Editorial: Sociohydrology in drylands

Sociohydrology investigates interactions and coevolution of societies and water systems across multiple spatial and temporal scales (Nüsser et al., 2012; Sivapalan and Blöschl, 2015; Ferdous et al., 2018; Fischer et al., 2021). Since its emergence, the field has sought to move beyond physical descriptions of the hydrological cycle by considering social dynamics, decision-making processes and risk perception. The Research Topic traditionally addressed by sociohydrological research range from dynamics related to the development of infrastructure for water storage and flood protection, to the analysis of conflicts and cooperation in transboundary water management, including the multiple uses and dimensions of water for different stakeholders (Wei et al., 2022). Recent research emphasises that, to be truly solution-oriented, sociohydrology should be contingent and situated, with specific links to the context and the scale of analysis (Zwarteveen et al., 2026). To address these challenges, future research should encourage the field to critically reflect on the geographical distribution of sociohydrology case studies, the types of hazards being prioritized, and whose experiences and perspectives are being represented. Drylands (Figure 1) exemplify sensitive landscapes where human-environmental interactions are particularly complex (Reynolds et al., 2007). Representing a global hotspot of sociohydrological dynamics, drylands cover about 40% of the terrestrial surface worldwide, account for approximately 40% of global net primary productivity, and support at least two billion people. These regions include both natural and managed ecosystems where water scarcity is a defining constraint (Wang et al., 2012; IFAD, 2025; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2023). Studies have shown that in the last 3 decades, more than three-quarters of the planet has experienced a drier climate. Predictions indicate that two out of every five people will face dry climate conditions in the future (Vicente-Serrano et al., 2024; Pricope et al., 2025), with severe implications for ecosystems that are approaching critical water-nutrient thresholds (Berdugo et al., 2020). Therefore, studying the sociohydrological specificities and particularities of drylands is important not only for today’s water management, but also for expected future challenges worldwide.