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Sustainability of the Water Cycle System and Water Utilization in a Changing Environment

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Water Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 August 2025 | Viewed by 5446

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Miao Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Northwest Land and Resources Research Center, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620, West Chang'an Avenue, Chang'an District, Xi'an 710119, China
Interests: numerical simulation of climate hydrology and ecohydrology; coupled big data mining of climate hydrology; ecohydrology under changing environment
Dr. Gonghuan Fang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
Interests: water cycle; hydrological modeling; sensitivity and uncertainty analysis; climate change
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jie Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Northwest Land and Resources Research Center, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620, West Chang'an Avenue, Chang'an District, Xi'an 710119, China
Interests: water-energy-food nexus; sustainability; water resources allocation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Despite the denial of the geological dating of the "Anthropocene", it is irrefutable that the Earth's climate and environmental changes have been imprinted with human forcing at regional and global scales, whether fast or slow, strong or weak. As a critical foundation for human survival and development, water resources are undergoing dramatic changes of unknown magnitude and are facing increasingly severe challenges and risks on a regional and global scale. Climate change has led to changes in precipitation patterns and water resource distribution, population growth, urbanization, and industrialization, resulting in increasingly acute water supply demand conflicts. We urgently need to discuss and promote research on the sustainability of water resource utilization. This Special Issue aims to deeply explore the current challenges and countermeasures of water resource utilization around this theme, providing valuable academic support for water resource management and protection.

Existing research has analyzed the sustainability of water resource utilization from multiple perspectives, including key links in the water cycle, terrestrial water storage, tracing and quantifying precipitation sources, groundwater recharge mechanisms, global change and glacier melting, water supply and demand balance, water rights and benefit distribution, water environmental protection, and improvements in water use efficiency. However, these studies have mainly concentrated on specific fields or local issues, lacking systematicity and holism, such as coupled interactive system effects of climate change, land use/vegetation change, population movement, and transboundary water management on current water resources urgently requiring more innovative research. This Special Issue will strive to fill these research gaps and provide more comprehensive and forward-looking academic support for the sustainable utilization of water resources.

In conclusion, against the backdrop of global change, achieving sustainable utilization of water resources has become an urgent task for all of humanity. Systematic governance measures need to be taken, balancing economic development, ecological protection, and social equity, to promote a fundamental transformation of water resource utilization patterns. This Special Issue welcomes original research articles and reviews, particularly encouraging challenging and controversial research findings and forward-looking and innovative research perspectives. The research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  1. Ecohydrological and climatohydrological feedback mechanisms;
  2. Synergistic changes in water resources-socioeconomic-ecological systems;
  3. Impacts of climate change on water resource utilization and coping strategies;
  4. Responses of water cycle elements to varying anthropogenic radiative forcings;
  5. Structural characteristics of the water cycle system and the evolution of water cycle processes;
  6. Physical mechanisms and driving factors of changing hydrological processes;
  7. Interactions between surface water and groundwater;
  8. Dynamic changes and mechanisms of groundwater systems under changing environments;
  9. Atmospheric processes in the water cycle;
  10. Water cycle processes and their resource, ecological, and disaster effects;
  11. Mechanisms of global change and accelerated water cycle;
  12. Response mechanisms of land use changes to precipitation;
  13. Terrestrial water storage research in typical regions;
  14. Water supply and demand balance and its mechanisms;
  15. Fairness and efficiency of water rights and benefit distribution;
  16. Water environmental protection and ecosystem services;
  17. Improvement of water use efficiency and technological innovation;
  18. Challenges and cooperation mechanisms of transboundary water resource management.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Miao Zhang
Dr. Gonghuan Fang
Dr. Jie Yang
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 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

  • innovative strategies for water utilization
  • climate hydrology and ecohydrology feedback mechanisms
  • sustainability of the water cycle and water utilization
  • evolution of water cycle processes and tipping points
  • water resource supply and demand balance and management

