Microbial Ecology of Natural Aquatic Ecosystems Under Hydrological Alterations Induced by Water Conservancy and Hydraulic Engineering

Natural riverine and aquatic ecosystems harbor diverse and dynamic microbial communities that are central to biogeochemical cycling, organic matter transformation, contaminant degradation, and overall ecosystem resilience. These natural water bodies are, however, increasingly exposed to hydrological and environmental changes driven by anthropogenic activities, particularly water conservancy and hydraulic engineering projects such as dam construction, reservoir operation, water diversion, and river regulation. By modifying natural flow regimes, sediment transport, nutrient dynamics, habitat connectivity, and physicochemical conditions, such projects can profoundly reshape microbial community structure, diversity, assembly processes, and functional potential in natural rivers, lakes, and associated aquatic environments—with cascading consequences for ecosystem functioning, pathogen dissemination, antimicrobial resistance, and ecological health. Deepening our understanding of how microbial communities in natural aquatic environments respond to engineering-induced hydrological changes is therefore crucial for comprehensively assessing ecological impacts and informing sustainable water resource management and ecosystem restoration.This Research Topic aims to advance our understanding of microbial community dynamics, ecological functions, and microbe-mediated processes in natural aquatic ecosystems subjected to hydrological and environmental changes driven by water conservancy and hydraulic engineering. It welcomes interdisciplinary studies integrating microbial ecology, molecular biology, multi-omics, hydrology, biogeochemistry, and environmental sciences to illuminate the roles of microorganisms in rivers, lakes, wetlands, and other natural water bodies under anthropogenic hydrological modification. The collected articles are expected to deepen our mechanistic understanding of microbial ecology in natural aquatic environments and provide scientific insights for sustainable river regulation, water resource management, and aquatic ecosystem restoration.This Research Topic welcomes Original Research, Reviews, Methods, Perspectives, and Opinion articles related to, but not limited to, the following topics: 1. Microbial diversity, biogeography, and community assembly in natural rivers, lakes, and wetlands subjected to flow regulation or hydrological alteration.2. Microbial functions and biogeochemical cycling (e.g., nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus turnover) in natural aquatic ecosystems under altered hydrological and environmental conditions.3. Dynamics of waterborne pathogens, antimicrobial resistance genes, and harmful microorganisms in natural water bodies under hydrological disturbance, and their implications for aquatic ecosystem health.4. Impacts of engineering-associated contaminants (e.g., suspended sediments, heavy metals, and emerging pollutants) on microbial communities and functions in downstream natural aquatic environments.5. Novel methods, models, and management frameworks for monitoring, assessing, and mitigating the effects of hydrological alteration on microbial ecological processes in natural aquatic ecosystems. Topic editors: Sheng Liu, Xun Wang, Changchao Li Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81378/microbial-ecology-of-natural-aquatic-ecosystems-under-hydrological-alterations-induced-by-water-conservancy-and-hydraulic-engineering