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Sustainable Future of Ecohydrology: Climate Change and Land Use

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainability in Geographic Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 1029

Special Issue Editor

Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
Interests: climate change; hydrology and water resources; ecosystem services; ecohydrology processes and simulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Focus: The Special Issue on “Sustainable Future of Ecohydrology: Climate Change and Land Use” aims to explore the intricate interactions between ecohydrological processes and the dual pressures of climate change and land use alterations. It seeks to highlight innovative research that addresses how changes in climate patterns and land management practices impact water availability, ecosystem health, and biodiversity. This Special Issue will emphasize the development of sustainable strategies to mitigate adverse effects and enhance resilience in ecohydrological systems.

Scope: The scope of this Special Issue encompasses a wide range of topics including, but not limited to: the effects of climate variability on hydrological cycles, the role of land use changes in altering water quality and quantity, the integration of ecohydrology with climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, and the application of cutting-edge technologies to monitoring and modeling ecohydrological systems. It encourages submissions that present novel methodologies, interdisciplinary approaches, and case studies from diverse geographical regions.

Purpose: The primary purpose of this Special Issue is to provide a comprehensive platform for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to share knowledge and insights on sustainable ecohydrology. By bringing together a collection of high-quality research articles, it aims to advance the understanding of ecohydrological dynamics in the face of global change and to inform policy and management decisions that promote sustainable water resources and ecosystems.

Relation to Existing Literature: This Special Issue will complement the existing literature by focusing on the intersection of ecohydrology with sustainability challenges. It will extend current research by incorporating recent advancements in climate science, land use planning, and ecological restoration. The Special Issue will also bridge gaps in knowledge by examining the socio-economic implications of ecohydrological changes and exploring integrated approaches to sustainable development that consider both the environmental and human dimensions.

Contribution to Sustainability: The Special Issue contributes to sustainability by providing a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between water, ecosystems, and human activities. It supports the development of sustainable policies and practices by offering evidence-based solutions and tools for managing ecohydrological systems under changing climatic and land use conditions. It aligns with the journal’s broader goals of defining, quantifying, and promoting sustainability in various aspects of socio-economic and environmental development.

Dr. Yanfeng Wu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ecohydrology
  • climate change
  • land use
  • water resources
  • sustainability
  • ecosystem resilience
  • climate adaptation
  • hydrological modeling
  • biodiversity conservation
  • integrated water management

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

21 pages, 6965 KiB  
Article
Characterizing Drought Patterns and Vegetation Responses in Northeast China: A Multi-Temporal-Scale Analysis Using the SPI and NDVI
by Yuxuan Zhang, Yuanyuan Liu, Liwen Chen, Jingxuan Sun, Yingna Sun, Can Peng, Yangguang Wang, Min Du and Yanfeng Wu
Sustainability 2025, 17(12), 5288; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17125288 - 7 Jun 2025
Viewed by 715
Abstract
Drought significantly reduces global agricultural productivity and destabilizes ecosystems. As the primary grain-producing region and a key ecological buffer zone in China, Northeast China is experiencing intensifying drought stress. However, the regional-scale characteristics of refined drought and the impact mechanisms on different types [...] Read more.
Drought significantly reduces global agricultural productivity and destabilizes ecosystems. As the primary grain-producing region and a key ecological buffer zone in China, Northeast China is experiencing intensifying drought stress. However, the regional-scale characteristics of refined drought and the impact mechanisms on different types of vegetation in the Northeast are rarely investigated. In this study, we analyzed the spatial and temporal characteristics of drought over 30-, 60-, 90-, 180-, 270-, and 360-day time scales in Northeast China using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) based on high-precision daily precipitation data simulated by CLM3.5 from 2008 to 2023. Additionally, we used the MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to elucidate the response of vegetation to drought across different land use types. The results showed that SPI-30 was the most sensitive for drought detection, and there was a clear trend of drought aggravation in the northern part of the Northeast region. The strongest correlation between vegetation and drought was found in September. A significant lag in the response of vegetation to drought was observed in May, June, July, and August, with the best correlation observed at a one-month lag. In addition, the degree of response to drought varies among different types of vegetation. Grasslands are the most sensitive to drought, while woodlands and wetlands have a weaker response. This study provides a reference for assessing the dynamics of refined climates at different spatial and temporal scales and offers actionable insights for ecosystem management in climate-sensitive agricultural regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Future of Ecohydrology: Climate Change and Land Use)
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