Recently, the island ecological background survey project of Zhejiang Sanao Nuclear Power Station Phase II Project undertaken by the island coastal zone ecological protection and restoration team of Island Research Center of the Second Institute of Oceanography (SIO) passed the expert review, and became an important support for the sea area use demonstration of the project.

Island ecological background survey is the premise of island protection and utilization, which involves many disciplines, and is systematic, comprehensive and extremely complex. With reference to relevant technical guidelines, the scientific and technical personnel of the SIO carried out surveys on the location, type, island land terrain, shoreline, soil, vegetation, terrestrial animals, intertidal zone terrain, intertidal zone type, intertidal organisms of 22 uninhabited islands around Sanao Nuclear Power Station, such as Dingcaoshi Island, Jixingwei Island, Jing’an Island, by using drones, RTK, infrared cameras and other professional equipment, and comprehensively mastered the ecological background status of uninhabited islands around Sanao Nuclear Power Station.

Through this survey, it is found that uninhabited islands around Sanao Nuclear Power Station are rich in biological resources. Taking Dingcaoshi Island as an example, 141 species of major vascular plants in 60 families were found, including provincial key protected plants Eurya japonica, Psychotria serpens, island characteristic plants Eurya emarginata, Lysimachia mauritiana Lam., Crepidiastrum lanceolatum, etc.; 14 species of wild animals were also found, including amphibian Fejervarya limnocharis, reptile Sphenomorphus indicus, mammal Chinese porcupine, as well as egret, long-tailed shrike and other birds. The intertidal zone on the island is mainly rocky beach, and 40 species of intertidal organisms were found, including macroalgae, annelids, molluscs, arthropods and other animals.

Based on the background survey of uninhabited islands, the scientific researchers of the SIO analyzed the impact of nuclear power construction on the ecological environment of uninhabited islands, which provided important scientific basis for the smooth implementation of Zhejiang Sanao Nuclear Power Station Phase II Project, the management decision on the protection and utilization of uninhabited islands in the sea area near the station site, and the subsequent impact assessment.