Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of human footprint across China's coastal zone: Integrating geomorphic and policy drivers

Human activities and resource exploitation increasingly converge in coastal zones, necessitating objective quantification of human activity intensity and trends for management. This study develops a thirty-year human footprint map for China's coastal zone using kilometer grids, integrating multi-source anthropogenic pressure while emphasizing coastal characteristics. It reveals spatial patterns across coastal geomorphological units and functional zones. Results demonstrate that coastal-specific footprint indicators effectively capture spatiotemporal heterogeneity in human activity intensity. China's coast exhibits increasing intensity overall, with higher pressure on muddy coasts north of Shanghai versus bedrock coasts to the south. Biological and sandy coasts show slower intensification rates. Within functional zones, urban coastal areas exhibit the highest accumulated footprint growth rate, while ecological protection zones effectively mitigate anthropogenic impacts. This study provides scientific support for integrated land-sea management, informing coastal development and conservation strategies.