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Water Security and Sustainable Development of Aquatic Ecosystem in the Yangtze River Basin

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 15484

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Qi Feng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Innovation Academy of Precision Measurement Science and Technology, CAS, Wuhan 430077, China
Interests: application of remote sensing and GIS in environmental science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The world’s large rivers and their basins are of great importance for providing indispensable services to support human well-being. The unprecedented growth of the human footprint in the world’s large river basins has been changing all aspects of river basin eco-systems: landscape diversity, water quality, hydrology and biodiversity. In addition, accelerating global warming and the increasing occurrence of extreme climate events drastically manipulate or even degrade the ecosystem services of the world’s large rivers, decreasing the value of these ecosystem services and their functioning in large river basins. Thus, the calls for sustainable development in the world’s large river basins—to adapt to global climate change in support of the well-being of human society—have never been so urgent as in the past few decades.

The Yangtze River is called the mother river in China. Since the economic reform was initiated in 1979, remarkable economic growth has been associated with large campaigns of exploitation in the Yangtze River Basin. Under the impacts of climate change and land use and cover change, the Yangtze River Basin faces a series of challenges. These include the degradation of aquatic ecosystems and water quality such as eutrophication, biodiversity reduction, imbalance of river-lake system and increases in the frequencies of extreme floods or drought. While the past few decades have witnessed the apparent deterioration of the Yangtze River ecosystem, the public has called for the restoration of ecosystem services and the promotion of sustainable development.

This Special Issue aims to publish high-quality studies on ecowater security and sustainable development in the Yangtze River basin under a changing environment. In fact, this issue seeks research papers from various areas including, but not limited to any of the following topics in the Yangtze River Basin: recent problems of the eco-environment, water monitoring method, trend simulation and modelling, governance in surface water and groundwater management, water environment and climate change, water governance models, decision-making tools in water management, optimizing water allocation, case study on the application of sustainable water treatment.

Prof. Dr. Qi Feng
Guest Editor

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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

  • Yangtze River Basin
  • eco-water security
  • sustainability
  • monitoring method of water environment
  • lakes or reservoirs eutrophication
  • biodiversity reduction
  • relationship between lake and river
  • simulation and modelling
  • climate change
  • integrated water resources management
  • urban or rural water management

