About this Research Topic
Sociohydrology investigates the mutual interaction and the co-evolution of societies and water systems. The topics traditionally addressed by socio-hydrological research span from dynamics related to the development of infrastructures for water storage and flood protection, to the analysis of conflicts and cooperation dynamics related to transboundary water management, and the multiple uses of water.
Drylands are a hotspot for the presence of complex and relevant socio-hydrological dynamics. They cover about 40% of terrestrial land surface and account for approximately 40% of global net primary productivity, supporting at least 2 billion people, and comprise both natural and managed ecosystems. Management of scarce water resources is therefore vital for communities living in drylands, where at the same time, anthropic pressures such as land use changes, land acquisition, environmental degradation, and migration, are also taking place.
Despite such premises, research highlighting negative and positive feedback among social processes and local and regional hydrology is still largely unexplored. Most of the socio-hydrology literature currently embraces cases and dynamics of humid or temperate contexts. Therefore, this Research Topic calls for submissions on socio-hydrology in drylands.
This Research Topic welcomes submissions addressing the following key issues, but are not limited to:
● Sociohydrological modeling applied to drylands;
● Comparative analyses across different case studies highlighting differences and similarities in sociohydrological dynamics;
● Empirical analysis of sociohydrological events, including historical ones, with reference to drylands;
● Grounded sociohydrological or hydro-social analyses, involving social science approaches and methodologies;
● Sociohydrological dynamics related to pastoralism and dryland farming; and
● Co-evolution to drought and water scarcity in drylands.
Drylands are a hotspot for the presence of complex and relevant socio-hydrological dynamics. They cover about 40% of terrestrial land surface and account for approximately 40% of global net primary productivity, supporting at least 2 billion people, and comprise both natural and managed ecosystems. Management of scarce water resources is therefore vital for communities living in drylands, where at the same time, anthropic pressures such as land use changes, land acquisition, environmental degradation, and migration, are also taking place.
Despite such premises, research highlighting negative and positive feedback among social processes and local and regional hydrology is still largely unexplored. Most of the socio-hydrology literature currently embraces cases and dynamics of humid or temperate contexts. Therefore, this Research Topic calls for submissions on socio-hydrology in drylands.
This Research Topic welcomes submissions addressing the following key issues, but are not limited to:
● Sociohydrological modeling applied to drylands;
● Comparative analyses across different case studies highlighting differences and similarities in sociohydrological dynamics;
● Empirical analysis of sociohydrological events, including historical ones, with reference to drylands;
● Grounded sociohydrological or hydro-social analyses, involving social science approaches and methodologies;
● Sociohydrological dynamics related to pastoralism and dryland farming; and
● Co-evolution to drought and water scarcity in drylands.
Keywords: drylands, water resources, participatory approaches, social sciences, hydrology, drought, arid areas, hydrosocial cycle, sociohydrology
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.
