Australian Freshwater Ecology Processes and Management

About this book

As pressures on Australia's inland waters intensify from population growth, expanding resource development and climate change, there is an urgent need to manage and protect these special areas. Understanding their ecology underpins their wise management and conservation.

Australian Freshwater Ecology vividly describes the physical, chemical and biological features of wetlands, lakes, streams, rivers and groundwaters in Australia. It presents the principles of aquatic ecology linked to practical management and conservation, and explains the causes, mechanisms, effects and management of serious environmental problems such as altered water regimes, eutrophication, salinization, acidification and sedimentation of inland waters.

Key features:
- contributions from a diverse, highly qualified team of aquatic ecologists whose expertise spans the ecology and management of standing and running waters in Australia
- sections covering groundwaters, biodiversity, temporary and tropical waters, climate change, invasive species and freshwater conservation
- numerous Australian case-studies and guest ‘text-boxes’ showing management in practice
- concise descriptions of ecological processes and conceptual models illustrated with original, high- quality diagrams and photographs

Readable and logically structured, this text supports undergraduate and postgraduate courses in aquatic ecology and management. It is a valuable reference for consultants, restoration ecologists, water resource managers, science teachers, and other professionals with an interest in the ecology of surface and groundwaters.

Contents

About this book, xi
About the companion website, xii

PART I: PROCESSES IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS, 1
1 Australian waters: diverse, variable and valuable, 3
2 Physical processes in standing waters, 21
3 Chemical processes in standing waters, 37
4 Biological processes in standing waters, 63
5 Physical processes in running waters, 97
6 Chemical processes in running waters, 120
7 Biological processes in running waters, 136

PART II: MANAGEMENT OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS, 205
8 Groundwater processes and management, 174
9 Management issues: water regime, 207
10 Management issues: physical features, 229
11 Management issues: water quality, 250
12 Management issues: biodiversity conservation and climate change, 281
13 Integrating ecology and management: a synthesis, 308

References, 321
Index, 347

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