Riassunto
Running waters are enormously diverse, ranging from torrential mountain brooks, to large lowland rivers, to great river systems whose basins occupy subcontinents. While this diversity makes river ecosystems seem overwhelmingly complex, a central theme of this volume is that the processes acting in running waters are general, although the settings are often unique. The past two decades have seen major advances in our knowledge of the ecology of streams and rivers. New paradigms have emerged, such as the river continuum and nutrient spiraling. Community ecologists have made impressive advances in documenting the occurrence of species interactions. The importance of physical processes in rivers has attracted increased attention, particularly the areas of hydrology and geomorphology, and the inter-relationships between physical and biological factors have become better understood. And as is true for every area of ecology during the closing years of the twentieth century it has become apparent that the study of streams and rivers cannot be carried out by excluding the role of human activities, nor can we ignore the urgency of the need for conservation. These developments are brought together in Stream Ecology: Structure and function of running waters, designed to serve as a text for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, and as a reference book for specialists in stream ecology and related fields.
Recensione
`To bring structure and function in a unifying framework is a hard but challenging aim. In the increasing vast mass of scientists motivated to write a book, I welcome any ecological contribution in which the author keeps that combination in mind. ... I not only recommend this text to students and teachers, but also to general readers for easily deepening their understanding of the field.'
Crustaceana
`... it is bound to become a popular text ... my students will be reading it ...'
Journal of Ecology
`Allan provides us with a wealth of information ... summarizing a range of material not found elsewhere. His book provides an excellent introduction to the area ...'
Limnol. Oceanogr. Journal of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography
`... Allan has done an admirable job of preparing a clearly written, well-referenced, and very readable book that summarizes most of the pertinent literature in stream ecology that has been published since Hynes' (1970) book.'
Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
`There is no question that David Allan has provided an unusually lucid and judicious reassessment of the state of stream ecology.'
Science
`... is intended to serve both as a text for undergraduate and postgraduate students and as a reference book for specialists. It would seem to succeed in both aims ... The text is clear and concise and is illustrated by excellent diagrams. Examples are drawn from all over the world, and the 35 pages of references testify to the author's grasp of the literature.'
J.CIWEM
`So I wish to congratulate David Allan on a difficult job very well done, and to announce to the limnological world that we now have an excellent up-to-date text on running waters.'
The North American Benthological Society
`... an easily-read, yet comprehensive, introduction to the ecology of running water systems.'
Aquaculture
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