Wetlands in the Jiuzhaigou World Natural Heritage site of south-west China: classification and recent changes
Jie Du A C , Xue Qiao B , Meng Zhang A , Baofeng Di A and Ya Tang A D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Environment, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, 24 South Section One, First Ring Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610065, P.R. China.
B Institute of New Energy and Low-Carbon Technology, Sichuan University, 24 South Section One, First Ring Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610065, P.R. China.
C Jiuzhaigou Administrative Bureau, Zhangzha, Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan, 623402, P.R. China.
D Corresponding author. Email: tangya@scu.edu.cn
Marine and Freshwater Research 69(5) 677-689 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF17118
Submitted: 30 April 2017 Accepted: 7 September 2017 Published: 29 November 2017
Abstract
To understand the effects of tourism and climate change on wetlands, a study was performed at Jiuzhaigou, a destination receiving >5 million people per year. There are 21 types of wetlands in region, covering an area of 265.1 ha, with 42.8% on tufa. Wetland areas declined by 16.1% from 1983 to 1999 (autumn) and by 31.2% from 1983 to 2002 (summer) and increased by 31.8% from 1999 to 2011 (autumn) and by 60% from 2002 to 2014 (summer). Wetland changes included dissolving tufa, a reduced tufa deposit rate, collapse of tufa mats, increases in water nutrients and algae, and marshland development. Mean annual air temperature increased from 1977. Annual precipitation varied from 430 to 810 mm between 1951 and 2015, exhibiting an increasing trend from 2005 onwards. The number of both heavy rain and storm events increased from 2005. The number of tourists grew slowly from 1984 to 1997, but increased quickly from 360 000 in 1998 to 5.1 million in 2015. Commercial logging between 1966 and 1978 and debris flows are probably the key factors contributing to increased lake sedimentation and marshland development. Rapid tourism development with intensive bus movement and regional air pollution likely caused changes in water chemistry, which, in turn, caused tufa changes and wetland degradation. Reducing tourist numbers is likely to be effective in reducing effects on wetlands and conserving them, but research is needed to determine appropriate tourist numbers.
Additional keywords: climate change, economic development, national park, pollution, sustainable development, tourism development, travertine.
References
Bao, S. K., Tan, M. C., and Zhong, Z. X. (1986). A survey of the algal flora in the Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve of Sichuan. Journal of Southwest Teachers University 3, 56–71.Cao, Y., Wang, B., Zhang, L., Wang, L., Pan, Y., Wang, Q., Jian, D., and Deng, G. (2016). Lake macroinvertebrate assemblages and relationship with natural environment and tourism stress in Jiuzhaigou Natural Reserve, China. Ecological Indicators 62, 182–190.
| Lake macroinvertebrate assemblages and relationship with natural environment and tourism stress in Jiuzhaigou Natural Reserve, China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Carter, V. (1986). An overview of the hydrologic concerns related to wetlands in the United States. Canadian Journal of Botany 64, 364–374.
| An overview of the hydrologic concerns related to wetlands in the United States.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Chatterjee, K., Bandyopadhyay, A., Ghosh, A., and Kar, S. (2015). Assessment of environmental factors causing wetland degradation, using fuzzy analytic network process: a case study on Keoladeo National Park, India. Ecological Modelling 316, 1–13.
| Assessment of environmental factors causing wetland degradation, using fuzzy analytic network process: a case study on Keoladeo National Park, India.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Chen, P. (2013). The water chemistry and source of nitrate and sulfate in the World Natural Heritage site, Jiuzhaigou National Natural Reserve, southwestern China. M.Sc. Thesis, Sichuan University. [In Chinese].
