R. Jan Stevenson – författare

Advances in Algal Biology: A Commemoration of the Work of Rex Lowe was written by students and colleagues of Rex Lowe to acknowledge his esteemed career that included exceptional contributions to research and teaching. Papers in the book cover a variety of topics in algal ecology, focusing on benthic algal ecology in freshwater ecosystems. The studies provide an unusual combination of small-scale experiments and large-scale regional surveys that bridge both basic and applied ecology. Ecologists, limnologists, phycologists, and environmental scientists will find valuable contributions to the development and application of algal research.

Rivers around the world are threatened by changes in land use, climate, hydrologic cycles, and biodiversity. Global changes in rivers include, but are not restricted to water flow interruptions, temperature increases, loss of hydrological connectivity, altered water residence times, changes in nutrient loads, increasing arrival of new chemicals, simplification of the physical structure of the systems, occurrence of invasive species, and biodiversity losses. All of them affect the structure and functioning of the river ecosystem, and thereby, their ecosystem services. Understanding the responses of river ecosystems and their services to global change is essential for protecting human well being in all corners of the planet.  Rivers provide critical benefits by providing food from fisheries and irrigation, regulating biogeochemical balances, and enriching our aesthetic and cultural experience.

Predicting responses of rivers to global change is challenged by the complexity of interactions among these man-made drivers across a mosaic of natural hydrogeomorphic and climatic settings. This book explores the broad range of determinants defining global change and their effects on river ecosystems. Authors have provided thoughtful and insightful treatments of specific topics that relate to the broader theme of global change regulation of river ecosystems.