International Freight Forwarding Services Network in the Yangtze River Delta, 2005–2015: Patterns and Mechanisms

This study examined the spatio-temporal trajectories of the international freight forwarding service(IFFS) in the Yangtze River Delta(YRD) and explored the driving mechanisms of the service. Based on a bipartite network projection from an IFFS firm-city data source, we mapped three IFFS networks in the YRD in 2005, 2010, and 2015. A range of statistical indicators were used to explore changes in the spatial patterns of the three networks. The underlying influence of marketization, globalization, decentralization, and integration was then explored. It was found that the connections between Shanghai and other nodal cities formed the backbones of these networks. The effects of a city's administrative level and provincial administrative borders were generally obvious. We found several specific spatial patterns associated with IFFS. For example, the four non-administrative centers of Ningbo, Suzhou, Lianyungang, and Nantong were the most connected cities and played the role of gateway cities. Furthermore, remarkable regional equalities were found regarding a city's IFFS network provision, with notable examples in the weakly connected areas of northern Jiangsu and southwestern Zhejiang. Finally, an analysis of the driving mechanisms demonstrated that IFFS network changes were highly sensitive to the influences of marketization and globalization, while regional integration played a lesser role in driving changes in IFFS networks.     

Tracing the provenance of aeolian loess in the Yangtze River Delta through zircon U–Pb age and geochemical investigations

Given the conflicts over the proposed formation mechanisms of Xiashu loess, the question of the provenance of sediments comprising the Xiashu loess in the Yangtze River Delta has not been satisfactorily resolved. In this study, the provenance of aeolian sediments of the Yangtze River Delta, China was examined by applying the detrial zircon U–Pb dating technique, Sr–Nd isotopic and trace element compositional analysis. U-Pb dating analysis was conducted on the Xiashu loess at three locations over the Yangtze River Delta, including Huangnishan(HNS) hill, Shengshan(SS) island and the Xuancheng(XC) area. The Xiashu loess and the sediments of the Yangtze River Valley share considerable similarity in their zircon U-Pb age spectra with the same main age peak and comparable age distribution. By contrast, significant differences in the age spectra, existbetween the Xiashu loess and loess deposits of Chinese Loess Plateau(CLP). Coarse grains of the Yangtze River Delta loess may have a proximal material source identical to the sediments from the Yangtze River valley. Sr–Nd isotopic values of the Xiashu loess match those from the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. Rare earth element ratios independent of grain size illustrate that the values from loess of the Yangtze River Delta mostly overlap with those of CLP loess. This feature implies that loess from the Yangtze River Delta has a dominant source of distant material similar as the CLP loess. As such, we conclude that multi-proxy analysis of sediments can shed new light on tracing the provenance of aeolian loess in the Yangtze River Delta.     

Spatial Pattern and Heterogeneity of Port & Shipping Service Enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta,2002–2016

Using the ‘theoretical hypothesis—empirical study—case verification' method, this paper studies the spatial distribution and differentiation of port shipping service enterprises(PSSE), as well as the variation process and underlying mechanism in the Yangtze River Delta(YRD). First, through inductive and deductive reasoning, we propose the following hypothesis: the regional distribution of different types of PSSE would show different spatial agglomeration-decentralization tendency; and there would be distinct regional differentiation in the industrial structure of the enterprises. Second, based on data obtained from enterprises, empirical research is conducted using Gini coefficient and spatial interpolation simulation methods. Results show that: 1) The overall enterprise distribution is decentralized within a city. 2) Different types of enterprises show different spatial agglomeration-decentralization tendencies. At 3000 m×3000 m grid scale, there is an agglomeration tendency along seas and rivers in the spatial distribution of enterprises. Shanghai has been identified consistently as a hot spot. 3) There is significant regional differentiation in 12 port cities with respect to the industrial structures of enterprises. Finally, the transportization and the increase of shipping service demand, the globalization and the expansion of multinational corporate activities, the hierarchization and the cooperation among port cities as well as the decentralization and the behavioral difference between the central and local states can be seen as main driving mechanism of the spatial phenomenon.     

