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Impacts of Climate Change & Human Activities on Wetland Ecosystems

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water and Climate Change".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2025 | Viewed by 1455

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Wetland Research Center, Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
Interests: wetland ecosystem services; climate change; carbon cycle; microbiology; protection and restoration

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Guest Editor
Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
Interests: soil biogeochemistry; terrestrial carbon cycling; plant–soil–microbe interactions

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Guest Editor
Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Center, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China
Interests: remote sensing of optical properties and carbon cycle for inland water; water quality monitoring
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Guest Editor
School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Interests: carbon cycle in wetland; climate change; potential toxic elements

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, wetland ecosystems have faced increasing pressures from both climate change and human activities. The complex interplay of changing climatic patterns, alterations in precipitation, and rising global temperatures has significantly impacted wetland habitats. These natural environmental changes have disrupted the delicate balance of wetland material cycles and energy flows, resulting in biodiversity losses, alterations in habitat suitability, and disturbances in ecological functions. Additionally, human interventions such as intensified land-use conversion, unsustainable resource extraction, and pollution have exacerbated these impacts, compromising the health and resilience of wetland ecosystems.

The focus of this Special Issue is to deepen our understanding of the impacts of climate change and human activities on wetland ecosystems, while also exploring strategies to mitigate and address these challenges. Our aim is to provide crucial theoretical insights and practical solutions for the pollution control, conservation, and sustainable management of wetland resources. This Special Issue invites original research articles and reviews on a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Wetland material nutrient cycles and energy flows: Studies examining how climate change and anthropogenic activities influence the cycling of nutrients, water, productivity, and other essential materials within wetland plant and soil, as well as the dynamics of energy flow within these systems.
  • Effectiveness of wetland ecological conservation and restoration: Evaluations of various conservation measures and restoration projects aimed at revitalizing degraded wetlands, focusing on their success rates, challenges encountered, and long-term ecological impacts.
  • Wetland pollution and remediation projects: Research on the sources, types, and impacts of pollutants in wetlands, as well as innovative technologies and methodologies for their effective treatment and management.
  • Assessment of wetland ecosystem services: Comprehensive evaluations of the multiple services provided by wetlands, such as water purification, flood control, carbon sink function, biodiversity support, and cultural values, and the implications of their degradation for human societies and ecosystems.
  • Regulation of wetland hydrological processes: Exploring the relationship between wetland hydrology and ecological processes, simulating eco-hydrological regulation and constructing wetland eco-hydrological coupling models.
  • Wetland Greenhouse Gas (GHGs) fluxes: Focusing on greenhouse gas fluxes (CO2, N2O, and CH4) under global warming conditions and examining the environmental factors that control each GHG flux.
  • Wetland water environment quality: Investigations into the factors influencing the water quality of wetland ecosystems, including pollutant sources, nutrient loading, and hydrological dynamics, as well as strategies for monitoring, maintaining, and improving water quality in these vital ecosystems.

We welcome contributions that offer fresh perspectives, robust data, and actionable recommendations to foster a deeper understanding and promote sustainable stewardship of wetland ecosystems in the face of ongoing environmental challenges.

Dr. Zhongqing Yan
Dr. Guopeng Liang
Dr. Yingxin Shang
Dr. Xueping Wang
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

  • wetland ecosystems
  • ecosystem services and functions
  • protection and restoration
  • climate change and human activities
  • wetland hydrological processes
  • greenhouse gas (GHGs) fluxes
  • nutrient cycle and energy flow
  • water environment quality

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 2917 KiB  
Article
New Insights About the Drivers of Change in the Coastal Wetlands of Peru: Results of a Rapid Field Survey
by Héctor Aponte, Maria-Paula Coello-Sarmiento and David Montes-Iturrizaga
Water 2025, 17(10), 1473; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17101473 - 14 May 2025
Viewed by 356
Abstract
Wetlands are essential ecosystems that provide numerous services that are critical for human survival on a global scale. In Peru, these vital areas are situated along the coastal desert, one of the most densely populated regions in the country. This study employed a [...] Read more.
Wetlands are essential ecosystems that provide numerous services that are critical for human survival on a global scale. In Peru, these vital areas are situated along the coastal desert, one of the most densely populated regions in the country. This study employed a rapid field survey methodology to investigate the drivers of change (DOC) in 11 poorly studied wetlands along the Peruvian coast. Field visits occurred from August 2023 to August 2024, during which the DOC identified were documented. We performed similarity analyses of the data to identify (a) locations requiring similar management approaches and (b) co-occurring DOC. Our research identified 16 DOC; the presence of debris and waste, as well as roads or pathways that provide vehicular access, were the most frequent, followed by livestock and fisheries. The similarity analysis highlighted the crucial role of accessibility to these wetlands, as this increases the risk of adverse effects, whether from waste dumping or livestock. The findings suggest that several river mouths exhibit similar drivers, underscoring the need for coordinated management strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Climate Change & Human Activities on Wetland Ecosystems)
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16 pages, 2032 KiB  
Article
Understanding the Relationship Between Water Quality and Soil Nutrient Dynamics in Qinghai Lake Through Statistical and Regression Models
by Guangying Li, Jinhan Zhou, Deling Deng, Minjie Du, Yingyi Meng, Lijun Dai, Qin Peng and Lingqing Wang
Water 2025, 17(4), 472; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17040472 - 8 Feb 2025
Viewed by 632
Abstract
Lakes are essential ecosystems that play a significant role in water quality and biodiversity, particularly in nutrient cycling. Nitrogen compounds, including ammonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3), and nitrite (NO2), are critical elements in lake ecosystems, [...] Read more.
Lakes are essential ecosystems that play a significant role in water quality and biodiversity, particularly in nutrient cycling. Nitrogen compounds, including ammonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3), and nitrite (NO2), are critical elements in lake ecosystems, influencing productivity and water quality. This study aimed to investigate nitrogen compounds in Qinghai Lake, assess water and soil quality indicators, and evaluate the relationship between nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) levels in water and soil. Water samples from 17 locations around the lake and soil samples from nine sites at two depths were analyzed for various parameters. Statistical and regression analyses were performed to explore the correlations between N forms in water and other parameters in water and total P, total N, and pH in soil, as well as their interactions with environmental variables. The mean concentrations of NO3-N, NH4+-N, and NO2-N were 0.0189 mg/L, 0.112 mg/L, and 0.595 mg/L in Qinghai Lake, respectively. The regression models revealed that the total P in water and soil, along with other environmental factors, play crucial roles in regulating N levels. These findings contribute to our understanding of N cycling in high-altitude lakes and provide insight into managing eutrophication risks in Qinghai Lake. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Climate Change & Human Activities on Wetland Ecosystems)
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