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A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Biodiversity and Functionality of Aquatic Ecosystems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 April 2025) | Viewed by 14411

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Dr. Jian Hu

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Guest Editor

Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
Interests: isotope geochemistry; ecological risk assessment; heavy metal pollution; organic pollution
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Guilin Han

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Guest Editor

Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Interests: hydrology; hydro-geochemistry; water chemistry; water quality; aquatic geochemistry; isotopic geochemistry
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Dr. Qian Zhang

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Guest Editor

Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Interests: hydrology; hydro-geochemistry; aquatic ecology; aquatic geochemistry; isotopic geochemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, due to natural environmental changes and human activities, aquatic ecosystems have faced unprecedented challenges. Natural environmental shifts, including climate change, shifts in precipitation patterns, ecosystem degradation, and occurrences like droughts, extreme rainfall, and rising global temperatures, have exerted extensive and profound impacts on aquatic ecosystems. These changes have resulted in the loss of biodiversity, habitat destruction, and the disruption of ecological processes. Simultaneously, unsustainable human activities like excessive industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural production have led to the degradation of water quality and aquatic ecosystems, further disturbing the balance of aquatic ecosystems.

The aim of this Special Issue is to present our understanding of the impacts of natural environmental changes and human activities on aquatic ecosystems and the approaches to resolve these issues, thereby providing important theoretical and practical pollution control and sustainable development solutions. This Special Issue welcomes original research and review articles, and its scope includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:

The monitoring and assessment of hydrogeological changes.
The management and conservation of aquatic ecosystems.
Pollutant migration and risk assessment.
The sustainable development of aquatic ecosystems.

Dr. Jian Hu
Prof. Dr. Guilin Han
Dr. Qian Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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

aquatic ecosystems
migration and transformation
source identification
risk assessment
sustainable development

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Related Special Issue

Impacts of Environmental Change and Human Activities on Aquatic Ecosystems, 2nd Edition in Water

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Research

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17 pages, 16149 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Source, Transport, and Fractionation of Rare Earth Elements in Fluvial Sediments from a Typical Small Urban Basin (East Tiaoxi River, Eastern China)

by Kunhua Yang, Qian Zhang, Bei Wang, Bin Liang, Qiang Lin and Weijiao Wang

Water 2025, 17(9), 1279; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17091279 - 25 Apr 2025

Abstract

As emerging contaminants, rare earth elements (REEs) have undergone significant anthropogenic enrichment in aquatic systems. This study investigates the REE concentrations, major metal elements, and grain size in surface sediments from the East Tiaoxi (ETX) River in eastern China, a small urban river subjected to substantial anthropogenic influences. Total REE concentrations of surface sediments ranged from 133.62 to 222.92 mg/kg with MREE enrichment and HREE depletion. REE concentration and fractionation were strongly correlated with Ca, Fe, Mg, and Mn, which may reflect the control of clay minerals, Fe-Mn oxides, and specific heavy minerals, and differences in REE behavior between riparian sediments and riverbed sediments highlighted the impact of hydrodynamic sorting and chemical weathering on REE distribution. Anthropogenic activities, particularly urbanization, were found to increase REE concentrations, especially at urban-adjacent sites (e.g., RBS2 and RS2), while natural processes such as soil transport and chemical weathering primarily contributed to REE variation at other sites. The enrichment factor and ecological risk assessment revealed that the enrichment and moderate risks associated with REEs occurred in river sediments adjacent to urbanized areas, though agricultural impacts were less pronounced. The findings emphasize the combined influence of urbanization and natural processes on REE distribution and ecological risks in the ETX River basin and underscore the need to prioritize urban-derived REE contamination in environmental management strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Environmental Change and Human Activities on Aquatic Ecosystems)

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18 pages, 6148 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Drought on the Aquatic Ecosystem of the Cascade Dam Reservoir in South Korea

by Youn Bo Sim, Jong Kwon Im, Chae Hong Park, Jeong Hwan Byun and Soon-Jin Hwang

Water 2025, 17(7), 1023; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17071023 - 31 Mar 2025

