was used for driving factor analysis. Carbon dynamics derived from salt marsh changes were estimated with statistical calculation. Our results indicated that the distribution patterns of salt marshes, as indicated by mean center, ellipse area, and landscape indices, varied significantly from 1985 to 2019, particularly between 2005 and 2010. Native species, such as Phragmites australis and Suaeda salsa, experienced significant losses with a 72 % reduction, while exotic species Spartina alterniflora showed substantial gains with a 680-fold. Human disturbances emerged as the primary driver of these changes, with mean temperature and precipitation influencing certain regions and years. Overall, salt marsh changes resulted in a net emission of 68.1 Mt CO2, with the highest emission in Shandong and linked to the loss of Phragmites australis. Conversely, carbon sequestration equivalent to 11.1 Mt CO2 mainly resulted from the expansion of Spartina alterniflora, with Shanghai contributing the most. This species-specific and site-specific analysis of landscape patterns, drivers, and carbon dynamics in China could enhance our understanding of salt marsh changes and offer valuable insights for targeted restoration efforts at both local and national levels.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666683925000203Salt marshSpecies-specific differenceLandscape indexCarbon emission/sequestrationHuman disturbanceEnvironmental factor |
| spellingShingle | Jiali Gu Jiaping Wu Dongfeng Xie Coastal salt marsh changes in China: Landscape pattern, driving factors, and carbon dynamics Geography and Sustainability Salt marsh Species-specific difference Landscape index Carbon emission/sequestration Human disturbance Environmental factor |
| title | Coastal salt marsh changes in China: Landscape pattern, driving factors, and carbon dynamics |
| title_full | Coastal salt marsh changes in China: Landscape pattern, driving factors, and carbon dynamics |
| title_fullStr | Coastal salt marsh changes in China: Landscape pattern, driving factors, and carbon dynamics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Coastal salt marsh changes in China: Landscape pattern, driving factors, and carbon dynamics |
| title_short | Coastal salt marsh changes in China: Landscape pattern, driving factors, and carbon dynamics |
| title_sort | coastal salt marsh changes in china landscape pattern driving factors and carbon dynamics |
| topic | Salt marsh Species-specific difference Landscape index Carbon emission/sequestration Human disturbance Environmental factor |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666683925000203 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jialigu coastalsaltmarshchangesinchinalandscapepatterndrivingfactorsandcarbondynamics AT jiapingwu coastalsaltmarshchangesinchinalandscapepatterndrivingfactorsandcarbondynamics AT dongfengxie coastalsaltmarshchangesinchinalandscapepatterndrivingfactorsandcarbondynamics |