Quantifying the Correlated Spatial Distributions between Tidal Creeks and Coastal Wetland Vegetation in the Yellow River Estuary

Abstract

For providing a better understanding of the quantitative relationship between typical wetland vegetation and their tidal creek habitats in the Yellow River Estuary, the tidal creeks and three wetland vegetation types of Spartina alterniflora, Phragmites australis and Suaeda salsa were selected to analyze their distribution characteristics and explore the correlation between their spatial distributions within the different areas in the study. Authors applied the methods of regional statistical analysis, proximity analysis and spatial autocorrelation analysis to quantifying the spatial distribution characteristics of vegetation and tidal creeks and their spatial interaction as well. The results showed that 86.87% of S. alterniflora was distributed in the salt-fresh water interaction zones along the Yellow River. S. alterniflora occupied more space around the tidal creeks. P. australis and S. salsa were only closely related to low-order tidal creeks, but the curvature of their surrounding tidal creeks was higher than that of S. alterniflora. The three types of vegetation in the Tidal Creek Buffer Zone (TCBZ) had spatial agglomeration in their habitats. Among of three vegetation types, S. alterniflora had the closest relationships with tidal creeks. This study has an important theoretical and practical significance for the management and restoration of related wetland ecosystems.