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Isotope Hydrology: Tracing Water’s Journey and Water–Rock Interactions in a Changing World

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 733

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: isotope hydrology; water–rock interactions; groundwater recharge; fate of nutrients (S-N-C); groundwater age dating
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Guest Editor
School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, China
Interests: isotope hydrology; water–rock interactions; water cycle; moisture cycling; hydrochemistry; runoff process
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Guest Editor
School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
Interests: isotope hydrology; groundwater contamination; arsenic hydro-biogeochemistry; aquifer remediation; machine learning in groundwater

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Guest Editor
Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
Interests: isotope hydrology; monsoon; El Niño–Southern Oscillation; ice core; atmospheric water cycle

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Guest Editor
College of Hydraulic and Civil Engineering, Xinjiang Agriculture University, Urumqi 830052, China
Interests: isotope hydrology; groundwater recharge; groundwater age dating; water contamination tracing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Institute of Geology & Geophysics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: isotope hydrology; water–rock interaction; dynamics of the water cycle; water–rock–gas interaction; geothermal resources
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Isotope hydrology has emerged as a pivotal tool for understanding hydrological processes, tracing water movement, and addressing critical challenges in water resource management under changing climatic and anthropogenic pressures. By leveraging stable and radioactive isotopes, researchers gain unique insights into the origin, age, distribution, and interactions of water across the hydrological cycle. This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advancements, innovative methodologies, and interdisciplinary applications in isotope hydrology, fostering collaboration to tackle pressing global water security issues.

We invite contributions that explore the integration of isotopic techniques with hydrological, ecological, and climatological studies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Isotopic tracing of groundwater recharge, flow pathways, and surface water–groundwater interactions;
  • Applications in climate change studies (e.g., paleohydrology, precipitation dynamics);
  • Water resource sustainability and contamination assessment using isotopic tracers;
  • Advances in analytical techniques (e.g., high-resolution spectrometry, compound-specific isotopes);
  • Ecohydrological processes and isotope-enabled modeling;
  • Isotopes in addressing transboundary water management and policy challenges.

This Special Issue seeks to showcase cutting-edge research, case studies, and reviews that bridge scientific discovery with practical solutions. By uniting diverse perspectives, we aim to advance the role of isotope hydrology in promoting resilient water systems and informed decision making.

We look forward to your submissions and to fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas within this critical field.

Prof. Dr. Tianming Huang
Prof. Dr. Buli Cui
Prof. Dr. Xianjun Xie
Dr. Zhongyin Cai
Prof. Dr. Jinlong Zhou
Prof. Dr. Zhonghe Pang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • isotope hydrology
  • water–rock–gas interaction
  • surface water–groundwater interaction
  • groundwater recharge
  • fate of nutrients (S-N-C-P)
  • groundwater age dating
  • water contamination tracing
  • water quality
  • atmospheric water cycle
  • paleoclimate
  • geothermal resources
  • CCUS (carbon capture, utilization, and storage)

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 1787 KB  
Article
In Situ Monitoring of Water Isotopic Composition for Vapor and Precipitation Near-Surface Ground in East Asia Subtropical Monsoon Region
by Xingxian Li, Wenmin Qiu, Ziwei Lin, Changyuan Tang and Yingjie Cao
Water 2025, 17(20), 3011; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17203011 - 20 Oct 2025
Viewed by 233
Abstract
Hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in atmospheric water vapor (δv) and precipitation (δp or δr) were continuously measured using a laser-based water isotope spectrometer in Guangzhou, southeastern China, from March 2016 to February 2018. The measurements were conducted to [...] Read more.
Hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in atmospheric water vapor (δv) and precipitation (δp or δr) were continuously measured using a laser-based water isotope spectrometer in Guangzhou, southeastern China, from March 2016 to February 2018. The measurements were conducted to investigate the variations in water isotopes in the hydrological cycle under the subtropical monsoon climate. The isotopic composition ranged from −24.4‰ to −11.1‰ for δ18O in water vapor (δ18Ov) and from −11.5‰ to 2.3‰ for δ18O in precipitation (δ18Or). The values of δv and δr were enriched during the dry season and depleted during the wet season, exhibiting systematic seasonal variation. A negative correlation was observed between monthly δv and precipitation amount, indicating that the values of δv exhibits an ‘amount effect’. However, a corresponding amount effect was not observed in the values of δr. The mean difference between δv and δr was −9.7‰ for δ18O and −76‰ for δD, suggesting that equilibrium fractionation is the dominant process during precipitation. The local meteoric vapor line (LMVL) for Guangzhou (δD = 6.6δ18O − 6.4) exhibited a slope similar to that of the equilibrium local meteoric vapor line (ELMVL) but with an intercept difference of 8.6. This difference in intercepts can be attributed to the vertical profile of δv. The δD-q (q refers to water vapor concentration) relationship is useful for identifying water vapor sources and tracking isotopic changes during atmospheric transport and precipitation. The local water vapor was found to originate primarily from the mixing of oceanic air masses. Data points falling between the oceanic source mixing line and the Rayleigh curve likely reflect post-condensation processes, such as raindrop re-evaporation or mixing with surrounding ambient vapor. Short periods of heavy precipitation were observed to cause severe depletion in δv, resulting in values falling below the Rayleigh curve. Full article
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