Research Progress on Coastline Change in China

Abstract

Fan, Q.; Liang, L.; Liang, F., and Sun, X., 2020. Research progress on coastline change in China. In: Zheng, C.W.; Wang, Q.; Zhan, C., and Yang, S.B. (eds.), Air-Sea Interaction and Coastal Environments of the Maritime and Polar Silk Roads. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 99, pp. 289–10. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.A coastline is an ecologically sensitive area at the land–water interface. Coastline change has an important impact on regional ecology, economy, and society. China has a long coastline and its coastal zone is among the fastest developing regions in the world. An effective understanding of Chinese coastline changes can aid sustainable development in China and surrounding areas. In this paper, we reviewed the literature of coastline changes in China through the end of 2018. Through literature analysis, the coastline change research in China can be divided into three stages: a start-up stage, an exploration period, and a developmental period. Ancient maps, traditional actual trace measurements, ancient sea level markers, remote-sensing images, and Light Detection and Ranging technology are the main data sources of coastline research. From the research content, the coastline change literature in China mainly focuses on the analysis of space–time changes and coastline driving forces. There is also limited literature on coastline change prediction, which mainly refers to the shape and location of coastline change. The next stage, the relationship between coastline change and the environment, is the focus of future research. This study provides a relatively comprehensive review of coastline changes in China that may have a certain significance for the study of these changes in China and perhaps the world. It can serve as a basis for developing scientific and reasonable policies for sustainable development in coastal zones.