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 10754 KiB  
Article
Accounting of Grassland Ecosystem Assets and Assessment of Sustainable Development Potential in the Bosten Lake Basin
by Zhichao Zhang, Zhoukang Li, Zhen Zhu and Yang Wang
Sustainability 2025, 17(8), 3460; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083460 - 13 Apr 2025
Viewed by 296
Abstract
Assessing the ecosystem service value (ESV) of grasslands is crucial for sustainable resource management and environmental conservation. This study evaluates the spatiotemporal changes in grassland ecosystem services in the Bosten Lake Basin using long-term land use data (2000–2022). Employing the Patch-generating Land Use [...] Read more.
Assessing the ecosystem service value (ESV) of grasslands is crucial for sustainable resource management and environmental conservation. This study evaluates the spatiotemporal changes in grassland ecosystem services in the Bosten Lake Basin using long-term land use data (2000–2022). Employing the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model, we develop three future scenarios—natural development, ecological protection, and economic priority—to predict grassland utilization trends. The findings reveal a continuous decline in grassland area and ecosystem service values, driven by climate change and human activities. Compared with 2022, all three scenarios indicate further degradation, but ecological protection measures significantly mitigate ESV loss. This study provides scientific insights for sustainable land management and policy-making, contributing to ecological restoration strategies under climate change impacts. The findings reveal the following: (1) Over the 22-year period, the grassland area in the Bosten Lake Basin has experienced an overall decline. Notably, the area of plain desert steppe grassland expanded from 626,179.41 ha to 1,223,506.62 ha, whereas plain meadow grassland reduced from 556,784.64 ha to 118,948.23 ha. (2) The total ecosystem service value of grasslands in the basin exhibited a marginally insignificant decrease, amounting to a reduction of 5.73422 billion CNY. The values for mountain desert, mountain desert steppe, mountain typical steppe, and mountain meadow grasslands were relatively low and showed minimal change. (3) In comparison to 2022, the projected areas of grassland under the three scenarios for 2000 show a substantial reduction, particularly in plain desert and hilly desert grasslands. The ecosystem service values across all scenarios are expected to decline in tandem with varying degrees of grassland degradation. This research underscores the impact of global warming and human activities on the shrinking grassland area and the diminishing ecosystem service values in the Bosten Lake Basin. The current state of grassland resources in the study area is under threat, highlighting the urgent need for strategic planning and conservation efforts to ensure sustainable development and ecological integrity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of the Water Cycle System and Water Utilization in a Changing Environment)
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19 pages, 8662 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Vegetation Vulnerability in the Haihe River Basin Under Compound Heat and Drought Stress
by Hui Yin, Fuqing Bai, Huiming Wu, Meng Yan and Shuai Zhou
Sustainability 2024, 16(23), 10489; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162310489 - 29 Nov 2024
Viewed by 919
Abstract
With the intensification of global warming, droughts and heatwaves occur frequently and widely, which have a serious impact on the healthy growth of vegetation. The challenge is to accurately characterize vegetation vulnerability under compound heat and drought stress using correlation-based methods. This article [...] Read more.
With the intensification of global warming, droughts and heatwaves occur frequently and widely, which have a serious impact on the healthy growth of vegetation. The challenge is to accurately characterize vegetation vulnerability under compound heat and drought stress using correlation-based methods. This article uses the Haihe River Basin, an ecologically sensitive area known for experiencing droughts nine out of ten years, as an example. Firstly, using daily precipitation and maximum temperature data from 38 meteorological stations in the basin from 1965 to 2019, methods such as univariate linear regression and the Mann–Kendall mutation test were employed to identify the temporal variation patterns of meteorological elements in the basin. Secondly, the Pearson correlation coefficient and other methods were applied to determine the most likely months for compound dry and hot events, and the joint distribution pattern and recurrence period of concurrent high temperature and intense drought events were explored. Finally, a vegetation vulnerability assessment model based on Vine Copula in compound dry and hot climates was constructed to quantify the relationship of the response of watershed vegetation to different extreme events (high temperature, drought, and compound dry and hot climates). The results indicated that the basin’s precipitation keeps decreasing, evaporation rises, and the supply–demand conflict grows more severe. The correlation between the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Temperature Index (STI) is strongest at the 3-month scale from June to August. Meanwhile, in most areas of the basin, the Standardized Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (sNDVI) is positively correlated with the SPI and negatively correlated with the STI. Compared to a single drought or high-temperature event, compound dry and hot climates further exacerbate the vegetation vulnerability of the Haihe River Basin. In compound dry and hot climates, the probability of vegetation loss in June, July, and August is as high as 0.45, 0.32, and 0.38, respectively. Moreover, vegetation vulnerability in the southern and northwestern mountainous areas of the basin is higher, and the ecological risk is severe. The research results contribute to an understanding of the vegetation’s response to extreme climate events, aiming to address terrestrial ecosystem risk management in response to climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of the Water Cycle System and Water Utilization in a Changing Environment)
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22 pages, 5780 KiB  
Article
Has There Been a Recent Warming Slowdown over North China?
by Man Zhang, Chengguo Zhang, Dengpan Xiao, Yaning Chen and Qingxi Zhang
Sustainability 2024, 16(22), 9828; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16229828 - 11 Nov 2024
Viewed by 792
Abstract
The warming slowdown observed between 1998 and 2012 has raised concerns in recent years. To examine the temporal and spatial variations in annual mean temperature (Tmp) as well as 12 extreme temperature indices (ETIs), and to assess the presence of a warming slowdown [...] Read more.
