Microtopography Governs Tidal Inundation Frequency in the Luanhe Estuarine Salt Marsh: A Decadal Assessment Integrating Sentinel Data and UAV Photogrammetry

Le résumé fourni par la source

Tidal inundation is a key factor determining the structure and function of estuarine salt marsh ecosystems. However, due to the influence of microtopography (small-scale topographic variations), the fine-scale spatial variations in tidal inundation have not been fully studied. To fill this research gap, this study focuses on the Luanhe Estuary—a region highly sensitive to topographic changes—and explores in depth the physical mechanisms regulating tidal inundation in this area. The study integrates long-term data from the Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument (MSI), spanning the period from 2016 to 2025, to construct a high-resolution time series dataset of Apparent Inundation Frequency (AIF). Subsequently, this dataset is correlated with a high-precision microtopographic Digital Elevation Model (DEM) obtained through Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) surveys. The analysis reveals a strong nonlinear relationship between AIF and topographic elevation, which is best described by an exponential decay model (R2 = 0.903). The results show that the average inundation probability in the study area has shown a fluctuating but overall upward trend, increasing from 16.74% in 2016 to 29.02% in 2025 (peaking at 31.39% in 2024). Quantitative modeling confirms that microtopography is the primary controlling factor for fine-scale variations in tidal inundation levels. The integrated research approach proposed in this study provides a reliable framework for coastal vulnerability assessment. Against the backdrop of increasingly severe impacts from climate change and human activities, the high-resolution quantitative data generated by this study provides scientific support for formulating disaster mitigation and geomorphological management strategies.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.