The Hydrosphere in Crisis: Human Impact, Climate Change, and Pathways to Resilience, 2nd Edition

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Our planet is currently undergoing unprecedented, rapid, and drastic changes driven by human activities and the climate system. These changes have far-reaching implications across various components of the Earth system, posing a significant threat to human survival. Among all Earth system spheres, the hydrosphere is fundamental to the existence of nearly all life on Earth, the maintenance of the life-sustaining eco-environment, and the development of human society. The history of human development can be seen as a journey of water exploration, management, and utilization. At the same time, the hydrosphere is the most sensitive sphere to external changes. Over the past few hundred years, the rapid development of human society has severely compromised the quantity and quality of water resources. In addition to human-induced factors, climate warming is widely recognized as the most extensive and profound factor affecting the global state of the hydrosphere and water resource availability. It is not an overstatement to say that the Earth's hydrosphere is under immense pressure from human society and global warming, undergoing unprecedented transformations. As a result, water crises and water-related geohazards are becoming increasingly frequent. Given these challenges, we have launched this topic on the hydrosphere to gather the latest and most innovative insights into its current status, its evolution driven by anthropogenic activities and climate warming, and the corresponding strategies, policies, and technologies needed to address these issues.

The first edition of the Topic titled “Hydrosphere Under the Driving of Human Activity and Climate Change: Status, Evolution and Strategies” was highly successful. It significantly advanced our understanding of hydrological systems across continental to coastal environments, with a focus on hydrogeochemical processes, human impacts, and resource sustainability.

This second edition titled “The Hydrosphere in Crisis: Human Impact, Climate Change, and Pathways to Resilience, 2nd Edition” aims to build on the success of the first by delving deeper into emerging challenges, such as the intensifying impacts of extreme weather events on water systems. It also explores novel research directions, including the integration of advanced digital technologies in hydrological monitoring, and recent technological and policy developments, like the adoption of innovative water treatment technologies and new governance frameworks for transboundary water resources. The aims of this new editon are to collect the latest and most innovative insights into the current state of the hydrosphere, its evolution influenced by anthropogenic activities and climate warming, and to explore corresponding strategies, policies, and technologies for resilience.

We encourage submissions of various manuscript types, including Review Articles, Perspective Papers, Innovative Case Studies, Original Research, and Short Communications. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Surface and subsurface water circulation;
• Surface water and groundwater interaction;
• Water resource sustainable development;
• Hydrochemistry formation and water quality assessment;
• Geothermal water genesis and development;
• Water behaviors and related geohazards;
• Nature-based Solutions for water management;
• Water resource management and policy;
• Water knowledge dissemination;
• Hydrosphere digitalization;
• Artificial Intelligence in water resource research and management;
• Machine Learning in hydrological studies;
• Water-Energy-Food Nexus under climate stress;
• Water governance;
• Socio-economic impacts;
• Resilience strategies.

We look forward to your valuable contributions to this important topic.

Dr. Yong Xiao
Prof. Dr. Jinlong Zhou
Dr. Qichen Hao
Dr. Jibin Han
Dr. Wanjun Jiang
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Applied Sciences applsci	2.5	5.5	2011	19.8 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Atmosphere atmosphere	2.3	4.9	2010	16.9 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Hydrology hydrology	3.2	5.9	2014	15.7 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Sustainability sustainability	3.3	7.7	2009	19.3 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Water water	3.0	6.0	2009	19.1 Days	CHF 2600	Submit

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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18 pages, 6088 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Hydrochemical Characteristics and Evolution of Underground Brine During Mining Process in Luobei Mining Area of Lop Nur, Northwestern China

by Xu Han, Yufei Deng, Hao Geng, Liangliang Zhao, Ji Zhang, Lingfen Wang, Lei Wang, Xiaohong Sun, Zihao Zhou, Meng Wang and Zhongjian Liu

Water 2025, 17(15), 2192; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152192 - 23 Jul 2025

Abstract

Underground brine as a liquid mineral resource available for development and utilization has attracted widespread attention. However, how the mining process affects the hydrochemical characteristics and evolution of underground brine has yet to be fully understood. Herein, 207 underground brine samples were collected [...] Read more.

