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The global distribution and trajectory of tidal flats

Author

Listed:
  • Nicholas J. Murray

    (The University of Queensland
    University of New South Wales)

  • Stuart R. Phinn

    (The University of Queensland)

  • Michael DeWitt

    (Google)

  • Renata Ferrari

    (Australian Institute of Marine Science)

  • Renee Johnston

    (Google)

  • Mitchell B. Lyons

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Nicholas Clinton

    (Google)

  • David Thau

    (Google)

  • Richard A. Fuller

    (The University of Queensland)

Abstract

Increasing human populations around the global coastline have caused extensive loss, degradation and fragmentation of coastal ecosystems, threatening the delivery of important ecosystem services1. As a result, alarming losses of mangrove, coral reef, seagrass, kelp forest and coastal marsh ecosystems have occurred1–6. However, owing to the difficulty of mapping intertidal areas globally, the distribution and status of tidal flats—one of the most extensive coastal ecosystems—remain unknown7. Here we present an analysis of over 700,000 satellite images that maps the global extent of and change in tidal flats over the course of 33 years (1984–2016). We find that tidal flats, defined as sand, rock or mud flats that undergo regular tidal inundation7, occupy at least 127,921 km2 (124,286–131,821 km2, 95% confidence interval). About 70% of the global extent of tidal flats is found in three continents (Asia (44% of total), North America (15.5% of total) and South America (11% of total)), with 49.2% being concentrated in just eight countries (Indonesia, China, Australia, the United States, Canada, India, Brazil and Myanmar). For regions with sufficient data to develop a consistent multi-decadal time series—which included East Asia, the Middle East and North America—we estimate that 16.02% (15.62–16.47%, 95% confidence interval) of tidal flats were lost between 1984 and 2016. Extensive degradation from coastal development1, reduced sediment delivery from major rivers8,9, sinking of riverine deltas8,10, increased coastal erosion and sea-level rise11 signal a continuing negative trajectory for tidal flat ecosystems around the world. Our high-spatial-resolution dataset delivers global maps of tidal flats, which substantially advances our understanding of the distribution, trajectory and status of these poorly known coastal ecosystems.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicholas J. Murray & Stuart R. Phinn & Michael DeWitt & Renata Ferrari & Renee Johnston & Mitchell B. Lyons & Nicholas Clinton & David Thau & Richard A. Fuller, 2019. "The global distribution and trajectory of tidal flats," Nature, Nature, vol. 565(7738), pages 222-225, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:565:y:2019:i:7738:d:10.1038_s41586-018-0805-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0805-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Yuan Xu & Christopher R. Esposito & Maricel Beltrán-Burgos & Heidi M. Nepf, 2022. "Competing effects of vegetation density on sedimentation in deltaic marshes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Changda Liu & Jie Li & Qiuhua Tang & Jiawei Qi & Xinghua Zhou, 2022. "Classifying the Nunivak Island Coastline Using the Random Forest Integration of the Sentinel-2 and ICESat-2 Data," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-15, February.
    3. Kendall Valentine & Ellen R. Herbert & David C. Walters & Yaping Chen & Alexander J. Smith & Matthew L. Kirwan, 2023. "Climate-driven tradeoffs between landscape connectivity and the maintenance of the coastal carbon sink," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Gregory S. Fivash & Stijn Temmerman & Maarten G. Kleinhans & Maike Heuner & Tjisse Heide & Tjeerd J. Bouma, 2023. "Early indicators of tidal ecosystem shifts in estuaries," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Chao Xu & Weibo Liu, 2021. "The Spatiotemporal Characteristics and Dynamic Changes of Tidal Flats in Florida from 1984 to 2020," Geographies, MDPI, vol. 1(3), pages 1-23, November.
