The aim of this study was to provide practical suggestions for land use regulation to mitigate the impacts of intense urbanization using integrated modeling. To achieve effective urbanization management, it is essential to quantify the habitats of critical species and predict their dynamics in response to urbanization impacts in the future. In this study, we developed an integrated bird-habitat modeling that combines maximum entropy and patch-generating land use simulation based on a field survey of bird populations to characterize the habitat dynamics of birds in the Yangtze River Estuary (YRE) under urbanization impacts. Our findings revealed the following: (1) The YRE experienced fundamental fragmentation from 2000. (2) The year 2010 was a turning point, and from 2000 to 2037, habitats for all bird species tended to overlap and fragment, and decreased from 66% to 45%, resulting in a loss of about 4340 km². (3) The maintenance of a buffer area of 300 m around built-up areas was crucial for preserving bird habitats. Based on the identified variables, the hotspots of birds’ habitats were prioritized and the regulation measures to mitigate urbanization impacts are proposed in YRE.

This study examines how the spatiotemporal patterns of functional groups of macro benthos responded to coastal wetland restoration projects. Compared with the traditional single-species approach, methods for identifying functional groups of macro benthos more comprehensively reflect the states of the wetland, i.e., spatiotemporal patterns and the related influencing factors. In this study, the macro benthos samples, soil samples, and plant samples were collected at each same sample site in April, July, and October of 2017 and January of 2018. After classification of the macro benthos functional groups according to some traits, the factors influencing the functional groups were examined by a linear stepwise regression. The results showed that all macro benthos were classified into 11 different functional groups based on their traits of forms of locomotion, feeding habits, and food gathering methods. The semi-mobile suspensivores (FDX), semi-mobile surface detritivores (SDX), and Jawed mobile carnivores (CMJ) were the main groups observed in a year. Regression analysis showed that particle size, moisture content, and plant height were important common factors influencing most groups. The main influencing factor of FDX was particle size (P=0.020). Moisture content (P=0.004), plant cover degree (P=0.008), and particle size (P=0.032) comprised the main restrictions of SDX in summer. Soil salinity (P=0.040) and plant height (P=0.011) were the factors influencing CMJ in autumn and winter. This study shows the changing characteristics of macro benthos functional groups to promote coastal wetland restoration and future biogeomorphological studies.