Designation date: 11/01/2002 Ramsar Site no. 1144 Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS) 2006-2008 version Categories approved by Recommendation 4.7 (1990), as amended by Resolution VIII.13 of the 8th Conference of the Contracting Parties (2002) and Resolutions IX.1 Annex B, IX.6, IX.21 and IX. 22 of the 9th Conference of the Contracting Parties (2005). Notes for compilers: 1. The RIS should be completed in accordance with the attached Explanatory Notes and Guidelines for completing the Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands. Compilers are strongly advised to read this guidance before filling in the RIS. 2. Further information and guidance in support of Ramsar site designations are provided in the Strategic Framework and guidelines for the future development of the List of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Wise Use Handbook 7, 2nd edition, as amended by COP9 Resolution IX.1 Annex B). A 3rd edition of the Handbook, incorporating these amendments, is in preparation and will be available in 2006. 3. Once completed, the RIS (and accompanying map(s)) should be submitted to the Ramsar Secretariat. Compilers should provide an electronic (MS Word) copy of the RIS and, where possible, digital copies of all maps. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY. DD MM YY Designation date Site Reference Number 1. Name and address of the compiler of this form: Name: Geng Zhizhong Institution: The Chongming Dongtan Bird Nature Reserve Management Division of Shanghai Municipality Address: Dongwang Road, Dongtan, Chongming County, Shanghai 202183, China Tel: +86-(0)21-59472393 Fax: +86-(0)21-59472291 E-mail: [email protected] 2. Date this sheet was completed/updated: October 10, 2007 3. Country: The People’s Republic of China 4. Name of the Ramsar site: The precise name of the designated site in one of the three official languages (English, French or Spanish) of the Convention. Alternative names, including in local language(s), should be given in parentheses after the precise name. Chongming Dongtan Nature Reserve, Shanghai 5. Designation of new Ramsar site or update of existing site: This RIS is for (tick one box only): a) Designation of a new Ramsar site; or √ b) Updated information on an existing Ramsar site 6. For RIS updates only, changes to the site since its designation or earlier update: a) Site boundary and area √ The Ramsar site boundary and site area are unchanged: or If the site boundary has changed: i) the boundary has been delineated more accurately; or ii) the boundary has been extended; or iii) the boundary has been restricted and/or If the site area has changed: i) the area has been measured more accurately; or ii) the area has been extended; or iii) the area has been reduced ** Important note: If the boundary and/or area of the designated site is being restricted/reduced, the Contracting Party should have followed the procedures established by the Conference of the Parties in the Annex to COP9 Resolution IX.6 and provided a report in line with paragraph 28 of that Annex, prior to the submission of an updated RIS. b) Describe briefly any major changes to the ecological character of the Ramsar site, including in the application of the Criteria, since the previous RIS for the site: The expansion of the invasive species, Spartina alterniflora, could produce some negative impacts on regional biodiversity. The Ramsar Criterions are changed to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 from 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8 of the previous RIS. 7. Map of site: Refer to Annex III of the Explanatory Note and Guidelines, for detailed guidance on provision of suitable maps, including digital maps. a) A map of the site, with clearly delineated boundaries, is included as: i) a hard copy (required for inclusion of site in the Ramsar List): ii) an electronic format (e.g. a JPEG or ArcView image) "; √ iii) a GIS file providing geo-referenced site boundary vectors and attribute tables. b) Describe briefly the type of boundary delineation applied: e.g. the boundary is the same as an existing protected area (nature reserve, national park, etc.), or follows a catchment boundary, or follows a geopolitical boundary such as a local government jurisdiction, follows physical boundaries such as roads, follows the shoreline of a waterbody, etc. This Ramsar site includes the whole area of the Chongming Dongtan National Nature Reserve of Shanghai Municipality and the artificial wetlands of about 11 621 ha located between the wet boundary of the reserve and the 1968’s sea wall. 8. Geographical coordinates (latitude/longitude, in degrees and minutes): Provide the coordinates of the approximate centre of the site and/or the limits of the site. If the site is composed of more than one separate area, provide coordinates for each of these areas. Center: 121º58’E, 31º38’N Extent: 121º46´-122º05´E, 31º25´-31º39´N 9. General location: Include in which part of the country and which large administrative region(s) the site lies and the location of