Large-scale management of common reed, Phragmites australis, for paper production: A case study from the Liaohe Delta, China

The largest Phragmites reed field in the world, with a historical area of approximately 1000 km2, is located in the Liaohe Delta in northeastern China. The Phragmites wetlands are extensively managed to maximize the production of reed biomass for the paper industry. Based on satellite remote sensing we estimated that the total area of the Phragmites wetlands has decreased from 857 km2 in 2003 to 786 km2 in 2009 to accommodate oil field...