Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)
Keywords
inorganic nitrogen, phosphate, nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratio (N/P), criterion, Yellow River estuary
Document Type
Strategy on China's Coastal Zone Ecological Barrier Construction
Abstract
Estuaries, as ecologically sensitive brackish water mixing zones, face a critical bottleneck in refined management because traditional zonation based on socioeconomic attributes overlooks the ecological heterogeneity driven by salinity gradients and nutrient stoichiometry, leading to a disconnect between management measures and conservation needs. This study proposes a novel approach to coastal zonation using nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient criteria as an ecological benchmark. Overall ecological criteria are established for the Yellow River estuary (dissolved inorganic nitrogen: 0.258 mg/L; phosphate: 0.015 mg/L) and a differentiated management scheme is constructed based on a salinity gradient (26.5 PSU boundary). It is recommended to integrate these nutrient criteria into existing functional zonation to form a new standard with dual functional-ecological constraints; to establish a dynamic feedback and early-warning mechanism for a transition from static to adaptive management; and to regulate the riverine N/P ratio through a land-sea coordinated approach that includes optimizing water-sediment discharge and restoring coastal wetlands. This framework is expected to provide a scientific basis for the sea-to-land governance strategy, enabling the scientific assessment of watershed nutrient management effectiveness, and supporting the scientific delineation of estuarine-type coastal zones based on the principle of “defining boundaries by function”.
First page
2138
Last Page
2150
Language
Chinese
Publisher
Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences
References
1. 刘正一, 胡飞龙, 肖凯, 等. 海岸带范围与边界的划定研究进展. 应用海洋学学报, 2025, 44(1): 15-20. Liu Z Y, Hu F L, Xiao K, et al. Progress in research on delineation of the extent and boundaries of coastal zone. Journal of Applied Oceanography, 2025, 44(1): 15-20. (in Chinese)
2. Raimonet M, Cloern J E. Estuary–ocean connectivity: Fast physics, slow biology. Global Change Biology, 2017, 23(6): 2345-2357.
3. Song J L, Jiang W S, Xin L, et al. Predicting the temporal-spatial distribution of chlorophyll-a in the Yellow River estuary using explainable machine learning. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 2024, 304: 108820.
4. 武亚男, 张昊飞, 王璐, 等. 长江口无机氮和活性磷酸盐水质基准研究. 海洋与湖沼, 2020, 51(5): 1066-1079. Wu Y N, Zhang H F, Wang L, et al. Water quality criteria of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and soluble reactive phosphorus in Changjiang River estuary. Oceanologia et Limnologia Sinica, 2020, 51(5): 1066-1079. (in Chinese)
5. Zhang P, Ou S J, Zhang J X, et al. Categorizing numeric nutrients criteria and implications for water quality assessment in the Pearl River Estuary, China. Frontiers in Marine Science, 2022, 9: 1004235.
6. 王占金, 李玲玲, 张文静, 等. 黄河口海域浮游植物群落结构演变趋势及影响因素. 环境污染与防治, 2025, 47(2): 114-122. Wang Z J, Li L L, Zhang W J, et al. The succession trends and influencing factors of phytoplankton community structure in the Yellow River estuary. Environmental Pollution & Control, 2025, 47(2): 114-122. (in Chinese)
7. 黎明民, 庞碧剑, 蓝文陆, 等. 河口混合区划定及营养盐标准限值构建. 中国环境监测, 2020, 36(3): 74-82. Li M M, Pang B J, Lan W L, et al. Study on estuarine mixed zone delimitation and nutrient standard limits construction method. Environmental Monitoring in China, 2020, 36(3): 74-82. (in Chinese)
8. 杨帆, 林忠胜, 张哲, 等. 浅析我国地表水与海水环境质量标准存在的问题. 海洋开发与管理, 2018, (7): 36-41. Yang F, Lin Z S, Zhang Z, et al. Problems in environmental quality standards of surface water and marine water in China. Ocean Development and Management, 2018, (7): 36-41. (in Chinese)
9. 王艳, 张镔麒, 戴爱泉, 等. 基于陆海统筹的河口区生态环境管理对策研究. 环境科学研究, 2023, 36(4): 768-772. Wang Y, Zhang B Q, Dai A Q, et al. Countermeasures of integrated land-sea environmental management for estuarine region. Research of Environmental Sciences, 2023, 36(4): 768-772. (in Chinese)
10. Lou Q, Zhang X Q, Zhao B, et al. The derivation of nutrient criteria for the adjacent waters of Yellow River Estuary in China. Journal of Ocean University of China, 2022, 21(5): 1227-1236.