Viewed by 217

Abstract

Climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events worldwide. In South Korea, annual precipitation in 2014–2015 was only 50% of the long-term average, resulting in severe drought conditions. This drought extended water residence time in dam reservoirs, enhancing internal nutrient recycling, degrading water quality, and promoting harmful cyanophyta blooms in downstream reservoirs. Using the Standardized Precipitation Index—for drought assessment, and monthly water sampling—for environmental factors and phytoplankton analyses, this study examined the impacts of drought on water quality and phytoplankton communities in a series of interconnected dam reservoirs (Uiam, Cheongpyeong, Sambong-ri, and Paldang Lakes) within the Bukhan River system from 2013 to 2016. The prolonged residence time during drought facilitated nutrient accumulation and recycling within the reservoirs, intensifying eutrophication and water quality deterioration, alongside a pronounced cyanobacterial dominance and harmful algal blooms. These findings suggest that changes in upstream dam discharges directly influence water quality and ecosystem health in downstream reservoirs and that diverse hydrological changes associated with drought pose a significant threat to water source management. These findings may inform the development of integrated water management strategies for maintaining water quality and protecting water sources during droughts and extreme climatic events. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Environmental Change and Human Activities on Aquatic Ecosystems)

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18 pages, 5214 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Picoplankton Groups and Their Responses to Environmental Factors in Small Cascade Hydropower Stations

by Peiquan Li, Zhongxin Luo, Xianfang Zhu, Zhengzhu Dang, Daxin Zhang and Xin Sui

Water 2025, 17(6), 903; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17060903 - 20 Mar 2025

Viewed by 208

Abstract

Hydropower is a clean and renewable energy source, and cascade hydropower stations have been developed to enhance water energy utilization efficiency. While small hydropower stations have a smaller scale and environmental impact compared to large ones, the cumulative effects of cascade development on river ecosystems should not be overlooked. In this study, flow cytometry was used to classify picoplankton from water samples collected at four small cascade hydropower stations on a Pearl River tributary into six microbial groups: Virus, LNA (Low Nucleic Acid), HNA (High Nucleic Acid), Cyanobacteria, Algae, and Fungi. Four ecological assessment indices were calculated: Photosynthetic Autotrophic Capacity (PAC), Bacterial Activity Index (BAI), Virus Regulatory Capacity (VRC), and Fungal Metabolic Capacity (FMC). By analyzing trends in microbial abundance and ecological indices and their correlations with environmental factors, the results showed that along the small cascade hydropower stations, dissolved oxygen (DO) and electrical conductivity (EC) increased from 5.71 mg/L and 49.87 μS/cm upstream to 6.80 mg/L and 56.18 μS/cm downstream, respectively. In contrast, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations decreased from 3.81 mV and 1.59 mg/L to −8.05 mV and 1.08 mg/L, respectively. Among the microbial groups, the abundance of Virus, LNA, and Fungi decreased by 30.9%, 30.5%, and 34.9%, respectively, along the cascade system. EC, TOC, and NO₃⁻-N were identified as key drivers of changes in the abundance of the Virus, LNA, and Fungi groups. The concentrations of carbon and nitrogen nutrients significantly influenced the ecological assessment indices. Cascade hydropower stations had a significant impact on PAC, BAI, and VRC, while their influence on FMC was relatively small. The VRC showed a decreasing trend, suggesting a weakening effect of the stations on VRC. This study offers new perspectives and methods that facilitate the rapid and quantitative assessment of the ecological impacts of cascade hydropower stations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Environmental Change and Human Activities on Aquatic Ecosystems)

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17 pages, 4207 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Water Quality of a Typical Industrial Park on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau Using a Self-Organizing Map and Interval Fuzzy Number-Based Set-Pair Analysis

by Xiaoyuan Zhao, Di Ming, Yingyi Meng, Zhiping Yang and Qin Peng

Water 2025, 17(1), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17010111 - 3 Jan 2025

