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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sustainability and Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 13457

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Prof. Dr. Lixin Wang

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Guest Editor

School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
Interests: environmental and ecological engineering; wetland science; natural protection areas and ecosystem assessment

Prof. Dr. Lu Wen

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Guest Editor

School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
Interests: environmental ecology; ecological restoration and planning management; global change ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Zhiyong Pei

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Guest Editor

College of Energy and Transportation Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
Interests: development and utilization of forest resources and environmental engineering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The intricate relationship between ecological environments and watershed management is pivotal in sustaining terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This issue delves into the latest research advancements at the intersection of natural resource development, environmental engineering, environmental ecology, wetland science, and ecosystem restoration and planning management. We explore how sustainable watershed management practices can influence water cycles, the role of environmental engineering in mitigating pollution, and the critical feedback mechanisms within wetland ecosystems. The discussion underscores the importance of integrated approaches to water resource management that consider ecological health, emphasizing the need for innovative strategies in ecosystem restoration. These insights are essential for policymakers and practitioners aiming to balance human water needs with the preservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Prof. Dr. Lixin Wang
Prof. Dr. Lu Wen
Prof. Dr. Zhiyong Pei
Guest Editors

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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Keywords

watershed management
water cycle
environmental sustainability
forest ecosystem
wetland ecosystem
ecosystem management strategy
pollution reduction
ecosystem services
ecological balance

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 22071 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Meteorological Parameters and Air Pollution on the Spatiotemporal Distribution of Nighttime Light in China

by Dan Wang, Wei Shan, Song Hong, Qian Wu, Shuai Shi and Bin Chen

Sustainability 2026, 18(7), 3256; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18073256 - 26 Mar 2026

Viewed by 551

Abstract

Nighttime light (NTL), a crucial indicator of human activity intensity, has not been systematically analyzed for its interactive mechanisms with air pollution and climate change. This study first investigates the spatiotemporal evolution of China’s total nighttime light (TNTL) and average nighttime light (ANTL), alongside key indicators of meteorological parameters and air pollution, at the grid scale from 2000 to 2023. We then employ prefecture-level city data and a geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model to quantify the spatiotemporally heterogeneous associations of temperature (TMP), precipitation (PRE), fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), ozone (O₃), land use (LUL), topography, and socioeconomic factors with NTL. The results indicate that (1) China’s NTL exhibits a significant overall upward trend, with areas of increase or significant increase comprising 92.04% of the total study area. TNTL growth demonstrates regional heterogeneity, expanding by a factor of 4.91 in East China and 2.65 in Northeast China; (2) meteorological and air pollution indicators display spatiotemporal non-stationarity, with the synergistic effect between O₃ and PRE being the strongest; (3) among NTL drivers, LUL contributes most significantly (0.44), followed by TMP (0.14) > PM_2.5 (−0.33 × 10⁻¹) > O₃ (0.17 × 10⁻¹) > PRE (−0.33 × 10⁻⁶); (4) TMP and PRE may primarily influence NTL by altering ecological conditions and nighttime activity patterns. TMP shows a strong positive correlation with NTL in the junction zone of South, East, and Central China, whereas PRE predominantly exerts a negative influence; (5) air pollution exhibits distinct spatiotemporal effects: high PM_2.5 and O₃ generally correspond to lower NTL, though positive correlations persist in some areas due to industrial structures, highlighting the need for integrated policies that balance air quality management with sustainable urban planning; (6) the 2013 “Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan” significantly strengthened the negative correlation between PM_2.5 and NTL in North China. However, O₃ concentrations increased by 28.9% after 2017, underscoring the challenge of coordinating VOC and NOx controls for long-term atmospheric sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Environment, and Watershed Management)

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23 pages, 17251 KB

Open AccessArticle

Regional Ecological Security Assessment and Driving Factor Analysis Based on the Innovative Health-Service-Risk-Sensitivity Framework: A Case Study of an Arid Inland River Basin

by Yuanrui Mu, Xiaoyuan Zhang and Jiansong Li

Sustainability 2026, 18(4), 1806; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18041806 - 10 Feb 2026

