Human activities aggravate climate change-induced degradation of salt marsh in the Yellow River Delta.Understanding the natural ecosystem,especially ecosystem engineers shaping the environment,is important for ecological restoration.Field investigation and field control experiments in the Yellow River Delta were done in the present work to explore how ecosystem engineers (crab-burrowing activity)impact on intertidal geomorphological processes and edaphic environment in the coastal wetland.Crab-burrowing activity was found to be a key factor for concave-convex micro-topography and geomorphology spatial heterogeneity. Compared to flat microtopography without crab burrows,soil hardness and soil salinity in crab-burrowing concave-convex micro-topography were found to be significantly lower,soil moisture content in concave-convex micro-topography was significantly higher.Combined with field simulation experiment,changing microtopography and physicochemical indicators made by crab-burrowing could make positive feedback effect for crab-burrowing activity.Artificial simulating ecosystem engineer process can also change geomorphological features of tidal flats,and improving edaphic environment for crabs to live,consequently making scientific and effective guidance for restoration of coastal salt marsh.