Viewed by 724

Abstract

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) serves as the origin for several major rivers in Asia and acts as a crucial ecological barrier in China, characterized by its regional conservation significance. Production activities in the industrial park in this special geographical environment may exacerbate its environmental vulnerability. We examined the spatial and temporal patterns of water quality parameters, identified the factors influencing water quality, and evaluated the associated risks using various analytical methods, including the Boruta algorithm and interval fuzzy number-based set-pair analysis (IFN-SPA). The results showed that the average concentrations in the flood season and dry season were significantly different. The average value of Cd in the flood season belonged to the water quality standard of Class II. Different heavy metals show different spatial distribution characteristics, and the reason for the difference comes from livestock farms and industrial enterprises. The results for the flood season and dry season were different, which further proves that meteorological factors can influence water quality. The risk of heavy metals in different rivers presents different spatial distribution characteristics; for example, the risk of heavy metals in the Sigou River is higher. The water quality assessment results indicate the need to develop a well-structured evaluation framework for managing and controlling river water pollution in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Environmental Change and Human Activities on Aquatic Ecosystems)

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14 pages, 2013 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ecological Compensation Based on the Ecosystem Service Value: A Case Study of the Xin’an River Basin in China

by Yuanhua Chen, Qinglian Wu and Liang Guo

Water 2024, 16(20), 2923; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16202923 - 14 Oct 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1075

Abstract

To establish a sound ecological compensation (EC) mechanism in the Xin’an River Basin, this study suggested utilizing ecosystem service valuation to determine the compensation amount. In this study, the first step was to establish a reasonable watershed EC model using the ecological compensation supply coefficient (ECSC) based on the value spillover theory (VST) of the ecosystem services and the ecological compensation demand coefficient (ECDC). The second step was to classify the ecosystem services of the Xin’an River Basin into three categories, including supply service, regulating service, and cultural service, with 14 specific functions to determine the ecological compensation standard accounting scope in these services. Then, a case study on the Xin’an River Basin for EC standards was presented. The total ecosystem service value (ESV) in the Xin’an River Basin was estimated to be CNY 70.271 billion, with supply service accounting for 22.7%, regulating service accounting for 24.6%, and cultural service accounting for 52.7%. Based on the compensation scope, the ecosystem service values for the upper and lower limits of the EC were calculated as CNY 57.779 billion and CNY 17.292 billion. Combined with the results of the ECSC and ECDC, the upper and lower limits of the EC standard in the Xin’an River Basin were computed to be CNY 4.085 billion and CNY 1.438 billion, respectively. Therefore, the ESV-based EC model for the Xin’an River Basin can effectively address the challenge of inadequate EC in the watershed. It also facilitates balanced regional development and serves as a theoretical foundation and empirical evidence for the government to establish a unified national policy on cross-border river basin ecological compensation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Environmental Change and Human Activities on Aquatic Ecosystems)

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13 pages, 1069 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antibiotics in Wastewater Treatment Plants in Tangshan: Perspectives on Temporal Variation, Residents’ Use and Ecological Risk Assessment

by Zhuo Dong, Jian Hu, Pengjie Wang, Gengtao Han and Zheng Jia

Water 2024, 16(11), 1627; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16111627 - 6 Jun 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1536

Abstract

In 2023, this study monitored nine types of antibiotics in the influent and effluent of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the urban and suburban areas of Tangshan. The total antibiotics concentration detected in influent WWTPs was highest in winter, followed by spring, summer, and autumn. The antibiotics concentration in influent and effluent urban WWTPs was higher than that in the suburban WWTPs in spring, summer, and winter, while the trend was reversed in autumn. Roxithromycin and oxytetracycline had a risk quotient (RQ) value of ≥0.1 in the effluent of WWTPs in winter, indicating that they are medium-risk antibiotics that pose a risk to the aquatic ecosystem after discharge. In the study area, the per capita pollution load of antibiotics was highest in spring, summer, and autumn for sulfamethoxazole, while it was highest in winter for ofloxacin. In the urban area, the use of roxithromycin, sulfamethoxazole, sulfamethoxazole, and ofloxacin was highest in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively, while in suburban areas, the use of sulfamethoxazole, norfloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, and ofloxacin was highest during the same period. The use of antibiotics in the urban area was one order of magnitude higher than that in suburban areas, indicating a possible overuse of antibiotics in urban environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Environmental Change and Human Activities on Aquatic Ecosystems)

