The impact of anthropogenic activities on marine environment in Jiaozhou Bay, Qingdao, China: A review and a case study

Abstract

In this study, marine environmental issues that occurred during the socio-economic development of Qingdao City and the exploitation and utilization of Jiaozhou Bay (JB) are reviewed. Its environmental condition has been dominated by intensive anthropogenic activities, i.e. increased wastewater discharge and rapid coastline evolution, which have reduced the ecosystem’s ability to sustain itself. Efforts have been taken in scientific research and coastal management to protect and restore the environment in JB since 1990s. But lack of holistic views of JB system generates knowledge gaps in different research disciplines as well as the linkage between science and management. A case study is given to illustrate that different pollutant indicators respond to the coastline evolution differently, which cannot be explained by physics sole. The integrated research by knowledge sharing through community-benefit research projects is therefore called for on the systematic biogeochemical dynamics in JB. The integrated coastal zone management is also needed to cope with the complicated and complex systems of JB by an interdisciplinary problem-solving mechanism.