Environmental Changes, Ecosystem Health and Driving Mechanisms in Watersheds

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Changes in the watershed environment may have profound effects on the living space of human beings. In the context of global changes, the watershed has experienced a series of environmental problems in the past, such as grass turnover, sanding increase and retreat, lake level fluctuation, water quality change and salinization phenomenon serious. Therefore, it is especially necessary to reveal the change patterns and explore the development mechanisms for the above phenomena. In recent years, remote sensing(RS) is providing an effective data source for monitoring environmental changes at the watershed or even global scale. By introducing new technologies, methods, and experiments, RS can provide high spatial and temporal resolution dynamic measurements of basin-scale environmental changes. This Topic aims to explore the latest advances in remote sensing and GIS in environmental changes in watersheds and their driving mechanisms. Topic focuses on surface water monitoring (e.g., water storage, water quality, water level, hydrodynamics, or flooding), soil environmental monitoring (e.g., salinity, heavy metals, drought, or soil nitrogen and phosphorus elements), agricultural crops, and land use change. The manuscript should also be considered in terms of high spatial and temporal resolution monitoring, and requires a sufficient number of field observations to calibrate the model and control its prediction accuracy.

Prof. Dr. Fei Zhang
Dr. Xiaoping Wang
Dr. Changjiang Liu
Dr. Juan Wang
Dr. Xiangming Tang
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Conservation conservation	-	-	2021	35.6 Days	CHF 1000
Environments environments	3.5	5.7	2014	22.8 Days	CHF 1800
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ijerph	-	7.3	2004	25.8 Days	CHF 2500
Water water	3.0	5.8	2009	17.5 Days	CHF 2600
Remote Sensing remotesensing	4.2	8.3	2009	23.9 Days	CHF 2700
Agriculture agriculture	3.3	4.9	2011	19.2 Days	CHF 2600

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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All Conservation Environments IJERPH Water Remote Sensing Agriculture

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12 pages, 2348 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Water Renewal Time in Lakes with Transformed Water Distribution in the Catchment Areas

by Jarosław Dawidek and Beata Ferencz

Water 2024, 16(3), 384; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16030384 - 24 Jan 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1586

Abstract

Water exchange in lake basins is a very important process in regulating the health of the aquatic environment, e.g., by shaping algal blooms. Thus, knowledge of the process is also required to develop management strategies. The paper presents a dynamic of water renewal [...] Read more.

Water exchange in lake basins is a very important process in regulating the health of the aquatic environment, e.g., by shaping algal blooms. Thus, knowledge of the process is also required to develop management strategies. The paper presents a dynamic of water renewal time in the Uściwierz chain of lakes, in which the natural hydrological connectivity of the catchment areas has been altered due to human impact. Calculations of water renewal were limited to the part of the lake basin corresponding to the active (dynamic) retention layer. A comparative analysis of the rate of potential water renewal, based on the structure difference index, was used as an indicator of the degree of anthropogenic transformation of water distribution in the lake catchments. The smallest differences in the structure of the water renewal rate between the neighboring lakes in the chain system were observed in the cold period, and the largest differences were observed in the warm period. The results showed that the shorter the timescale (5-day period), the higher the similarity in the structure of the water renewal rate between the lakes. Very large differences between the structure of the potential water renewal rate in Lakes Uściwierz and Bikcze indicated a significant transformation of the water cycle down the lake chain. The water renewal rate proved to be a good indicator of the degree of anthropogenic transformation in the catchments located in close proximity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Environmental Changes, Ecosystem Health and Driving Mechanisms in Watersheds)

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26 pages, 9051 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Spatiotemporal Evaluation of Water Resource Vulnerability in Four River Basins of Henan Province, China

by Zhihui Tian, Ruoyi Zhang, Lili Wu, Yongji Wang, Jinjin Yang and Di Cao

Water 2024, 16(1), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16010149 - 30 Dec 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1862

Abstract

Climate change, population growth, and socio-economic transformations present multifaceted challenges to the water resource systems in the four major river basins of Henan Province. Consequently, to gain a comprehensive understanding of water security within the study area, a quantitative assessment of water resource [...] Read more.

Climate change, population growth, and socio-economic transformations present multifaceted challenges to the water resource systems in the four major river basins of Henan Province. Consequently, to gain a comprehensive understanding of water security within the study area, a quantitative assessment of water resource vulnerability (WRV) is imperative. In this investigation, the vulnerability scoping diagram (VSD) model serves as the analytical framework, subdividing vulnerability into three critical subsystems: exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Utilizing a comprehensive evaluation index system, this study assesses WRV in Henan Province’s four primary watersheds. Temporal variations and spatial patterns of WRV from 2000 to 2020 are systematically examined through the standard deviational ellipse (SDE) and GeoDetector methods. The findings indicate that vulnerability within these river basins is shaped by the interactions among exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Moreover, exposure and sensitivity are found to be more influential than adaptive capacity. Although there are indications of future improvements in the system’s resilience against water resource vulnerability, the overarching scenario remains precarious, particularly within the Hai and Yellow River basins. Considering the diverse characteristics of the watershed, it is recommended that adaptive management strategies be implemented. This study enhances the understanding of WRV dynamics in Henan Province, thereby aiding more effective decision making in sustainable water resource management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Environmental Changes, Ecosystem Health and Driving Mechanisms in Watersheds)

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22 pages, 15435 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Urbanization on Changes in Precipitation Extremes in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, China

by Fang Yang, Xinghan Wang, Xiaoxue Zhou, Qiang Wang and Xuezhi Tan

Water 2023, 15(19), 3438; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15193438 - 29 Sep 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2456

Abstract

Complex interaction between urbanization and climate change has been showing significant impacts on natural and human ecosystems. Increasing urban flooding and waterlogging are associated with urbanization. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) experiences a rapid and extensive urbanization, leading to intensified land [...] Read more.

