Human imprints on global riverfronts
Fanxuan Zeng · Chunqiao Song · R. Iestyn Woolway · Linghong Ke · Jida Wang · Dongmei Feng · George H. Allen · Peirong Lin · Kai Liu · Tan Chen · Pengfei Zhan · Chenyu Fan · Hui Zhang · Lin Huang · Tamlin M. Pavelsky
期刊Nature Communications / Nat Commun
类型Article
发表2026-07-18 (online)
卷期页17(1): 8787
收录2026-10-09
被浏览…
关键词riverfrontanthropogenic changeland-water interfaceagricultural land usebuilt-up areasriver fragmentationwater qualitybiodiversity lossriver managementland use change
标签—
Rivers are profoundly shaped by human activity along their water-land interfaces (riverfronts), yet the global distribution and drivers of these imprints remain poorly understood. Here we present a high-resolution global map of 7.52 million kilometers of riverfronts using satellite imagery and deep learning. We find that nearly 20% of global riverfronts are anthropogenically modified, primarily by agriculture (13.43%) and built-up areas (6.29%). A distinct modification belt spans parts of Africa and Eurasia, accounting for ~60% of global alterations, with imprint densities six times higher than elsewhere. This lateral fragmentation represents a pervasive human pressure that differs fundamentally from dam-induced longitudinal fragmentation, and is closely linked to deteriorating water quality and biodiversity threats. Environmental constraints and region-specific socio-economic dependencies further shape these spatial patterns. Our findings inform riverfront management and underscore the urgent need to reconcile development with the ecological integrity of these transitional zones. The global map of riverfront landscapes reveals that nearly one-fifth of riverfronts have been modified by human activity. This extensive footprint creates widespread fragmentation that fundamentally reshapes land-water interactions, providing crucial insights for rethinking global river management.

@article{zeng2026,
author = {Fanxuan Zeng and Chunqiao Song and R. Iestyn Woolway and Linghong Ke and Jida Wang and Dongmei Feng and George H. Allen and Peirong Lin and Kai Liu and Tan Chen and Pengfei Zhan and Chenyu Fan and Hui Zhang and Lin Huang and Tamlin M. Pavelsky},
title = {Human imprints on global riverfronts},
journal = {Nature Communications},
year = {2026},
volume = {17},
number = {1},
pages = {8787},
doi = {10.1038/s41467-026-75777-0},
publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media LLC},
}· END ·