Effect of spatial pattern on nutrient reduction in the Liaohe Delta

Landscape pattern analysis has been a major topic in landscape ecology1-4]. Many quantitative methods have also been designed to describe the pattern, in order to get an overall idea of how the landscape is structured, and what is the effect of different patterns on large scale ecological processes5-11]. So far this kind of research has mainly focused on habitat analysis, or site selection of wild animals, in the scope of nature conservation12-13]. But few pattern analyses have been made on…

Effect of spatial pattern on nutrient reduction in the Liaohe Delta

The effect of spatial pattern on the nutrient reduction is investigated based on the spatial simulation model developed for the study area of the Liaohe Delta, China. Four scenarios are designed to test the effect of different landscape components on the nutrient reduction in the reed marsh: Canal density, reed area size, reed area shrinking pattern, and pumping station position. Based on a spatial model designed for the study area, the nutrient reduction in each case of these scenarios is simulated. The results indicate that each factor brings less than 10% change in the total nutrient reduction rate. More canals will not help much to improve nutrient reduction. Smaller areas are more efficient than larger ones. The shrinkage pattern is better than others in keeping a higher nutrient reduction rate. It is also more efficient to keep the pumping station near the border of the area to be irrigated. These conclusions provide theoretical supports to strategy makers for local land use planning, and contribute to the understanding of the relationship between landscape patterns and functions.