Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40038322›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Dynamics and drivers of tidal flat morphology in China.

Shuai Liu, Zhan Hu, Tim J Grandjean, Zheng Bing Wang, Vincent T M van Zelst, Lin Qi, Tianping Xu, Jun Young Seo, Tjeerd J Bouma

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Shuai LiuSchool of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-9202-6607
Zhan HuSchool of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, China. huzh9@mail.sysu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2809-3718
Tim J GrandjeanDepartment of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Yerseke, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2729-3566
Zheng Bing WangFaculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8787-4530
Vincent T M van ZelstFaculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2923-1745
Lin QiNOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research, College Park, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3433-3252
Tianping XuSchool of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, China.
Jun Young SeoDepartment of Oceanography, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Tjeerd J BoumaDepartment of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Yerseke, The Netherlands.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 42176202
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Recent remote sensing analysis has revealed extensive loss of tidal flats, yet the mechanisms driving these large-scale changes remain unclear. Here we show the spatiotemporal variations of 2,538 tidal flat transects across China to elucidate how their morphological features vary with external factors, including suspended sediment concentration (SSC), tidal range, and wave height. We observe a correlation between flat width and SSC distribution, and between flat slope and tidal range. A nation-wide decline in flat width is observed together with SSC reduction between 2002 and 2016. Intriguingly, sediment-rich flats exhibit more rapid width losses if SSC reduces, but slower width gain if SSC increase compared to sediment-starved flats. These dynamics resemble stretched (sediment-rich) or compressed (sediment-starved) springs that tend to return to equilibrium, which can be explained by synthetic morphodynamic modeling. Similar patterns can be observed from Indonesia, the United States, and Australia, implying that the impact of sediment supply change is wide-spread and large-scale sediment allocation plan based on equilibrium concept can help preserving intertidal ecosystems.

Identifiers

PMID40038322
PMCPMC11880368

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.