Land Reclamation Research Articles

SOCIAL ENGINEERING IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FOREST AND LAND REHABILITATION IN GIRIMULYO VILLAGE, LAMPUNG PROVINCE

Social engineering in conflict-affected communities is critical to the success of forest and land rehabilitation. The purpose of this study is to describe social engineering in the implementation of RHL based on local superior plants. Data collection was carried out by observation, interviews and documentation studies. The collected data were analyzed descriptively to explain social engineering in the implementation of forest rehabilitation. The results of this study show that social engineering is carried out using the principles of collaborative management and listening to what the community wants (bottom up). Coordination between relevant stakeholders needs to be improved in order to avoid differences of opinion in the implementation of activities and the need to increase the human resources of the Agro Mulyo Lestari Forest Farmer Group in order to facilitate the administrative process of managing the administration.

Spatio-Temporal Evolution Characteristics and Driving Factors of Typical Karst Rocky Desertification Area in the Upper Yangtze River

Karst rocky desertification (KRD) has become the most serious ecological disaster in the southwest of China and is a major obstacle to the sustainable development of the karst region in the southwest. Remarkably, scientific understanding of the spatial-temporal evolution of rocky desertification and the corresponding driving mechanism is the primary prerequisite crucial to controlling rocky desertification. Hence, the typical rocky desertification area of Qujing City, located in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, was selected as the research object. On the basis of the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud platform and decision tree classification, the spatial-temporal evolution process of rocky desertification in Qujing City from 1990 to 2020 was investigated, and the driving factors of rocky desertification were explored in terms of the natural environment and socio-economic aspects. Consequently, over this period, the area of rocky desertification had decreased by 1728.38 km2, while the no rocky desertification area had increased by 1936.61 km2. Notably, the major driving factors of rocky desertification were fractional vegetation cover (FVC) (q = 0.41), land use type (q = 0.26), slope (q = 0.21), and land reclamation rate (q = 0.21). Typically, rocky desertification is likely to occur in areas with moderate or low FVC (<0.7), a low slope (0–8°) or high slope (35°–80°), a land type of cultivated-land or grassland, and a land reclamation rate of 10–70%. In addition, all two-factor interactions acted as drivers that exacerbate rocky desertification. Furthermore, FVC ∩ slope (q = 0.79) and slope ∩ land use type (q = 0.56) were two interacting drivers that promote rocky desertification strongly.

The depositional record of the French Flemish Coastal plain since antiquity: Impacts of land reclamation in a tide‐dominated estuary

AbstractThe French Flemish Coastal Plain, which extends from Denmark to France, is characterised by a topography close to sea level and protected by a system of coastal dunes. Quaternary sediments, comprised of marine, estuarine and continental deposits, accumulated by infilling and then prograding above a network of incised valleys. This study focusses on the Holocene infill of the Denna palaeoestuary, south‐west to Dunkerque. Surface geophysics (electrical conductivity and ground‐penetrating radar) and vibrocore data are used to reconstruct the landscape evolution during the last stages of sedimentation. The conductivity map highlights the last network of tidal channels, ditches and dikes of the eastern side of the palaeoestuary. Over the upper 4 m of the infill, the ground‐penetrating radar profiles show two superimposed units. The bottom unit is composed of meandering channel bars and the top unit of flat strata intersected by sparse channels, mostly infilled in place. The sediment analysis of the vibrocores shows a predominantly sandy filling of marine to estuarine origin, evidenced by sponge spicules and a fauna of bivalves and foraminifera adapted to brackish settings. The uppermost deposit exhibits an oxidation profile which marks the groundwater zone transition. Clayey sediments are also present, infilling the uppermost channels and ditches dug during reclamation, in increasing proportions towards the axis of the estuarine palaeovalley. The tidal signature of sedimentary dynamics is evidenced by heterolithic facies in some channel fills and tidal rhythmites infilling scour depressions linked to dike breaching. The abrupt decrease in channel dynamics across the unit boundary, although sedimentation remained sandy in the upper unit, coincides with the development of embankment of the estuarine border and is tentatively interpreted as a result of reclamation.

