Effect of wetland landscape pattern on nutrient reduction in the Liaohe Delta

The effect of spatial pattern on the nutrient reduction is investigated based on the spatial simulation model designed for the estuary wetland of Liaohe Delta. Four scenarios are designed to test the effect of different landscape patterns on the nutrient reduction in the reed marsh: Canal density, reed area size, reed area shrinking pattern, and pumping station position. According to the simulation result, each factor brings less than 10% change in the total nutrient reduction rate. More canals will not help much to improve nutrient reduction. Smaller areas are more efficient than larger ones. The shrinkage pattern is better than other shrinking patterns in keeping a higher nutrient reduction rate. It is also more efficient to keep the pumping station near the border of the area to be irrigated. These conclusions provide theoretical supports to strategy makers for local land use planning, and contribute to the understanding of the relationship between landscape patterns and functions.