Articulating China’s Science and Technology: Knowledge Collaboration Networks Within and Beyond the Yangtze River Delta Megalopolis in China

In this paper, we reconsider the defining but often overlooked ‘hinge' function of megalopolises by analyzing how megalopolises have articulated national and international urban systems in the context of a globalizing knowledge economy. Taking the case of China's Yangtze River Delta(YRD) region, we particularly focus on knowledge circulation within and beyond the YRD region by analyzing the pattern and process of knowledge collaboration at different geographical scales during the 2004–2014 period. Results show that the structure of scientific knowledge collaboration as reflected by co-publications has been strongest at the national scale whereas that of technological knowledge collaboration as measured by co-patents has been strongest at the global scale. Despite this difference, the structure of both scientific and technological knowledge collaboration has been functionally polycentric at the megalopolitan scale but become less so at the national and global scales. The ‘globally connected but locally disconnected' pattern of Shanghai's external knowledge collaboration suggests that the gateway role of the YRD megalopolis in promoting knowledge collaboration at different geographical scales will take time before it is fully realized.     

China's Urbanization in 1949–2015: Processes and Driving Forces

The pace and scale of China's contemporary urbanization are stunning. This paper reviews process and the underlying driving forces of China's urbanization between 1949–2015. Contemporary China's urbanization has experienced four stages, and each has had different driving forces: 1) economic re-construction and industrialization-led urbanization(1949–1977); 2) economic reform and market-led urbanization(1978–1995); 3) economic globalization and the global-local urbanization(1996–2010); and 4) the land-economyled urbanization(2010–). These urbanization processes and driving forces will undoubtedly provide scientific reference and have significant implications for developing countries, especially African countries, to formulate their urbanization public policies.     

Does Foreign Direct Investment Affect SO_2 Emissions in the Yangtze River Delta? A Spatial Econometric Analysis

As the major source of air pollution, sulfur dioxide(SO_2) emissions have become the focus of global attention. However, existing studies rarely consider spatial effects when discussing the relationship between foreign direct investment(FDI) and SO_2 emissions. This study took the Yangtze River Delta as the research area and used the spatial panel data of 26 cities in this region for2004–2017. The study investigated the spatial agglomeration effects and dynamics at work in FDI and SO_2 emissions by using global and local measures of spatial autocorrelation. Then, based on regression analysis using a results of traditional ordinary least squares(OLS) model and a spatial econometric model, the spatial Durbin model(SDM) with spatial-time effects was adopted to quantify the impact of FDI on SO_2 emissions, so as to avoid the regression results bias caused by ignoring the spatial effects. The results revealed a significant spatial autocorrelation between FDI and SO_2 emissions, both of which displayed obvious path dependence characteristics in their geographical distribution. A series of agglomeration regions were observed on the spatial scale. The estimation results of the SDM showed that FDI inflow promoted SO_2 emissions, which supports the pollution haven hypothesis. The findings of this study are significant in the prevention and control of air pollution in the Yangtze River Delta.     

Impacts of Land-use and Land-cover Changes on River Runoff in Yellow River Basin for Period of 1956–2012

River runoff is affected by many factors, including long-term effects such as climate change that alter rainfall-runoff relationships, and short-term effects related to human intervention(e.g., dam construction, land-use and land-cover change(LUCC)). Discharge from the Yellow River system has been modified in numerous ways over the past century, not only as a result of increased demands for water from agriculture and industry, but also due to hydrological disturbance from LUCC, climate change and the construction of dams. The combined effect of these disturbances may have led to water shortages. Considering that there has been little change in long-term precipitation, dramatic decreases in water discharge may be attributed mainly to human activities, such as water usage, water transportation and dam construction. LUCC may also affect water availability, but the relative contribution of LUCC to changing discharge is unclear. In this study, the impact of LUCC on natural discharge(not including anthropogenic usage) is quantified using an attribution approach based on satellite land cover and discharge data. A retention parameter is used to relate LUCC to changes in discharge. We find that LUCC is the primary factor, and more dominant than climate change, in driving the reduction in discharge during 1956–2012, especially from the mid-1980 s to the end-1990 s. The ratio of each land class to total basin area changed significantly over the study period. Forestland and cropland increased by about 0.58% and 1.41%, respectively, and unused land decreased by 1.16%. Together, these variations resulted in changes in the retention parameter, and runoff generation showed a significant decrease after the mid-1980 s. Our findings highlight the importance of LUCC to runoff generation at the basin scale, and improve our understanding of the influence of LUCC on basin-scale hydrology.     

