Landscape configuration as a driver of shorebird use in artificial high-tide roosts: evidence from a key stopover site in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway

A well-configured restored high-tide roost (HTR) in southern Jiangsu, China, can temporarily support over 180,000 shorebirds while maintaining high functional richness, highlighting the critical role of landscape configuration in artificial habitat restoration. Research spanning 2021–2024 revealed that mudflat dominance and complex patch shape positively correlated with shorebird abundance and species richness, whereas lower water patch cohesion was linked to higher microhabitat heterogeneity and richer communities. Migratory phenology emerged as the strongest driver of community dynamics, followed by landscape factors, providing actionable insights for HTR management in the Tiaozini wetland and the broader Yellow Sea–Bohai Gulf region. The study underscores the need for context-tailored restoration interventions, though cross-regional validation is recommended to assess transferability.

Fang, Z., Xiao, Z., Zhou, Y., Sun, L., Huang, J., Jia, Y., Wen, L., Yang, H., Li, L., Sun, K., Wu, H., Fu, T., & Guo, J. (2026). Landscape configuration as a driver of shorebird use in artificial high-tide roosts: evidence from a key stopover site in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. Ecological Indicators, 190, 115462. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.115462