Database collects information on deltas

The State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research of East China Normal University has launched a database providing scientific research data crucial for the sustainable development of estuarine and deltaic regions.

The database, which is part of the Mega-Delta Programme of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), can be accessed through the program's website at www.deltadatabase.tech.

Data related to the Danube, Indus, Ganges and Nile river delta regions are currently available on the database, which includes information about hydrology and water resources, water and soil quality, land use and socioeconomic data.

The database reflects the environmental and ecological characteristics of delta regions as well as historical trends, according to Li Xiuzhen, a professor of ecology at the university who participates in the Mega-Delta Programme.

The database, which is available for open sharing and can be used for further processing and analysis, supplies indispensable data support for scientific research and management decisions in many fields such as climate change research, water resources management, ecological restoration and conservation, and land use planning, according to Li.

"Our database aims to provide support for solutions to common problems such as the rise in sea levels, coastal erosion, flood disasters, saline water intrusion, water and soil pollution and ecosystem degradation in the delta region," Li said.

The database, which has been developed with the support of many international research institutes, will be continuously updated and expanded, aiming to cover major river deltas around the world, she added.

River deltas are critical coastal habitat, yet they face continuous threats such as increased erosion, flood risk and shrinking salt marshes and mangroves.

The Mega-Delta Programme was established in 2021 to address the sustainable development of delta regions, which has become a global problem that requires international cooperation to find solutions, according to Li.

The program focuses on studying the present status and threats facing 25 globally representative deltas, and creating methodologies for new development blueprints in the delta regions, Li said.