Assessment of comprehensive carrying capacity of coastal zone based on state-space method: A case study of Wenzhou, China

18 indicators concerned with 4 aspects, namely, ecosystem resilience, resources supply capacity, pollutant-holding capacity and human support level, are used to assess the comprehensive carrying capacity of coastal zone with Wenzhou as a case. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Entropy method are combined to scientifically determine the weights for the used indicators. State-space model is used in the spatial assessment of the comprehensive carrying capacity of Wenzhou coastal zone. Results show that Yueqing Bay-Ou River estuary are seriously overloaded whereas Ou River- Feiyun River-Ao River and Dongtou are overloaded; Dayu Bay and Yanpu Bay are in the state of full load or underload. The assessment in terms of each single aspect above mentioned reveals that the ecosystem stability and safety of Wenzhou off-shore are sound; while the overall resources supply capacity is not sufficient; the pollutant-holding capacity is growing polarized; and the human support level is generally low