Spatial pattern and function of corridors in wetlands of Liaohe delta

Corridors are special patches with narrow and long shape, and often have the functions as transportation, protection, resources and aesthetics. Corridors in the study area can be classified into 8 types, with a total length of 5167.2 km, and corridor density of 1.25 km/km². The corridors are mainly composed of irrigation and drainage canals, the total length of which is 2794 km, about 54.1% of all the corridors. The corridors have segmented the landscape, and changed the original situation of the natural landscapes. The types of corridors are closely related to the landscape types they are distributed in. Canals are mainly distributed in the wetland landscapes, while roads are mainly in the built-up area. Dikes are always along rivers or coastlines. The corridors are most densely distributed wherever human activity occurs most frequently, such as in the artificial wetlands of paddy fields.