This open access book surveys the frontier of scientific river research and provides examples to guide management towards a sustainable future of riverine ecosystems. Principal structures and functions of the biogeosphere of rivers are explained; key threats are identified, and effective solutions for restoration and mitigation are provided. Rivers are among the most threatened ecosystems of the world. They increasingly suffer from pollution, water abstraction, river channelisation and damming. Fundamental knowledge of ecosystem structure and function is necessary to understand how human acitivities interfere with natural processes and which interventions are feasible to rectify this. Modern water legislation strives for sustainable water resource management and protection of important habitats and species. However, decision makers would benefit from more profound understanding of ecosystem degradation processes and of innovative methodologies and tools for efficient mitigation and restoration. The book provides best-practice examples of sustainable river management from on-site studies, European-wide analyses and case studies from other parts of the world. This book will be of interest to researchers in the field of aquatic ecology, river system functioning, conservation and restoration, to postgraduate students, to institutions involved in water management, and to water related industries.

The most important processes on the Earth`s surface occur in the Ocean where materials and energy are primarily exchanged. In the case of marine chemistry different fields of chemistry from organic to inorganic as well as thermodynamics and biochemistry are involved. Analytical Chemistry is a very important tool for the quantification of biogeochemical processes by providing correct and even more sophisticated methodologies. These are often directly applied 'in situ', in order to detect trace and ultra-trace natural and anthropogenic substances. Kinetic and thermodynamic studies allow us to establish whether the process occurs. Once discovered it is then possible to build up general models for environmental systems. This book gathers many aspects with the aim of creating a general picture of the chemical processes occurring in the marine environment

Because water is one of the most important life-supporting media on the planet, the quality of aquatic ecosystems is of great interest to the entire world population. One of the factors that greatly affects water quality is the condition of the underlying sediment layer. The Manual of Physico-Chemical Analysis of Aquatic Sediments addresses the best methods for quantitative determination of chemical forms of different elements and compounds, bioassessment techniques, and determination of physical properties of sediments. Essential information for surveying, research, and monitoring of sediment contamination is covered. This manual will aid sediment biologists, geochemists, limnologists, regulatory program managers, environmental chemists and toxicologists and environmental consultants in preparing plans for proper remedial action.

Pollution is the release of chemical, physical, biological or radioactive contaminants to the environment. Principal forms of pollution include: air pollution, the release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere. Common examples include carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and nitrogen oxides produced by industry and motor vehicles. Ozone and smog are created as nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons react to sunlight. Water pollution affects oceans and inland bodies of water. Examples include organic and inorganic chemicals, heavy metals, petrochemicals, chloroform, and bacteria. Water pollution may also occur in the form of thermal pollution and the depletion of dissolved oxygen. Soil contamination often occurs when chemicals are released by spill or underground storage tank leakage. Contaminants include hydrocarbons, heavy metals, MTBE, herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated hydrocarbons. Often occurs with water pollution, thanks to surface runoff and groundwater. Radioactive contamination was added in the wake of 20th-century discoveries in atomic physics. Noise pollution encompasses roadway noise, aircraft noise, industrial noise as well as high-intensity sonar. Light pollution, includes light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical interference. Visual pollution, which can refer to the presence of overhead power lines, highway billboards, scarred landforms (as from strip mining), open storage of junk or municipal solid waste. The nature, distribution and ecological effects of all types and forms of pollutants in air, soil and water are the subject of this book.

Stream Ecosystems in a Changing Environment synthesizes the current understanding of stream ecosystem ecology, emphasizing nutrient cycling and carbon dynamics, and providing a forward-looking perspective regarding the response of stream ecosystems to environmental change. Each chapter includes a section focusing on anticipated and ongoing dynamics in stream ecosystems in a changing environment, along with hypotheses regarding controls on stream ecosystem functioning. The book, with its innovative sections, provides a bridge between papers published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and the findings of researchers in new areas of study. - Presents a forward-looking perspective regarding the response of stream ecosystems to environmental change - Provides a synthesis of the latest findings on stream ecosystems ecology in one concise volume - Includes thought exercises and discussion activities throughout, providing valuable tools for learning - Offers conceptual models and hypotheses to stimulate conversation and advance research