Understanding of the coastal evolution history during the Holocene in response to the relative sea level (RSL) change, will provide fundamental knowledge on the correlation between changes in the RSL and coastal environment. This study takes the coastal area of Fujian as an example to explore the response of the Holocene coastal sedimentary environment to the sea level changes in different stages of the Holocene. The main research contents include: Firstly, review the Holocene sea level change curve along the coast of Fujian; Secondly, taking Dongshan Bay in Fujian coast as an example, the Holocene sedimentary history of the semi-enclosed bay is reconstructed, and finally, discuss the response of sedimentary environment evolution to sea level changes and other possible forcings.

Combined with the Holocene sea level change history in coastal areas of southern Fujian, this study suggests that the evolution of Holocene sedimentary environment in Dongshan Bay area is driven by sea level, tectonics and other factors. In the early Holocene, influenced by the rapid rising sea level, Dongshan Bay area gradually changed from continental facies to marine-continental transitional facies. Subsequently, in the Middle Holocene, as the sea level rise slowed down or even stopped, the region was stable in shallow sea sedimentary environment. Since the middle and late Holocene, tectonic uplift and river development have exposed the surrounding areas of Dongshan Bay to land and formed island sandbars. The changes in topography and geomorphology in the surrounding areas have also changed the sedimentary process and sedimentary environment of Dongshan Bay. Coupled with catastrophic events and human activities, resulting in the study area sedimentary sequence disorder.