The geochemical analysis of sediment in the northern North Yellow Sea shows that the sediment derived from the Yellow River could penetrate the Yellow Sea Warm Current and mingle with Yalu River‐derived sediment in coastal areas. Further analysis indicates that the relative variations in coastal currents and the Yellow Sea Warm Current, which are regulated by the winter monsoon, dominate the process of cross‐front transport. This suggests a dynamic mechanism involving cross‐front sediment transport. During a period of strong northwesterly wind, the sediment derived from the Yellow River north of the Shandong Peninsula could disperse across the fronts in the surface layer, and when the wind subsides, sediments are delivered northward by barotropic current. This dynamic mechanism for sediment exchange in the North Yellow Sea can explain the multiple sediment sources found in the Yellow Sea, and it has implications for cross‐front transport on a global scale.

Coastal evolutions are expected to have a significant impact on storm tides, disproportionately aggravating coastal flooding. In this study, we utilize a nested storm tide model to provide an integrated investigation of storm tide responses to changes in coastline and bathymetry along the Zhejiang coasts. We selected coastline and bathymetry data from 1980 and 2016, as well as data from three typical typhoon events (i.e., Winnie, Haikui, and Chan-hom) for simulating the storm surge processes. The results indicate that changes in the coastline and bathymetry from 1980 to 2016 have resulted in an increase in storm tides in the northern part and a decrease in the central part of Zhejiang. Specifically, storm tides in Hangzhou Bay have increased significantly, with an average increase of about 0.3 m in the maximum storm tides primarily attributed to coastline changes. On the contrary, in smaller basins like Sanmen Bay, while reclamation itself has reduced peak storm surges, rapid siltation has consequently exacerbated the storm surge. By decomposing storm tides into astronomical tides and storm surges, we discovered that the change in tidal levels was twice as significant as the surge change. Moreover, the nonlinear tide–surge interaction was nearly four times that of the pure surge, significantly contributing to storm surge variation. Alterations in the momentum balance reveal that the water depth-induced bottom friction and wind stress increase contributes to the local enlargement of storm tides at the bay head, while the coastline changes exaggerate nearshore storm tides through an increase in the advection term.

The retreat of cliffs (lateral expansion) within tidal creeks results in a net loss of saltmarshes, but this retreat process can be retarded by root systems. To understand the interaction between root presence and bank sediment, quantitative measurements of two saltmarsh species root systems (Atriplex portulacoides and Juncus maritima) were carried out in a saltmarsh in Southern England, and their relationships with bank stability were examined. Computed Tomography (CT) Scanning techniques were used to investigate three-dimensional root architecture. The data obtained (e.g., root volume, diameter, and distribution patterns of roots) were examined alongside more traditional root density measurements. The volumetric percentage, ratio between horizontal (lateral) and vertical roots (H/V ratio), and root diameter distribution are discussed in relation to their influence on bank sediment erosion threshold and shear strength. The results suggest that Atriplex portulacoides is more effective than Juncus maritimus in stabilising banks. This is because root systems that provide a high resistance to flow-induced erosion are better than those that provide a high resistance to gravity-induced erosion in stabilising cliff banks. This conclusion is relevant to future saltmarsh protection and re-establishment.

Monitoring spatiotemporal changes in tidal wetlands under the disturbance of human activities provides a strong basis for coastal wetland protection and restoration. Long-term serial remote sensing images and other historical data were collected and analysed to investigate the distribution of tidal wetlands of Yueqing Bay in 1969, 1981, 1993, 2003, 2013, and 2021, a case study across the past 50 years. The data revealed that human activities cumulatively caused the net loss of approximately 59.62 km² in area of tidal wetlands during the observation period. Firstly, between 1969 and 1993, reclamation primarily accounted for the variation of the tidal wetlands. Furthermore, between 1993 and 2013, the invasion of Spartina alterniflora and mudflat aquaculture also became important influencing factors. Between 2013 and 2021, development activities eased, and mangrove planting area increased. Over the analysis period, the overall results revealed that the tidal wetlands in Yueqing Bay underwent a transformation process from the relatively simple effects of exploitation by reclamation to the collective influence of combined exploitation and restoration, increasing the overall diversity of Yueqing Bay tidal wetlands over the study period.