title: China's coastal wetlands: conservation history, implementation efforts, existing issues and strategies for future improvement.
abstract: China has approximately 5.80×10(6)ha coastal wetlands by 2014, accounting for 10.82% of the total area of natural wetlands. Healthy coastal wetland ecosystems play an important role in guaranteeing the territory ecological security and the sustainable development of coastal zone in China. In this paper, the natural geography and the past and present status of China's coastal wetlands were introduced and the five stages (1950s-1970s, 1980s-1991, 1992-2002, 2003-2010 and 2011-present) of China's coastal wetlands conservation from the foundation of the People's Republic in 1949 to present were distinguished and reviewed. Over the past decades, China has made great efforts in coastal wetland conservation, as signified by the implementation of coastal wetland restoration projects, the construction of coastal wetland nature reserves, the practice of routine ecological monitoring and two national wetland surveys, the promulgation of local wetland conservation statutes and specific regulations, the coordination mechanism to enhance management capacity, the wide development of coastal wetland research and public participation, and the extensive communication to strengthen international cooperation. Nonetheless, six major issues recently emerged in China's coastal wetland conservation are evidently existed, including the increasing threats of pollution and human activities, the increasing adverse effects of threaten factors on ecosystem function, the increasing threats of coastal erosion and sea-level rising, the insufficient funding for coastal wetlands conservation, the imperfect legal and management system for coastal wetlands, and the insufficient education, research and international cooperation. Although the threats and pressures on coastal wetlands conservation are still apparent, the future of China's coastal wetlands looks promising since the Chinese government understands that the sustainable development in coastal zone requires new attitudes, sound policies and concerted efforts at all levels. The major strategies for future improvement of China's coastal wetland conservation include: exploring effective measures in response to major threaten factors; improving the conservation and compensation system for coastal wetlands; strengthening coastal wetland legislation and management; increasing funds for coastal wetland conservation and research; and strengthening coastal wetland education and international cooperation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, PR China; Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process (Fujian Normal University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Mountain Ecology (Funded by Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province), Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, PR China. Electronic address: zhigaosun@163.com.
authors.forename: Zhigao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai Shandong 264003, PR China.
authors.forename: Wenguang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, PR China; Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process (Fujian Normal University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Mountain Ecology (Funded by Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province), Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, PR China.
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geography, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, PR China; Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process (Fujian Normal University), Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Mountain Ecology (Funded by Ministry of Science and Technology and Fujian Province), Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, PR China.
authors.forename: Congsheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai Shandong 264003, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaojie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mou
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D017753:Ecosystem; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D053833:Wetlands
keywords: Coastal wetlands; Conservation and restoration; Conservation efforts; Ecological compensation; Wetland legislation