Floodplains: interdisciplinary approaches

Description

Floodplains are an important functional part of fluvial systems. They absorb and gradually release floodwaters, filter contaminants from run-off, recharge groundwater, provide diverse wildlife habitats and are sites of sediment accumulation and storage. The relatively flat, generally fertile land with a readily available water supply has attracted considerable agricultural and urban development throughout the world; with the result that many floodplains' natural functions have been lost or damaged. Development and management of floodplains has tended to be rather piecemeal, often with a lack of regard for the critical roles they play in fluvial and ecological systems. To a large extent this has been due to an absence of communication between stakeholders, practitioners and scientists. In the rock record, fluvial sediments are host to economic accumulations of hydrocarbons, gold and other minerals. They also act as aquifers for the storage and transport of freshwater, though because of the filtering functions of the floodplain contaminants may reach dangerous levels. In order to extract minerals efficiently and to deal with potential pollution problems a better understanding of the whole fluvial system is required and until relatively recently the study of floodplain development has not been integrated.This book brings together papers on current themes by some of those at the forefront of research into the many aspects of modern floodplains, recent and ancient alluvial deposits. It shows the multidisciplinary nature of the subject and the value of interdisciplinary study. Readership: Geographers, Geologists, Ecologists, Environmental Engineers and Managers. Also as a secondary text for courses in fluvial geomorphology and aquatic ecology. Principle Authors: S. B. Marriott, University of the West of England, UK. J. Alexander, University of East Anglia, UK. A. P. Nicholas, Exeter University, UK. D. E. Walling, University of Exeter, UK. M. Van Der Perk, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. B. Gomez, Indiana State University, USA. W. M. Adams, University of Cambridge, UK. E. S. Andrews, Philip Williams & Associates, USA. N. E. M. Asselman, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. M. M. Schroor, Institute for Inland Water Management and Waste Water Treatment, The Netherlands. P. J. O'Donoghue, University of the West of England, UK. R. R. Boar, University of East Anglia, UK. A. Hassan, Environment and GIS Support Project for Water Sector Planning, Bangladesh. J. A. Cotton, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. M. Dinnin, University of Exeter, UK. S. Crooks, University of Reading, UK. A. V. Panin, Moscow State University, Russia. Y. Zhao, University of the West of England, UK. L. J. Bottrill, University of Exeter, UK. J.-P. Bravard, Universite Paris-Sorbonne, France. J. S. Bridge, Birmingham University, UK. V. P. Wright, Cardiff University, UK. P. J. McCarthy, University of Western Ontario, Canada. K. W. Liu, University of Durban-Westville, South Africa.