the nearest large town. The Ramsar site is located in the easternmost Chongming Island, northwest to the urban center of Shanghai city with a distance of 40 km. 10. Elevation: (in metres: average and/or maximum & minimum) The elevation ranges between 0 m and 5 m. 11. Area: (in hectares) 32 600 ha 12. General overview of the site: Provide a short paragraph giving a summary description of the principal ecological characteristics and importance of the wetland. This Ramsar site is located in the easternmost Chongming Island, the biggest estuarine alluvial island in the world. It holds the biggest and only mudflat remaining natural status in the Yangtze estuarine area. Currently, it is experiencing accretion to the East China Sea with a rate of 4 km2 per year. Abundant sand, mud and nutrition carried by the Yangtze River deposit here. Flourish mudflat vegetation, well developed tidal creeks and diverse benthos compose the rich natural resources of Chongming Dongtan Wetland. Natural mudflat covers an area of 15 043 ha. The community of the endemic plant species in the Yangtze estuary, Scirpus mariqueter, covers an area of 3 000 ha. According to the highest biomass yield, 36 000 tons of aboveground biomass and 30 000 tons of underground biomass (fresh weight) can be produced by Scirpus mariqueter per year. In addition to the Phragmites australis community and other saline vegetation, rich primary productions are provided to the other creatures. Meanwhile, the vegetation plays important roles in purifying water, resisting storm tides and protecting coastlines. Fishing ponds and ditches are widely distributed in the artificial wetlands of about 11 621 ha located between the sea walls built in 1998 and 1968. They can provide aquacultural income accounting for 60% of the total economic production to the surrounding communities. Also, they can provide good refuges to over 60 000 waterfowls for their wintering. Located within the ecotone of Yangtze River, Yellow Sea and East China Sea, the typical, unique, diverse and rapidly succeeding ecosystems support the rich diversity in this site. It is an important wintering place and migratory stopover for 111 species of waterfowls with millions of individuals, including many endangered bird species such as Grus monacha, Platalea minor and Eurynorhynchus pygmeus. It is also an important inhabiting place and migratory channel for many endangered or rare economic fish species such as Acipenser sinensis, Coilia mystus and Coilia ectenes. The 94 species of freshwater, seawater and migratory fish account for over 80% of the total Yangtze estuarine fish species. 13. Ramsar Criteria: Tick the box under each Criterion applied to the designation of the Ramsar site. See Annex II of the Explanatory Notes and Guidelines for the Criteria and guidelines for their application (adopted by Resolution VII.11). All Criteria which apply should be ticked. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 14. Justification for the application of each Criterion listed in 13 above: Provide justification for each Criterion in turn, clearly identifying to which Criterion the justification applies (see Annex II for guidance on acceptable forms of justification). Criterion 1: As the biggest natural wetland in the Yangtze estuary, this wetland is possessed of complex transitional characteristics from freshwater to seawater, from the temperate zone to subtropical zone and from the Yellow Sea to the East China Sea, in terms of flora, fauna and hydrological environment. Such characteristics are unique in East Asia. Results from carbon flux monitoring indicate that the vast mudflat vegetation dominated by Scirpus mariqueter holds CO2 fixing capability equivalent to or even beyond tropical rain forests, which can well demonstrate its significant ecological functioning. Criterion 2: This wetland supports 5 EN species and 3 VU species in the IUCN Red List. Species Latin name Category in the IUCN Red List Inhabiting typology Platalea minor EN wintering, staging Tringa guttifer EN staging Eurynorhynchus pygmeus EN staging Acipenser sinensis EN migratory, youth-breeding Ciconia boyciana EN wintering Grus monacha VU wintering Anser erythropus VU wintering Larus saundersi VU wintering Criterion 3: This Ramsar site is located in the ecozone of the East Sea, the Yellow Sea and the Yangtze River Basin. The vegetation in the wetland has a high productivity and a high rate of succession. Possessed of diverse ecosystem types including cropland, lake, river, freshwater, brackish water, seawater, mudflat, this site holds 462 animal species, 130 of which are waterfowls and 94 of which are fish, accounting for 15% of the total waterfowl species in the world and over 80% of the total fish species in this region, respectively. Being an ecologically-sensitive region of global significance, this site plays an important role in maintaining regional biodiversity. Criterion 4: Grus monacha populations with individuals over 130 continue to inhabit here through winters for 15 years, and the wintering period lasts for 5 months.