Underground brine as a liquid mineral resource available for development and utilization has attracted widespread attention. However, how the mining process affects the hydrochemical characteristics and evolution of underground brine has yet to be fully understood. Herein, 207 underground brine samples were collected from the Luobei mining area of the Lop Nur region during pre-exploitation (2006), exploitation (2019), and late exploitation (2023) to explore the dynamic change characteristics and evolution mechanisms of the underground brine hydrochemistry using the combination of statistical analysis, spatial interpolation, correlation analysis, and ion ratio analysis. The results indicated that Na⁺ and Cl⁻ were the dominant ionic components in the brine, and their concentrations remained relatively stable throughout the mining process. However, the content of Mg²⁺ increased gradually during the mining process (increased by 45.08% in the middle stage and 3.09% in the later stage). The elevation in Mg²⁺ concentration during the mining process could be attributed to the dissolution of Mg-bearing minerals, reverse cation exchange, and mixed recharge. This research furnishes a scientific foundation for a more in-depth comprehension of the disturbance mechanism of brine-mining activities on the groundwater chemical system in the mining area and for the sustainable exploitation of brine resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic The Hydrosphere in Crisis: Human Impact, Climate Change, and Pathways to Resilience, 2nd Edition)

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15 pages, 3677 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Spatial–Temporal Restructuring of Regional Landscape Patterns and Associated Carbon Effects: Evidence from Xiong’an New Area

by Yi-Hang Gao, Bo Han, Hong-Wei Liu, Yao-Nan Bai and Zhuang Li

Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 6224; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17136224 - 7 Jul 2025

Viewed by 256

Abstract

China’s accelerated urbanization has instigated construction land expansion and ecological land attrition, aggravating the carbon emission disequilibrium. Notably, the “land carbon emission elasticity coefficient” in urban agglomerations far exceeds international benchmarks, underscoring the contradiction between spatial expansion and low-carbon goals. Existing research predominantly [...] Read more.

China’s accelerated urbanization has instigated construction land expansion and ecological land attrition, aggravating the carbon emission disequilibrium. Notably, the “land carbon emission elasticity coefficient” in urban agglomerations far exceeds international benchmarks, underscoring the contradiction between spatial expansion and low-carbon goals. Existing research predominantly centers on single-spatial-type or static-model analyses, lacking cross-scale mechanism exploration, policy heterogeneity consideration, and differentiated carbon metabolism assessment across functional spaces. This study takes Xiong’an New Area as a case, delineating the spatiotemporal evolution of land use and carbon emissions during 2017–2023. Construction land expanded by 26.8%, propelling an 11-fold escalation in carbon emissions, while emission intensity decreased by 11.4% due to energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy adoption. Cultivated land reduction (31.8%) caused a 73.4% decline in agricultural emissions, and ecological land network restructuring (65.3% forest expansion and wetland restoration) significantly enhanced carbon sequestration. This research validates a governance paradigm prioritizing “structural optimization” over “scale expansion”—synergizing construction land intensification with ecological restoration to decelerate emission growth and strengthen carbon sink systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic The Hydrosphere in Crisis: Human Impact, Climate Change, and Pathways to Resilience, 2nd Edition)

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25 pages, 6047 KiB  

Open AccessReview

Efficient Inorganic Stabilization Materials for Chromium and Arsenic Pollution in Water and Soil

by Anqi Wang, Zhiwen Dang, Yibo Wang, Hui Fan and Shiding Miao

Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(13), 7069; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15137069 - 23 Jun 2025

Viewed by 430

Abstract

Chromium and arsenic, as prevalent heavy metal contaminants in water environments, pose significant threats to ecological systems and public health, necessitating urgent remediation measures. Conventional remediation techniques face challenges including high costs, prolonged remediation cycles, limited durability, and secondary contamination risks. While stabilization [...] Read more.

Chromium and arsenic, as prevalent heavy metal contaminants in water environments, pose significant threats to ecological systems and public health, necessitating urgent remediation measures. Conventional remediation techniques face challenges including high costs, prolonged remediation cycles, limited durability, and secondary contamination risks. While stabilization materials have emerged as promising solutions, the complex stabilization mechanisms for chromium and arsenic remain diverse and have not yet been fully elucidated. With reference to previous research, this paper systematically reviews inorganic stabilization materials for chromium and arsenic contamination remediation, with particular emphasis on elucidating their stabilization mechanisms and influencing factors. This review extensively evaluates various material types to inform practical applications, while highlighting investigations into novel composite materials, which advance technological innovation in water environmental remediation. It offers novel perspectives for addressing chromium and arsenic pollution challenges, potentially driving the development of more sustainable remediation strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic The Hydrosphere in Crisis: Human Impact, Climate Change, and Pathways to Resilience, 2nd Edition)

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