Viewed by 376

Abstract

Under multiple stresses such as an arid climate, water scarcity, and desertification, inland river basins in arid regions represent a typically fragile ecosystem worldwide, and their ecological security faces increasingly complex and severe challenges. To address the limitations of traditional assessment methods characterized by single-perspective approaches, difficulties in quantifying indicators, and lack of a systematic framework for arid basins, this study constructed an innovative Health–Service–Risk–Sensitivity (HSRS) framework. Taking the Tarim River Basin (TRB) as a case study, the validity and necessity of this framework were validated through the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) and correlation analysis. Furthermore, the XGBoost–SHAP model was further integrated to identify key threshold responses of multidimensional driving factors within the basin. The findings indicate that the ecological security of the TRB progressively improved, with approximately 11.64% of the area showing significant enhancement. The four most influential driving factors were land use, NDVI, human activity intensity, and soil moisture. Notably, the study identified critical environmental thresholds: when DEM ranged from 1500 to 3000 m and slope from 2° to 30°, constraining effects on the Comprehensive Ecological Security Index (CESI) increased. When annual precipitation exceeded 150 mm, NDVI was greater than 0.35, and soil moisture content exceeded 0.14 m³/m³, the constraint effect was further strengthened. Overall, the integration of the HSRS framework and the XGBoost-SHAP model offers a novel and effective approach for ecological security assessment in arid inland basins. Moreover, this approach has substantial practical implications for achieving precise coordination between regional ecological protection and sustainable development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Environment, and Watershed Management)

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22 pages, 2754 KB

Open AccessArticle

Advancing River Health Assessment: An Integrated ISC Methodology Applied to Taiwan’s River Restoration Case Study

by Ching-Feng Chen and Shih-Kai Chen

Sustainability 2026, 18(2), 1007; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18021007 - 19 Jan 2026

Viewed by 334

Abstract

River health assessment frameworks play a critical role in guiding restoration planning and watershed management, yet conventional index-based approaches often rely on fixed weighting schemes that limit diagnostic sensitivity and interpretability. This study proposes an integrated assessment framework that enhances the traditional Index of Stream Condition (ISC) by incorporating data-driven structural information while preserving transparency and regulatory relevance. Rather than replacing existing indices, the framework recalibrates sub-index contributions based on intrinsic data patterns derived from nonlinear embedding and density-based clustering. The proposed methodology is applied to the Zhuoshui River basin in Taiwan to demonstrate its capability to improve internal consistency, reduce metric redundancy, and clarify dominant environmental drivers. Results indicate that the recalibrated index provides clearer differentiation among ecological conditions and improves explanatory consistency compared with the original ISC formulation. By balancing methodological innovation with interpretability, the proposed framework offers a practical pathway for strengthening river health assessment and supporting restoration-oriented decision-making. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Environment, and Watershed Management)

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25 pages, 19045 KB

Open AccessArticle

Spatiotemporal Trade-Offs in Ecosystem Services in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area: Drivers and Management Implications

by Yanling Yu, Yiwen Sun and Xianhua Guo

Sustainability 2026, 18(2), 658; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18020658 - 8 Jan 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 560

Abstract

The Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA) faces mounting pressures from urbanization and hydrological regulation, threatening the sustainability of its ecosystem services (ESs). The InVEST model, coupled with optimal parameter geographical detector (OPGD) and geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR), was employed to assess spatiotemporal changes, trade-offs/synergies, and driving mechanisms of four ESs, water yield (WY), habitat quality (HQ), carbon storage (CS), and soil conservation (SC), from 2000 to 2020. Results revealed that WY and SC increased significantly by 24.54% and 5.75%, respectively, while HQ declined by 3.02% and CS remained relatively stable, with high-value ES zones mainly concentrated in the eastern and northern forest-dominated areas. Regarding interactions, strong synergies existed among HQ, CS, and SC, whereas WY exhibited persistent trade-offs with other services, particularly in the central agricultural-urban transitional zone. Furthermore, landscape diversity increased linearly, driven by forest expansion and urban growth. Mechanistically, land use type (LUT) dominated the spatial distribution of WY, HQ, and CS, while slope primarily controlled SC patterns, with all driver interactions demonstrating enhanced effects. By coupling OPGD with GTWR, this study uniquely elucidates the spatiotemporal instability of ES trade-offs/synergies and the spatial heterogeneity of their driving mechanisms, providing a novel scientific basis for implementing spatially differentiated management strategies in large-scale reservoir-impacted regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Environment, and Watershed Management)

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19 pages, 3195 KB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Trade-Off and Synergy Relationship of Ecosystem Services in Major Water Source Basin Under the Influence of Land Use Change

by Xuan Liu, Dongdong Mi, Hebing Zhang, Xiaojun Nie and Tongqian Zhao

Sustainability 2025, 17(16), 7494; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17167494 - 19 Aug 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1199