Sixty Years of UGM Forestry Faculty’s Work in Preserving Indonesia’s Forests and Environment

Given a mandate to preserve the Indonesia tropical forest through its education, research, and community service activities, the Faculty of Forestry Universitas Gadjah Mada (FoF UGM) has reached broad stakeholders to support sustainable forest management and climate mitigation (SDG 13 and 17). FoF UGM supports basic and applied research contributing to forestry industrialization (SDG 9), such as improved planting materials for Tectona grandis and Eucalyptus sp. In collaboration with the community (SDG 1 and 2), FoF UGM also diversifies kajuput essential oil produced in Wanagama and UGM teaching forests. Technology innovations such as glue and cross-laminated timber, biodiesel, information systems, and drone technologies for land rehabilitation and carbon accounting represent the institution's commitment to improving Indonesia's forest, forestry, community, and national economy (SDG 13 and 15).

Ensemble intelligence algorithms and soil environmental quality to model economic quantity of land resource allocation and spatial inequality

With the increasing concern on soil pollution in context of land market reform, it’s an emerging topic to discuss whether soil pollution can cause land economic value substantially depreciated at geospatial scale. This study proposed a data science approach by synthesizing machine learning and deep learning algorithms to establish the land economic equivalent model (LEEM) with best prediction ability. The results indicated that Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) and Random Forest (RF) performed well in estimating residential/commercial and industrial land value, respectively. Spatial variation of soil environment quality indeed largely affected economic productivity of residential/commercial land with contribution of 13.82%. For industrial land, population density was strongly related to the land price (11.77%), of which importance score was much higher than other 10 variables except distance to center business district (CBD, 28.75%) and transaction time (28.61%). Another important finding was that soil protection measures could generate extra benefits equivalent with a mean of 22.46% and 28.92% for residential/commercial and industrial land value in current status, respectively, and high-value areas could also be predicted for effective decisions on land allocation and trading. In terms of sustainable land management, the regression tree-based LEEM is an effective tool in assisting decision makers with urban land reclamation, planning and pricing.

Domestic and International Site Remediation Progress

The regulation of urban construction land can effectively solve the problems of inefficient use of urban land, idle land, urban stock land. This paper systematically combs the practice and experience of construction land regulation in several countries at home and abroad, which provides reference for the development of construction land regulation projects in China. Under the new situation, we should adapt to the current situation that the objects, objectives and models of land reclamation are more diversified, implement the strategy of land connotation excavation and reclamation and redevelopment. The urban and rural land use structure and industrial layout must be further optimized to promote the economic and intensive use of land, and promote urban renewal and industrial transformation and upgrading.

Community Involvement and the Use of Coffee Exocarp as a Growth Medium for Cajuput Plantation in Post-Mining Land Reclamation in PT Bukit Asam Tbk (PTBA)

The cajuput plant (Melaleuca cajuputi) is valued for its essential oil production and its ability to thrive in challenging environments, including post-mining lands. PT Bukit Asam Tbk (PTBA) has cultivated this plant extensively to supply seeds for reclamation projects on former mine sites, along with the provision of location-specific fertilizers. This study aims to identify the new alternative organic materials, determining the optimal formula for plant growth media and also to measure the tangible and intangible impacts of the community involvement. Following the implementation of statistical testing involving the analysis of variance model (ANOVA) and subsequent test, which is the least significant difference (LSD) test, definitive findings reveal that incorporating coffee exocarp as a growth medium significantly impacts the elevation of plant height and the augmentation of Cajuput leaf count. The most efficacious treatment is delineated as P2, characterized by a 1:1 composition of coffee exocarp and soil. The involvement of the local community has precipitated several advantageous outcomes, encompassing the creation of employment opportunities, the facilitation of economic equilibrium, and the development of smallholder forestry enterprises within the local community.

Monitoring of Cropland Abandonment and Land Reclamation in the Farming–Pastoral Zone of Northern China

The farming–pastoral zone in northern China is one of the most ecologically sensitive areas globally, having experienced extensive cropland abandonment and land reclamation over decades, primarily influenced by policy adjustment and global warming. However, the spatiotemporal patterns and suitability of long-term cropland change remain poorly understood. Using the annual China land cover dataset (CLCD), we provide a cropland abandonment and land reclamation mapping approach based on actual land use processes (rather than land cover conditions) to investigate spatiotemporal features of abandonment and reclamation and evaluate the rationality. Our findings show that: (1) Returning farmland to forest and grassland has been a clear trend in the study area over the past 30 years. Specifically, cropland use has undergone three phases of change, i.e., cropland contraction and expansion alternately (before 2000), followed by substantial abandonment (after 2000), and low-intensity reclamation (after 2010). (2) In the last decade, the intensity of the abandonment of cropland with high and moderate suitability is low. The rate of abandonment decreased, while the intensity of land reclamation was relatively high. The rate of the reclamation increased, and the spatial distribution of cropland tended to be reasonable. Our study emphasizes the importance of monitoring actual cropland changes based on land use processes, and this method can be effectively extended to regional or global long-term cropland monitoring.

