Aim

Water & Ecology (W&E) focuses on original research in the fields of water resources and science of water environments integrated with water ecology. The research areas include solutions associated with engineering, management and policies. The goal of this new journal is to address the inherent relationship and systemic changes in water systems integrated with ecological approaches and frameworks, develop theories and technologies, as well as methods for promoting knowledge, innovation and scientific breakthroughs in the field of water and ecology. W&E emphasizes outcomes with practical applications contributing to the sustainable development of society.

Scopes

Water & Ecology (W&E) publishes high-level original research beyond the traditional water and ecology science. The inclusion of technology, policy and practice through the lens of the ecology of water systems will provide unique insights and solutions.

Ecology was originally defined by Prof Ernst Haeckel in the late 1800s as the study of the relationship of organisms with their environment. In modern times this field addresses the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment, as well as vital connections between microbiomes, plants and animals and the world around them. The ecological approach focuses on the perception and control of behaviors that occur naturally. In particular, the ecological approach focuses on aspects of all biological systems and the environment that determine the success or failure. For W&E the global challenges impacting water systems and key environs underscore the need to address not only diversity, functions and disruptions, but also the solutions to a variety of water crises.

Topics

W&E encourages research on the relationship between water and ecology, including watershed water ecosystem evolution, water ecological integrity and ecological security, climate change response and resilient water ecosystems, with new approaches such as digital/smart watersheds.

The relationship between water and ecology broadly includes water quality risk identification and assessment, early warning of water quality safety, process regulation and optimal utilization of water quality safety, environmental behavior and ecological effects of water pollutants (especially new pollutants), ecosystem response and biodiversity under the influence of water quality, as well as water ecosystem health.

The theory and method integrating water environment, water resource and water ecology. This so-called three water integration, or “one water” is defined as the integration of water environment, water resource and water ecology. This novel concept includes the ecological response to changes in water resources and the water environment, the impact of changes in aquatic ecology on the water environment's carrying capacity and the self-purification processes of water bodies, the relationship and regulation between water resources, the water environment, and aquatic ecology, the micro and macro mechanisms and implementation paths for the integration of Three-Water, the coupling relationship of water energy, the social, economic, and industrial association mechanisms of the integration of Three-Water, as well as the construction of green river basins, etc.

Basin water ecosystem evolution, including the spatiotemporal evolution of aquatic ecosystems at different scales, the interactive effects between terrestrial and marine waters and ecology, the evolution and ecological restoration of coastal habitats, as well as the assessment and construction of green river basins.

Water ecological integrity and ecological security, including the assessment of aquatic ecological integrity and the identification of influencing factors, the impact of water resources, water environment, and water quality on the integrity of aquatic ecosystems, the restoration and maintenance of aquatic ecological integrity, the biological and ecological safety of water, and the ecological benefits of the diversified recycling use of water resources.

Climate change response and resilience of water ecosystems, including the impact of climate change on water quality and water ecology, water environmental problems caused by extreme climate, the impact of climate issues on biodiversity in water ecosystems, and the health management of water ecosystems in response to climate issues.

Digital/smart watershed, including intelligent perception and monitoring of water quality, big data analysis of water resources, water environment and water quality, as well as the precise management and regulation of aquatic ecosystems based on machine learning.

Editorial Board