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NBS for Watershed Management: From Ecological Health Assessment to Ecosystem Restoration

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Resources Management, Policy and Governance".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 53

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
Interests: cyanobacterial bloom; microcystin; nitrogen cycle; denitrification; freshwater-marine continuum

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Guest Editor
Key Laboratory for Lake Pollution Control of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
Interests: lake ecological restoration; lakeside buffer zone ecological restoration; environmental microbiology

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Guest Editor
School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
Interests: carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical cycles; wetland restoration; harmful algal control

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Lakes, wetlands, rivers, and other aquatic ecosystems play a crucial role in the sustainable development of watersheds as they collect runoff and provide essential ecosystem services such as water purification, flood regulation, and habitat provision. However, these water bodies are increasingly being threatened by intensified human activity and climate change, leading to widespread degradation on a global scale. All the components of a watershed—forests, farmlands, wetlands, rivers, and lakes—are closely interconnected. Therefore, sustainable watershed management requires a holistic, systematic approach.

In this context, Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) have emerged as a promising strategy for watersheds to ensure water safety, safeguard ecosystem health, and achieve sustainable management for watersheds. This Special Issue welcomes submissions covering a range of topics, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Ecological health assessment;
  • Nonpoint source pollution control;
  • Ecosystem restoration.

This issue welcomes contributions that explore theories, methods, and practical applications of NBS within these areas. Submissions may include interdisciplinary studies that span hydrology, ecology, environmental engineering, and other related fields, particularly those considering the interactions among various water bodies and land uses within a watershed. By bringing together diverse research and case studies, this Special Issue aims to foster a deeper understanding of how NBS can be effectively applied to protect water resources, reduce nonpoint source pollution, and restore degraded ecosystems. Ultimately, this collection of studies seeks to provide new insights for sustainable watershed management in the face of global environmental change.

Dr. Yingying Huang
Prof. Dr. Chunhua Li
Prof. Dr. Xuechu Chen
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. Water 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 2600 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

  • watershed management
  • nature-based solutions
  • ecological health assessment
  • nonpoint source pollution control
  • ecosystem restoration

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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