Tracking the Effects of Mangrove Changes and Spartina alterniflora Invasion on Soil Carbon Storage: A Case Study of the Beibu Gulf of Guangxi, China

In order to clarify the long-term changes in mangroves in the Beibu Gulf of Guangxi and the carbon storage changes after the invasion of Spartina alterniflora (S. alterniflora) in the Dandou Sea area, the Continuous Change Detection and Classification (CCDC) algorithm combined with feature indices was first used to track the changes. Subsequently, the random forest algorithm was applied to classify each change segment, and then sampling was conducted based on the distribution of S. alterniflora in different invasion years. The results showed that the Kappa coefficient of the classification result of the latest change segment was 0.78. The rapid expansion of S. alterniflora, aquaculture pond construction, and land reclamation activities have led to changes in mangroves, causing a decrease in the area of the mangrove region. A total of 814.57 hectares of mangroves has been converted into other land-cover types, with most pixels undergoing one to two changes, and many of these changes were expected to continue until 2022. An analysis of the distribution characteristics and influencing factors of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil organic carbon storage (SOCS) at different invasion stages revealed that SOC and SOCS were mainly influenced by soil bulk density, soil moisture content, and electrical conductivity. It was found that S. alterniflora had higher SOC content compared to the mudflats. With the increase in invasion years, S. alterniflora continuously increased the SOC and SOCS content in coastal wetlands.

Feasibility of using three solid wastes/byproducts to produce pumpable materials for land reclamation

Land reclamation is important for countries with limited land resources, and it requires a huge volume of filling materials. Traditional filling materials such as sand are depleting, which urges the discovery of new filling materials. The rapid growth of population and urbanization has also witnessed increasing solid waste generation. In this context, it is beneficial to turn the solid wastes into filling materials for land reclamation. This study, therefore, intended to reuse three solid wastes/byproducts, namely excavated marine clay (MC), incineration bottom ash (IBA), and ground granular blast-furnace slag (GGBS) to produce pumpable filling materials for land reclamation. Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) was utilized as a reference binder for comparison with GGBS. To this end, the workability (flowability and bleeding), appearance, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), mineralogy and microstructure, and leaching of heavy metals of the proposed materials were investigated. Considering the seawater exposure at land reclamation sites, the integrity of materials in water environments was examined. The results highlighted that for air-cured specimens, to achieve a target UCS of 100–200 kPa, the binder usage of IBA–MC–GGBS could be only half that of IBA–MC–OPC. In water environments, IBA–MC and IBA–MC–OPC generated cracks or were even dismantled, especially when soaked in seawater, posing a significant concern for land reclamation. However, IBA–MC–GGBS showed much higher resistance against seawater than IBA–MC and IBA–MC–OPC. The formation and growth of ettringite was the primary cause of the instability of IBA–MC and IBA–MC–OPC. The hydration of GGBS in IBA–MC–GGBS consumed alkaline minerals, which in turn suppressed the formation of ettringite. The results indicated the feasibility of using IBA–MC–GGBS as pumpable filling materials for land reclamation.

Tracking the dynamics of tidal wetlands with time-series satellite images in the Yangtze River Estuary, China

ABSTRACT Tidal wetlands provide a variety of ecosystem services to coastal communities but suffer severe losses due to anthropogenic activities in the Yangtze River Estuary (YRE). However, the detailed dynamics of tidal wetlands have not been well studied with sufficient spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we proposed a rapid classification method that integrates the COntinuous monitoring of Land Disturbance (COLD) algorithm and Median Composite (MC) based on the dense Landsat time series to track the dynamic processes of tidal wetlands in the YRE from 1990 to 2020. The results showed that the COLD-MC demonstrated remarkable effectiveness in detecting the change of tidal wetlands and excellent overall accuracy and kappa coefficient ranging from 90% to 96% and 0.89–0.95, respectively. The overall accuracy of change detection was 97% with an absolute error of 0.4 years. We found that the total area of tidal wetlands experienced a net loss of 59.75 km2 in the YRE, but the gain and loss of the study period were 1556.07 and 1615.82 km2, respectively. Land reclamation, sediment reduction, and Spartina alterniflora invasion pose significant threats to tidal wetlands. Sustainable management could be implemented through the establishment of nature reserves and ecological sediment enhancement engineering projects.

