Ecological EngineeringPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-02-03DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107912
Jessica Reichert , Hendrikje Jorissen , Marina E. Rottmueller , Allison D. Nims , Lomani H. Rova , Crawford Drury , the R3D Consortium , Joshua S. Madin
{"title":"Cylindrical, pylon-like structures with helix recesses enhance coral larval recruitment","authors":"Jessica Reichert , Hendrikje Jorissen , Marina E. Rottmueller , Allison D. Nims , Lomani H. Rova , Crawford Drury , the R3D Consortium , Joshua S. Madin","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107912","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107912","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The decline of coral reefs requires scalable restoration strategies to enhance natural recovery processes such as coral larval recruitment. Previous research has shown that conical structures with helix recesses substantially increase settlement and early survival. However, the applicability of this microhabitat design with helix recesses in broader engineering contexts has yet to be assessed. Here, we tested (1) whether helix recesses can be transferred from conical dome geometries to space-efficient cylindrical pylon-like geometries, and (2) whether they can be implemented with different materials. In a field experiment in Kāne'ohe Bay, Hawai'i, coral recruitment was monitored over six months on cylindrical and conical structures incorporating an optimized helix profile. Cylindrical modules supported recruitment densities similar to those on conical designs, demonstrating a successful transfer of the microhabitat design to compact geometries. Planar recruit densities were ∼300-fold higher across all structures compared to those observed on nearby natural reefs. These results show that the helix recess design is functionally robust across both module shapes and materials. Cylindrical structures with integrated helix recesses, therefore, represent a practical, low-cost design element that can be incorporated in coastal engineering and restoration projects to enhance coral settlement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"226 ","pages":"Article 107912"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146171869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological EngineeringPub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-28DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107909
Haiyan Liu , Huadong Du , Wenjie Nie , Yangyang He , Yinli Bi
{"title":"Soil seed banks mediate soil–vegetation coupling in mining-induced fissure landscapes","authors":"Haiyan Liu , Huadong Du , Wenjie Nie , Yangyang He , Yinli Bi","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107909","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107909","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mining-induced ground fissures in coal-mining subsidence landscapes disrupt soil structure and near-surface hydrology, creating fine-scale habitat heterogeneity that can impede natural vegetation recovery. Soil seed banks represent a critical propagule reservoir, yet their spatial dynamics, governing drivers, and coupling with aboveground vegetation remain insufficiently quantified in fissure-affected systems. Soil seed banks were assessed at four distance classes (0–1 m, 1–2 m, 2–5 m, and a non-subsided control) and two soil layers (0–10 cm and 10–20 cm) using germination assays, together with vegetation surveys and soil physicochemical measurements. Mantel tests and structural equation modeling (SEM) were applied to identify dominant drivers and pathways. Soil seed bank density and diversity declined sharply within 0–2 m of fissures, with the strongest reductions in the surface layer, indicating a spatially bounded disturbance footprint. Soil moisture and soil organic matter exerted positive influences on soil seed bank size and composition, whereas crust thickness imposed consistent negative effects, supporting a barrier-mediated constraint on seed retention and emergence. SEM further showed that soil conditions affected vegetation density and richness largely through indirect pathways mediated by soil seed bank traits, highlighting the soil seed bank as a key intermediary linking soil degradation to vegetation outcomes. Species similarity between the soil seed bank and aboveground vegetation increased with distance from fissures; 68 species were shared overall and 16 taxa formed a core pool shared across all zones. These findings provide a mechanistic basis for distance-based, differentiated restoration in mining subsidence areas, prioritizing microsite amelioration and propagule supplementation near fissures and assisted natural regeneration in less impacted zones.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 107909"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146090708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological EngineeringPub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107903
Tomáš Lukáč , Miloslav Drtil , Igor Bodík , Kristína Ščavnická , Tomáš Mackuľak , Ines Vavrová , Zuzana Imreová
{"title":"Long-term monitoring of a constructed wetland under high seasonal variations","authors":"Tomáš Lukáč , Miloslav Drtil , Igor Bodík , Kristína Ščavnická , Tomáš Mackuľak , Ines Vavrová , Zuzana Imreová","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107903","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107903","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents the results of a long-term monitoring campaign (July 2020–August 2024) of a hybrid constructed wetland (CW) located near a recreational facility in the village of Častá, Slovakia. The CW treats wastewater under seasonally fluctuating loads, utilizing a horizontal filter bed (HF) followed by two vertical filter beds (VF). Throughout the monitoring period, the system demonstrated high treatment efficiency, with average removal rates of 93.46% for COD and 92.18% for ammonium nitrogen (N<sub>amon</sub>). Total phosphorus (P<sub>tot</sub>) removal was comparatively lower (32.20%) but showed a clear seasonal dependency. The average N<sub>tot</sub> concentration during the monitoring period was 77.94 mg L<sup>−1</sup>. Seasonal variations in influent loading and HRT had no negative impact on effluent quality, which consistently met both national and internal regulatory limits. The performance of the individual filtration stages was supported by analyses of microbial activity and N<sub>amon</sub> oxidation kinetics, which confirmed ongoing biological processes even during winter. Correlation and PCA analyses indicated the influence of operational parameters (hydraulic and organic loading, temperature) on treatment efficiency and emphasized the system's adaptability to changing environmental conditions (temperature, vegetation). The study confirms the suitability of CW technology for locations where connection to a centralized sewer system is not feasible due to economic or geographical constraints.