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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22 pages, 4238 KiB  
Article
Using C2X to Explore the Uncertainty of In Situ Chlorophyll-a and Improve the Accuracy of Inversion Models
by Wen Li, Yadong Zhou, Fan Yang, Hui Liu, Xiaoqin Yang, Congju Fu and Baoyin He
Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9516; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129516 - 13 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1869
Abstract
Quality water plays a huge role in human life. Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) in water bodies is a direct reflection of the population size of the primary productivity of various phytoplankton species in the water body and can provide critical information on the health of [...] Read more.
Quality water plays a huge role in human life. Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) in water bodies is a direct reflection of the population size of the primary productivity of various phytoplankton species in the water body and can provide critical information on the health of water ecosystems and the pollution status of water quality. Case 2 Regional CoastColour (C2RCC) is a networked atmospheric correction processor introduced by the Sentinel Application Platform for various remote sensing products. Among them, the Extreme Case-2 Waters (C2X) process has demonstrated advantages in inland complex waters, enabling the generation of band data, conc_chl product for Chl-a, and kd_z90max product for Secchi Depth (SD). Accurate in situ data are essential for the development of reliable Chl-a models, while in situ data measurement is limited by many factors. To explore and improve the uncertainties involved, we combined the C2X method with Sentinel-2 imagery and water quality data, taking lakes in Wuhan from 2018 to 2021 as a case. A Chl-a model was developed and validated using an empirical SD model and a neural network incorporating Trophic Level Index (TLI) to derive the predicted correction result, Chl-a_t. The results indicated that (1) the conc_chl product measured by C2X and in situ Chl-a exhibited consistent overall trends, with the highest correlation observed in the range of 2–10 μg/L. (2) The corrected Chl-a_t using the conc_chl product had a mean absolute error of approximately 10–15 μg/L and a root-mean-square error of approximately 8–10 μg/L, while using in situ Chl-a had a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of approximately 15 μg/L and a mean absolute error (MAE) of approximately 20 μg/L; both errors decreased by double after correction. (3) The correlation coefficient (R) between Chl-a_t and each data point in the Chl-a model results was lower than that of SD-a_t with each data point in the SD model results. Additionally, the difference in R-value between Chl-a_t and each data point (0.45–0.60) was larger than that of SD-a_t with each data point (0.35–0.5). (4) When using corrected Chl-a_t data to calculate the TLI estimation model, both RMSE and MAE decreased, which were 1μg/L lower than those derived from uncorrected data, while R increased, indicating an improvement in accuracy and reliability. These findings demonstrated the presence of in situ errors in Chl-a measurements, which must be acknowledged during research. This study holds practical significance as some of these errors can be effectively corrected through the use of C2X atmospheric correction on spectral bands. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Security and Sustainable Development of Aquatic Ecosystem in the Yangtze River Basin)
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12 pages, 937 KiB  
Article
Application of RBF and GRNN Neural Network Model in River Ecological Security Assessment—Taking the Middle and Small Rivers in Suzhou City as an Example
by Tongfeng Chen and Liang Xiao
Sustainability 2023, 15(8), 6522; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086522 - 12 Apr 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1795
Abstract
The analytic hierarchy process is used to construct the health evaluation index system and grading standard of small- and medium-sized rivers in the region. Based on the principles of RBF and GRNN neural network algorithms, the river health evaluation models of radial basis [...] Read more.
The analytic hierarchy process is used to construct the health evaluation index system and grading standard of small- and medium-sized rivers in the region. Based on the principles of RBF and GRNN neural network algorithms, the river health evaluation models of radial basis function neural network (RBF) and general regression neural network (GRNN) algorithms are constructed, respectively. The network training samples are constructed by the interpolation method. The standard value of river health classification evaluation is taken as the “prediction” sample to “predict”. Then the results are applied as the division basis of the river health classification evaluation, which is to evaluate and analyze the health status of small and medium rivers in Suzhou Prefecture. The results indicate that: (1) the RBF and GRNN neural network models have exactly the same results in evaluating the health of small and medium rivers in the region, and are basically the same as the back propagation (BP) neural network evaluation results. RBF and GRNN neural network models have the advantages of fast convergence speed, high prediction accuracy, harder to fall into local minima, less adjustment parameters, and only one spread parameter, which can predict and evaluate the network faster, which is a large calculation advantage. (2) The health evaluation level of the main rivers in Suzhou Prefecture is from grades II to III, that is, between healthy and sub-healthy. This grade objectively reflects the health status of small- and medium-sized rivers in the region, which can provide a reference for the sustainable management of regional rivers and ecological environment construction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Security and Sustainable Development of Aquatic Ecosystem in the Yangtze River Basin)
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12 pages, 3120 KiB  
Article
Using Behavioral Characteristics to Design Amphibian Ladders for Concrete-Lined Irrigation Channels
by Bo Bi, Jian Tong, Shaohua Lei, Dan Chen, Qiu Jin, Dalin Hong, Xiaojun Wang, Jing Chen and Siyuan Zhao
Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 6029; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15076029 - 30 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1627
Abstract
Human-dominated landscapes have become a serious threat to amphibian populations worldwide. In such landscapes, concrete structures act as barriers to migration, fragmenting habitat and causing mortality. In China, concrete irrigation channels, which play an important role in agriculture, impede the movement of anuran [...] Read more.
Human-dominated landscapes have become a serious threat to amphibian populations worldwide. In such landscapes, concrete structures act as barriers to migration, fragmenting habitat and causing mortality. In China, concrete irrigation channels, which play an important role in agriculture, impede the movement of anuran amphibians. To promote the sustainable development of irrigated agriculture, we performed behavioral experiments to examine the ability of a common Chinese frog species (Pelophylax nigromaculatus) of four different body sizes to use corridors along a gradient of six different slopes to escape from irrigation channels. We found that body size was positively related with frogs’ ability to climb the ladders. Most frogs could not escape if the slope was ≥65 degrees, but all frogs could successfully navigate a ladder with a slope of 45 degrees. Based on our experimental results, we propose a simple improved design for amphibian ladders that would greatly improve the success of frogs in escaping from irrigation channels. This research is expected to provide scientific reference data and technical support for frog conservation in the study area, as well as the development of ecological restoration of irrigation districts throughout the world. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Security and Sustainable Development of Aquatic Ecosystem in the Yangtze River Basin)
