Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Ship canals, which play a crucial role in facilitating transport, exert significant and long-term impacts on wetland ecosystems. For social and economic development, numerous countries have put forward plans for ship canals. This paper reviews the literature on the ecological effect of ship canals on wetland ecosystems, identifies research gaps, and suggests future research directions. Ship canals typically involve high construction intensity, usually including river regulation, ship locks, and water diversion for navigation. The ecological effects of ship canals on wetlands refer to changing wetland hydrological processes, degrading water quality, eliminating wetland botany, disturbing wetland animals, and increasing ecological threats. The cumulative impact can either alter the trend of ecological succession or degrade biodiversity. Thus, there is a need for further research to elucidate the mechanisms by which canals affect wetland ecosystems, enhance the practices for wetland protection associated with canals, and develop a robust evaluation system for green canal projects.
Source: Water
DOI: 10.3390/w16223324
Authors: Zhaoxing Han, Dingkun Yin, Ruixue Zhao, Zijing Liu, Runhe Cheng, Guanwei Lin, Haifeng Jia
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,955
OpenAlex ID: W4404528585