Identifying potential restoration areas of freshwater wetlands in a river delta

Identification of potential restoration areas is significant and important for implementing a sustainable restoration project and maintaining the ecosystem integrity. We established an eco-hydrological approach to identify potential restoration areas of freshwater wetlands that should and can be restored. Our eco-hydrological method identifies potential restoration areas from three dimensions, namely, transverse, longitudinal and vertical directions. Based on transfer matrix analysis between freshwater wetland and other land cover types and bird habitat suitability assessment, we identified the areas that should be restored under the 1989 and 2000 goals were 36,112 ha and 37,230 ha, respectively. Based on hydrological connectivity and balance between ecological water supply (EWS) and ecological water requirements (EWRs), the area can be restored under the 1989 and 2000 goals were 31,165 ha and 33,963 ha, respectively. The approach and results of this study can help in future restoration efforts in the Yellow River Delta and other similar coastal wetlands.