Variations in tidal flats of the Changjiang (Yangtze) estuary during 1950s–2010s: Future crisis and policy implication

• Tidal flats of the Changjiang Estuary are facing serious challenges.
• Increases rate in tidal flats of the Changjiang Estuary was substantial slow down.
• Sharply decreases in tidal flats over 0 m of Nanhui shoal in recent decades.
• Local hydraulic engineering can mitigate decreased trends in tidal flats.
• Urgently demand of Policy implications to the tidal flats of the Changjiang estuary.

Tidal flat, is a critical natural resource for coastal ecosystem and plays a tremendous role in coastal sustainable development. However, most tidal flats in the world are facing serious challenges from both natural change and anthropogenic activities. Based on the multi-year monitoring records of tidal flats in the Changjiang (Yangtze) Estuary, the temporal-spatial changes of tidal flats and possible driving factors were statistically examined. The results indicate that the increased rate of the majority of tidal flats in the Changjiang Estuary has become slow since 2000s. Tidal flats of both Hengsha and Jiuduan Shoal showed minor enlarged trends from 2004 to 2009. However, Tidal flat areas of Nanhui Shoal above 0 m had greatly decreased by 80.8% from 1958 to 2012. Even though estuarine hydraulic engineering structures can mitigate tidal flats decreased trends, the tidal flats of the Changjiang Estuary will still suffer significant losses due to the decreasing sediment flux from upstream, ground subsidence, sea level rise and recent intensive reclamation. Thereafter, the adaptive management strategies for sustainable tidal flat resources of the Changjiang Estuary are as follows: (1) Proceeding comprehensive adjustment involving watershed and estuary; (2) keeping balance between reclamation and rebirth of tidal flats; (3) coping with sea level rise; (4) scientifically promoting aggradation of tidal flats.

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