Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2025, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (5): 154-165.doi: 10.11978/2024230CSTR: 32234.14.2024230

• Marine geomorphology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Study on the characteristics of shoreline changes and ecological protection strategies of coral sandy islands: A case study of North Island in the Xisha Islands, South China Sea

LIN Ting1,2(), QU Jianjun2(), WU Zhifeng1,2, LI Yupei3   

  1. 1. School of Geography and Remote Sensing, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
    2. Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory(Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
    3. Sansha Marine Protected Area Administration, Sansha 573199, China
  • Received:2024-12-10 Revised:2025-02-17 Online:2025-09-10 Published:2025-10-14
  • Contact: QU Jianjun
  • Supported by:
    PI Project of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou)(GML20220014)

Abstract:

Coral sandy islands, as a typical tropical marine landform, play a significant ecological role and hold great scientific research value. However, the intensification of global climate change and human activities poses a serious threat to their stability. This study focuses on North Island, a typical coral sandy island in the Xisha Islands of the South China Sea, using multi-temporal high-resolution remote sensing imagery from 2002 to 2023 and the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) to reveal its coastline dynamics and influencing factors. The study also proposes targeted protective measures. The results show that: 1) the coastline of North Island exhibits distinct stage characteristics. From 2002 to 2015, the coastline expanded slowly; from 2015 to 2019, due to dock construction at the southeastern end and island expansion, 57% of the coastline extended seaward through sediment deposition, with the coastline length and area sharply increasing, peaking in 2019. However, from 2019 to 2023, erosion intensified, with 47% of the coastline retreating and a total erosion area of 11846 m2. The spit area, influenced by monsoons, exhibited seasonal erosion-deposition cycles (erosion during the northeast monsoon and deposition during the southwest monsoon), while the beach rock area decreased drastically due to erosion susceptibility, human activities, and natural factors, leaving only 3827 m2 by 2023. 2) The evolution of coral sandy islands is fundamentally driven by the interaction between hydrodynamics and sediments, affected by both natural factors (e.g., coastal hydrodynamics, coral reef degradation, sea-level rise, extreme weather) and human disturbances. 3) This study proposes a hierarchical ecological protection system for coral sandy islands, with measures spanning from the supratidal to the subtidal zone, including vegetation-based sand fixation, mobile sand barriers, diamond-shaped sandbags, and beach rock restoration. These measures balance ecological conservation with island protection needs, providing practical and feasible recommendations for the protection and management of coral sandy islands in the South China Sea.

Key words: coral sandy island, remote sensing monitoring, Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS), ecological protection

CLC Number: 

  • P737.13