In order to explore the bioaccumulation of heavy metals by Suaeda salsa and its ecological restoration capacity in the tidal flat of the Liaohe estuary, the absorption and reduction effect of Suaeda salsa on heavy metals was determined via a combination of on-site monitoring and experimental tests. The results showed that, under a high-salt environment, Suaeda salsa had a decreasing effect on heavy metals zinc, copper and lead, and the bioaccumulation coefficient BCF_Ss–Zn > BCF_Ss–Cu > BCF_Ss–Pb. When the concentration of heavy metal ions was high, Suaeda salsa could still survive, but the absorptivity was low, reducing its ability to repair heavy metal pollution. By correlating the research data with the population density of Suaeda salsa, the total removal of heavy metals was obtained, about 2008.6 kg Zn²⁺, 347.5 kg Cu²⁺, 376.1 kg Pb²⁺. This paper could provide a theoretical basis and technical support for the promotion and application of ecological restoration via Suaeda salsa.

The Suaeda heteroptera wetland in the Liaohe Estuary is a typical coastal wetland in northern China. This study presents a coupled PSR–entropy–PLSR model to assess ecosystem health and its driving factors, using long-term Landsat data from 1995 to 2024. The results show that the Ecosystem Health Index (EHI) dropped from 0.61 in 1995 to 0.20 in 2010, and then rebounded to 0.66 in 2024. The PLSR analysis identified four key drivers: Suaeda heteroptera carbon storage, mean patch area, aquaculture development intensity, and vegetation recovery rate. The simplified PLSR model constructed using these indicators achieved a cross-validation R² of 0.967. This coupled model provides a simple, efficient, and reliable method for the rapid assessment and long-term monitoring of coastal wetland ecosystem health.

During urbanization, human activities have induced significant transformations in land use, leading to a huge imbalance in economic growth and nature development, posing severe threats to ecosystems. How to construct a stable and continuous ecological security pattern (ESP) in vulnerable areas like the Liaohe River Basin in Liaoning section has become a crucial challenge for regional management while facing the constraints of habitat fragmentation and the loss of landscape connectivity on sustainable development. Most research on ESP mainly relies on current situation or single scenario predictions, this study developed a “current assessment-future prediction-pattern optimization” framework. By simulating and comparing four distinct policy-oriented scenarios for 2030—Natural Development (ND), Cropland Protection (CP), Ecological Protection (EP), and Ecosystem-Service-Importance-Based Sustainable Development (ESIS)—this study aims to: (1) reveal the differentiated impacts of various policy orientations on future land use patterns; (2) compare the spatial evolution of ecological sources, resistance surfaces, ecological corridors, and key nodes between 2020 and under each 2030 scenario; and (3) synthesize an optimized ESP. This ESP is designed to balance economic and ecological needs, ultimately providing a scientific basis for watershed management. Furthermore, based on the simulation results, we propose a spatially explicit and adaptive management strategy termed the “one ribbon, two zones” pattern to guide the implementation of the optimized ESP within the basin.

Coastal wetlands are increasingly threatened by salinization and habitat degradation, which limit the natural regeneration of native halophytes. Suaeda heteroptera, an important halophytic species in temperate coastal wetlands, plays a critical role in vegetation restoration; however, its population recovery is constrained by limited seedling establishment. This study investigated the effects of seed heteromorphism, chemical priming, and environmental factors on the germination performance of S. heteroptera to provide insights for sustainable coastal wetland restoration. Two heteromorphic seed types of S. heteroptera were evaluated under potassium permanganate (KMnO₄), gibberellin (GA), and different salinity, temperature, and photoperiod conditions. The results revealed distinct germination strategies between seed types: Type B seeds showed faster germination initiation and higher early germination performance, whereas Type A seeds exhibited delayed germination characteristics, indicating differences in regeneration strategies between the two seed morphotypes. Both KMnO₄ and GA showed concentration-dependent effects, with low concentrations promoting germination and excessive concentrations inhibiting germination. Orthogonal analysis indicated that temperature had the greatest relative influence on germination, followed by salinity and photoperiod conditions. Within the tested experimental range, the optimal germination performance was observed under 10‰ salinity, 10 °C, and 24 h light exposure. These findings demonstrate that seed heteromorphism provides complementary regeneration strategies for S. heteroptera and that integrating chemical priming with environmental regulation may provide useful insights for coastal wetland restoration.