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This review highlights the significant anthropogenic impacts on the hydrological cycle and sediment dynamics of the Yellow River Basin since the 1950s, noting a 90% reduction in sediment transport due to conservation efforts, which has led to increased evapotranspiration and reduced runoff. The findings emphasize the need for dynamic monitoring and a better understanding of human-hydrological interactions to address potential resource crises and ecosystem degradation in the region.

This study classifies 166 countries based on their performance in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into five groups, revealing that no country excels in all SDGs and highlighting the need for targeted actions and better-aligned development aid to facilitate sustainable transformations. The findings emphasize that prioritizing certain SDGs, like industry and innovation, can help lower-performing countries achieve more sustainable development.

This study quantifies the spatiotemporal variations in irrigation water requirements (IWR) for major crops in the Yellow River Basin, revealing significant mismatches between IWR and actual water supply, particularly in the middle and lower reaches, with future projections indicating that these discrepancies may worsen. The findings underscore the need for institutional adaptations to improve water resilience and sustainability in the region.

This study evaluates the impact of ecological restoration (ER) on the hydropower potential of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir on China’s Yellow River, finding that while ER can enhance energy generation capacity by 57.3% due to extended sediment storage lifespan, it may also lead to a 6.9% reduction in average annual energy output. The findings highlight the complex interplay between ecosystem management and hydropower efficiency, providing insights for integrated watershed management.

This study of the Lower Yellow River Floodplain reveals that hydrological changes since the 1990s have weakened the flood-prone nature of the area, leading to reduced surface water and inundation of cropland, while agricultural intensity has increased more rapidly within the floodplain compared to surrounding areas. The findings highlight the impact of river stabilization from upstream regulation on human-nature interactions, emphasizing the need for integrated river governance in floodplain management.

The article highlights the ongoing challenges in the human-water relationship in the Yellow River basin, despite progress in controlling soil erosion and river flow interruptions. It identifies key issues such as decreased sediment transport, worsening water scarcity, and significant changes in human-water dynamics, while proposing future strategies focused on data collection, infrastructure development, integrated water management, and ecological restoration to ensure sustainable water resources and maintain the river’s flow.

This study presents a conceptual modeling framework for coupled human and natural systems (CHANS) in the Yellow River Basin, focusing on human-water dynamics through a system dynamics approach. The framework effectively captures interactions between key human and natural components, successfully reproducing historical trends and predicting future scenarios, thereby offering valuable insights for enhancing regional sustainability efforts.

ABSESpy is an innovative agent-based modeling framework designed to improve the fidelity of socio-ecological systems research by integrating complex decision-making, scaling, and data integration through its Branch-Leaf architecture. Its capabilities in modeling human behavior and accommodating diverse temporal scales make it a vital tool for addressing existing gaps in SES research and enhancing the applicability of ABMs to real-world issues.

The temporal increase of the complexity index indicated that the virtual water outflows (VWFs) from the YRB were becoming increasingly critical to China; i.e. the ability of YRB to produce crops boosted the difficulty of its water being replaced by water exporting from other basins.