Time Scale of the Formation of Fresh Groundwater Lens on an Atoll Island under the Influence of Land Reclamation

Time Scale of the Formation of Fresh Groundwater Lens on an Atoll Island under the Influence of Land Reclamation

Adoption of community-based land rehabilitation programs (CBLRP) and its effect on livelihoods in Offa district, south Ethiopia

Land degradation is a major issue in Ethiopia and has a significant impact on agriculture and subsistence. Community-based land restoration projects are essential to address this issue. This study aimed to evaluate the implementation of a community-based land restoration programs and its impact on livelihoods in the Offa District of south Ethiopia. Four Kebeles were randomly selected for the study and 133 household heads (52 program participants and 81 non-participants) were selected using a simple random sampling method. Data was collected by using an interview schedule, focus-group discussions, and key informant interviews. Data were analyzed using a binary logistic regression model, propensity score matching, participation index (PI), t-test, and chi-square test. The results showed that the implemented land rehabilitation measures had higher crop production and farm income for most adopter households compared to their counterparts. The logistic regression model revealed that the slope of farmland, gender of household heads, family size, perception of rehabilitation, access to training, and farm experience positively influenced household participation in the community-based land rehabilitation programme (CBLRP) in the study area. However, the age of the respondents, access to education, size of farmland, frequency of extension contact positively and ownership of livestock negatively influenced household participation. Propensity score matching revealed that CBLRP resulted in higher crop output and farm revenue for most participating families than counterparts. Based on these findings, it is recommended that agricultural and rural development offices, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders should consider the factors that influence household participation in rehabilitation programs in the study area to effectively address the issue of the households’ participation at various levels of rehabilitation programs.

Differential effects of winter cold stress on soil bacterial communities, metabolites, and physicochemical properties in two varieties of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels & Gilg in reclaimed land.

Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels & Gilg (TDG) has been recently planted in reclaimed lands in Zhejiang Province, China, to increase reclaimed land use. Winter cold stress seriously limits the growth and development of TDG and has become the bottleneck limiting the TDG planting industry. To investigate the defense mechanisms of TDG toward winter cold stress when grown on reclaimed land, a combined analysis of soil bacterial communities, metabolites, and physicochemical properties was conducted in this study. Significant differences were observed in the composition of soil bacterial communities, metabolites, and properties in soils of a cold-tolerant variety (A201201) compared with a cold-intolerant variety (B201810). The fresh weight (75.8% of tubers) and dry weight (73.6%) of A201201 were significantly higher than those of B201810. The 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of soil bacteria showed that Gp5 (25.3%), Gemmatimonas (19.6%), Subdivision3 (16.7%), Lacibacterium (11.9%), Gp4 (11.8%), Gp3 (10.4%), Gp6 (7.0%), and WPS-1 (1.2%) were less common, while Chryseolinea (10.6%) were more common in A201201 soils than B201810 soils. Furthermore, linear discriminant analysis of effect size identified 35 bacterial biomarker taxa for both treatments. Co-occurrence network analyses also showed that the structures of the bacterial communities were more complex and stable in A201201 soils compared to B201810 soils. In addition, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry analysis indicated the presence of significantly different metabolites in the two soil treatments, with 10 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) (8 significantly upregulated by 9.2%-391.3% and 2 significantly downregulated by 25.1%-73.4%) that belonged to lipids and lipid-like molecules, organic acids and derivatives, and benzenoids. The levels of those DEMs were significantly correlated with the relative abundances of nine bacterial genera. Also, redundancy discriminant analysis revealed that the main factors affecting changes in the bacterial community composition were available potassium (AK), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen (AHN), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (AP), and soil organic matter (SOM). The main factors affecting changes in the metabolite profiles were AK, MBC, MBN, AHN, pH, SOM, TN, and AP. Overall, this study provides new insights into the TDG defense mechanisms involved in winter cold stress responses when grown on reclaimed land and practical guidelines for achieving optimal TDG production.IMPORTANCEChina has been undergoing rapid urbanization, and land reclamation is regarded as a viable option to balance occupation and compensation. In general, the quality of reclaimed land cannot meet plant or even cultivation requirements due to poor soil fertility and high gravel content. However, Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels & Gilg (TDG), extensively used in Chinese herbal medicine, can grow well in stony soils with few nutrients. So, to increase reclaimed land use, TDG has been cultivated on reclaimed lands in Zhejiang Province, China, recently. However, the artificial cultivation of TDG is often limited by winter cold stress. The aim of this study was to find out how TDG on reclaimed land deal with winter cold stress by looking at the bacterial communities, metabolites, and physicochemical properties of the soil, thereby guiding production in practice.

