Abstract
The effects of irrigation process on reed colony of Shuangtai Estuarine Wetland in Liaoning Provence, China, are discussed with the field investigation (salinity distribution, reed growth of shoot height, density, and above biomass) and hydrological measurement (water levels inside and outside the reed colony). Reed production proves to have an optimum at 5 salinity. The salinity will decrease below 5 in growing season due to irrigation, and after drainage the salinity level will rise. The observation on water levels suggests that the ratio of interception to rainfall by reed body in the growing period is about 0.4. Evapotranspiration rate is estimated by surface water balance equation without inflow and outflow. The calculation result also indicates that the irrigation is required for keeping water balance before raining season in middle July.
