This research was carried out to investigate seed germination and growth of the perennial plant Apocynum lancifolium under different NaCl concentrations, with a view for future cultivation on reclaimed land. Initial characterization revealed that the average length and weight of A. lancifolium seed pods was 133.6 mm and 0.23 g, respectively, and the thousand-grain weight was 0.59 g. Upon examining the effects of light on seed germination, we found germination to be 1.7% higher under light conditions (90%) than under dark conditions (88.3%). In terms of the response to salt stress, we found that 90% of seeds germinated in the 0.00%, 0.25%, and 0.50% salt treatment groups. Although salt treatment up to a concentration of 0.5% was found to have little effect on seed germination, the rate of germination decreased at higher concentrations and was completely inhibited in the 2% treatment. We also established that germination rates were higher in seeds sown in horticultural topsoil than in the coarse sandy soil found in the plant’s natural habitats. Although the growth of A. lancifolium tends to decrease with an increase in salt concentration, we found that the stem thickness, fresh weight, and dry weight of A. lancifolium seedlings subjected to 0.25%–1.0% salt were comparable to those of the control seedling that were not exposed to salt. Furthermore, in contrast to those plants subjected to 2.0% salt, these plants continued to grow and remained viable.

The Yellow River delta is an important region where coastal and newly formed wetlands distribute in north China. Based on satellite remote sensing images and GIS techniques, this paper tends to delineate the dynamic changes of newly formed wetland in the Yellow River mouth from 1986.5 to 1996.10. Our results show that the newly formed wetland increased by 24.9 km2 per year. Before 1990.1 and it decreased by 2.40 km2 per year after that. The northern and southwestern parts of the Yellow River mouth are main positions of decrease and the southern and the estuary parts are main positions of increase. The advancing rate of river mouth extending into the Bo Sea is decreasing obviously. The reason for that is the decreasing of water and sediments in the Yellow River, which caused by the increasing use of water and soil conservation on upper reach.