The impact of reclamation and vegetation removal on compositional and functional attributes of soil microbial communities in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region

Large-scale mining for oil extraction in the boreal forests of Northern Alberta has led to a disturbance footprint of ~900 km2 of land; which must be reclaimed to equivalent land capabilities. Microorganisms are sensitive to anthropogenic disturbances and play an essential role in the cycling of soil nutrients and plant growth, making them potential indicators of ecosystem function. Thus, the objective of this work was to determine the impact of land reclamation on the composition and function of soil microbial communities in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR). We evaluated bacterial community composition via high throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes and soil functional diversity by community-level physiological profiling (CLPP). The ranges of variability for these factors observed in soils reclaimed with either peat-mineral mix (PMM), forest floor-mineral mix (FFM), or FFM diluted with sand (Sand-FFM), were compared to that of undisturbed reference soils (NS) and a vegetation removed soil (VR). Differences between reclamation soils and natural soils were clearly discernible, with reclamation imposing a more drastic disturbance to the boreal forest than that of removal of vegetation alone. VR changed the structure of the soil microbial community and increased the overall diversity, within-community interactions, and heterogeneity; while reclamation shifted the microbial community structure to an even greater extent, placing it outside the range of natural variability. Among reclamation substrates, FFM showed the highest level of similarity to the range of natural variability and PMM showed the least. Altogether, our findings underscore the profound impact of anthropogenic activities associated with large-scale mining on soil biological activity, microbial communities, and edaphic profiles. These alterations are of such magnitude that they render the affected soils significant divergent from the reference undisturbed boreal forest soil.

Accumulation of Beryllium in Bottom Sediments of Rivers in the Kizelovsky Coal Basin

The studies have been carried out on the accumulation of beryllium in bottom sediments of the river. Kosva (Western Urals, RF), which receives acidic waters from 8 water outflows, characterized by a sulfate iron-calcium composition, high mineralization and a significant beryllium content. It is concluded that a river suspension of colloidal size acts as a sorption barrier for beryllium, transported with the flow of water and gradually settling at the bottom. It is noted that the aggregation of particles among themselves with the formation of a larger suspension leads to the fact that, with distance from the source of pollution, a gradual increase in the beryllium content in coarse water suspension is observed with a decrease in the total beryllium content in water. It is recommended that the identified features of beryllium migration and accumulation be taken into account when developing environmental protection measures for the ecological rehabilitation of the river Kosvy.

Natural or Reclaimed Coastal Areas? The Role of Environmental Awareness in Supporting Coastal Ecotourism

Objective – This study was undertaken to analyze the relationship between perceived negative impacts on land reclamation (LR) and support for coastal ecotourism within fishing communities (CE), with environmental awareness (EA) as the mediating variable. Methodology – This study utilized a convenience sampling technique to distribute questionnaires to 400 domestic tourists in coastal areas. Data analysis was conducted using Hayes’s PROCESS in IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS v25.0). Findings – Results showed that LR had a direct effect on CE [β= 0.183; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.095–0.270; P= 0.000 <0.05]. Furthermore, a statistically significant indirect effect between LR and CE via EA was also observed (β= 0.269; 95% CI =0.192–0.351; P= 0.000<0.05), indicating partial mediation. Novelty – These findings highlight that EA is important and essential to be promoted when considering sustainable development in both land reclamation and coastal ecotourism in fishing communities. Affected communities, usually with high environmental awareness, will comprehend the impacts of land developments and react to conserve the environment. In this case, as significant stakeholders with high environmental awareness, tourists are more inclined to support ecotourism, advocate for environmental conservation, and preserve local fishing cultures for appreciation. Type of Paper: Empirical JEL Classification: Q5, O13, P28, R5 Keywords: Sustainable development; land reclamation; coastal ecotourism; environment awareness Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Mahyudin, M.N.H.B.M; Kamaruddin, H; Hassan, M.S. (2024). The Legislative and Governance Framework of Wastewater in Malaysia, J. Bus. Econ. Review, 8(4), 38–47. https://doi.org/10.35609/jber.2024.8.4(4)