11. 郑丙辉, 周娟, 刘录三, 等. 长江口及邻近海域富营养化指标原因变量参照状态的确定. 生态学报, 2013, 33(9): 2780-2789. Zheng B H, Zhou J, Liu L S, et al. The reference condition for eutrophication indictor in the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent waters—Causal Variables. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2013, 33(9): 2780-2789. (in Chinese)
12. Yang F X, Mi T Z, Chen H T, et al. Developing numeric nutrient criteria for the Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent waters in China. Journal of Hydrology, 2019, 579: 124188.
13. 王司玉, 隋修国, 李正炎. 小清河口氮磷营养物基准制定. 中国海洋大学学报, 2021, 51(7): 131-140. Wang S Y, Sui X G, Li Z Y. Approach of nutrient criteria establishment for the Xiaoqing River Estuary. Periodical of Ocean University of China, 2021, 51(7): 131-140. (in Chinese)
14. 杨福霞. 大辽河口营养物基准值的制定方法及其影响因素研究. 青岛: 中国海洋大学, 2015. Yang F X. Approaches of Nutrient Criteria Establishment and its Influencing Factors in the Daliaohe Estuary. Qingdao: Ocean University of China, 2015. (in Chinese)
15. Zhang Z X, Wang Y H, Dai Z Y, et al. Ecological niche and environmental adaptability of denitrifiers in the Yellow River Estuary. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2025, 213: 117693.
16. 张翔, 李愫. 2015—2020年黄河口近岸海域生态环境监测与分析. 水土保持通报, 2022, 42(3): 139-147. Zhang X, Li S. Monitoring and analysis on ecological environment in near-shore waters of Yellow River Estuary during 2015–2020. Bulletin of Soil and Water Conservation, 2022, 42(3): 139-147. (in Chinese)
17. 周健, 王玮, 吴志宏, 等. 山东沿海赤潮灾害基本特征及防控对策建议. 海洋环境科学, 2020, 39(4): 537-543. Zhou J, Wang W, Wu Z H, et al. The basic characteristics and prevention countermeasures of red tide in Shandong coast waters. Marine Environmental Science, 2020, 39(4): 537-543. (in Chinese)
18. 胡琴, 曲亮, 黄必桂, 等. 2014年秋季黄河口附近海域营养现状与评价. 海洋环境科学, 2016, 35(5): 732-738. Hu Q, Qu L, Huang B G, et al. Status and evaluation on nutrients for the adjacent sea water of the Yellow River estuary in autumn of 2014. Marine Environmental Science, 2016, 35(5): 732-738. (in Chinese)
19. 苏芝娟, 王玉珏, 董志军, 等. 调水调沙后黄河口邻近海域浮游植物群落响应特征. 海洋学报, 2015, 37(4): 62-75. Su Z J, Wang Y J, Dong Z J, et al. Response of phytoplankton assemblages to the water-sediment regulation in the adjacent sea of the Yellow River mouth. Haiyang Xuebao, 2015, 37(4): 62-75. (in Chinese)
20. Gai Y Y, Yu M Q, Zhang J, et al. Numerical simulation of salinity around Yellow River estuary during fish spawning period and its effect on spawning ground distribution. Journal of Ocean University of China, 2025, 24(4): 886-896.
21. Yang F X, Yu Z G, Bouwman A F, et al. Human-driven long-term disconnect of nutrient inputs to the Yellow River Basin and river export to the Bohai Sea. Journal of Hydrology, 2023, 618: 129279.
22. 段晓萌, 秦华伟, 马浩阳, 等. 黄河口及莱州湾海域磷的时空分布及浮游生物对低磷胁迫的响应. 中国海洋大学学报(自然科学版), 2023, 53(11): 87-98. Duan X M, Qin H W, Ma H Y, et al. Temporospatial distribution of phosphorus and response of phytoplankton to low phosphorus stress in the Yellow River Estuary and Laizhou Bay. Periodical of Ocean University of China, 2023, 53(11): 87-98. (in Chinese)
23. Wang Y J, Liu D Y, Xiao W P, et al. Coastal eutrophication in China: Trend, sources, and ecological effects. Harmful Algae, 2021, 107: 102058.