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 107903"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological EngineeringPub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-08DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107893
Yulin Liu , Ruixing Zhang , Zhouping Shangguan , Lei Deng
{"title":"Distributions and influencing factors of glomalin-related soil protein in aggregate following forest restoration","authors":"Yulin Liu , Ruixing Zhang , Zhouping Shangguan , Lei Deng","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107893","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107893","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), a microbially derived carbonaceous compound, plays a crucial role in sustaining ecosystem functions and promoting the accumulation and stabilization of soil organic carbon (SOC). However, information remains limited regarding GRSP accumulation within soil aggregates during natural forest restoration on the Loess Plateau, China. Based on this, this study along the restoration time sequence (farmland as the control; <em>Populus davidiana</em>, 110 years; <em>P. davidiana</em>- <em>Quercus liaotungensis</em> mixed, 130 years; <em>Q</em>. <em>liaotungensis</em>, 160 years), the accumulation characteristics of GRSP were evaluated for four soil aggregate size fractions (> 5 mm, 2–5 mm, 0.25–2 mm, and < 0.25 mm) by measuring soil GRSP content, soil properties (SOC, TN, DOC, pH), extracellular enzyme activity, and microbial diversity. The results showed that forest restoration markedly enhanced total GRSP (T-GRSP), easily extractable GRSP (EE-GRSP), and difficultly extractable GRSP (DE-GRSP) contents, with T-GRSP concentrations increasing as aggregate size decreased. With forest restoration, the mean weight diameter, geometric mean diameter, and water-stable aggregate content increased significantly. The activities of β-1,4-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, and <em>N</em>-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase showed an increasing trend; the contents of SOC, total nitrogen (TN), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) responded positively. The results indicated that forest restoration drives GRSP accumulation in aggregates primarily through the synergistic effects of increasing the activity of nutrient-acquiring enzymes (BG, CBH, NAG) and improving the availability of soil carbon and nitrogen (SOC, TN, DOC). Overall, these results emphasized the importance of improved aggregate stability and the combination of microbial extracellular enzymes, soil environmental factors, and GRSP during forest restoration, providing a theoretical basis for evaluating soil quality improvement through vegetation restoration from a microbial-derived carbon perspective.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 107893"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145941023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological EngineeringPub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107913
Zhenxing Zhang , Ying Liu , Jinnan Ji
{"title":"Introduction to the special issue: Ecological restoration of river and wetland by soil bio- and eco-engineering","authors":"Zhenxing Zhang , Ying Liu , Jinnan Ji","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107913","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107913","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In February 2025, this special issue: Ecological Restoration of River and Wetland by Soil Bio- and Eco-Engineering (SBEE) completed publishing the last three papers. Here the guest editor teams produced an editorial article to communicate with global scientific community on what this special issue focused on. River and wetland possess immense ecological values. The rapid development of human society has posed huge challenges to the restoration on degraded river and wetland. On the background of “technological development lags behind theoretical research”, there is an essential concern that this lag is set to widen continuously. After discussing two theoretical sources generating restoration technologies, we think SBEE also exist above issue facing the new challenges including Anthropocene, AI technologies and big data models, and it need a redefinition or success or revolution by global scientific community. So, the guest editors team selected manuscripts from a multi-disciplinary intersection perspective (ecological restoration practice by commonly applied SBEE measures, vegetation in SBEE practice, exploratory research), and endeavored to integrate various studies into the field of SBEE. And we anticipated that such interdisciplinary research could inspire more innovative thinking among the scientific community, engineering sector, and government authorities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 107913"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146184719","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological EngineeringPub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107911
Xi Zhou , Feng Wang , Shuai Tong , Guohua Ji , Xiang Ji