Chen, P., Tang, Y., Qiao, X., Xiao, W. Y., and Jian, D. J. (2011). Environmental change revealed by lake sedimentation in Jiuzhaigou National Reserve, Sichuan, China. Journal of Mountain Science 29, 534–542.
| Environmental change revealed by lake sedimentation in Jiuzhaigou National Reserve, Sichuan, China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cui, P., Chen, X., Liu, S., and Tang, B. (2007). Techniques of debris flow prevention in national parks. Earth Science Frontiers 14, 172–177.
| Techniques of debris flow prevention in national parks.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Davidson, N. C. (2016). Understanding change in the ecological character of internationally important wetlands. Marine and Freshwater Research 67, 685–686.
| Understanding change in the ecological character of internationally important wetlands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
de Noronha Vaz, E., Walczynska, A., and Nijkamp, P. (2013). Regional challenges in tourist wetland systems: an integrated approach to the Ria Formosa in the Algarve, Portugal. Regional Environmental Change 13, 33–42.
| Regional challenges in tourist wetland systems: an integrated approach to the Ria Formosa in the Algarve, Portugal.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Diaz-Christiansen, S., López-Guzmán, T., Pérez Gálvez, J. C., and Fernández, M. G. A. (2016). Wetland tourism in natural protected areas: Santay Island (Ecuador). Tourism Management Perspectives 20, 47–54.
| Wetland tourism in natural protected areas: Santay Island (Ecuador).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Do, Y., Kim, S., Kim, J. Y., and Joo, G. (2015). Wetland-based tourism in South Korea: who, when, and why. Wetlands Ecology and Management 23, 779–787.
| Wetland-based tourism in South Korea: who, when, and why.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Engelhardt, K. A. M., and Ritchie, M. E. (2002). The effect of aquatic plant species richness on wetland ecosystem processes. Ecology 83, 2911–2924.
| The effect of aquatic plant species richness on wetland ecosystem processes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Finlayson, C. M., Clarke, S. J., and Davidson, N. C. (2016). Role of paleoecology in describing the ecological character of wetlands. Marine and Freshwater Research 67, 687–694.
| Role of paleoecology in describing the ecological character of wetlands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fleming, C. M., Kunkle, S. H., and Flora, M. D. (1996). Riparian wetlands and visitor use management in Big Bend National Park, Texas. In ‘Desired Future Conditions for Southwestern Riparian Ecosystems: Bringing Interests and Concerns Together’. (Eds D. W. Shaw and D. M. Finch.) Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, General Technical Report RM-GTR-272, pp. 212–215. (USDA Forest Service: Fort Collins, CO, USA.)
Ford, T. D., and Pedley, H. M. (1996). A review of tufa and travertine deposits of the world. Earth-Science Reviews 41, 117–175.
| A review of tufa and travertine deposits of the world.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK28XntlWjtbo%3D&md5=563ff3cf2ae87f428de97c7ce7f5a75dCAS |
Foster, S. Q. (1986) Wetland value. In ‘An ecological characterization of Rocky Mountain Montane and Subalpine Wetlands (Biological Report)’. (Eds J. T. Windell, B. E. Willard, D. J. Cooper, S. Q. Foster, C. F. Knud-Hansen, L. P. Rink, and G. N. Kiladis.) pp. 177–214. (US Fish Wildlife Service: Washington, DC, USA.)
Gu, Y., Du, J., Tang, Y., Qiao, X., Bossard, C., and Deng, G. (2013). Challenges for sustainable tourism at the Jiuzhaigou World Natural Heritage site in western China. Natural Resources Forum 37, 103–112.
| Challenges for sustainable tourism at the Jiuzhaigou World Natural Heritage site in western China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Herath, G. (2004). Incorporating community objectives in improved wetland management in the use of the analytic hierarchy process. Journal of Environmental Management 70, 263–273.
| Incorporating community objectives in improved wetland management in the use of the analytic hierarchy process.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jiuzhaigou County (2003). ‘Jiuzhaigou County Tourism Overview.’ (University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Press: Chengdu, P.R. China.)
Kermode, S. J., Heijnis, H., Wong, H., Zawadzki, A., Gadd, P., and Permana, A. (2016). A Ramsar-wetland in suburbia: wetland management in an urbanised, industrialised area. Marine and Freshwater Research 67, 771–781.
| A Ramsar-wetland in suburbia: wetland management in an urbanised, industrialised area.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Khoshkam, M., Marzuki, A., and Al-Mulali, U. (2016). Socio-demographic effects on Anzali wetland tourism development. Tourism Management 54, 96–106.
| Socio-demographic effects on Anzali wetland tourism development.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Knight, M. A., and Pasternack, G. B. (2000). Sources, input pathways, and distributions of Fe, Cu, and Zn in a Chesapeake Bay tidal freshwater marsh. Environmental Geology 39, 1359–1371.
