Aldo Leopold, father of the "land ethic," once said, "The time has come for science to busy itself with the earth itself. The first step is to reconstruct a sample of what we had to begin with." The concept he expressedâ€"restorationâ€"is defined in this comprehensive new volume that examines the prospects for repairing the damage society has done to the nation's aquatic resources: lakes, rivers and streams, and wetlands. Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems outlines a national strategy for aquatic restoration, with practical recommendations, and features case studies of aquatic restoration activities around the country. The committee examines: Key concepts and techniques used in restoration. Common factors in successful restoration efforts. Threats to the health of the nation's aquatic ecosystems. Approaches to evaluation before, during, and after a restoration project. The emerging specialties of restoration and landscape ecology.

Future development in the Arctic and Subarctic region requires careful attention to the possible consequences of the development activities themselves, in relation to their environmental, socioeconomic and cultural impacts. A more thorough understanding of the impact of future activities, however, demands the dissemination and confrontation of results from different regions and different scientific traditions. This requires scientific cooperation, not only across disciplines but across border. Primarily it requires both consensus and innovations in regard to methods. This book confronts such differences in approaches and methods in relation to the analysis of socioeconomic and environmental consequences of large-scale mineral and energy development activities in the Arctic and Subarctic, establishing the common ground upon which future research activities can be based.

Lake and Reservoir Restoration deals with the eutrophication process and the methods to protect, restore, and manage lakes and reservoirs. The most common in-lake techniques or procedures, plus nutrient diversion, are reviewed with regard to their scientific basis, methods of application, known effectiveness, feasibility, drawbacks, and costs. Areas for further research and development are also highlighted. This book is comprised of 16 chapters organized into four sections. After an introduction to the theory of the problem and the restoration technique, the discussion turns to the various restoration methods such as those used for physical and chemical control of nutrients. Diversion and advanced waste treatment, hypolimnetic withdrawal, and dilution and flushing are considered along with phosphorus precipitation and inactivation, sediment oxidation, sediment removal, and hypolimnetic aeration. Case studies and success stories are presented and the costs and potential negative impacts of the methods are examined. The following chapters focus on methods to control plant biomass, including artificial circulation, water-level drawdown, harvesting, biological control, and surface and sediment covers. A chapter on liming acidified lakes concludes this text. This monograph will be useful to professional limnologists and engineers, on-site lake or reservoir managers, and those who are interested in learning about the problems and management of lakes and reservoirs.

Groundwater has long been an object of intense scrutiny. Only recently have methods become available that permit ecologists, hydrologists, and environmental scientists to assess the biotic and abiotic status of these all-important aquifers. - The dynamics of water movement through complex subterranean ecosystems - The biological organization and the factors that constrain these ecosystems - Alluvial and karst ecosystem functions - Contamination, management, and remediation