Long-term dynamics and driving mechanisms of plant communities in a temperate estuary in eastern China based on pollen analysis: a case study of the Liaohe Estuary

Long-term dynamics and driving mechanisms of plant communities in a temperate estuary in eastern China based on pollen analysis: a case study of the Liaohe Estuary

IntroductionThe Liaohe Estuary, a representative estuarine ecosystem in eastern China, has experienced significant shifts in plant community characteristics due to climate change and anthropogenic influences in recent decades.MethodsThis study employed sediment 210Pb dating, pollen analysis, and env...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Haoran Liu, Weiwei Liu, Jinzhi Wang, Wei Li, Jingwen Zhang, Jian Gong, Lijuan Cui
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Plant Science
Subjects:
plant community characteristics
estuary
pollen analysis
environmental factors
human activities
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1578390/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:IntroductionThe Liaohe Estuary, a representative estuarine ecosystem in eastern China, has experienced significant shifts in plant community characteristics due to climate change and anthropogenic influences in recent decades.MethodsThis study employed sediment 210Pb dating, pollen analysis, and environmental factor indicators to comprehensively assess the composition, trends, and drivers of plant communities in the Liaohe Estuary from 1944 to 2022.ResultsThe findings revealed that herbaceous plants dominated the estuary's vegetation under a cool and humid climate, though humidity exhibited a declining trend over time. Between 2001 and 2022, pollen concentration and herbaceous plant prevalence increased significantly. Key environmental drivers—mean annual temperature (MAT), salinity, grain size, pH, and agricultural production—were strongly correlated (p < 0.001) with plant community dynamics. Natural factors (grain size, salinity) enhanced the dominance of key species but reduced overall pollen concentration. Conversely, agricultural activities diminished dominant species proportions while increasing pollen concentration.DiscussionThese results highlight the dual influence of climatic and anthropogenic factors on estuarine vegetation. The study provides a theoretical basis for restoring degraded estuarine ecosystems.
ISSN:1664-462X

Similar Items