| Sources, input pathways, and distributions of Fe, Cu, and Zn in a Chesapeake Bay tidal freshwater marsh.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXptVens7c%3D&md5=66871a513e0776e2633e4034a9126559CAS |
Lee, T. H., and Hsieh, H. (2016). Indicators of sustainable tourism: a case study from Taiwan’s wetland. Ecological Indicators 67, 779–787.
| Indicators of sustainable tourism: a case study from Taiwan’s wetland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Li, Z. (2013). A study on lake swamping of Jiuzhaigou World Heritage site in Sichuan, southwestern China. M. Sc. Thesis, Sichuan University. [In Chinese].
Liang, K., Hu, X., Li, S., Huang, C., and Tang, Y. (2014). Anthropogenic effect on deposition dynamics of lake sediments based on 137Cs and 210Pbex techniques in Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve, China. Chinese Geographical Science 24, 180–190.
| Anthropogenic effect on deposition dynamics of lake sediments based on 137Cs and 210Pbex techniques in Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve, China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lin, W., Zeng, T., Yang, B., Xing, N., Cai, H. X., Xiao, W. Y., and Zeng, Z. Y. (2006). A study of litter decomposition of various forest communities at the Jiuzhaigou valley. Journal of Sichuan University – Natural Science Edition 43, 1121–1126.
Liu, S. Y., Zhang, X. P., and Zeng, Z. Y. (Eds) (2007). ‘Biodiversity of the Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve.’ (Sichuan Science and Technology Publishing House: Chengdu, P.R. China.)
O’Connell, M. J. (2003). Detecting, measuring and reserving changes to wetlands. Wetlands Ecology and Management 11, 397–401.
| Detecting, measuring and reserving changes to wetlands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (1996). ‘Guidelines for Aid Agencies for Improved Conservation and Sustainable Use of Tropical and Subtropical Wetlands.’ (OECD: Paris, France.)
Ouyang, L., Pan, Y., Huang, C., Tang, Y., Du, J., and Xiao, W. (2016). Water quality assessment of benthic diatom communities for water quality in the subalpine karstic lakes of Jiuzhaigou, a world heritage site in China. Journal of Mountain Science 13, 1632–1644.
| Water quality assessment of benthic diatom communities for water quality in the subalpine karstic lakes of Jiuzhaigou, a world heritage site in China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pan, L., Cui, L., and Wu, M. (2010). Tourist behaviors in wetland park: a preliminary study in Xixi National Wetland Park, Hangzhou, China. Chinese Geographical Science 20, 66–73.
| Tourist behaviors in wetland park: a preliminary study in Xixi National Wetland Park, Hangzhou, China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pan, Y., Wang, L., Cao, Y., Pang, W., Wang, Q., Zhu, Z., Zhang, X., and Deng, G. (2016). Variation of benthic algal assemblages among habitats in subalpine Karstic Lakes and implications for bioassessment. Hydrobiologia 777, 183–196.
| Variation of benthic algal assemblages among habitats in subalpine Karstic Lakes and implications for bioassessment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC28XmvFaltbw%3D&md5=0524f8c9574e7b42b36a01725011383fCAS |
Qiao, X. (2012). The impacts of regional air pollution on the World Natural Heritage site, Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve, southwestern China. Ph.D. Thesis, Sichuan University. [In Chinese].
Qiao, X., Du, J., Lugli, S., Ren, J., Xiao, W., Chen, P., and Tang, Y. (2016). Are climate warming and enhanced atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen threatening tufa landscapes in Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve, Sichuan, China? The Science of the Total Environment 562, 724–731.
| Are climate warming and enhanced atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen threatening tufa landscapes in Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve, Sichuan, China?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC28XmslSlu7s%3D&md5=022904e732807b9942e18902e6bef590CAS |
Qiao, X., Du, J., Kota, S. H., Ying, Q., Xiao, W. Z., and Tang, Y. (2017). Wet deposition of sulfur and nitrogen in Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve, Sichuan, China during 2015–2016: possible effects from regional emission reduction and local tourist activities. Environmental Pollution 233, 267–277.
| Wet deposition of sulfur and nitrogen in Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve, Sichuan, China during 2015–2016: possible effects from regional emission reduction and local tourist activities.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ramsar Convention Secretariat (2004). ‘Ramsar Handbooks for the Wise Use of Wetlands.’ (Ramsar Convention Secretariat: Gland, Switzerland.)
