The Impact of Human Activities on Groundwater Resources in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions

Dear Colleagues,

Groundwater is an extremely valuable freshwater resource in the natural world, playing a crucial role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems and supporting the development of human society's economy. However, as populations surge and industrial and agricultural activities expand rapidly, human utilization of groundwater resources has intensified, leading to impacts that are mainly reflected in two areas: a decrease in quantity and a deterioration in quality. In terms of quantity, the over-extraction of groundwater is the most direct impact. The continuous growth in demand for agricultural irrigation, industrial water, and urban supplies has led to a consistent decline in groundwater levels. Excessive pumping, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, has not only made groundwater resources increasingly scarce but has also triggered a series of geological and environmental issues such as land subsidence and the drying up of springs. In terms of quality, the pollution of groundwater is worsening. The discharge of industrial wastewater and excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides in fields have led to chemical or microbiological contamination of groundwater. Additionally, unreasonable land use and changes in land cover can affect the natural replenishment and flow pathways of groundwater, further threatening the quality and sustainability of water resources. The interaction between human activities and groundwater resources is complex and multifaceted, with many problems remaining unresolved. We are organizing this Special Issue to call on colleagues to study the impact of human activites on groundwater resources in arid and semi-arid regions from various perspctives, using a range of methods and technologies, and make contributions to the systematic understanding of the response of hydrological processes to human activities.

Dr. Zaiyong Zhang
Dr. Yuli Wang
Prof. Dr. Yue Liang
Guest Editors

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• human activities
• groundwater
• arid and semi-arid regions