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Frontiers of Earth Science

ISSN 2095-0195

ISSN 2095-0209(Online)

CN 11-5982/P

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Front. Earth Sci.    2017, Vol. 11 Issue (4) : 670-681    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-016-0609-9
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Salinity-oriented environmental flows for keystone species in the Modaomen Estuary, China
Menglu ZHANG, Baoshan CUI(), Zhiming ZHANG, Xuelian JIANG
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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Abstract

Rapid development and urbanization in recent years have contributed to a reduction in freshwater discharge and intensified saltwater intrusion in the Pearl River Delta. This comprises a significant threat to potable water supplies and overall estuary ecosystem health. In this study, the environmental flows of the Modaomen Estuary, one of the estuaries of the Pearl River Delta in China, were determined based on the salinity demand of keystone species and the linear relationship between river discharge and estuarine salinity. The estimated minimum and optimal annual environmental flows in the Modaomen Estuary were 116.8 × 109 m3 and 273.8 × 109 m3, respectively, representing 59.3% and 139.0% of the natural runoff. Water quality assessments in recent years indicate that the environmental flows have not been satisfied most of the time, particularly the optimal environmental flow, despite implementation of various water regulations since 2005. Therefore, water regulations and wetland network recoveries based on rational environmental flows should be implemented to alleviate saltwater intrusion and for the creation of an ideal estuarine habitat.
Keywords environmental flows      keystone species      Modaomen Estuary      river discharge      salinity     
Corresponding Author(s): Baoshan CUI   
Just Accepted Date: 19 October 2016   Online First Date: 18 November 2016    Issue Date: 10 November 2017
 Cite this article:   
Menglu ZHANG,Baoshan CUI,Zhiming ZHANG, et al. Salinity-oriented environmental flows for keystone species in the Modaomen Estuary, China[J]. Front. Earth Sci., 2017, 11(4): 670-681.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/10.1007/s11707-016-0609-9
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/Y2017/V11/I4/670
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