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22 pages, 5546 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comprehensive Assessment of the Ecological State of the Transboundary Irtysh River (Kazakhstan, Central Asia)

by Elena Krupa, Sophia Romanova, Aizada Serikova and Larisa Shakhvorostova

Water 2024, 16(7), 973; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16070973 - 27 Mar 2024

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1950

Abstract

The diverse anthropogenic load on the transboundary Irtysh River necessitates an assessment of its ecological state, which was the goal of this work. We conducted this research in July 2023 in the upper and lower reaches of the Kazakh part of the Irtysh basin. We determined transparency; temperature; pH; salinity (TDS); oxygen, N-NO₃, N-NO₂, N-NH₄, PO₄, Mn, Fe, Si, Cd, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Co, and Hg contents; permanganate index; and zooplankton variables at 27 stations. We assessed the ecological state of the river by comparing the contents of pollutants with their maximum permissible concentrations (MPC_fw), Classification Scales, and bioindications. An excess of MPC_fw was detected for N-NO₂, Cu, and Fe and locally for Cr and Zn. According to the Classification Scales, most analysed variables corresponded to slightly polluted waters; N-NO₂, Cr, and Zn corresponded to moderately and heavily polluted waters. Zooplankton was represented by 82 species, with an average abundance of 6728 individuals/m³, biomass of 2.81 mg/m³, Shannon index of 1.99–2.08 bit, ∆-Shannon of 0.09, and average individual mass of 0.0019 mg. The spatial distribution of abiotic and biotic variables indicated increased organic and toxic pollution downstream in the Irtysh. Potential sources of pollution of the Irtysh basin are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Environmental Change and Human Activities on Aquatic Ecosystems)

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22 pages, 11635 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nitrate Source and Transformation in Groundwater under Urban and Agricultural Arid Environment in the Southeastern Nile Delta, Egypt

by Alaa M. Kasem, Zhifang Xu, Hao Jiang, Wenjing Liu, Jiangyi Zhang and Ahmed M. Nosair

Water 2024, 16(1), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16010022 - 20 Dec 2023

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2109

Abstract

With the intensification of human activities, nitrate pollutants in groundwater are receiving increasing attention worldwide. Especially in the arid Nile Delta of Egypt, groundwater is one of the most valuable water resources in the region. Identifying the source of nitrate in groundwater with strong human disturbances is important to effective water resource management. This paper examined the stable isotopes (δ¹⁵N/δ¹⁸O-NO₃ and δ²H/δ¹⁸O-H₂O) and the hydrogeochemical parameters of the shallow groundwaters in the arid southeast of the Nile Delta to assess the potential sources and transformation processes of nitrate under severe urban and agricultural activities. The results revealed that the groundwaters were recharged by the Nile River. Meanwhile, the infiltration of irrigation water occurred in the west, while the mixing with the deep groundwater occurred in the east regions of the study area. The TDS, SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, and Mn²⁺ concentrations of groundwaters (n = 55) exceeded the WHO permissible limit with 34.6%, 23.6%, 23.6%, and 65.5%, respectively. The NO₃⁻ concentrations in the shallow groundwaters ranged from 0.42 mg/L to 652 mg/L, and the higher levels were observed in the middle region of the study area where the unconfined condition prevailed. It extended to the deep groundwater and eastward of the study area in the groundwater flow direction. The δ¹⁵N-NO₃ and δ¹⁸O-NO₃ values suggested that the groundwater NO₃⁻ in the west and east regions of semi-confined condition were largely from the nitrification of soil organic nitrogen (SON) and chemical fertilizer (CF). In contrast, wastewater input (e.g., domestic sewage and unlined drains) and prevalent denitrification were identified in the middle region. The denitrification might be tightly coupled with the biogeochemical cycling of manganese. This study provides the first report on the groundwater NO₃⁻ dynamics in the Nile Delta, which generated valuable clues for effective water resource management in the arid region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Environmental Change and Human Activities on Aquatic Ecosystems)

