Ecological vulnerability assessment of estuarine wetland of the Yellow River Delta

By means of analyzing formation mechanism and impact factors of ecological vulnerability of estuarine wetland of the Yellow River Delta, an ecological vulnerability assessment index system based on relevant criteria is constructed. Criteria include resource and environment, human factors and ecological balance. There are 14 indexes which are Annual mean temperature difference, population density, saline-alkali soil area, average annual frost-free period and so on. An assessment model based on entropy weight is further constructed by using entropy method and is applied in the ecological vulnerability assessment. Research results show that mildly vulnerable area occupies 25.87% of total estuarine wetland of the Yellow River Delta. Mildly vulnerable area is where there are abundant natural resources, ecosystem functions well and human activities have weak influence. General vulnerable area takes 15.93% where fresh water supplement is adequate and ecosystem functions averagely. Moderately and severely vulnerable areas occupy 54.36% and within these areas human activities have great impacts. Agriculture, aquaculture and urban construction have considerable influences to ecosystem. The results basically accord with the facts, thus they can provide scientific proof to protection of estuarine wetland ecosystem of the Yellow River Delta and improvement of sustainable utilization of wetlands resource.