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A Threshold-like Effect on the Interaction Between Hydrological Connectivity and Dominant Plant Population in Tidal Marsh Wetlands
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  • Jiakai Liu,
  • Ying Liu,
  • Lumeng Xie,
  • Liyi Dai,
  • Zhenming Zhang,
  • Mingxiang Zhang
Jiakai Liu
Beijing Forestry University

Corresponding Author:timberfield1991@163.com

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Ying Liu
Beijing Forestry University
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Lumeng Xie
Beijing Forestry University
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Liyi Dai
Beijing Forestry University
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Zhenming Zhang
Beijing Forestry University
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Mingxiang Zhang
Beijing Forestry University
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Abstract

Tidal marsh wetlands in the Yellow River Delta provide valuable eco-services to the local population and global ecology. However, this area is suffering from serious degradation under the stresses of social development and climate change. Hydrological connectivity, a new framework in hydrology and ecology, has been proposed as the main factor affecting the ecological processes in coastal wetlands; however, its role in hydrology–soil–vegetation interactions remains unclear. In this study, the researchers parametrically quantified the hydrological connectivity in the tidal marsh wetlands and analyzed its relationship with Phragmites australis, one of the dominant species in this area. Our results showed threshold-like effects on the interaction between hydrological connectivity and P. australis on the plot scale. When biomass is lower than 2.2 kg/m2, the population density and structure size were found to increase with hydrological connectivity. When the biomass is higher than the threshold, the plots disconnected hydrologically because of high water consumption. Compared with soil chemistry, salinity, and water soil content, hydrological connectivity in the surface soil layer is more strongly linked to the plant traits and spatial structure in the tidal marsh wetlands due to the narrow ranges of other variables. Based on the authors’ analysis, the researchers do not recommend dense plantation of P. australis, especially near the freshwater sources in the tidal marsh, because of its high reproduction ability and competitive nature, which may cut the freshwater connectivity off, lowering the richness of plant species and habitat diversity.
16 May 2020Submitted to Land Degradation & Development
19 May 2020Submission Checks Completed
19 May 2020Assigned to Editor
22 Jun 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
18 Aug 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
04 Sep 2020Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
05 Sep 20201st Revision Received
07 Sep 2020Submission Checks Completed
07 Sep 2020Assigned to Editor
23 Nov 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
31 Jan 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
01 Feb 20212nd Revision Received
01 Feb 2021Submission Checks Completed
01 Feb 2021Assigned to Editor
03 Feb 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
07 Feb 2021Editorial Decision: Accept
09 Feb 2021Published in Land Degradation & Development. 10.1002/ldr.3913