Wetland loss and degradation in the Yellow River Delta, Shandong Province of China

Abstract

Environmental degradation of wetlands is a major issue in the Yellow River Delta of China. Natural threats and human activities, such as flow cut-off of the Yellow River and droughts, population growth and urbanization, cause wetlands degradation of the delta during the last century, especially in the recent 50 years. Wetland degradation in the Yellow River Delta was investigated and its causation was analyzed. The results indicated that landscape changes of wetlands were mostly tremendous in the whole delta, namely loss of wetland area, surface water and groundwater pollution. Some new degradation control measures based on traditional and scientific knowledge must be used to reverse the wetlands degradation in the Yellow River Delta.