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Monitoring tidal flat dynamics affected by human activities along an eroded coast in the Yellow River Delta, China

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Abstract

The coast of the northern Yellow River Delta (YRD) has experienced significant erosion since 1976 due to avulsion and consequent lack of sediment supply. Moreover, massive reclamation activity, expansion of the oil industry, and sea-level rise have jointly contributed to the rapid change of tidal flats over recent decades. Therefore, accurate reporting of the coast spatial extent and stability status is urgently required. We presented a method using remotely sensed waterlines to map tidal flats and monitor their spatiotemporal dynamics. The empirical results show that the area of the intertidal zone west of Tiao River Mouth (TRM) appeared to be decreasing. Despite intense hydrodynamic force, the intertidal zone to the east of TRM has expanded due to law prohibiting land reclamation in nature reserve. However, this trend weakened due to the expansion of oil industry after 2007. The movement of the mean high-tide line is the main cause for the increase–decrease patterns of the intertidal zone area. To achieve and maintain land equilibrium in this area, we suggest that a 554-m buffer must be preserved for mean high-tide line retreat. Unfortunately, the shrink crisis of the tidal flats has been extremely severe. Future reclamation and oil projects must be supplemented by studies that evaluate the complexities and dynamics of tidal flats so as to prevent the loss of this unique ecosystem.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2017YFC0405503) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. U1706214). We would like to thank USGS for providing Landsat image. We also appreciate Jin Hu for his assistance in on-site investigation and writing assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China

    Yaoshen Fan, Shenliang Chen, Hongyu Ji & Chao Jiang

  2. College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, 97331, USA

    Bo Zhao

  3. Yellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research, Yellow River Conservancy Commission, Zhengzhou, 450003, China

    Shoubing Yu

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  1. Yaoshen Fan
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  2. Shenliang Chen
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  3. Bo Zhao
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  4. Shoubing Yu
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  5. Hongyu Ji
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  6. Chao Jiang
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Correspondence to Shenliang Chen.

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Highlights

• This is the first study on tidal flats mapping along the eroded coast of the Yellow River Delta ever performed.

• The extent of changes in tidal flats due to human activities were monitored and examined.

• The mean high-tide line movement is the main determinant of tidal flats dynamics.

• Future research will build from this study by addressing the natural complexity of tidal flat systems.

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Fan, Y., Chen, S., Zhao, B. et al. Monitoring tidal flat dynamics affected by human activities along an eroded coast in the Yellow River Delta, China. Environ Monit Assess 190, 396 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6747-7

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