Significance and enlightenment of implementing water ecological assessment

In a new study published in Water & Ecology, two researchers in China outline the evolution, index system, change process and difficulties of international practices in water ecological assessment.

Significance and challenges of water ecological assessments

Water ecological assessments not only evaluates the status and classification of aquatic ecosystems but also serves as a critical foundation for water environment management and ecological recovery. Furthermore, it imposes a restrictive influence on watershed economies, industrial layouts, and development planning.

Consequently, water ecological assessments have become an important strategy in water environmental governance worldwide. The structural complexity of aquatic ecosystems and the impacts of human activities amplify the challenges in conducting such assessments. Different aquatic ecosystems exhibit distinct ecological structures, processes, and functions, which is determined by their natural attributes and inherent physical, chemical, and ecological characteristics.

While ecosystem assessments should be differentiated to reflect variations, the core indicators and methodologies characterizing the health of an ecosystem must retain commonality and uniformity. Importantly, the evaluation of ecosystem’s health profoundly influences the formulation of strategies for water environment protection, ecological conservation, and sustainable water resource utilization.

Exploration and practices of water ecological assessments

The paper highlights the experiences and insights gained from assessments conducted in various countries and organizations including the United States, the European Union, the United Nation, China, Brazil and India. The core of effective water ecological assessment lies in establishing a comprehensive and scientifically robust indicator system with evaluations progressively shifting from a single water quality parameter to integrated ecosystem health assessments. In recent years, China has actively advanced research and practice in water ecological assessment, particularly in the Yangtze River Basin.China’s water ecological assessment indicator system, with multi-levelness, regional adaptability and Chinese characteristics, includes aspects of aquatic organisms, habitats, water environments and water resources.

Prospects and implications of water ecological assessments

The implementation of water ecological assessment is of great significance. With positive future prospects, it aim to continuous improvement of aquatic ecosystems and the objectives of ecological civilization construction. Future water ecological assessments need to adopt integrated management of water resources, water environment and water ecology. China's innovative practices in this field have provided valuable experience for global aquatic ecological conservation. Moving forward, China will continue to promote the scientific  standardized, and internationalized water ecological assessment , contributing to the sustainable utilization of global water resources and ecological security.

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Contact the author: Jiuhui Qu,

-State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China

-Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Laboratory of Regional Environment and Sustainability, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

jhqu@rcees.ac.cn

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