Impact of climatic factors on vegetation dynamics in the upper Yangtze River basin in China

It is necessary to understand vegetation dynamics and their climatic controls for sustainable ecosystem management.This study examines the vegetation dynamics and the effect of climate change on vegetation growth in the pristine conditions of 58 woodland National Nature Reserves(NNRs)located in the upper Yangtze River basin(UYRB)in China which are little influenced by human activities.Changes in the normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI),precipitation,and temperature in the selected NNRs were observed and analyzed for the period between 1999 and 2015.The relationship between time-lag effect of climate and changes in the NDVI were assessed using Pearson correlations.The results showed three major trends.1)The NDVI increased during the study period;this indicates an increase in the amount of green vegetation,especially due to the warmer climate during the growing season.The NDVIs in March and September were significantly affected by the temperature of the previous months.Spring temperatures increased significantly(P<0.05)and there was a delay between climatic factors and their effect on vegetation,which depended on the previous season.In particular,the spring temperature had a delayed effect on the NDVI in summer.2)The way in which vegetation responds to climatic factors varied significantly across the seasons.Temperature had a greater effect on the NDVI in spring and summer and the effect was greater at higher altitudes.A similar trend was observed for precipitation,except for altitudes of 1000–2000 m.3)Temperature had a greater effect on the NDVI in spring and autumn at higher altitudes.The same trend was observed for precipitation in summer.These findings suggest that the vegetation found in NNRs in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River was in good condition between 1999 and 2015 and that the growth and development of vegetation in the region has not been adversely affected by climate change.This demonstrates the effectiveness of nature reserves in protecting regional ecology and minimizing anthropogenic effects.     

Simulated circulations off the Changjiang （Yangtze） River mouthin spring and autumn

The circulations off the Changjiang mouth in May and November were simulatedby a three dimension numerical model with monthly averaged parameters of dynamic factors in this paper. The area covers the East China Sea (ECS), Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea. Simulated results show that the circulation off the Changjiang mouth in spring and autumn is mainly the Changjiang runoff and Taiwan Warm Current (TWC). The Changjlang discharge is much larger in May than in November, and the wind is westward in May, and southward in November offthe Changjiang mouth. The runoff in May branches in three parts, one eastward flows, the other two flow northward and southward along the Subei and Zhejiang coast respectively. The Changjiang diluted water expands eastward off the mouth, and forms a strong salinity front near the mouth. Surface circulation in autumn is similar to that in winter, the runoff southward flows along the coast, and the northward flowing TWC becomes weaker compared to that in spring and summer. The bottom circulations in May and November are mainly the runoff near the mouth and the TWC off the mouth, and the runoff and TWC are greater in May than in November.     

Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Coastal Wetlands and Reclamation in the Yangtze Estuary During Past 50 Years(1960s–2015)

Reclamation is one of the fastest-growing land use type developed in coastal areas and has caused degradation and loss of coastal wetlands as well as serious environmental problems. This paper was aimed at monitoring the spatiotemporal patterns of coastal wetlands and reclamation in the Yangtze Estuary during the 1960s and 2015. Satellite images obtained from 1980 to 2015 and topography maps of the 1960 s were employed to extract changes of reclamation and coastal wetlands. Area-weight centroids were calculated to identify the movement trend of reclamation and coastal wetlands. The results show that from the 1960 s to 2015, the net area of natural wetlands declined by 574.3 km~2, while man-made wetlands and reclamation increased by 553.6 and 543.9 km~2, respectively. During the five study phases, the fastest areal change rate natural wetlands was –13.3 km~2/yr in the period of 1990–2000, and that of man-made areas was 24.7 km~2/yr in the same period, and the areal change rate of reclamation was 27.6 km~2/yr in the period of 2000–2010. Conversion of coastal wetlands mainly occurred in the Chongming Island, Changshu City and the east coast of Shanghai Municipality. Reclamation was common across coastal areas, and was mainly attributed to settlement and man-made wetlands in the Chongming Island, Lianyungang City and the east coast of Shanghai Municipality. Natural wetlands turned into farmlands and settlement, and man-made wetlands gained from reclamation of farmlands. The centroid of natural wetlands generally moved towards the sea, man-made wetlands expanded equally in all directions and inland, and the centroid of reclamation migrated toward Shanghai Municipality. Sea level rise, erosion-deposition changes, and reclamation activities together determine the dynamics of the Yangtze Estuary wetlands. However, reclamation activities for construction of ports, industries and aquaculture are the key causes for the dynamics. The results from this study on the dynamics of coastal wetlands and reclamation are valuable for local government to put forward sustainable land use and land development plans.     

