About this Research Topic

Background

Officially, the current epoch is called the Holocene, which began 11,700 years ago after the last major Ice Age. The Anthropocene Epoch is an unofficial unit of geologic time, used to describe the most recent period in Earth’s history when the human activity started to have a significant impact on the planet’s climate and ecosystems. The Anthropocene concept was first introduced by Paul Crutzen in 2000. Crutzen argues that the environmental impacts of human action are worldwide and modify drastically water, soil, atmosphere composition and climate after the industrial revolution. The changes introduced by human beings in the environment directly affect the water cycle, which in turn, has an impact on the entire ecosystem. The increasing extraction of mineral resources, hydrocarbons and groundwater, the drastic deforestation and land use changes, the removal of rocks and sediments by mining activities, the modification of the river valleys and the construction of dams are some examples of interventions affecting the Earth's climate, biogeography, chemistry and landforms. Anthropocene brings to the Earth system and to its inhabitants becomes one of the first steps for changes to occur. These changes are initially individual and must spread to other spheres of socio—economic life and holistic environment.
The capacity of social-ecological systems to deal with shocks, adapt to changing conditions and transform in crisis situations are fundamentally dependent on the functions of water. Recent advances are found in the strategies of water resilience which induce deliberate shifts in the dynamic system of surface and subsurface water utilisation. Water plays a fundamental role in providing social-ecological resilience, and suggests that further research is needed to understand how the erosion of water resilience at local and regional scales may potentially interact, cascade, or amplify through the complex, globally hyper-connected networks of the Anthropocene. Alongside, the key areas of human impact on the riverine environment include water pollution, environmental flow and flow regime modification, man-induced flood and drainage congestion, upstream and downstream hydrogeomorphic changes due to dam construction, river health and biodiversity change etc. Interdisciplinary research is now needed to address the vulnerability, risk and hazard perception related to changing river dynamics and environment in Anthropocene. Alongside, the key ideas, concepts and models are very prerequisites to assess and manage the inherent complexity of the inter-relationships among water uses, river valley modification, environmental component and climate change at regional and world scales. Now the focus is centered on water security which is the capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of and acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability.
This collection invites submissions that are focused on resilience and conventional infrastructural or socio-economic system to address the human impacts on the surface and subsurface water resources with an outlook on environmental sustainability. The manuscripts focus on the fundamental principles of hydrology, geomorphology and environmental science for understanding river dynamics and ecological management are strongly encouraged. The articles are welcome to address the current issues and research problems related to global challenges (under the influences of global warming, climate change and anthropogenic intervention) to water conservation, riverine ecosystem, watershed planning, water economy, water security, overall water footprint (blue, green and grey water) and vanishing water sources. Original research articles, technical and field notes, practice-oriented case studies, disciplinary and interdisciplinary review articles, and commentaries that are directional to the research or practice communities are encouraged.
Following themes are invited, but are not limited to:
- Riverine Environment and River Rehabilitation in Anthropocene
- Dynamics of water resource depletion and conservation
- Impact of climate change on water resources and fluvial environment
- Role of human and technology in the resilience of river basin management
- Environmental Flows in dam operation
- Changing fluvial forms and processes due to human intervention
- Geographic dimensions of water footprint
- Impact of human and climate change on flood characteristics and dynamics

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Water Resource, Rivers, Anthropocene, Anthropogenic activity, Water Sustainability, Riverine Environment

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Frequently asked questions

• What is a Research Topic?

  Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

  Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

• Why does Frontiers publish Research Topics? 

  The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

  Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

• Why are Research Topics important for journals?

  As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

  A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

• How do we ensure the quality of articles within Research Topics?

  Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and they fall under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

    In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

• What are the benefits of publishing my article in a Research Topic?

  Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

  As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

  Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

   
• What types of articles can be published in a Research Topic?

  Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

  Check available article types here 

• Can I suggest a new Research Topic? 

  Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

  Suggest your topic here 

• Who leads a Research Topic? 

  A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

  The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

• What is the role of a topic editor?

  As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

   

  You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

• What support will I receive when editing a new Research Topic? 

  As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

• As a junior researcher, can I be involved in editing a Research Topic? 

  If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

• Can I get a certificate for editing a Research Topic?

  Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

• Who will I collaborate with?

  Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

• How long does it take to publish a Research Topic?

  As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

  Find out more about our Research Topics

• What fee support is available to authors publishing in a Research Topic?

  Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

  Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

• Will there be a printed version of my RT?

  In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.