{"title":"Dynamic optimization of urban ecological security pattern: Integrating ecological source security assessment and ecological network restoration","authors":"Xi Zhou , Feng Wang , Shuai Tong , Guohua Ji , Xiang Ji","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107911","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107911","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Establishing and evaluating the ecological security pattern (ESP) is essential for promoting sustainable development. While prior studies often enhance ESP by developing ecological networks, they frequently overlook assessing the safety of ecological sources, resulting in less thoroughly optimized solutions. This research creatively incorporates landscape ecological risk (LER) and ecosystem service value (ESV) into the ecological network construction process, using Xuzhou City as an illustrative case. By evaluating the security of ecological sources and analyzing structural shifts in the ecological network from 1990 to 2020, the study proposes targeted strategies for ESP enhancement. The results show that LER decreased, while ESV lost 336 million yuan in value between 1990 and 2020. Moreover, the ecological corridors were reduced by 84.47 km, and ecological sources decreased by 75.34 km<sup>2</sup>. Spatially, the ecological corridors in the north-central part of the study area are dense and clustered with pinch points; northeastern and northwestern sources are large; south-central sources have high accessibility but face dense obstacles; and the region's ecological network has been continuously degrading. The study proposes \"ecological source zoning protection and ecological network synergistic restoration,\" classifying sources into four protected types and prioritizing restoration of three south-central sources. The optimized network includes 25 sources and 53 corridors, forming a security pattern of \"three points, two axes, one ring and one belt, multiple sources and corridors, and four zones.\" These findings offer a scientific reference for urban ESP planning and spatial optimization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 107911"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146035202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological EngineeringPub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-17DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107902
Sisi Yu , Jiacheng Huang , Shangshu Cai , Hongrun Ju , Aihui Jiang , Jianchao Chen , Kun Jin
{"title":"Linking scale-dependent ecosystem service interactions with driver-based zoning strategies: A case study of the Songnen Plain","authors":"Sisi Yu , Jiacheng Huang , Shangshu Cai , Hongrun Ju , Aihui Jiang , Jianchao Chen , Kun Jin","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107902","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107902","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Interactions among ecosystem services (ESs) and their driving forces across spatial scales are critical for ecological management, yet most studies emphasize spatial patterns rather than cross-scale interactions and their management implications. Focusing on the Songnen Plain, we developed an integrated framework combining Pearson correlation, cross-scale comparison, spectral clustering, and the Geographical Detector model to identify scale-dependent ES interactions, optimal management scale, and their drivers. Results show that (1) soil retention increased by 11.54% (<em>p</em> < 0.001) from 1990 to 2020, while water yield, carbon sequestration, and habitat quality declined slightly by −3.69% to −7.43% (<em>p</em> < 0.01), all with consistent south-east high and north-west low gradients; (2) Level 9 was identified as the optimal scale which captured the most significant synergies/trade-offs with low management complexity and cost; (3) seven ecological zones were delineated toward management, each with distinct ES capacities and interactions; and (4) landscape structure, drainage distribution, and human activity were dominant drivers, with seven factors identified as critical drivers for enhancing ES supply and mitigating trade-offs. Finally, we discussed targeted strategies for each ecological zone toward sustainability. Our research offers valuable insights into effective ecological management for both the Songnen Plain and similar regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 107902"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146035241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological EngineeringPub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-18DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107908
Yuejun Liu , Yanjie Zhang , Xianglin Ji , Ying Pan , Junxi Wu
{"title":"A pathway to sustainability on the Tibetan Plateau: Assessing ecosystem services under climate change to identify conservation priority areas","authors":"Yuejun Liu , Yanjie Zhang , Xianglin Ji , Ying Pan , Junxi Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107908","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107908","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The impact of climate change on ecosystem services directly affects human well-being and sustainable development, particularly in the environmentally sensitive Tibetan Plateau. This study introduces a scenario-based framework to quantify the spatiotemporal dynamics of five key ecosystem services—soil conservation, carbon storage, water yield, habitat quality and recreational potential—during 2000–2020 and 2030–2050 under Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP119, SSP245 and SSP585) scenarios. Subsequently, we delineated conservation priority areas (CPAs) for each service based on ecosystem services relative importance, and evaluated integrated ecosystem services conservation priority areas (IES_CPAs), National Nature Reserves (NNRs), and integrated conservation priority areas (ICPAs) in terms of temporal changes and protection efficiency. The results indicate higher levels of ecosystem services in the southeast, whereas the northwest faces greater ecological challenges, particularly under SSP585, where increases in carbon storage and water yield are accompanied by intensified spatial disparities. The extent of CPAs expanded continuously, with the fastest growth under SSP585; however, CPAs under SSP119 covered the