Abstract

Clarifying the trade-offs and synergies between land use and ecosystem services in major water source river basins is enhancing regional land resource distribution and safeguarding water-related ecological environments. The Danjiangkou Reservoir Basin—the water source area of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project—land use change characteristics from 2012 to 2022 were focused on in this study. Five categories of ecosystem services, represented by six land use-related indicators, were selected for analysis. The InVEST model was utilized to conduct a quantitative assessment of their spatial and temporal variations. This study investigates the spatial variations of ecosystem services, analyzes their trade-offs and synergies, and explores the impacts of land use changes on the supply and interactions of these services. The findings reveal that cultivated land was served as the dominant source of land use conversion. Specifically, the largest areas of cultivated land conversion were to forest land (240.91 km²), followed by water bodies (144.65 km²) and construction land (38.43 km²). The selected ecosystem services exhibited distinct temporal and spatial variation: water yield, total carbon storage, and habitat quality showed upward trends, whereas total nitrogen output, total phosphorus output, and soil erosion demonstrated declining trends. Overall, the synergy and trade-off relationships among the six ecosystem service indicators weakened; however, the degree of improvement in trade-offs exceeded the decline in synergies. The integration of land use change, ecosystem service functions, and trade-off/synergy relationships into a unified analytical framework facilitates a robust theoretical foundation for basin-scale ecological management. This approach offers a scientific foundation for spatial optimization, ecological redline delineation, and resource allocation within the basin. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Environment, and Watershed Management)

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16 pages, 3690 KB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Green Development Dynamics and Influencing Factors in Daihai Basin

by Bin Bin, Weijia Cao, Qingkang Yang, Jinlei Li, Shizhong Jiang and Xiaoye Cao

Sustainability 2025, 17(9), 3820; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17093820 - 23 Apr 2025

Viewed by 868

Abstract

Green development accounting provides the theoretical basis and data support for national or regional ecological civilization constructions. The Daihai Basin, located in Ulanqab City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is not only an important ecological barrier in the region but also one of the 179 nationally important wetlands under the “China Wetland Conservation Action Plan”. It plays a crucial role in maintaining regional ecological balance, providing ecological services such as water conservation, climate regulation, and biodiversity protection. Taking Daihai Basin as the study area, an accounting system of Green Gross Domestic Product (GGDP), Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP), and Gross Economic–Ecological Product (GEEP) was constructed to explore the temporal variation characteristics of GGDP, GEP, and GEEP in the study area from 1989 to 2022. The results were as follows: (1) During the study period, the overall GGDP in Daihai Basin showed an increasing trend, with an increase of CNY 3.812 billion in the past 30 years, of which GGDP increased from 1989 to 2011 and decreased from 2011 to 2022. In addition to GDP, the ecological damage cost was the most important factor influencing GGDP in the Daihai Basin, and the most significant one is the ecological damage to the wetland. (2) The GEP in the study area decreased, with a decrease of CNY 1.066 billion in the past 30 years. However, the conversion value of “Two Mountains” increased year by year. During the study period, the ecological regulation service value, which was dominated by climate regulation and water conservation, decreased year by year. (3) The GEEP in the study area showed a fluctuating change, with an overall upward trend, reaching a maximum of CNY 9.011 billion in 2011. (4) Except for 2011, during the study period, GEEP > GEP > GGDP in Daihai Basin, but the main driving factors of the three indicators were different, and the variation trends with time were different. The results of this research can provide a decision-making basis for the high-quality development of the Daihai Basin and provide reference cases for the green development accounting of other basins. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Environment, and Watershed Management)

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21 pages, 6501 KB

Open AccessArticle

Long-Term Response of Soil Moisture to Vegetation Changes in the Drylands of Northern China

by Yan Wang, Yingjie Wu, Shuixia Zhao and Guoqing Wang

Sustainability 2025, 17(6), 2483; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062483 - 12 Mar 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2213

Abstract

Soil moisture plays a critical role in the water and energy cycle within the soil–vegetation–atmosphere system and is a primary limiting factor in dryland ecosystems. Given the ongoing vegetation restoration in drylands, understanding the impact of vegetation changes on soil moisture is crucial for maintaining ecosystem stability and ensuring the sustainability of restoration efforts. This study combined long-term satellite data with eco-hydrological modeling to investigate the interannual and seasonal responses of soil moisture to vegetation changes in the Yinshanbeilu region during 1982–2018. The results indicated that vegetation in the region predominantly exhibited a greening trend, with 60.43% of the area experiencing significant increases in LAI. In areas with vegetation greening, soil moisture declined, with the effect being more pronounced at deeper soil profiles. Furthermore, the soil moisture trends shifted from wetting to drying, or, in more cases, from drying to intensified drying. The influence of vegetation greening on soil moisture exhibited seasonal variations, with more significant effects found in summer and autumn. This study highlights the complex responses of soil moisture to vegetation changes in grassland ecosystems in northern China’s drylands and provides a scientific guidance for ecological restoration and water management in these regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Environment, and Watershed Management)

