Natural wetlands along the coasts of the Yellow and Bohai Seas provide key stopover sites for migratory waterbirds. However, these wetlands are facing land loss. Understanding how natural wetland loss influences habitat is important for habitat management. We used species distribution models to report changes in area of suitable habitat and analysed the effects of natural wetland loss on habitat for 80 waterbird species of four functional categories (shorebirds, ducks, herons, gulls) between 2000 and 2015 beside the Yellow and Bohai Seas. Between 2000 and 2015, 1794.8 km² (29.27%) of coastal wetland was lost to development, most of which were tidal flats that were lost by conversion into aquaculture and salt pan habitat or land for construction. Consequently, habitat for 73 of these 80 species has decreased in area over this time period. Generally, the proportional decline in habitat suitable for duck species was less than that for shorebirds, and the proportional decline in suitable habitat was not significantly different between National Protected Species and Non-National Protected Species. The proportional loss of tidal flats that formerly represented suitable habitat was also significantly higher for shorebirds, herons and gulls than for ducks. Because more duck species exploit aquaculture and salt pan habitat that was converted from tidal flats habitats, such conversion of tidal flats poses a greater threat to shorebirds, herons and gulls than to ducks. Preventing further reclamation of tidal flats and managing artificial wetlands are priorities for waterbird conservation.

中文翻译：

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水鸟栖息地丧失：沿东亚-澳大利亚迁徙路线的黄海和渤海边缘

黄渤海沿岸的天然湿地是水鸟迁徙的重要中途停留地。然而，这些湿地正面临土地流失。了解自然湿地丧失如何影响栖息地对于栖息地管理很重要。我们使用物种分布模型报告了适宜栖息地面积的变化，并分析了自然湿地丧失对 2000 年至 2015 年间黄渤海沿岸 4 种功能类别（滨鸟、鸭、鹭、海鸥）的 80 种水鸟栖息地的影响. 2000 年至 2015 年间，1794.8 公里²(29.27%) 的滨海湿地因开发而丧失，其中大部分是滩涂，因转变为水产养殖和盐田栖息地或建设用地而丧失。因此，在这段时间内，这 80 种物种中有 73 种的栖息地面积减少了。总体上，鸭类适宜栖息地的比例下降幅度小于滨鸟，国家保护物种与非国家保护物种适宜栖息地比例下降幅度无显着差异。滨鸟、苍鹭和海鸥以前代表合适栖息地的滩涂的比例损失也明显高于鸭子。因为越来越多的鸭子物种利用从滩涂栖息地转变而来的水产养殖和盐田栖息地，滩涂的这种转变对滨鸟、苍鹭和海鸥的威胁比对鸭子的威胁更大。防止进一步开垦滩涂和管理人工湿地是水鸟保护的优先事项。