ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION OF A RECLAIMED ISLAND LANDSCAPE IN THE YANGTZE RIVER

This paper discussed the ecological restoration of a reclaimed riparian wetland,using the example of Xinji Riverine Island located inside the Yangtze River,with GIS/RS tools and a six-level framework.The reclaimed island was strongly anthropogenically disturbed,resulting in a change of structure and process of the riverine island landscape as well as a decrease of its ecological services.The ecological approach considers the physical and biological factors to represent landscape's ability to support riparian wetland ecosystem services.Three scenarios,namely maintaining the status quo,removing the ponder dyke,and removing all flood embankments,were established to select the best solution.We estimate the impact of the different scenarios on the wetland area and the habitat,which points out that the extensive removal of all flood embankments would result in an increase of wetland area with 5% to 56% and an increase in the habitat for fishes,chelonians,limpkins with respectively 7%,11%,5% to 21%,75%,56%.We suggest the extensive removal of the anthropogenic disturbance,which would restore the natural flooding cycle,the temporary wetlands and habitat.The approach creates a precedent for the ecological restorationof other riverine wetland systems under anthropogenic disturbance.