River Delta: Scientific Understanding, Risks, and Challenges Faced

River deltas represent dynamic interfaces of river-sea interactions that hold significant ecological, economic, and social value. Serving as fertile habitats, deltas have attracted dense human populations and become centers of rapid socio-economic development, especially in arid and hyper-arid coastal regions. Recent studies highlight increasing vulnerability in these regions, driven by climate change-induced anomalies, escalating human interventions, and intensifying natural hazards. Prominent issues confronting deltas globally encompass land subsidence, sediment management, salinization, groundwater degradation, biodiversity loss, and widespread pollution. Furthermore, ecological disruptions not only compromise habitats and biodiversity levels but also significantly threaten public safety, socio-economic stability, and the long-term viability of deltaic communities. Despite recent advancements in scientific research using techniques such as geomorphological modeling, biogeochemical assessments, and remote sensing combined with machine learning, there remains a crucial need for comprehensive, integrated approaches to effectively address complex deltaic challenges.

This Research Topic aims to provide an integrated, multidisciplinary exploration of river delta systems, focusing on their physical, ecological and socio-economic vulnerabilities, risks, and potential responses. The goal is to advance scientific understanding by capturing recent developments in geomorphological evolution studies, investigating sediment dynamics, quantifying human-induced and natural impact pathways, and discussing effective sustainable management practices. By doing so, it seeks to address critical issues, fill existing research gaps, and establish a robust scientific basis to support decision-making aimed at balancing environmental sustainability and socio-economic development in deltaic regions.

To gather further insights in river delta research focusing on physical, ecological and socio-economic factors under increasing environmental and anthropogenic stressors, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Geomorphological processes and evolutionary trends in river deltas.
- Dynamics and management of sediment transport in deltaic environments.
- Biogeochemical cycling processes and their influence on delta ecology.
- Groundwater pollution and salinization impacts in delta regions.
- Effects of human and natural interventions on delta ecosystems and biodiversity.
- Innovative applications of remote sensing and machine learning in delta research and management.
- Strategies for achieving sustainable development and community resilience within vulnerable delta regions.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: River delta, Geomorphology, Sediment, Biogeochemistry, Ecology and ecosystem, Pollution, Human activities, Natural Interventions, Sustainable development, Machine learning

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.