24. Li C, Wang Z L, Liu H X, et al. Impact of a water-sediment regulation scheme on nutrient variations at the Lijin station of the Yellow River. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 2022, 10: 900508.
25. 郭丰山. 黄河流域农业面源污染影响因素时空异质性研究. 淄博: 山东理工大学, 2024. Guo F S. Spatiotemporal Heterogeneity of Influencing Factors of Agricultural Non-point Source Pollution in the Yellow River Basin. Zibo: Shandong University of Technology, 2024. (in Chinese)
26. Li W, Ye J Q, Gao X, et al. Integrated ecological quality assessment of the sea area adjacent to the Yellow River estuary under multiple pollutants. Frontiers in Marine Science, 2025, 12: 1542611.
27. 顾家伟. 黄河营养盐输送与河口近海生态健康研究进展. 人民黄河, 2018, 40(2): 81-87. Gu J W. Review on the nutrients transportation of Yellow River and its ecological impacts in the estuary. Yellow River, 2018, 40(2): 81-87. (in Chinese)
28. 马永星, 臧家业, 车宏, 等. 黄河干流营养盐分布与变化趋势. 海洋与湖沼, 2015, 46(1): 140-147. Ma Y X, Zang J Y, Che H, et al. Trend and distributions of nutrient elements in the Huanghe (Yellow) River. Oceanologia et Limnologia Sinica, 2015, 46(1): 140-147. (in Chinese) *Corresponding author
29. 邹景忠, 董丽萍, 秦保平. 渤海湾富营养化和赤潮问题的初步探讨. 海洋环境科学, 1983, 2(2): 41-54. Zou J Z, Dong L P, Qin B P. Preliminary exploration of eutrophication and red tide issues in Bohai Bay. Marine Environmental Science, 1983, 2(2): 41-54. (in Chinese)
30. Wang Y B, Sun Y Y, Wang C X, et al. Net-phytoplankton community structure and its environmental correlations in central Bohai Sea and the Bohai Strait. Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management, 2019, 22(4): 481-493.
31. 孙绍庆, 张晶晶, 申瑞婷, 等. 调水调沙期黄河口邻近海域浮游植物影响因素. 中国环境科学, 2025, 45(6): 3299-3310. Sun S Q, Zhang J J, Shen R T, et al. Study on the dominant control effects on phytoplankton biomass in the estuary and its adjacent waters of the Yellow River during the water and sediment regulation scheme. China Environmental Science, 2025, 45(6): 3299-3310. (in Chinese)
32. 关纬城, 毛晓媛, 王一诺, 等. 小清河口营养盐时空变化及其运移规律研究. 海洋湖沼通报, 2024: 1-10. (2024-08-01). https://link.cnki.net/urlid/37.1141.P.20240731.1319.002. Guan W C, Mao X Y, Wang Y N, et al. Distribution and migration of nutrients in the Xiaoqing River estuary. Transactions of Oceanology and Limnology, 2024: 1-10. (2024-08-01). https://link.cnki.net/urlid/37.1141.P.20240731.1319.002. (in Chinese)
33. 王雪鸽, 颜凤芹, 黄翀, 等. 基于陆海统筹的海岸带地理空间场景构建. 地理学报, 2025, 80(7): 1840-1856. Wang X G, Yan F Q, Huang C, et al. Construction of geographic spatial scene for coastal areas based on land-sea coordination. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2025, 80(7): 1840-1856. (in Chinese)
Recommended Citation
JIANG, Dejuan; QIN, Song; LIU, Zhengyi; SUN, Ruiteng; HANG, Xiaoshuai; ZOU, Tao; LI, Xiaoguang; LI, Lijuan; TIAN, Shichao; LI, Yanfang; LUO, Yongming; WANG, Chuanyuan; and LI, Yuan
(2025)
"Exploring ecological zonation of the Yellow River estuary coastal zone based on nitrogen and phosphorus criteria,"
Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version): Vol. 40
:
Iss.
12
, Article 3.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3724/j.issn.1000-3045.20250806001
Available at:
https://bulletinofcas.researchcommons.org/journal/vol40/iss12/3
Included in
Environmental Policy Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons, Sustainability Commons, Water Resource Management Commons