Exploring Density Currents in a Changing Environment: Physical-Ecological Interactions and Their Environmental Implications

Density currents, driven by gravitational flows resulting from differences in temperature, salinity, or sediment concentration, are fundamental to the dynamics of aquatic environments such as lakes, reservoirs, and coastal systems. These currents play an important role in redistributing suspended sediments, nutrients, and organisms, with significant consequences for water column structure, phytoplankton productivity, and oxygenation patterns. Recent studies have highlighted the influence of density currents on thermal structures, sediment and nutrient transport, phytoplankton distribution, and dissolved oxygen gradients. Despite growing recognition of their importance, however, major knowledge gaps remain. In particular, the physical-ecological and biogeochemical interactions associated with density currents—especially under the pressures of climatic and hydrological change—are still only partly understood. Although field observations, laboratory experiments, and modeling approaches have begun to reveal key processes, an integrative understanding of how these flows regulate ecosystem dynamics across spatial and temporal scales is still lacking. This Research Topic aims to advance understanding of the multiple ways in which density currents shape the ecological functioning and environmental condition of aquatic systems. Key questions include how density-driven flows influence sediment and nutrient redistribution, structure phytoplankton communities, and modify dissolved oxygen dynamics. By examining these coupled processes, this Topic seeks to clarify how environmental variability and long-term change affect the role of density currents in regulating water quality, ecosystem functioning, and aquatic health. Contributions to this Research Topic will help refine predictions of ecosystem responses to ongoing environmental change and support more effective management of inland and coastal waters. This Research Topic welcomes submissions that explore the physical-ecological linkages through which density currents influence environmental change in aquatic systems. Studies may address these interactions through field measurements, experimental investigations, and modeling approaches, with attention to both fundamental processes and applied implications. We particularly welcome contributions that examine coupled physical-ecological dynamics associated with density currents. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: • Mechanisms, characteristics, and drivers of density current formation in lakes, reservoirs, and coastal waters under changing environmental conditions. • Roles of density currents in sediment and nutrient redistribution, and the implications for water quality and ecosystem functioning. • Influence of density currents on phytoplankton diversity, productivity, and spatial distribution. • Influence of density currents on sediment properties and biogeochemistry.• Effects of density currents on vertical mixing and dissolved oxygen dynamics, including the development of hypoxia. Article Types Accepted:Original Research Articles, Reviews, Perspectives, Data Reports, and Methods Topic editors: Lidi Shi, Bing Yuan Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79390/exploring-density-currents-in-a-changing-environment-physical-ecological-interactions-and-their-environmental-implications