17. WRI under global climate change
Session Organizers: Zaihua Liu, Xinghui Xia, Guilin Han
Summary: Global climate change is profoundly altering hydrological cycles, temperature regimes, and environmental conditions, thereby reshaping water–rock interactions across terrestrial and subsurface systems. Changes in precipitation patterns, extreme hydrological events, permafrost degradation, sea-level rise, and ocean acidification can modify fluid flow pathways, mineral weathering rates, elemental release, and biogeochemical processes. These climate-driven changes influence the mobility and transformation of nutrients, carbon, and potentially harmful elements, with important implications for groundwater quality, ecosystem stability, and global element cycles. Understanding the responses of water–rock interactions to changing climate conditions is essential for predicting future environmental evolution and developing adaptive strategies for sustainable water and resource management.
This session welcomes contributions that investigate: (i) the impacts of climate change on hydrological processes, mineral weathering, and water–rock reaction; (ii) climate-driven changes in groundwater chemistry, solute transport, and biogeochemical cycling; (iii) the feedbacks between water–rock interactions, carbon cycling, and ecosystem responses under changing environmental conditions. We encourage submissions from diverse research communities exploring how climate change influences geological, hydrological, and biogeochemical processes across different spatial and temporal scales.
18. Groundwater resources and environment in urban and agricultural areas
Session Organizers: Guanhua Huang, Fei Liu, Dongmei Han
Summary: Groundwater resources play a critical role in supporting urban development, agricultural production, and ecosystem sustainability worldwide. However, increasing water demand, intensive groundwater exploitation, urbanization, land-use changes, and the widespread application of fertilizers and chemicals have significantly altered groundwater systems in urban and agricultural regions. Anthropogenic activities can modify groundwater flow regimes, accelerate aquifer depletion, and introduce diverse contaminants, including nutrients, trace elements, organic pollutants, and emerging contaminants. Meanwhile, natural water–rock interactions and biogeochemical processes continue to regulate groundwater chemistry, contaminant transport, and aquifer resilience. Understanding the coupled hydrological, geochemical, and anthropogenic controls on groundwater resources is essential for ensuring water security and sustainable management in urban and agricultural areas.
This session welcomes contributions that investigate: (i) hydrogeological and geochemical processes controlling groundwater quantity, quality, and evolution in urban and agricultural areas; (ii) impacts of groundwater extraction, land-use change, and agricultural practices on aquifer systems; (iii) sources, transport, transformation, and remediation of groundwater contaminants. We encourage submissions addressing the challenges and opportunities associated with groundwater protection, sustainable utilization, and ecosystem conservation in rapidly changing urban and agricultural landscapes.
19.Impact of climate change on the Critical Zone ecology and biodiversity
Session Organizers: Fangbai Li; Zhongcheng Jiang, Yunfeng Yang
Summary: The Critical Zone, where atmosphere, vegetation, soils, rocks, and water interact, provides the foundation for terrestrial ecosystems and regulates biodiversity, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem resilience. Climate change is increasingly altering Critical Zone processes through shifts in temperature, precipitation patterns, extreme weather events, and hydrological regimes. These changes can modify soil formation, weathering processes, water availability, nutrient dynamics, and biogeochemical cycles, thereby influencing habitat conditions, species distribution, and ecosystem functioning. Understanding how climate-driven disturbances propagate through coupled hydrological, geochemical, and ecological processes is essential for predicting ecosystem responses and developing effective conservation and management strategies under future climate scenarios.
This session welcomes contributions that investigate: (i) the impacts of climate change on Critical Zone hydrology, soil processes, and biogeochemical cycling; (ii) the responses of vegetation, microbial communities, and biodiversity to changing environmental conditions; (iii) interactions among climate variability, water availability, weathering processes, and ecosystem evolution. We encourage submissions exploring the complex feedbacks between climate change, geological processes, and ecological systems across diverse landscapes and environmental settings.
20. Isotopes and climate resilience (AIG)
Session Organizers: Hai Cheng, Kamilia Hagagg, Jiubin Chen
Summary: Isotope geochemistry provides unique insights into climate resilience, focusing on water resources, coastal systems, and extreme weather events. This session will explore isotope-based reconstructions of past climate variability, applications in groundwater sustainability, and marine isotope studies that inform adaptation strategies. The session aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue between isotope geochemists, hydrologists, and climate scientists, broadening the impact of isotope applications in global resilience planning.
21. Marine isotope geochemistry for sustainable oceans (AIG)
Session Organizers: Kamilia Hagagg, Ling Li, Xin Luo
Summary: This session will highlight cutting-edge applications of isotope geochemistry in marine systems, from tracing nutrient cycles to monitoring anthropogenic impacts on coastal ecosystems. Topics will include stable isotope studies of carbon and nitrogen in food webs, radiogenic isotopes in ocean circulation, and isotope-based monitoring of marine pollution. The session will emphasize the role of isotopes in advancing sustainable ocean management and international collaboration.