largest area, producing a more balanced spatial configuration of ecosystem service protection. Although the spatial distribution of conservation zones was broadly similar across scenarios, their protection efficiency diverged: NNRs and ICPAs under SSP119 showed significantly higher efficiency in safeguarding water yield and soil conservation, whereas weaker outcomes were observed under SSP245 and SSP585 due to mounting ecological pressures. These findings demonstrate that low-emission pathways (SSP119) not only sustain higher protection efficiency but also enable more coherent spatial allocation of conservation areas. This study demonstrates that integrating ecosystem service assessments with scenario-based spatial prioritization produces a more coherent and efficient configuration of conservation areas. The framework offers a novel approach to reconcile mismatches between existing National Nature Reserves and service-based priorities, providing methodological guidance for future ecosystem service research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 107908"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146035243","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological EngineeringPub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107892
Lauren Krauss, Megan A. Rippy, Megan Blumenauer, Benjamin H. Roston
{"title":"Ecological drivers of aesthetic services provisioning by stormwater bioretention","authors":"Lauren Krauss, Megan A. Rippy, Megan Blumenauer, Benjamin H. Roston","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107892","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107892","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the potential of fuzzy cognitive maps (i.e., mental models) to serve as a design tool for aesthetics by characterizing key features of bioretention that are perceived to influence aesthetic service provisioning and the relationships between them. Our principal focus is on plant communities, the most visually obvious feature of stormwater bioretention, and the role that morphological plant traits, landscape characteristics (e.g., biodiversity), and ecological attributes (e.g., nativeness) play in aesthetic service provisioning. Structured interviews were conducted with 50 residents of Blacksburg, Virginia, each of whom were asked to explore one of 10 virtual bioretention landscapes, rate their aesthetic appeal, and develop a personalized mental model of aesthetic service provisioning. Statistical analysis of the resultant mental models indicates that people's perceptions of aesthetics are shaped by a network of interconnected plant characteristics and that the combined influence of these characteristics far exceeds their individual effects. This highlights the need for integrated models of bioretention aesthetics that can assess multiple characteristics simultaneously. Three groups of people with distinct perspectives about aesthetics were identified. When these perspectives were aggregated to capture collective wisdom, the resultant mental model reproduced perceptions of virtual bioretention well (Pearson's rho: 0.65). This suggests that mental modeling approaches warrant consideration as a design tool for aesthetics. This work improves our understanding of the interconnected network of plant and landscape traits that shape aesthetic services, and the potential of new design tools like mental modeling to facilitate multifunctional bioretention systems that reflect people's cultural values.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 107892"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145941022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological EngineeringPub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-08DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107891
Ziwei Zhang , Xuanhao Huang , Yangfan Li , Jianjun Wang , Xinzhao Dai
{"title":"Cost-benefit analysis of sustainable coastal ecological setback zones: Multi-scenario analysis identifies optimal adaptive management strategies","authors":"Ziwei Zhang , Xuanhao Huang , Yangfan Li , Jianjun Wang , Xinzhao Dai","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107891","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecoleng.2026.107891","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coastal areas face threats from climate change impacts, urgently requiring spatial management of coastal zones. To understand the delineation of coastal setback zones under different scenarios and identify optimal sustainable adaptive management strategies for beaches and coastal communities, our research delineates multiple beach ecological setback zone scenarios and selects optimal coastal sustainable adaptive management strategies through cost-benefit analysis (CBA). Results show that Type II ecological setback zones delineated based on the historical maximum retreat distance can effectively address future coastal risks from sea level rise. We established three coastal setback zone sustainable adaptive management approaches: Business-as-usual (Scenario 1), Ecological protection retreat (Scenario 2), and Ecological adaptive restoration (Scenario 3). These scenarios fully considered beach erosion, tourism and ecological values, and the impact of building density in coastal communities behind beaches. Using Shenzhen's Dapeng New District as a case study, the Type II-Scenario 3 ecological adaptive restoration strategy emerged as the optimal setback zone solution through CBA. The findings indicate that policymakers should select the most cost-effective coastal setback zone planning solution, adapting to local conditions. These insights contribute to the adaptive management planning progress of beaches and coastal areas, helping reduce disaster exposure risks in coastal areas and further promoting economically feasible sustainable management and equitable development of coastal regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11490,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Engineering","volume":"225 ","pages":"Article 107891"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145940983","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}