Ramsar Convention Secretariat (2012). Classification system for wetland type. Available at http://archive.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-documents-guidelines-classification-system/main/ramsar/1-31-105%5E21235_4000_0_ [Verified 3 March 2017].
Ren, L. (2009). Highway slope control in Jiuzhaigou scenic spot. Sichuan Architecture 29, 68–69.
| 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXnsl2ks70%3D&md5=696bcfb63be8aacfa6539c72835700eeCAS |
Schuyt, K. D. (2005). Economic consequences of wetland degradation for local populations in Africa. Ecological Economics 53, 177–190.
| Economic consequences of wetland degradation for local populations in Africa.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Smardon, R. C. (2006). Heritage values and functions of wetlands in southern Mexico. Landscape and Urban Planning 74, 296–312.
| Heritage values and functions of wetlands in southern Mexico.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Statistics Bureau of Aba (2017). ‘National Economic and Social Development Statistical Bulletin 2016 of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture.’ (SBA: Barkam, Sichuan, P.R. China.)
Stevenson, N. J., and Frazier, S. (1999). Status of national wetland inventories in Africa. In ‘Global Review of Wetland Resources and Priorities for Wetland Inventory’. (Eds C. M. Finlayson and A. G. Spiers.) Report 144, pp. 105–200. (Supervising Scientist: Canberra, ACT, Australia.)
Tang, M. Y., and Yang, Y. X. (2014). Changes in vegetation and soil characteristics under tourism disturbance in lakeside wetland of northwest Yunnan Plateau, Southwest China. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology 25, 1283–1292.
| 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXhsVyitLbI&md5=8f8862f56604b746b88c20e0b5dae4f7CAS |
Tao, G. (2016). Report on the work of the government – the Fifth Session of the Thirteenth People’s Congress of Jiuzhaigou County, Jiuzhaigou on 19 December 2015. [In Chinese]. Available at http://www.ahmhxc.com/gongzuobaogao/2391.html [Verified 27 February 2017].
Wang, J., Bao, W., He, B., and Liu, Y. (2006). Effect of tourism on nitrogen and phosphorus loss in surface runoff in Jiuzhaigou World Nature Heritage Reserve. Ecology & Environment 15, 284–288.
Xiao, W. Y., Ren, J. H., Jiang, L. J., Li, J. N., and Ge, F. Q. (2017). Development of key technologies for conservation of wetland landscape: a case study of Jiuzhaigou. Wetlands Science & Management 13, 30–33.
Zhang, X., and Ren, X. (2009). ‘Sustainable Development of World Heritage Tourism: A Case Study of Jiuzhaigou.’ (Southwestern University of Finance and Economics Press: Chengdu, P.R. China.)
Zhang, K., Tian, K., Lu, X., Luo, S., Li, J. Y., and Li, N. Y. (2009). Impacts of tourism on water storage and regulation of meadow soil in Napahai lakeshore wetlands. Shui Kexue Jinzhan 20, 800–805.
| 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXhtlarur0%3D&md5=92d8004b83a3e88d3f564fb0233f2d46CAS |
Zhou, X. L. (1998). Influences of geological environment deterioration on Jiuzhaigou ravine landscape. Carsologica Sinica 3, 119–128.
Zhou, X., Gao, X., Yang, X., and Li, Y. (2009). Autumn diatom variation in lakes along altitude gradient in the Jiuzhaigou National Park, Sichuan, China. Chinese Journal of Applied and Environmental Biology 15, 161–168.
Zhu, Z., Bao, W., Pang, X., Yan, X., and Li, Y. (2006). Tourism effect on species composition and diversity of understory plants in Abies fargesii var. faxoniana forest in Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan. Biodiversity Science 14, 284–291.
| Tourism effect on species composition and diversity of understory plants in Abies fargesii var. faxoniana forest in Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