The warming slowdown observed between 1998 and 2012 has raised concerns in recent years. To examine the temporal and spatial variations in annual mean temperature (Tmp) as well as 12 extreme temperature indices (ETIs), and to assess the presence of a warming slowdown in North China (NC), we analyzed homogenized daily observational datasets from 79 meteorological stations spanning 1960 to 2020. Additionally, we investigated the influences of 78 atmospheric circulation indices (ACIs) on ETIs during the period of warming slowdown. To compare temperature changes, the study area was divided into three parts based on topographic conditions: Areas I, II, and III. The results revealed significant warming trends in Tmp and the 12 ETIs from 1960 to 2020. Comparing the time frames of 1960–1998, 2012–2020, and 1998–2012, both Tmp and the 12 ETIs displayed a cooling trend in the latter period, confirming the existence of a warming slowdown in NC. Notably, indices derived from daily maximum temperature exhibited higher cooling rates during 1998–2012, with winter contributing most significantly to the cooling trend among the four seasons. The most pronounced warming slowdown was observed in Area I, followed by Area III and Area II. Furthermore, our attribution analysis of ACIs concerning the temperature change indicated that the Asia Polar Vortex Area Index may have had the greatest influence on ETIs from 1960 to 2016. Moreover, the weakening of the Tibet Plateau Index Band and the Asian Latitudinal Circulation Index, and the strengthening of the Eurasian Latitudinal Circulation Index, were closely associated with ETIs during the warming slowdown period in NC. Through this research, we aim to deepen our understanding of climate change in NC and offer a valuable reference for the sustainable development of its natural ecology and social economy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of the Water Cycle System and Water Utilization in a Changing Environment)
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22 pages, 5596 KiB  
Article
Study on the Value of Ecosystem Services and Land Use Change in the Area North of the Tianshan Mountains from 2000 to 2020
by Zhen Zhu, Yang Wang, Xuan Xue and Haowei Wang
Sustainability 2024, 16(20), 9120; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16209120 - 21 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1198
Abstract
The northern Tianshans region in the arid zone of northwestern China plays a key role in promoting high-quality development of the ecological environment. In recent years, ecological environmental protection in this region has encountered major challenges due to the dual impacts of human [...] Read more.
The northern Tianshans region in the arid zone of northwestern China plays a key role in promoting high-quality development of the ecological environment. In recent years, ecological environmental protection in this region has encountered major challenges due to the dual impacts of human activities and natural changes. In order to accurately assess the current status of the ecological environment in the northern Tianshans, this study analyzed the spatial and temporal changes in land use and ecological and environmental effects using land use data from 2000 to 2020 and explored the current status of land use, land use dynamic process, and ecosystem service value (ESV) in the region. Two-factor spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed the spatio-temporal characteristics of the value changes over the 20-year period as well as their spatial heterogeneity. The results show that: (1) land use changes are dominated by increases in cultivated land, forest land, watershed, and wetland, and decreases in grassland, glacier snow, and bare land. Of these changes, the expansion of cultivated land area is the most significant, showing a total increase of 1136.13 × 103 hm2. (2) The ESV increased and then decreased, reaching the highest value in 2005 and the lowest in 2020. The value of individual ecosystem services is dominated by regulating services, accounting for about 67% of the total value. (3) The overall regional balance of ecological environment quality and the contribution rate of the conversion from bare land to other land types is as high as 82.7986%, constituting the main factor in regional ecological environment improvement. The spatial distribution pattern exhibits the characteristic of “high in the northeast and low in the southwest”. (4) There is a positive correlation between the ESV, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and the Anthropogenic Impact Composite Index, with the NDVI being the main cause of spatial heterogeneity in the ESV. The research results provide a scientific basis for ecological protection, land management, and policy formulation in the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains and are of great significance for promoting regional sustainable development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of the Water Cycle System and Water Utilization in a Changing Environment)
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23 pages, 2897 KiB  
Article
An Attribution Analysis of Runoff Alterations in the Danjiang River Watershed for Sustainable Water Resource Management by Different Methods
by Yiting Shao, Xiaohui Zhai, Xingmin Mu, Sen Zheng, Dandan Shen and Jinglin Qian
Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7600; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177600 - 2 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1255
Abstract
Determining the relative roles of climatic versus anthropogenic factors in runoff alterations is important for sustainable water resource utilization and basin management. The Danjiang River watershed is a crucial water resource area of the middle route of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project. In [...] Read more.
Determining the relative roles of climatic versus anthropogenic factors in runoff alterations is important for sustainable water resource utilization and basin management. The Danjiang River watershed is a crucial water resource area of the middle route of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project. In this study, four widely used quantitative methods, including the simple linear regression, the double mass curve, the paired year with similar climate conditions, and an elasticity method based on the Budyko framework were applied to detect the relative contribution of climatic and anthropogenic factors to runoff variation in the Danjiang River watershed. The calculation processes of each method were systematically explained, and their characteristics and applications were summarized. The results showed that runoff decreased significantly (p < 0.05) with an average change rate of −3.88 mm year−1 during the period of 1960–2017, and a significant change year was detected in 1989 (p < 0.05). Generally, consistent estimates could be derived from different methods that human activity was the dominant driving force of significant runoff reduction. Although the impacts of human activity estimated by the paired year with similar climate conditions method varied among paired years, the other three methods demonstrated that human activity accounted for 80.22–92.88% (mean 86.33%) of the total reduction in the annual runoff, whereas climate change only contributed 7.12–19.78% (mean 13.67%). The results of this study provide a good reference for estimating the effects of climate change and human activities on runoff variation via different methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability of the Water Cycle System and Water Utilization in a Changing Environment)
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