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13 pages, 1447 KiB

Open AccessReview

Rice Fields and Aquatic Insect Biodiversity in Italy: State of Knowledge and Perspectives in the Context of Global Change

by Tiziano Bo, Anna Marino, Simone Guareschi, Alex Laini and Stefano Fenoglio

Water 2025, 17(6), 845; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17060845 - 15 Mar 2025

Viewed by 607

Abstract

Rice fields are one of the most important and extensive agro-ecosystems in the world. Italy is a major non-Asian rice producer, with a significant proportion of its yield originating from a vast area within the Po Valley, a region nourished by the waters of the Alps. While the biodiversity of these rice fields has been extensively documented for certain faunal groups, such as birds, there remains a paucity of research on the biodiversity of aquatic insects. A further challenge is the limited dissemination of findings, which have been primarily published in “gray” literature (local journals, newsletters and similar). Moreover, rice fields are of particular significance in the field of invasion biology, given their role in the arrival and spread of alien species. While the efficacy of rice fields as a substitute for the now-disappeared lowland natural environments is well documented, it is equally evident that traditional rice-growing techniques can require an unsustainable use of water resources, which threatens the biodiversity of the surrounding lotic systems. Here, we summarize and review multiple sources of entomological information from Italian rice fields, analyzing both publications in ISI journals and papers published in local journals (gray literature). In the near future, strategies that reduce the demand for irrigation, promote the cultivation of drought-tolerant crops, and utilize precision farming techniques will be implemented. The challenge will be balancing the need to reduce water withdrawal from rivers with the maintenance of wetlands where possible to support this pivotal component of regional biodiversity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Environmental Change and Human Activities on Aquatic Ecosystems)

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21 pages, 2740 KiB

Open AccessReview

Natural Factors of Microplastics Distribution and Migration in Water: A Review

by Xianjin An, Yanling Wang, Muhammad Adnan, Wei Li and Yaqin Zhang

Water 2024, 16(11), 1595; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16111595 - 3 Jun 2024

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4563

Abstract

Microplastics are widely present worldwide and are of great concern to scientists and governments due to their toxicity and ability to serve as carriers of other environmental pollutants. The abundance of microplastics in different water bodies varied significantly, mainly attributed to the initial emission concentration of pollutants and the migration ability of pollutants. The migration process of microplastics determines the abundance, fate, and bioavailability of microplastics in water. Previous studies have proved that the physicochemical properties of water bodies and the properties of microplastics themselves are important factors affecting their migration, but the change in external environmental conditions is also one of the main factors controlling the migration of microplastics. In this paper, we focus on the effects of meteorological factors (rainfall, light, and wind) on the distribution and migration of microplastics and conclude that the influence of meteorological factors on microplastics mainly affects the inflow abundance of microplastics, the physical and chemical properties of water, and the dynamics of water. At the same time, we briefly summarized the effects of aquatic organisms, water substrates, and water topography on microplastics. It is believed that aquatic organisms can affect the physical and chemical properties of microplastics through the physical adsorption and in vivo transmission of aquatic plants, through the feeding behavior, swimming, and metabolism of animals, and through the extracellular polymers formed by microorganisms, and can change their original environmental processes in water bodies. A full understanding of the influence and mechanism of external environmental factors on the migration of microplastics is of great theoretical significance for understanding the migration law of microplastics in water and comprehensively assessing the pollution load and safety risk of microplastics in water. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Environmental Change and Human Activities on Aquatic Ecosystems)

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