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17 pages, 1502 KiB  
Article
Special Rural Sewage Treatment Plan in Jiangxia District, Wuhan City, China
by Ning Duan, Jiangmin Xiong, Qi Feng, Lihui Wang, Fan Yang and Hua Ding
Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 1764; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15031764 - 17 Jan 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3632
Abstract
The Yangtze River ecosystem is one of the most important ecosystems in central China. Due to the substantial increase in China’s economy and the improvement of living conditions in rural areas over the past decade, domestic wastewater discharges in rural areas have increased [...] Read more.
The Yangtze River ecosystem is one of the most important ecosystems in central China. Due to the substantial increase in China’s economy and the improvement of living conditions in rural areas over the past decade, domestic wastewater discharges in rural areas have increased dramatically, seriously affecting the Yangtze River Basin environment, and becoming one of the main obstacles to achieving global sustainable development goals (SDGs). Rural environmental management is very important for the prevention and control of water pollution in the Yangtze River Basin. In order to address the problem of rural domestic sewage treatment, this paper proposes a domestic sewage collection model applicable to rural areas. An operable village sewage treatment plan was developed for Jiangxia District, Wuhan City, specific for each village, based on a previous village sewage treatment plan in Jiangxia District. The plan is cost-effective and ensures a suitable quality of the treated domestic wastewater that meets the local discharge and reuse standards, thus reducing pollution of the Yangtze River and contributing to the restoration of the Yangtze ecological environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Security and Sustainable Development of Aquatic Ecosystem in the Yangtze River Basin)
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15 pages, 2191 KiB  
Article
Remote Sensing Monitoring of Changes in Lake Aquatic Vegetation before and after the Removal of the Fence Based on Sentinel-2: A Case Study in Lake Futou, Hubei Province
by Congju Fu, Baoyin He, Yadong Zhou, Hui Liu, Fan Yang, Jinwen Song, Huiping Cai and Xiaoqin Yang
Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 12478; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912478 - 30 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2376
Abstract
Aquatic vegetation is an important component and main primary producer of lake ecosystems and plays an important role in improving water quality and maintaining biodiversity, which is critical to diagnosing the health of aquatic ecosystems in shallow lakes. It is therefore important to [...] Read more.
Aquatic vegetation is an important component and main primary producer of lake ecosystems and plays an important role in improving water quality and maintaining biodiversity, which is critical to diagnosing the health of aquatic ecosystems in shallow lakes. It is therefore important to accurately obtain information on dynamic changes and spatial-temporal distribution of aquatic vegetation. Based on the Sentinel-2 satellite remote sensing images from 2016–2022, we studied the feasibility of using remote sensing technology to monitor the spatial-temporal changes of aquatic vegetation before and after the removal of the fence, taking Futou Lake in Hubei Province as a case study. Two vegetation indices, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Index (SAVI) were applied to identify the open water and the aquatic vegetation through two threshold determination methods, Otsu algorithm and manual division threshold method. The results show that: (1) the classification based on the NDVI and manual division threshold method performs the best, with the overall classification accuracy of 94.44% and the Kappa coefficient of 85.23%. (2) The growth of aquatic vegetation is divided into stages, the first stage is enclosing culture, and the distribution of aquatic vegetation is less in 2016–2017, all around 10 km2. The second stage is after the removal of the fence, the distribution area of aquatic vegetation in 2018 is on an upward trend, and in 2019–2022 it is growing rapidly. (3) Spatially, the aquatic vegetation was mainly distributed at the former fence, specifically in the northeastern and southwestern waters of the Futou Lake and it spread to the core area of the lake, probably due to the elevation of the siltation of the lake bottom. (4) Potamogeton crispus and Trapa are the dominant species, the peak of the distribution range in Futou Lake occurs in 2021 with an area of about 50.89 km2, which needs to be controlled moderately. (5) The area covered by Potamogeton crispus in the Futou Lake has increased significantly, probably due to the siltation and accumulation of nutrients in the Futou Lake caused by the history of purse seine farming. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Security and Sustainable Development of Aquatic Ecosystem in the Yangtze River Basin)
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12 pages, 567 KiB  
Essay
Study on Carbon Emission Characteristics and Emission Reduction Measures of Lime Production—A Case of Enterprise in the Yangtze River Basin
by Erxi Wu, Qiaozhi Wang, Lihua Ke and Guangquan Zhang
Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 10185; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310185 - 27 Jun 2023
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3127
Abstract
A scientific carbon accounting system can help enterprises reduce carbon emissions. This study took an enterprise in the Yangtze River basin as a case study. The accounting classification of carbon emissions in the life cycle of lime production was assessed, and the composition [...] Read more.
A scientific carbon accounting system can help enterprises reduce carbon emissions. This study took an enterprise in the Yangtze River basin as a case study. The accounting classification of carbon emissions in the life cycle of lime production was assessed, and the composition of the sources of carbon emission was analyzed, covering mining explosives, fuel (diesel, coal), electricity and high-temperature limestone decomposition. Using the IPCC emission factor method, a carbon life cycle emission accounting model for lime production was established. We determined that the carbon dioxide equivalent from producing one ton of quicklime ranged from 1096.68 kg CO2 equiv. to 1176.96 kg CO2 equiv. from 2019 to 2021 in the studied case. The decomposition of limestone at a high temperature was the largest carbon emission source, accounting for 64% of the total carbon emission. Coal combustion was the second major source of carbon emissions, accounting for 31% of total carbon emissions. Based upon the main sources of carbon emission for lime production, carbon emission reduction should focus on CO2 capture technology and fuel optimization. Based on the error transfer method, we calculated that the overall uncertainty of the life cycle carbon emissions of quicklime from 2019 to 2021 are 2.13%, 2.07% and 2.09%, respectively. Using our analysis of carbon emissions, the carbon emission factor of producing one unit of quicklime in the lime enterprise in the Yangtze River basin was determined. Furthermore, this research into carbon emission reduction for lime production can provide a point of reference for the promotion of carbon neutrality in the same industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Security and Sustainable Development of Aquatic Ecosystem in the Yangtze River Basin)
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