Combining Bootstrapping Procedure and Citizen Science Data to Elucidate Waterbirds’ Dependence on Coastal Wetland

A significant portion of waterbird species along the Yellow Sea and Bohai Gulf coasts, part of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, show a strong dependence on natural wetlands. The study identified 27 out of 80 species—particularly shorebirds and herons—as highly reliant on these ecosystems, with threatened species exhibiting even greater dependency. Researchers used a bootstrapping procedure combined with citizen science data to quantify this relationship, revealing that while only nine of the dependent species are nationally protected, many face heightened extinction risks due to wetland loss. This highlights an urgent need for targeted conservation efforts to mitigate population declines in these critical habitats.

Duan, H., Yu, X., Xia, S., & Liu, Y. (2022). Combining Bootstrapping Procedure and Citizen Science Data to Elucidate Waterbirds’ Dependence on Coastal Wetland. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.888535