We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Long-term human expansion and the environmental impacts on the coastal zone of China
Summary
This study analyzed long-term expansion of reclamation, aquaculture ponds, and urban land cover in the Circum-Bohai Coastal Zone of China from satellite data using Google Earth Engine. Human coastal expansion accelerated significantly over the study period and was associated with declining ecosystem services including carbon storage, water purification, and biodiversity habitat.
Monitoring the long-term human expansions in coastal zones and evaluating their associated environmental impacts are critical to promoting a sustainable transformation of a society. This paper evaluated the long-term human expansion of reclamation, aquaculture ponds (saltern) and artificial surface in the Circum-Bohai Coastal Zone (CBCZ) of China based on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform and time-series land use (LU) function classification, and analyzed the impact of human expansion on the sustainability of coastal environment. Results show: (i) human activities in this coastal zone have expanded dramatically during the past 30 years, including an increase of 1555.50 km 2 (+76.9%) for the reclamation area, 2065.53 km 2 (+51.33%) for the aquaculture pond area, and 14329.99 km 2 (+308%) for the artificial surface area; (ii) there are substantial spatial and temporal variations in human expansion in this coastal zone, mainly for Bohai Bay, Laizhou Bay, and Liaoning Bay, with the most intense expansion in the period 2003-2013, (iii) the spatial and temporal evolution of human activity expansion is strongly related to changes of water environmental quality and wetland loss, with the coupling degree of 70.73% and 79.41%, respectively. The expansion of human activity has led to a considerable loss of wetland number (from 2666.54 km 2 to 1698.27 km 2 ), indirectly affecting changes in offshore water quality. We found that human expansion is mostly driven by economic interests such as port construction, industrial parks, resource development, and tourism development, as well as a direct response to coastal zone development and protection policies.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Coastal Wetland Restoration Strategies Based on Ecosystem Service Changes: A Case Study of the South Bank of Hangzhou Bay
Researchers analyzed coastal wetland restoration strategies based on ecosystem service changes along Hangzhou Bay's south bank, identifying priority restoration areas where interventions would maximize ecological benefits including pollution filtration and biodiversity support.
Spatiotemporal changes in land use and residential satisfaction in the Huai River-Gaoyou Lake Rim area
Researchers used two decades of satellite data to track land use changes and ecological risks in China's Jiangsu Province, focusing on shifts between agricultural, urban, and wetland areas. Land use changes alter how plastic waste and microplastics are transported and deposited in freshwater ecosystems.
Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Land Use Changesand Their Impacts on Ecosystem ServiceValue in the Qinghai Lake Basin, 2003-2023
Researchers examined spatiotemporal land use changes and their effects on ecosystem service value in the Qinghai Lake Basin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau over a 20-year period from 2003 to 2023. The study found that land use alterations significantly disrupted biodiversity, soil retention, water conservation, and overall ecosystem service value in this important inland saltwater lake region.
Evaluation of the Spatiotemporal Change of Ecological Quality under the Context of Urban Expansion—A Case Study of Typical Urban Agglomerations in China
Researchers tracked changes in ecological quality across three major urban areas in China over two decades of rapid urbanization. They found that urban expansion significantly reduced ecological quality in surrounding areas, with the most severe impacts occurring in newly developed zones. The study provides a framework for monitoring how urbanization affects local ecosystems using remote sensing data.
Dynamic Mapping of Inland Freshwater Aquaculture Areas in Jianghan Plain, China
This study used remote sensing to dynamically map changes in freshwater aquaculture area in Jianghan Plain, China over recent decades, tracking rapid expansion driven by growing consumer demand. The spatial data provide a foundation for assessing the environmental footprint of aquaculture expansion.