With the presence of wind waves, the swaying of survey vessel may effect the quality of sub-bottom profiler records and, therefore, it is necessary to correct the distortions induced by wave action. A major issue is to distinguish wind wave effect and real bedforms such as sand waves. In this paper, a bandstop filter is designed according to the frequency features of wind wave effect to treat the distortion of seabed topography by wind waves. The technique is used to correct the sub-bottom profile in order to eliminate the wave-induced distortions for the sub-bottom profile records from the Yangtze Estuary. This study shows that the undulate seabed record is resulted from wave action, rather than the presence of sand waves, and the filtration technique helps to eliminate the wave effect and recover the real morphology of seabed and the sediment sequence underneath. In addition, a method for data processing is proposed for the case that the record indeed represents a combination of wave effects and real bedforms.
Spartina alterniflora is ecologically important in its original habitat; however, it has caused controversy since it was introduction into China(now it has been spreading rapidly on the Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang and Fujian coasts). The purpose of the present contribution is, on the basis of an analysis and synthesis of existing data sets, to evaluate the environmental-ecological effects of S. alterniflora, and to identify the relevant scientific problems that require further research in the future. Investigations have shown that, by reducing the near-bed shear stress associated with tidal currents, S. alterniflora can enhance the settling flux of suspended sediment and deposition rate on the tidal flats over the region. Further, field survey and analysis indicate that the S. alterniflora salt-marsh has a high primary production and provides a new type of habitat for the native benthic fauna. Some macro-, meio- and micro-fauna that used to live in the native salt-marshes have adapted to the S. alterniflora salt-marsh, forming a new ecosystem. Under the influences of a number of background factors, such as latitude variations and the coastal type, the environmental-ecological changes induced by Spartine have regional differentiations. To the north of Hangzhou Bay, with a high position of the pre-Holocene stratum base, a large width of the tidal flats, and a gentle bed slope, only a small part of the intertidal zone is occupied by the S. alterniflora salt-marsh. Here, the S. alterniflora salt-marshes mainly play a positive role in coastal protection and ecosystem functioning. In contrary, to the South of Hangzhou Bay, The pre-Holocene deposits are situated in relatively deeo waters, and the width of the tidal flats formed within coastal embayments is relatively narrow. As such, the expansion of S. alterniflora has squeezed the living space of other intertidal organisms, thus has a negative ecological effect. Therefore, the regional differentiation of the Spartina effects should be sufficiently considered in coasta
