ABSTRACT Xu, H.; Li, D.; Hou, X.; Yu, X.; Liu, Y.; Li, X.; Li, B.; Chen, L.; Wang, X., and Xia, S., . Home range and habitat disturbance identification for a vulnerable shorebird species ( Larus saundersi ) in the Yellow River Delta, China. Understanding the home range of animal species can be helpful to biodiversity and habitat conservation. Saunders's Gull ( Larus saundersi ), one of the vulnerable birds in the world, has become an important indicator species to measure the quality of ecological environment in the coastal wetlands of the Yellow River Delta. Information about habitat selection of the species has so far been mainly from field survey. In view of the successful application of satellite tracking in animal ecology, two individual birds were tagged for home range identification and habitat disturbance analysis. The gull's home range was confirmed using the Brownian bridge movement model. Habitat disturbances information from anthropogenic activities was analyzed by kernel density estimation as well as buffer zone analysis. Considering the gregariousness of the shorebird, the tracking sample data, though limited, can reflect the species' habitat selection to a certain extent. The results showed that (1) the Saunders's Gull's main home range was located in the northern and eastern coastal areas of Dongying city, the seashore area at the border of Binzhou with Dongying and Cangzhou city, and the Nanpu wetland of Tangshan city; and (2) human activity had a substantial effect on the home range selection, for example, mariculture was an important part of its home range, the Saunders's Gull exhibited an approach–avoidance behavior to wind turbines and oil wells, and activity time varied with different distances to the road. The study provides insights into the behavior of the shorebird and is of great significance to sustainable development of the human–environment relationship in the Yellow River Delta.

ABSTRACT Liu, Y.; Li, X., and Hou, X., 2020. Spatiotemporal changes to the river channel and shoreline of the Yellow River Delta during a 40-year period (1976–2017). Journal of Coastal Research, 36(1), 128–138. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The coastal zone is a sensitive region affected by both human activities and climate change. The shoreline is a crucial component of coastal zones. Shoreline monitoring research has a vital role in managing and protecting coastal ecosystems and communities. This study focuses on measurements of morphological change in the Yellow River channel and the Yellow River Delta (YRD) shoreline during a 40-year period. The lower reaches of the Yellow River continuously changed because of silting, stretching, lifting, swinging, and avulsion, to ultimately, changing course. The location of the mouth of the Yellow River was directly influenced by the swinging and the artificial avulsion. Overall, the shoreline expanded seaward at a decreasing rate over time, but it exhibited distinctively different patterns in two subregions (Diaokou and Qingshuigou). The shoreline in Diaokou displayed a trend of retreating inland, whereas the shoreline in Qingshuigou expanded rapidly towards the sea. The rate of change was greatest near the river mouth. An upward trend in the shape index was found across the YRD and its subregions, reflecting the shoreline becoming more complex over time. Human activities will become an increasingly important factor affecting the development and evolution of the YRD. This study should be useful for coastal engineers, coastal managers, and policy makers in the YRD.