Abstract: In this study, the effect of drought stress on the succession of the Zhalong Wetland in northeast China in recent years was analyzed based on the data of precipitation, water storage and water area n the study area. The results indicated that the persistent drought was jointly affected by various factors. The rought or looding in the wetland was influenced by the natural factors before 1970, such as the fluctuation of runoff volume, EI Nino event and change of solar spots, nevertheless, it was jointly governed by both the natural environment change and human activities after then. During the period from 1860 to 1970, there were the 3-6 a and 20-30 a main periods of drought or flooding fluctuation. However, drought was dominant in recent 50 years due to the increase of human activities. The persistent drought stress resulted in the disappearance of wetland and soil salinization in large area, that is, the area of salinized soil was enlarged from 150 km² in 1979 to 250 km² in 2015, and some of which occurred in the core area of the Zhalong Wetland.

Key words: saline wetland, drought or flooding level, runoff volume, wavelet analysis, Markov prediction, Zhalong, Songnen Plain