Identifying Ecological Red Lines: A Case Study of the Coast in Liaoning Province
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Study Method
2.1. Study Area
2.2. General Principle for Identifying ERL Zones
- (1)
- Ecological protection priority:
- (2)
- Integrity of the ecosystem and of ecological processes:
- (3)
- Dominant indicator functions:
- (4)
- Coordinated planning and zoning:
- (5)
- Maintaining a balance between ecological environment and sustainable development:
2.3. Method to Evaluate Ecological Environments
2.4. ERL Identification Steps
Index | Value | Evaluation Basis |
---|---|---|
Species conservation | 5 | National or provincial nature reserves and forested parks; more than 30% of land dedicated to priority ecosystems and maintenance of species diversity; Grade I for a specifically endangered sea habitat. |
3 | Sub-provincial nature reserves and forested parks; ratio of species number is between 5% and 30%; Grade II and lower species and fishery conservation area. | |
1 | Other forested and grassland ecosystems, as well as reserve area of Marine Functional Zoning. | |
Wetland conservation | 5 | National or provincial wetland in current and long-term planning. |
3 | Natural wetland located in coastal region with an area >1 km2; wetlands distributed in major estuaries. | |
1 | Natural or constructed wetlands with elevation <5 m and area <1 km2; natural wetlands located in other estuarine areas and tidal flats in coastal area. | |
Water conservation | 5 | Forest, grassland, and wetland ecosystem with elevations >200 m i,ii; Grade I sanitary standard for drinking water and groundwater. |
3 | Orchards with elevation >200 m iii; ecological region with elevation <200 m and slope <15°. | |
1 | Other ecological region with elevation >200 m and slope >15°; an ecological region with an elevation <200 m and slope between 8° and 15°. | |
Coast and island conservation | 5 | Grade I coast and bay landscape and coast or marine tourism resources conservation area; the length of a sandy or bedrock coast >10 km. |
3 | Grade II coast and bay landscape and coast or marine tourism resources conservation area; the length of a sandy or bedrock coast <10 km. | |
1 | Other oceanic islands. |
Index | Value | Evaluation Basis |
---|---|---|
Water environment stress | 5 | River with a water quality standard of Grade V (seriously polluted); coastal area with water quality standards of Grade IV and poorer. |
3 | River with water quality standards of Grade IV (poor); Coastal area with a water quality standard of Grade III. | |
1 | River with a water quality standard of Grade III (fair); coastal area with a water quality standard of Grade II. | |
Salinization stress | 5 | Significant seawater intrusion and groundwater depression in estuarine or salty coastal areas. |
3 | Vulnerability to salinization in estuarine and silt coastal areas. | |
1 | Coastal plain with elevation of <5 m and average slope of <1°. | |
Soil erosion stress | 5 | Other areas except ecological regions with slopes greater than 15°. |
3 | Orchards with slopes greater than 8°. | |
1 | Other areas except ecological regions with slopes between 8° and 15°. | |
Coastal and island erosion stress | 5 | Long-term rate of erosion for sandy and silt coast averages 3 m/a (“a” is year) and 15 m/a; islands of significant inland value, richness of abundant marine species and habitats. |
3 | Long-term rate of erosion for sandy and silt coast averages 2 to 3 m/a and 10 to 15 m/a; younger sandy islands in estuaries, with low vegetation coverage and declining water areas; | |
1 | Long-term rate of erosion for sandy and silt coast averages 0.5 to 2 m/a and <10 m/a; islands with substantial lateral erosion in silt sea areas. |
Ecological Importance | Environment Stress | Overlay Results | ERL Zone Grades |
---|---|---|---|
5 | 5 | 5 | Grades I |
3 | |||
1 | |||
3 | 5 | 3 | Grades II |
3 | |||
1 | |||
1 | 5 | 1 | - |
3 | |||
1 |
3. Coastal ERL Identification
3.1. Ecological Importance Evaluation
3.2. Environment Stress Evaluation
4. Conclusions and Discussion
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Wang, C.; Sun, G.; Dang, L. Identifying Ecological Red Lines: A Case Study of the Coast in Liaoning Province. Sustainability 2015, 7, 9461-9477. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7079461
Wang C, Sun G, Dang L. Identifying Ecological Red Lines: A Case Study of the Coast in Liaoning Province. Sustainability. 2015; 7(7):9461-9477. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7079461
Chicago/Turabian StyleWang, Chuansheng, Guiyan Sun, and Lijuan Dang. 2015. "Identifying Ecological Red Lines: A Case Study of the Coast in Liaoning Province" Sustainability 7, no. 7: 9461-9477. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7079461