► Description: |
This indispensible book
takes a structured and global approach to
the subject of large rivers, covering
geomorphology, hydrology, ecology, and
anthropogenic environment. It offers a
thorough foundation for readers who are
new to the field and presents enlightening
discussions about issues of management at
the worldwide scale. The book also
examines possible future adaptations that
may come about due to climate change. The
book has benefitted from contributions by
Professor W.J. Junk on the ecology of
floodplains and Professor Olav Slaymaker
on the large arctic rivers.
Introducing Large Rivers is presented in
three parts. Part 1 provides an
introduction to the world’s large rivers
and their basins. It covers source,
transfer, and storage of their water and
sediment; Pleistocene inheritance; the
ecology of channels and floodplains;
deltas; and more. Several large rivers are
discussed in the next part. These include
the Amazon Mississippi, Nile,
Ganga-Brahmaputra System, Mekong, and
Yangtze. The last part examines changes in
large rivers and our management of river
systems. It studies anthropogenic
alterations such as land use and
deforestation in large river basins;
structural control systems like dams and
reservoirs on channels; and ecological
changes. It finishes with chapters on the
management of large rivers, covering both
technical and political aspects, and the
future of the world’s big river
systems.
Introducing Large Rivers is ideal as an
introductory textbook on large rivers for
future earth and environmental scientists
and river managers. It will also benefit
advanced undergraduate and graduate
students studying geography, geology,
ecology, and river management.
Content
1 Introduction
2 Geological Framework of Large Rivers
3 Water and Sediment in Large Rivers
4 Morphology of Large Rivers
5 Large Rivers and their Floodplains:
Structures, Functions,
Evolutionary Traits and Management with
Special Reference to
the Brazilian Rivers
6 Large River Deltas
7 Geological History of Large River
Systems
8 Anthropogenic Alterations of Large
Rivers and Drainage Basins
9 Management of Large Rivers
10 The Mekong: A Case Study on Morphology
and Management
11 Large Arctic Rivers
12 Climate Change and Large Rivers
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