Ecotones, or boundary zones between land and inland waters (such as lakes, streams and rivers), are the principal routes for transport of organic matter and nutrients across landscapes via physical and biological vectors. The ecotone is the place of cumulation and transformation of in situ production as well as of allochthonous material from adjacent aquatic and terrestrial systems. The ecotype functions as an important barrier or filter for principal nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, responsible for the eutrophication and degradation of surface waters. Intensive forest cutting, agriculture, pollution and bank regulation, urbanization and hydrotechnical constructions seriously endanger the ecotone systems and damage their protective function. It is vital to develop a scientific understanding of the behaviour of phosphorus and nitrogen in these transitional boundary habitats. Such an understanding is important for the rational protection, management and restoration of ecotones connected with lakes and rivers. The importance of nutrient cycling and retention is discussed from the point of view of ecotone function, management and reconstruction in order to sustain its protective role for water bodies. Various types of land/water transitory zones are discussed: wetlands, lake littoral systems, riparian zones of rivers, streams and brooks, the contact zones between groundwater and surface waters of lakes and rivers, air--water interfaces, and patch/ecotone structures in watersheds.

A derivative of the Encyclopedia of Inland Waters, Lake Ecosystem Ecology examines the workings of the lake and reservoir ecosystems of our planet. Information and perspectives crucial to the understanding and management of current environmental problems are covered, such as eutrophication, acid rain and climate change. Because the articles are drawn from an encyclopedia, the articles are easily accessible to interested members of the public, such as conservationists and environmental decision makers. - Includes an up-to-date summary of global aquatic ecosystems and issues - Covers current environmental problems and management solutions - Features full-color figures and tables to support the text and aid in understanding

Inland aquatic habitats occur world-wide at all scales from marshes, swamps and temporary puddles, to ponds, lakes and inland seas; from streams and creeks to rolling rivers. Vital for biological diversity, ecosystem function and as resources for human life, commerce and leisure, inland waters are a vital component of life on Earth. The Encyclopedia of Inland Waters describes and explains all the basic features of the subject, from water chemistry and physics, to the biology of aquatic creatures and the complex function and balance of aquatic ecosystems of varying size and complexity. Used and abused as an essential resource, it is vital that we understand and manage them as much as we appreciate and enjoy them. This extraordinary reference brings together the very best research to provide the basic and advanced information necessary for scientists to understand these ecosystems – and for water resource managers and consultants to manage and protect them for future generations. Encyclopedic reference to Limnology - a key core subject in ecology taught as a specialist course in universitiesOver 240 topic related articles cover the field Gene Likens is a renowned limnologist and conservationist, Emeritus Director of the Institute of Ecosystems Research, elected member of the American Philosophical Society and recipient of the 2001 National Medal of Science Subject Section Editors and authors include the very best research workers in the field

This book summarises investigations on Lake Verevi (surface 12.6 ha, mean depth 3.6 m), located in the Estonian town of Elva, initiated since 1929. The seventeen articles deal with a wide range of questions, starting with a holistic overview of the ecological status, over assessments of long-term changes in biotic and abiotic conditions and finishing with proposed restoration plans. Abiotic chapters provide calculations on water and mass balance, distribution and fractions of phosphorus in the sediment, optical properties and penetration of radiation in the water column, sedimentation rate during the formation of stratification, and nitrogen circulation characteristics. All these phenomena explain the special environmental features of this highly stratified lake. Long-term changes, seasonal development, primary production and resource ratios inducing the distribution of species composition of various biota (bacterio-, phyto and zooplankton, periphyton, macrovegetation, macrozoobenthos, fish) are discussed. The most important issues are long-term investigations on a complex ecosystem, the phenomenon of partial meromixis, the description of restoration methods, and the existence of narrow microniches for plankton in the water column. The volume firmly establishes Lake Verevi as a model system of a natural aquatic habitat, experiencing a multitude of anthropogenic pressures, but for which restoration plans aim to provide sustainable management in the future.

Eutrophication continues to be a major global challenge to water quality scientists. The global demand on water resources due to population increases, economic development, and emerging energy development schemes has created new environmental challenges to global sustainability. Eutrophication, causes, consequences, and control provides a current account of many important aspects of the processes of natural and accelerated eutrophication in major aquatic ecosystems around the world. The connections between accelerated eutrophication and climate change, chemical contamination of surface waters, and major environmental and ecological impacts on aquatic ecosystems are discussed. Water quality changes typical of eutrophication events in major climate zones including temperate, tropical, subtropical, and arid regions are included along with current approaches to treat and control increased eutrophication around the world. The book provides many useful new insights to address the challenges of global increases in eutrophication and the increasing threats to biodiversity and water quality.

Freshwater Algae of North America: Ecology and Classification, Second Edition is an authoritative and practical treatise on the classification, biodiversity, and ecology of all known genera of freshwater algae from North America. The book provides essential taxonomic and ecological information about one of the most diverse and ubiquitous groups of organisms on earth. This single volume brings together experts on all the groups of algae that occur in fresh waters (also soils, snow, and extreme inland environments). In the decade since the first edition, there has been an explosion of new information on the classification, ecology, and biogeography of many groups of algae, with the use of molecular techniques and renewed interest in biological diversity. Accordingly, this new edition covers updated classification information of most algal groups and the reassignment of many genera and species, as well as new research on harmful algal blooms. - Extensive and complete - Describes every genus of freshwater algae known from North America, with an analytical dichotomous key, descriptions of diagnostic features, and at least one image of every genus. - Full-color images throughout provide superb visual examples of freshwater algae - Updated Environmental Issues and Classifications, including new information on harmful algal blooms (HAB) - Fully revised introductory chapters, including new topics on biodiversity, and taste and odor problems - Updated to reflect the rapid advances in algal classification and taxonomy due to the widespread use of DNA technologies