An aerial view of a tidal-flat shaped like a tree on the shoal of Jianghai Lanwan Resort in Qidong, a county-level city in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

"Tidal trees" were formed on the shoal of Jianghai Lanwan Resort in Qidong, a county-level city in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, after the recent ebb tide.

A tidal tree is a tidal creek system developed on a tidal flat.

A tidal flat is an intermediate zone of material exchange between the ocean and the land. Under the joint influence of hydrodynamic conditions, sediment properties and the environment, the tidal flat develops into a variety of shapes, such as branches and feathers.

Tidal creeks provide adequate nourishment, food and shelter for organisms, so the formation of tidal trees contributes to the conservation of biodiversity.