Complex interaction between urbanization and climate change has been showing significant impacts on natural and human ecosystems. Increasing urban flooding and waterlogging are associated with urbanization. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) experiences a rapid and extensive urbanization, leading to intensified land use and cover changes. Concurrently, the frequent occurrence of extreme precipitation events pose great challenges of urban flood control and water resource management to GBA. This research statistically analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of precipitation extremes from 1979–2018 which relates to the urbanization in GBA using various statistical methods including the Mann-Kendall test, bivariate Moran’s test, and Spearman correlation analyses. The findings indicate that the impervious surface area in GBA exhibited a nonlinear growth trend from 1985–2018, particularly concentrated in the five major cities, i.e., Guangzhou, Foshan, Dongguan, Shenzhen, and Zhongshan. GBA urbanization can be categorized into three stages including Stage I (pre-1990, no urbanization), Stage II (1991–2009, rapid urbanization), and Stage III (2010–2018, slow urbanization). Compared to cities with low urbanization, the highly urbanized areas of GBA, including Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhongshan, and Dongguan, show statistically significant increases in precipitation extremes. The increasing trends of seven extreme precipitation indices show significant positive, spatiotemporal correlations with the change rate of urbanization in GBA. Moreover, the influence of urbanization on precipitation extremes in highly urbanized regions of the GBA is progressively strengthened along with urban development. During the stage of slow urbanization, urbanization contributes to 56.13% of increase in annual precipitation totals in GBA, and its contribution to increases in precipitation extremes ranges from 20–80%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Environmental Changes, Ecosystem Health and Driving Mechanisms in Watersheds)

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24 pages, 6106 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Copula-Based Joint Drought Index Using Precipitation, NDVI, and Runoff and Its Application in the Yangtze River Basin, China

by Hongfei Wei, Xiuguo Liu, Weihua Hua, Wei Zhang, Chenjia Ji and Songjie Han

Remote Sens. 2023, 15(18), 4484; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15184484 - 12 Sep 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2013

Abstract

Drought monitoring ensures the Yangtze River Basin’s social economy and agricultural production. Developing a comprehensive index with high monitoring precision is essential to enhance the accuracy of drought management strategies. This study proposes the standardized comprehensive drought index (SCDI) using a novel approach [...] Read more.

Drought monitoring ensures the Yangtze River Basin’s social economy and agricultural production. Developing a comprehensive index with high monitoring precision is essential to enhance the accuracy of drought management strategies. This study proposes the standardized comprehensive drought index (SCDI) using a novel approach that utilizes the joint distribution of C-vine copula to effectively combine three critical drought factors: precipitation, NDVI, and runoff. The study analyzes the reliability and effectiveness of the SCDI in detecting drought events through quantitative indicators and assesses its applicability in the Yangtze River Basin. The findings are as follows: (1) The SCDI is a highly reliable and applicable drought index. Compared to traditional indices like the SPI, VCI, and SRI, it has a consistency rate of over 67% and can detect drought events in more sensitive months by over 51%. It has a low false negative rate of only 2% and a false positive rate of 0%, making it highly accurate. The SCDI is also applicable to all the third-level sub-basins of the Yangtze River Basin, making it a valuable tool for regional drought monitoring. (2) The time lag effect of the NDVI can affect the sensitivity of the SCDI. When the NDVI time series data are shifted forward by one month, the sensitivity of the SCDI in detecting agricultural drought improves from 47.8% to 53%. (3) The SDCI can assist in monitoring drought patterns in the Yangtze River Basin. From 2001 to 2018, the basin saw fluctuations in drought intensity, with the worst in December 2008. The western region had less frequent but more intense and prolonged droughts, while the eastern part had more frequent yet less severe droughts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Environmental Changes, Ecosystem Health and Driving Mechanisms in Watersheds)

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21 pages, 4230 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Resources and Environment Carrying Capacity Based on Support Pressure Coupling Mechanism: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Economic Belt

by Cheng Zhan, Mingjing Guo, Jinhua Cheng and Hongxia Peng

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 240; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010240 - 23 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2235

Abstract

Resource and environmental carrying capacity (RECC) is an important basis for achieving sustainable urban development, and analysis of the relationship between regional resources and human activities is of great significance for sustainable regional development. Taking the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) as the [...] Read more.

Resource and environmental carrying capacity (RECC) is an important basis for achieving sustainable urban development, and analysis of the relationship between regional resources and human activities is of great significance for sustainable regional development. Taking the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) as the study area, this study establishes a framework for analyzing RECC based on the resource and environmental support capacity (RES) and the pressure on the resource and environment (REP), calculates the RES and REP of 110 cities in the YREB from 2009 to 2018, and analyzes the main constraints on RECC. The results show that (1) there are inter-regional imbalances in RECC within the study area, with cities that are more economically developed or at a higher administrative level usually having more severe problems with RECC. (2) The RES and REP indices of cities in the YREB show an overall increasing trend, but the relative growth rates of the RES and REP indices of cities at different levels differ. (3) The built-up area, green space in built-up areas, total gas supply, and length of sewage pipes are hindering factors for most cities to improve their RES. This study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the current situation and changing trends of RECC in the YREB and can provide a reference for decision-making on sustainable development of the region’s large river basin. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Environmental Changes, Ecosystem Health and Driving Mechanisms in Watersheds)

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