Environmental History of the Rhine-Meuse Delta: An Ecological Story on Evolving Human-Environmental Relations Coping with Climate Change and Sea-Level

ISBN-13: 9781402082115 / Angielski / Twarda / 2008 / 660 str.

Piet H. Nienhuis

Opis

This unique text presents the environmental history of the lowland delta of the rivers Rhine and Meuse. It is an ecological story of evolving human-environmental relations and how they cope with climate change and sea-level rise. The text offers a combination of in-depth ecology and environmental history. The synthesis presents a blueprint for future management and restoration, from progressive reclamation of land in the past, to adaptation of human needs to the forces of nature.

Recenzje

From the reviews:

"This is a substantial ... book dealing with the delta of the Rhine and Meuse Rivers. ... The book claims to be the first English language book integrating the environmental history of the Delta. ... the target audience to be specialists in this area of environmental science. ... students of ecology would also benefit from dipping into the interesting case studies if they can find it in the library." (Owen Jones, Bulletin of the British Ecological Society, Vol. 40 (1), 2009)

Spis treści

Part 1 – Human occupation and management of a fertile Delta CHAPTER 2 – Prehistory and early history of the Delta CHAPTER 3 - The Delta in the late middle ages (800 – 1500) CHAPTER 4 – Technical achievements in river management (1500 – 1800) CHAPTER 5 – River management after 1800: complete regulation and canalisation Part 2 – The legacy of human intervention CHAPTER 6 – Changes in the relation between man and nature CHAPTER 7 – Land use: agriculture and use of wood CHAPTER 8 – River fisheries through the ages CHAPTER 9 – Floods and flood protection CHAPTER 10 – Human intervention in the SW Delta CHAPTER 11 – Human intervention in tributaries of the large rivers Part 3 – History of industrial pollution and its control CHAPTER 12 – Changing Rhine ecosystems: pollution and rehabilitation CHAPTER 13 – Changing Meuse ecosystems: pollution and rehabilitation CHAPTER 14 – Pollution and rehabilitation of the aquatic environment in the Delta Part 4 – Ecology of biota in a man-made landscape: deterioration and rehabilitation CHAPTER 15 – River-fish fauna of the Delta CHAPTER 16 – Eelgrass wax and wane: a case study CHAPTER 17 – Exotics and invasions of plants and animals CHAPTER 18 – Changes in biodiversity: lower organisms, vegetation and flora CHAPTER 19 - Changes in biodiversity: birds and mammals and their use Part 5 – An ecological story on evolving human - environmental relations coping with climate change and sea-level rise – a synthesis CHAPTER 20 – The making of the Delta CHAPTER 21 – The future of the Delta

O autorze

Piet Nienhuis (Groningen, 29 October 1938) passed through an international career of 40 years as researcher (biologist, ecologist) and research leader at the Netherlands Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, and as professor and director at the Radboud University Nijmegen (the Netherlands) and the Free University Brussels (Belgium). He was chairman and advisor of services of the European Commission and several Dutch governmental departments. He published hundreds of scientific publications, mainly devoted to ecology and environmental sciences, in particular to estuarine and river ecology and management. After his retirement in 2003 he continued his writing activities, together with his editorial and advisory work.