Spatiotemporal differentiation pattern of Chaohu Lake shoreline and the impact of human activity and natural factor: a remote sensing and statistical analysis
摘要
Changes in lake shorelines can significantly impact its ecological environment and lead to the erosion of wetland soils. Accurate extraction and continuous monitoring of lake shorelines are critically important for protecting and managing these ecosystems. To characterize the evolution of Chaohu Lake shoreline from 2000 to 2020, we used Landsat remote sensing imagery in combination with the modified normalized difference water index (MNDWI) and the digital shoreline analysis system (DSAS). The spatiotemporal changes of the shoreline were quantified using the end point rate (EPR) and linear regression rate (LRR) metrics. Results indicate that between 2000 and 2020, the surface area of Chaohu Lake shrank by 2.38 km2 and its shoreline length decreased by 2.89 km, following a pattern of initial expansion followed by contraction. The most rapid shoreline retreat (6.63 km) occurred between 2005 and 2011. There was significant spatial variability in the shoreline change, especially in areas such as Hongshi Bay and Jindou Donglu, where the highest erosion and accretion rates were −22.09 m/a (EPR) and 20.72 m/a (LRR), respectively. Notably, the western part of the lake (near Hefei) experienced greater human disturbance and correspondingly higher annual shoreline change rates (EPR: 0.73 m/a; LRR: 0.91 m/a) than the eastern part (EPR: 0.60 m/a; LRR: 0.47 m/a). Overall, these findings provide a scientific basis for ecological restoration and sustainable shoreline management of Chaohu Lake.