Deeper Engagement with Material and Non-Material Aspects of Water in Land System Science: An Introduction to the Special Issue

Jacqueline M. Vadjunec (), Todd D. Fagin, Lanah M. Hinsdale, Georgina Belem Carrasco Galvan and Kristen A. Baum
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Jacqueline M. Vadjunec: Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability (DGES), University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
Todd D. Fagin: Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability (DGES), University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
Lanah M. Hinsdale: Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability (DGES), University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
Georgina Belem Carrasco Galvan: Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability (DGES), University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
Kristen A. Baum: Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research and Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-18

Abstract: Water access and use impact land management decisions and livelihoods. Despite the integral role water plays in land systems, land system science (LSS) research often fails to explicitly incorporate water into analyses of socioecological systems (SES) resilience related to land. Nonetheless, water scarcity, especially in the face of climate change and resource degradation, is a pressing issue. Water availability is crucial to many ecosystem functions, from supporting biodiversity to mitigating extreme weather events such as flooding or drought. In this introduction to the “Water in Land System Science” Special Issue, we argue for deeper integration of land and water dynamics in LSS to increase SES resilience. First, we present an overview of the need for this integration, followed by a synopsis of the authored contributions in this Special Issue towards this goal. We then provide potential entry points researchers can use to foster this integration, exploring the following topics: water governance and hydrosocial territories, the cultural geographies of water, hydrophilia, water in agricultural transitions, remote sensing innovations, and participatory approaches to the study of the water component of land systems. We conclude that interactions between land, water, and people remain understudied, despite being more important than ever for ensuring future sustainability.

Keywords: water; land system science; material and non-material nature; socio-ecological systems; resilience (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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