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Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology ›› 2023, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (2): 415-422.doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.202302.022

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Mangrove forest fragmentation and its ecological service value in Tongming Sea of Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China during 2000-2018

TANG Daobin1,2,3, XIN Cunlin1,2*, CHEN Ning1, LIU Xiangjun3, ZHANG Liang1   

  1. 1College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China;
    2Key Laboratory of Resource Environment and Sustainable Development of Oasis, Lanzhou 730070, China;
    3School of Geography and Tourism, Jiaying University, Meizhou 514015, Guangdong, China
  • Received:2022-04-16 Accepted:2022-11-20 Online:2023-02-15 Published:2023-08-15

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Abstract: Mangrove forest has high ecological service value. Due to the destruction of human activities, mangrove forest has been greatly reduced and seriously fragmented, resulting in huge losses in the ecological service value. In this study, taking the mangrove forest in Tongming Sea of Zhanjiang as an example, we analyzed the characteristics of mangrove forest fragmentation and its ecological service value based on high-resolution distribution data from 2000 to 2018, and put forward suggestions for mangrove restoration. The results showed that the area of mangrove forest decreased by 1415.33 hm2 from 2000 to 2018, and the reduction rate (78.63 hm2·a-1) ranked the first among mangrove forests in China. The patch number and average patch size of mangrove forest changed from 283 and 1002 hm2 in 2000 to 418 and 341 hm2 in 2018, respectively. The largest patch in 2000 became twenty-nine small patches in 2018, with obvious fragmentation and poor connectivity. The total edge, edge density and mean patch size of mangrove forest were the main influencing factors for its service value. The landscape ecological risk of mangrove forest increased, the fragmentation rate in Huguang Town Region and the middle of the west coast of Donghai Island was faster than that in the other regions. During the study, the mangrove itself sevice value decreased by 1.35 billion yuan, and its ecosystem service value decreased by 1.45 billion yuan, especially for the significant reduction of regulation and support services. The mangrove forest in Tongming Sea of Zhanjiang urgently need to be restored and protected. It is necessary to implement protection and regeneration plans for vulnerable mangrove patches (such as ‘Island'). The effective methods were to return the pond to forest and beach afforestation. In summary, our results could provide important references for local government to carry out mangrove forest restoration and protection, and realize the sustainable development of mangrove forest.

Key words: fragmentation, mangrove, value, restoration, Tongming Sea