Spatial distribution and diurnal variation of chemical oxygen demand at the beginning of the rainy season in the Changjiang （Yangtze） River Estuary

A field observation was carried out in the Changjiang （Yangtze） River Estuary from May 19 to 26, 2003. A total of 29 stations, including 2 anchored stations, were occupied through almost the whole salinity gradient. Based on the observation data, biogeochemistry of chemical oxygen demand （COD） was examined. Spatial distribution pattern of COD shows that it decreased downstream. The COD concentration varied generally within a narrow range of 1.24-1.60 mg/L in the zone around the river mouth, beyond which it decreased rapidly to 0.20 mg/L. In the mixed water zone, the fluctuation in COD was smaller at 2 m above the bottom layer than at the surface layer in 48 h. In the seawater zone, the 48-h fluctuation at the surface was the largest, followed by that of 5 m below the surface and 2 m above the bottom layers in a range of from 2.50 to 0.55 mg/L. Freshwater discharge was the dominant source of COD in the estuary. The average COD beyond the river mouth was 2.7 mg/L, which accorded with the Chinese seawater quality Grade I. Relationships between dissolved oxygen and biogeochemical parameters such as suspended particulate matter, dissolved organic matter and chlorophyll-a were also discussed.     

Size-fractionated phytoplankton biomass in autumn of the Changjiang （Yangtze） River Estuary and its adjacent waters after the Three Gorges Dam construction

A cruise was undertaken from 3rd to 8th November 2004 in Changjiang （Yangtze） River Estuary and its adjacent waters to investigate the spatial biomass distribution and size composition of phytoplankton. Chlorophyll-a （Chl-a） concentration ranged 0.42-1.17 μg L^-1 and 0.41-10.43 μg L^-1 inside and outside the river mouth, with the mean value 0.73 μg L^-1 and 1.86 μg L^-1, respectively. Compared with the Chl-a concentration in summer of 2004, the mean value was much lower inside, and a little higher outside the river mouth. The maximal Chl-a was 10.43 μg L^-1 at station 18 （122.67°E, 31.25°N）, and the region of high Chl-a concentration was observed in the central survey area between 122.5°E and 123.0°E. In the stations located east of 122.5°E, Chl-a concentration was generally high in the upper layers above 5 m due to water stratification. In the survey area, the average Chl-a in sizes of 〉20 μm and 〈20 μm was 0.28 μg L^-1 and 1.40 μg L^-1, respectively. High Chl-a concentration of 〈20 μm size-fraction indicated that the nanophytoplankton and picophytoplankton contributed the most to the biomass of phytoplankton. Skeletonema costatum, Prorocentrum micans and Scrippsiella trochoidea were the dominant species in surface water. The spatial distribution of cell abundance of phytoplankton was patchy and did not agree well with that of Chl-a, as the cell abundance could not distinguish the differences in shape and size of phytoplankton cells. Nitrate and silicate behaved conservatively, but the former could probably be the limitation factor to algal biomass at offshore stations. The distribution of phosphate scattered considerably, and its relation to the phytoplankton biomass was complicated.     

Phytoplankton Community Dynamics in West Lake After Drawing Water from the Qiantang River

1INTRODUCTIONTheWestLake ( 30°1 5′N ,1 2 0°1 6′E)isasmallshallowlakeinthewesternpartofHangzhouCityinthesoutheasterncoastalareaofChina.Thelakeissur roundedonthreesidesbyhills ;andisfamousforitspicturesquesceneryandinterfusionofhillsandwaterbodies.Thesurfaceareaisabout 5 .66km2 andmeandepthis 1 .8m .Beforethe 1 95 0s ,thelakewaterwascleanandmacrophytesgrewveryluxuriantlyinthelit toralareasofthelake .In 1 95 2 ,WestLakewasdredgedand 70 0× 1 0 4m3 mudwasremovedfromthebottomofthelake …     

Seasonal Changes in Phytoplankton Biomass and Dominant Species in the Changjiang River Estuary and Adjacent Seas：General Trends Based on Field Survey Data 1959-2009

