The implementation of anthropogenic activities, such as the Water and Sediment Regulation Program (WSRP), has altered the water conditions in the Yellow River Delta; the MNDWI (Modified Normalized Difference Water Index) showed that the water-body area in the North and South Bank Restoration Zone increased by as much as 1,411,200 m2 after water supplementation. Therefore, research is needed on how water conditions affect normal vegetation growth in the ecosystem. This study used micro-area simulation experiments with varying flooding depths (W1:5, W2:8, W3:15, W4:30 cm) and flooding durations (T1:8, T2:18, T3:28, T4:38 days) to better understand how flooding conditions affect the growth and adaptive mechanisms of the Suaeda salsa under the influence of WSRP. The indicators of biomass, antioxidant enzyme activities, and nutrient element contents were also determined. According to the findings, S. salsa growth was impacted by the depth and duration of flooding, showing a decrease and decreasing-increasing pattern, respectively, as these factors increased. The W2T4 treatment had the highest total biomass (610.91 ± 16.81 g m−2), while the W4T3 treatment had the lowest (375.89 ± 30.29 g m−2). Certain adaptation processes were demonstrated by S. salsa under flooding conditions. In order to improve oxygen availability, it altered the biomass allocation ratio, increasing the percentage of stems and creating adventitious roots at the water–air interface. Additionally, the antioxidant enzyme activities in S. salsa were altered. Furthermore, flooding conditions may also have an impact on S. salsa’s ability to absorb nutrients like phosphate and nitrogen. The leaf N/P ratio was often less than 14 when flooded at depths of W1 and W2, but it was greater than 16 when flooded at a depth of W4. Therefore, during their growth and developmental stages, plants can adjust their growth rates by changing the stoichiometric ratios of elements to adapt to changes in the external environment. This investigation investigates the consequences of flooding duration and depth on S. salsa and its adaptive mechanisms, thereby offering a framework for comprehending the influence of artificially induced flooding conditions, such as water and sediment regulation, on S. salsa.

Growth and physiological responses of Suaeda salsa to short-term water-level fluctuation in the Yellow River estuary under the influence of water and sediment regulation program

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发表日期：

2026年4月1日

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Hongli Song,
Yanli Yang,
Lizhi Wang,
Juan An,
Yuanzhi Wu,
Xiyuan Wu

摘要

The implementation of anthropogenic activities, such as the Water and Sediment Regulation Program (WSRP), has altered the water conditions in the Yellow River Delta; the MNDWI (Modified Normalized Difference Water Index) showed that the water-body area in the North and South Bank Restoration Zone increased by as much as 1,411,200 m² after water supplementation. Therefore, research is needed on how water conditions affect normal vegetation growth in the ecosystem. This study used micro-area simulation experiments with varying flooding depths (W₁:5, W₂:8, W₃:15, W₄:30 cm) and flooding durations (T₁:8, T₂:18, T₃:28, T₄:38 days) to better understand how flooding conditions affect the growth and adaptive mechanisms of the Suaeda salsa under the influence of WSRP. The indicators of biomass, antioxidant enzyme activities, and nutrient element contents were also determined. According to the findings, S. salsa growth was impacted by the depth and duration of flooding, showing a decrease and decreasing-increasing pattern, respectively, as these factors increased. The W₂T₄ treatment had the highest total biomass (610.91 ± 16.81 g m⁻²), while the W₄T₃ treatment had the lowest (375.89 ± 30.29 g m⁻²). Certain adaptation processes were demonstrated by S. salsa under flooding conditions. In order to improve oxygen availability, it altered the biomass allocation ratio, increasing the percentage of stems and creating adventitious roots at the water–air interface. Additionally, the antioxidant enzyme activities in S. salsa were altered. Furthermore, flooding conditions may also have an impact on S. salsa’s ability to absorb nutrients like phosphate and nitrogen. The leaf N/P ratio was often less than 14 when flooded at depths of W₁ and W₂, but it was greater than 16 when flooded at a depth of W₄. Therefore, during their growth and developmental stages, plants can adjust their growth rates by changing the stoichiometric ratios of elements to adapt to changes in the external environment. This investigation investigates the consequences of flooding duration and depth on S. salsa and its adaptive mechanisms, thereby offering a framework for comprehending the influence of artificially induced flooding conditions, such as water and sediment regulation, on S. salsa.