Physical, Chemical and Compaction Characteristics of Slightly Weathered Tephras of New Zealand

The North Island of New Zealand is a region of high volcanic activity, with significant eruptions over the past. Analogous to past events, future volcanic eruptions would produce a considerable volume of ash and granular soils, covering widespread areas and raising concerns for their disposal and storage. Such deposits, primarily airfall tephra, could be potentially used in geotechnical engineering applications such as foundations, roadway embankments and land reclamations. However, before their use as structural fills can be recommended, detailed laboratory investigations of their physical, chemical, compaction, and geotechnical engineering properties (strength, compressibility, collapsibility, liquefaction potential, etc.) must be conducted. Different tephra deposits can be products of different eruptions, so chemical composition analyses can be combined with the physical, compaction, and engineering properties to characterize such deposits. Accordingly, this paper provides useful insights from physical (grain size, specific gravity, and morphology), chemical (elemental and mineralogy using X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction), and compaction tests (maximum dry density, optimum water content, and particle breakage) for eleven selected volcanic tephra samples sourced from the North Island of New Zealand in the Rotorua, Taupo, and Auckland regions.

Analyzing the dynamics influencing artisanal and small‐scale mining in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality, Ghana

AbstractThe gold mining sector in Ghana has significantly contributed to the nation's economic expansion by creating various employment prospects, both directly and indirectly, within mining communities. However, it is important to acknowledge that this industry has also had adverse environmental consequences. A sample size of 330 individuals, comprising small‐scale miners and farmers, was randomly selected from 10 mining communities within the Upper Denkyira Municipality to examine factors influencing artisanal and small‐scale mining (ASM) operations. Furthermore, 150 key informants, comprising representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forestry Commission, the Mineral Commission, and other stakeholders, were also interviewed to ascertain the impact of mining on the environment. The research employed a logic regression model, the weighted average index (WAI), and X‐ray fluorescence as a method for the study data analysis. The study determined that low income, the impact of climate change on agriculture, and the high demand for gold exhibit a significant chance of influencing ASM. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that ASM have immeasurably contributed to water pollution, food security, and the loss of biodiversity in the municipality. Additionally, water resources, which serve as sources of potable water for drinking and irrigation, are heavily contaminated with arsenic, mercury, lead, copper, and nickel. The study concluded that implementing stricter regulations on mining practices, promoting sustainable mining methodologies, and providing comprehensive training to miners on environmental protection and land rehabilitation can help mitigate the negative impacts of ASM. Additionally, supporting alternative means of livelihood for mining communities, such as agriculture or ecotourism, can reduce the reliance on mining and promote sustainable development.

Responses of soil seed bank and its above-ground vegetation to various reclamation patterns

Coastal land reclamation has become a primary strategy for alleviating conflicts between human development and land resource utilization. However, anthropogenic activities associated with land reclamation inevitably result in significant changes to coastal wetland ecosystems. Previous studies have mainly focused on the ecological consequences of land reclamation on above-ground vegetation, while overlooking the distinctions between different reclamation patterns and the critical role of soil seed bank in maintaining ecosystem stability. In this study, the responses of soil seed bank and vegetation to various reclamation patterns, as well as the factors influencing changes in seed bank characteristics, were analyzed in a natural coastal wetland (NCW), a reclaimed wetland with sea embankments constructed on native wetland (SEW), and another reclaimed wetland formed through land reclamation from the sea (LRW). These findings suggest that seed banks and their vegetation adopt different adaptation strategies under various reclamation patterns. In the NCW, the proportion of non-halophytes (1.39%), diversity, and density of the seed bank were at their lowest levels, whereas the species compositions derived from the seed bank and vegetation were very similar (similarity coefficient = 0.67). Conversely, the seed bank in the SEW demonstrated the highest species diversity, which differed significantly from the species composition of its above-ground vegetation (similarity coefficient = 0.21). However, the highest proportion of non-halophytes (36.60%), vegetation diversity, and seed bank density occurred in LRW. Furthermore, differences in seed bank characteristics under different reclamation patterns may be related to changes in soil salinity and plant reproductive strategies after reclamation. Adjusting reclamation patterns and restoring soil properties could potentially optimize the types of local plant species and their distribution in reclaimed areas.