The characteristics of seasonal variation in phytoplankton biomass and dominant species in the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent seas were discussed based on field investigation data from 1959 to 2009. The field data from 1981 to 2004 showed that the Chlorophyll-a concentration in surface seawater was between 0.4 and 8.5 ktg dm-3. The seasonal changes generally presented a bimodal trend, with the biomass peaks occurring in May and August, and Chlorophyll-a concentration was the lowest in winter. Seasonal biomass changes were mainly controlled by temperature and nutrient levels. From the end of autumn to the next early spring, phytoplankton biomass was mainly influenced by temperature, and in other seasons, nutrient level （including the nutrient supply from the terrestrial runoffs） was the major influence factor. Field investigation data from 1959 to 2009 demonstrated that dia- toms were the main phytoplankton in this area, and Skeletonerna costatum, Pseudo-nitzschia pungens, Coscinodiscus oculus-iridis, Thalassinoema nitzschioides, Paralia sulcata, Chaetoceros lorenzianus, Chaetoceros curvisetus, and Prorocentrum donghaiense Lu were common dominant species. The seasonal variations in major dominant phytoplankton species presented the following trends： 1） Skeletonema （mainly S. costatum） was dominant throughout the year; and 2） seasonal succession trends were Coscinodiscus （spring） →Chaetoceros （summer and autumn） → Coscinodiscus （winter）. The annual dominance of S. costatum was attributed to its environmental eurytopicity and long standing time in surface waters. The seasonal succession of Coscinodiscus and Chaetoceros was associated with the seasonal variation in water stability and nutrient level in this area. On the other hand, long-term field data also indicated obvious interannual variation of phytoplankton biomass and community structure in the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent seas： average annual phytoplankton biomass and dinoflagellate proportion both presented inc     

The Signatures of Stable Isotopes δ~(15)N and δ~(13)C in Anadromous and Non-Anadromous Coilia nasus Living in the Yangtze River,and the Adjacent Sea Waters

Stable isotopes are increasingly used to investigate seasonal migrations of aquatic organisms. This study employed stable isotopes(δ~(13) and δ15N) for Coilia nasus from the lower Yangtze River and the adjacent East China Sea to distinguish different ecotypic groups, ascertain trophic nutrition positions, and reflect environmental influences on C. nasus. δ~(13)C signatures of C. nasus sampled from Zhoushan(ZS), Chongming(CM), and Jingjiang(JJ) waters were significantly higher than those from the Poyang Lake(PYL)(P 0.05). By contrast, δ~(15)Nsignatures of C. nasus in ZS, CM, and JJ groups were significantly lower than those in PYL group(P 0.05). Basing on δ~(13) and δ~(15)Nsignatures, we could distinguish anadromous(ZS, CM, and JJ) and non-anadromous(PYL) groups. The trophic level(TL) of anadromous C. nasus ranged from 2.90 to 3.04, whereas that of non-anadromous C. nasus was 4.38. C. nasus occupied the middle and top nutrition positions in the marine and Poyang Lake food webs, respectively. C. nasus in Poyang Lake were significantly more enriched in δ~(15)N but depleted in δ~(13), suggesting that anthropogenic nutrient inputs and terrigenous organic carbon are important to the Poyang Lake food web. This study is the first to apply δ~(15)Nand δ~(13) to population assignment studies of C. nasus in the Yangtze River and its affiliated waters. Analysis of stable isotopes(δ~(15)Nand δ~(13)) is shown to be a useful tool for discriminating anadromous and non-anadromous C. nasus.     

Land Use Change During 1960-2000 Period and its Eco-environmental Effects in the Middle and Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River： a Case Study in Yiliang County, Yunnan, China

Land use/land cover change (LUCC) is a focus of the research of global environmental changes.The middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River,which are the most ecologically fragile mountainous area in China as well as one of the areas in China with most notable LUCC, have been on the Chinese Government‘s list of priority areas for ecological restoration. This paper is to reveal the trend of LUCC and the ecological degradation arising from it, and to provide a basis for the future sustainable use of land resources in the region based on a detailed analysis of Yiliang County. Based on the county‘s land use/cover maps in 1960, 1980 and 2000 drawn with the aid of aerial photograph interpretation, field investigation and GIS based spatial-temporal data analysis, LUCC during 1960-2000 period and the ecological degradation arising from it were analyzed. Using the Markv model, the paper brings out a forecast of what the county‘s LUCC would be like if the county‘s current land use continues, as well as the reasons and countermeasures for restoring degraded ecosystems.     

