Tidal creeks have created a spectacle at the mouth of the Yellow River in Dongying City, east China's Shandong Province.

They are shaped like trees, with trunks facing the sea and branches toward land.

Tidal creeks are common features in intertidal zones along estuaries and muddy beaches formed by the repeated scouring of the tides.

When tides rise and fall, tidal creeks are like extending arteries and veins from land to sea. They shoulder the important task of material, nutrient and energy exchange between tidal flat wetland and the open sea, and nourish and guard the biodiversity of coastal wetlands.

(Cover image via screenshot)

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com.)