Special External Effects on Fluvial System Evolution

Rivers are an excellent witness of the dynamics affecting Earth’s surface due to their sedimentary products and morphological expression, which may be considered as fluvial archives. Until now, the focus has been on evaluating the general impact of individual external factors. However, the importance of the specific environmental characteristics of these factors has become increasingly recognized, as highlighted in recent case studies. For example, the effects of regional climate, differentiated topography and vegetation, and frozen ground appear to play an essential role in the evolution of the fluvial system. Integration of such environmental conditions in the processes that were active within the complex fluvial system will open new perspectives in our progressive understanding of the evolution of landscape form, ecology, sediment fluxes, and hydrology of the system within the framework of the external drivers such as tectonics, general climate, and human activity. This is an appealing challenge that we wish to address in the present Special Issue under the aegis of the Fluvial Archives Group (FLAG)

Environmental Challenges and Impacts of Land-Use Conversion in the Yellow River Basin

While the Chinese population continues to grow, Chinese policy makers are faced with a seemingly insurmountable task of satisfying demands for fresh water, electricity, agricultural products, etc. Not only is the irrigated land area presently shrinking, as previously cultivated is converted to various non-agricultural purposes, but additionally, advancing pollution from expanding mining industries, urban centers, and upstream input-intensive farmlands, are causing a reduction in the usability of the Yellow River water. Unfavorable climatic, topographic, and geomorphic preconditions further constrain food production potentials. The exceptionally high silt load and sedimentation rate in the Yellow River constitute another major challenge for engineers. Dam construction and maintenance work are aggravated by rapid sedimentation in reservoirs, undermining potentials for water supply storage and electricity production. Likewise, flood prevention measures in the Lower Reaches are counteracted by sediment build-up in the canal. In the entire basin, freshwater constitutes an advancing challenge, with regard to its usability, storage, allocation, and absolute seasonal availability. Based on a review of potential river ecological impacts of irrigation and multi-purpose dams, this report concludes that advancing intensification of agricultural practices and continuous construction of large dams may significantly alter riverine ecosystems with adverse implications for human livelihoods. The author argues that any larger intervention in the riverine landscape should by necessity be preceded by a comprehensive assessment of the river's various functions and values for its different user groups. Such an assessment should consider not only the physical, but also the water quality and biological aspects and their interrelations. Just as many scientists tend to focus only on a few research parameters, managerial strategies often tend to target only one or a few objectives at a time. Balancing the different interests at hand, based on a comprehensive but understandable environmental impact assessment, is identified as the key to successful integrated river basin management

Climate change, water and agriculture in the Greater Mekong subregion

Climate change / Adaptation / Indicators / Water resource management / River basins / Water availability / Water quality / Groundwater / Fisheries / Ecosystems / Water power / Population growth / Land use / Biofuels / Sea level / South East Asia / Cambodia / Laos / Myanmar / Thailand / Vietnam / China / Greater Mekong Subregion / Yunnan Province

Effects of Land Use on the Ecohydrology of River Basin in Accordance with Climate Change

Water deficit affects various regions of the world. Effective approach can be based on ecohydrological solutions and the design of blue–green infrastructure. In our scientific book, we focused on papers that consider water management and adaptation of urban and rural development areas to the progressive climate change. The Special Issue includes a drought-prone place (valleys in Mexico City), reflections on the state and water resources in Lithuania, and engineering and technical articles from China and Poland. In addition, one chapter is dedicated to grassland protection in mountainous areas

Proceedings of the Australia-China Wetland Network Research Partnership Symposium

This publication is a compilation of short papers presented at the Australia-China Wetland Network Research Partnership Symposium, held in China at the Nanjing International Conference Hotel, 24 March 2014. The symposium, jointly organised by the Collaborative Research Network (CRN) of Federation University Australia and the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGLAS), brought together a range of scientists including the neo-ecologists, palaeoecologists and hydrologists from both Australia and China. More than 100 students and scientists from across China attended the symposium. A majority of papers presented at the symposium have overlapping themes between ecology and hydrology of the large river and wetland systems that are exposed to a range of impacts posed by humans and recent climate change. The research focus of this volume is around the topic highlighting the conservation and management of degraded wetlands in Australia and China and the maintenance of a long term ecological resilience