    6. Mengzhi Ji & Jiayin Zhou & Yan Li & Kai Ma & Wen Song & Yueyue Li & Jizhong Zhou & Qichao Tu, 2024. "Biodiversity of mudflat intertidal viromes along the Chinese coasts," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    7. Shisi Tang & Laixi Song & Shiqi Wan & Yafei Wang & Yazhen Jiang & Jinfeng Liao, 2022. "Long-Time-Series Evolution and Ecological Effects of Coastline Length in Coastal Zone: A Case Study of the Circum-Bohai Coastal Zone, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-19, August.
    8. Peijun Wang & Qi Liu & Shenglong Fan & Jing Wang & Shouguo Mu & Chunbo Zhu, 2023. "Combined Application of Desulfurization Gypsum and Biochar for Improving Saline-Alkali Soils: A Strategy to Improve Newly Reclaimed Cropland in Coastal Mudflats," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-22, September.
    9. Minjing Wang & Yanyan Kang & Zhuyou Sun & Jun Lei & Xiuqiang Peng, 2022. "Monitoring Wetland Landscape Evolution Using Landsat Time-Series Data: A Case Study of the Nantong Coast, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-20, October.
    10. Yifei Zhao & Qing Liu & Runqiu Huang & Haichen Pan & Min Xu, 2020. "Recent Evolution of Coastal Tidal Flats and the Impacts of Intensified Human Activities in the Modern Radial Sand Ridges, East China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-20, May.
    11. Pingyang Han & Haozhi Hu & Mengting Jiang & Min Wang, 2024. "Construction of Wetland Ecological Security Pattern in Wuhan Metropolitan Core Area Considering Wetland Ecological Risk," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-26, September.
    12. Xiao, Hui & Chadès, Iadine & Hill, Narelle & Murray, Nicholas & Fuller, Richard A. & McDonald-Madden, Eve, 2021. "Conserving migratory species while safeguarding ecosystem services," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 442(C).
    13. Vincent T. M. Zelst & Jasper T. Dijkstra & Bregje K. Wesenbeeck & Dirk Eilander & Edward P. Morris & Hessel C. Winsemius & Philip J. Ward & Mindert B. Vries, 2021. "Cutting the costs of coastal protection by integrating vegetation in flood defences," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    14. Xing Li & Xin Zhang & Chuanyin Qiu & Yuanqiang Duan & Shu’an Liu & Dan Chen & Lianpeng Zhang & Changming Zhu, 2020. "Rapid Loss of Tidal Flats in the Yangtze River Delta since 1974," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-20, March.
    15. Linlin Cui & Guosheng Li & Miao Zhao & Zhihui Zhang, 2024. "Quantifying the Cumulative Effects of Large-Scale Reclamation on Coastal Wetland Degradation," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-18, August.
    16. Romy Hulskamp & Arjen Luijendijk & Bas Maren & Antonio Moreno-Rodenas & Floris Calkoen & Etiënne Kras & Stef Lhermitte & Stefan Aarninkhof, 2023. "Global distribution and dynamics of muddy coasts," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    17. Justin P. Suraci & Tina G. Mozelewski & Caitlin E. Littlefield & Theresa Nogeire McRae & Ann Sorensen & Brett G. Dickson, 2023. "Management of U.S. Agricultural Lands Differentially Affects Avian Habitat Connectivity," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-20, March.
    18. Qian Dong & Qingqing Zhang & Anbang Liao & Chi Xu & Maosong Liu, 2022. "Plant Adaptability and Vegetation Differentiation in the Coastal Beaches of Yellow–Bohai Sea in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-24, February.
    19. Yanhui Chen & Guosheng Li & Linlin Cui & Lijuan Li & Lei He & Peipei Ma, 2022. "The Effects of Tidal Flat Reclamation on the Stability of the Coastal Area in the Jiangsu Province, China, from the Perspective of Landscape Structure," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-20, March.
    20. Su, Jie & Gasparatos, Alexandros, 2024. "Assessing the heterogeneity of public acceptability for mangrove restoration through a choice experiment," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    21. Chao Zhang & Shuai Zhong & Xue Wang & Lei Shen & Litao Liu & Yujie Liu, 2019. "Land Use Change in Coastal Cities during the Rapid Urbanization Period from 1990 to 2016: A Case Study in Ningbo City, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-21, April.

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