The sustainability of the coupled human–natural system under continuous global warming has been capturing increasing research interest. Water is among the most critical elements, not only for the natural system but also for social–economic development, especially in water-limited regions. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive analytical framework to link water research with the sustainability of the human–natural system. We suggest that special emphasis should be paid to the linkage analysis between social and biophysical water components. We also describe the importance of combined usage of different research methods in the framework. This framework aims to provide a scientific basis of issues of the sustainability of the coupled human–natural system (CHANS), including the potential conflict between supply and demand of water for nature and human beings, the impact of climate change and human activities on the water distribution in CHANS, and the trade-offs of water-related ecosystem services in CHANS.

在持续的全球变暖下，人与自然耦合系统的可持续性吸引了越来越多的研究兴趣。水是最关键的要素之一，不仅对于自然系统，而且对于社会经济发展，特别是在水资源有限的地区。在本文中，我们提供了一个综合的分析框架，以将水研究与人与自然系统的可持续性联系起来。我们建议应特别重视社会和生物物理水成分之间的联系分析。我们还描述了在框架中组合使用不同研究方法的重要性。该框架旨在为人与自然系统（CHANS）的可持续性问题提供科学依据，