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26 pages, 3471 KB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Impact of Market-Based Environmental Regulation Policies on Ecological Pressure: Evidence from China’s Carbon Emissions Trading Pilot

by Yu Wang, Dejing Meng, Linna Li and Ying Wang

Sustainability 2025, 17(5), 1872; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17051872 - 22 Feb 2025

Viewed by 1610

Abstract

In the process of China’s path to modernization, the concept of harmonious coexistence between man and nature has become increasingly prominent. In the dual context of the development of human society and the improvement of ecological wellbeing, how to reasonably exert environmental regulation policies to actively address the problem of ecological overload has become an important challenge that we need to face urgently. Therefore, based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2005 to 2021, this paper uses the three-dimensional ecological footprint model to evaluate the degree of interference of human activities on the ecological level and selects the difference-in-differences model to examine the impact of external policy shocks, namely, a carbon emissions trading pilot (CETP) policy, on ecological pressure and its transmission mechanism. The results show that moderate government intervention, unified market regulation, and positive industrial response jointly enhance the mitigation effect of CETP on ecological pressure. In areas with strong environmental regulation and a high level of green credit, the incentive effect of the carbon trading mechanism is more significant. In the context of the transformation from industrial civilization to ecological civilization, the findings provide practical guidance and paths for how regions and enterprises can effectively respond to CETP and how governments, markets, and industries can jointly reduce the ecological pressure on the environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Environment, and Watershed Management)

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17 pages, 9559 KB

Open AccessArticle

Vegetation Carbon Source/Sink Dynamics and Extreme Climate Response in the Yangtze River Delta Coastal Zone

by Yuhang Han and Zhen Han

Sustainability 2025, 17(4), 1456; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17041456 - 11 Feb 2025

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1559

Abstract

Coastal zones, as transition areas for sea/land interaction, have substantial carbon sequestration potential while also being particularly vulnerable to extreme climate. Consequently, it has become essential to evaluate the vegetation carbon sinks in coastal zone areas under extreme climate conditions. In this study, we evaluated the vegetation net ecosystem productivity (NEP) in typical regions within the Yangtze River Delta coastal zone from 2000 to 2020. We studied the regional and chronological properties of NEP and its response to extreme climate. The results revealed the following: (1) Vegetation NEP demonstrated a fluctuating rising trend over the past 21 years, with an interannual change rate of 1.96 gC·m⁻²·a⁻¹, and the 21-year average was 249.22 gC·m⁻²·a⁻¹. Spatially, the southern part of the region had a higher NEP than the northern part, and the northern part had a higher NEP than the central part. (2) The overall area showed characteristics of a vegetation carbon sink, with carbon sink areas accounting for 82.41%. Among the ecosystems, forest ecosystems exhibited the strongest carbon sink capacity, followed by cropland ecosystems, while wetland ecosystems, urban ecosystems, and grassland ecosystems had relatively weaker carbon sink capacities. (3) The overall spatial change trend showed an upward trend, consistent with the temporal trend. There is also a high risk of vegetation NEP degradation in the future. (4) The NEP’s response to extreme temperature was more pronounced. The largest explanatory power was observed with SU25 and TMAX during single-factor analysis. The strongest explanatory power in the interaction analysis was found in the following three factor groups: R99p∩TMAX, SU25∩TNx, and TXx∩LST. The results highlight a complex synergistic interplay among these influences on NEP. The findings offer a scientific basis for ecological protection and the attainment of dual-carbon goals in the coastal zone of the Yangtze River Delta. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Environment, and Watershed Management)

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21 pages, 667 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of the Digital Economy on Urban Ecosystem Resilience in the Yellow River Basin

by Yu Wang and Yupu Li

Sustainability 2025, 17(2), 790; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17020790 - 20 Jan 2025

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2908

Abstract

The digital economy is key to ecological security in the Yellow River Basin and to harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. This study uses data from 80 cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2010 to 2022 to examine how the digital economy affects urban ecological resilience. It uses three models to do this. The conclusion that the development of digital economy in the Yellow River Basin can significantly promote the enhancement of urban ecological environment resilience still holds after the robustness tests of phased regression, variable substitution and the introduction of instrumental variables. There is regional heterogeneity in the impact of digital economy on urban ecosystem resilience, showing the unbalanced spatial characteristics that the middle reaches are the highest, the upper reaches are the second highest, and the lower reaches are the lowest. The digital economy was shown to influence ecological resilience through a “double fixed-effects model” and a mediation effect model, via two intermediary pathways: “digital economy development → industrial structure upgrading → ecological resilience enhancement” and “digital economy development → resource allocation improvement → ecological resilience enhancement”. The digital economy was shown to transform and upgrade industrial structures and optimize capital and labor allocation, strengthening the ecological resilience of cities in the Yellow River Basin. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Environment, and Watershed Management)

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