SPATIAL DIFFERENTIATION OF LAND TRANSFER ——Case Study of Shanghai, Nanjing and Taizhou in Changjiang River Delta

1INTRODUCTIONIt is one of important issues in the field of geographical science to analyze the spatial differentiation of regional phenomenon. The research on spatial differentiation can be cast back to Thunen's agricultural location theory. Af- terwards, many scholars developed the theory and paid moreattentiontothelawandformingmechanismofspa- tial differentiation of some phenomena including inhabi- tation structure, population variation, environmental ele- ments, rural development, and …     

Temperature trends and elevation dependent warming during 1965 – 2014 in headwaters of Yangtze River,Qinghai Tibetan Plateau

The understanding of temperature trends in high elevation mountain areas is an integral part of climate change research and it is critical for assessing the impacts of climate change on water resources including glacier melt, degradation of soils, and active layer thickness. In this study, climate changes were analyzed based on trends in air temperature variables(T_(max), T_(min), T_(mean)), and Diurnal Temperature Range(DTR) as well as elevation-dependent warming at annual and seasonal scales in the Headwaters of Yangtze River(HWYZ), Qinghai Tibetan Plateau. The Base Period(1965-2014) was split into two subperiods; Period-Ⅰ(1965-1989) and Period-Ⅱ(1990-2014) and the analysis was constrained over two subbasins; Zhimenda and Tuotuohe. Increasing trends were found in absolute changes in temperature variables during Period-Ⅱ as compared to Period-Ⅰ.T_(max), T_(min), and T_(mean) had significant increasing trends for both sub-basins. The highest significant trends in annual time scale were observed in T_(min)(1.15℃ decade~(-1)) in Tuotuohe and 0.98℃ decade~(-1) in Zhimenda sub-basins. In Period-Ⅱ, only the winter season had the highest magnitudes of T_(max) and T_(min)0.58℃ decade~(-1) and 1.26℃ decade~(-1) in Tuotuohe subbasin, respectively. Elevation dependent warming analysis revealed that T_(max), T_(min) and T_(mean) trend magnitudes increase with the increase of elevations in the middle reaches(4000 m to 4400 m) of the HWYZ during Period-Ⅱ annually. The increasing trend magnitude during Period-Ⅱ, for T_(max), is 1.77, 0.92, and 1.31℃ decade~(-1), for T_(min) 1.20, 1.32 and 1.59℃ decade~(-1),for T_(mean) 1.51, 1.10 and 1.51℃ decade~(-1) at elevations of4066 m, 4175 m and 4415 m respectively in the winter season. T_(mean) increases during the spring season for 3681 m elevations during Period-Ⅱ, with no particular relation with elevation dependency for other variables. During the summer season in Period Ⅱ, T_(max), T_(min), T_(mean) increases with the increase of elevations(3681 m to 4415 m) in the middle reaches of HWYZ. Elevation dependent warming(EDW), the study concluded that magnitudes of T_(min) are increasing significantly after the 1990s as compared to T_(max) in the HWYZ. It is concluded that the climate of the HWYZ is getting warmer in both sub-basins and the rate of warming was more evident after the 1990s. The outcomes of the study provide an essential insight into climate change in the region and would be a primary index to select and design research scenarios to explore the impacts of climate change on water resources.     

Spatiotemporal distribution of fish eggs and larvae in the Huanghe(Yellow) River estuary,China in 2005–2016

Decreasing fish resources in estuaries is a subject of anthropogenic activities.Studies of the spatiotemporal distribution of fish eggs and larvae can help identify the status and processes underlying recruitment in a fishery.As the fifth largest river estuary in the world,the Huanghe(Yellow)River estuary(HRE)is a typical estuary that has been seriously affected by human activities.Annual surveys on ichthyoplankton and environmental factors were conducted in the months of May of 2005 and 2009-2016 in the HRE to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of fish eggs and larvae and the associated influencing factors.A total of 23 and 20 species of eggs and larvae,respectively,were collected.The dominant orders were Perciformes(51.2%)and Clupeiformes(25.6%).The average number of fish species eggs and larvae were 6.0 and 4.1 in average abundance of 0.91 and 0.13 ind./m~3,respectively.The dominant species were mainly low-commercial-value small-sized fishes,such as Clupanodon punctatus,Hare,ngula zutnasi,and Acanthogobius,whereas certain traditional commercial fishes,such as Trichiurus lepturus,and Clupea pallasii,were not seen.Analysis of the fish egg and larval community revealed four temporal assemblages and two spatial assemblages.Salinity was the main factor on the spatial distribution of ichthyoplankton communities,the species number and Shannon-Weiner diversity index(H')of the fish egg and larval community near the river mouth with lower salinity were significantly lower than the community far away from the river mouth with higher salinity.In addition,increases of water temperature promoted the number and abundance of fish species eggs,and the areas of abundant prey tended to have a more diversified and abundant of ichthyoplankton species.In overall,overfishing,dam construction,and other human activities were the main drivers that led to the substantial decline in fishery resources in the HRE.