Wetlands are an important, and sadly diminishing, habitat in many parts of the world. They contribute significantly to the planet's biodiversity, housing thousands of species of plants and animals. Increasingly, human management is required to sustain, and even create these fragile ecosystems, and global changes in climate are also taking their toll.
Understanding Wetlands explains how wetlands are created naturally and how they sustain themselves. It describes how the flora and fauna of these unique habitats are ideally adapted to their environment, and how the ecosystem copes with pollutants and climatic change. The impact of human activity such as farming, building and recreation is also assessed. The book concludes with a look at the need for conservation and various conservation techniques.
This integrated and holistic account of wetlands is a valuable reference for students of ecology, biology and environmental science. Its beautiful illustrations and accessible style also makes it ideal for the general reader with an interest in the natural world.

Originally published in 1987, this book describes and discusses the vegetation of rivers and other watercourses in Europe with an emphasis upon distributional, community and historical ecology. It was firmly based upon many years of field investigations carried out by the author in various countries in the European Economic Community. The main purpose of the text was to increase the understanding of river vegetation in relation to the varying physical characteristics of the watercourses. The rivers of the EEC are considered in detail, with an emphasis upon the influences of landscape, geology, climate, settlement patterns, water use and management and pollution. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in river botany.

The River Scene is a uniquely stimulating guide to the appreciation and preservation of rivers. In this highly illustrated account, Sylvia Haslam presents a new scheme for the evaluation of river quality which can be used by a wide range of users, from amateur conservationists to water-management professionals. The book presents an overview of river ecology, looking first at the natural environment - river structure, classification and pollution. This is followed by a discussion of the cultural environment, the importance of which is often overlooked: the history, archaeology, and social and legal contexts of rivers. Dr Haslam is a leading international authority on rivers and their vegetation. By understanding the natural and cultural environments of rivers and applying the methods she describes, our awareness and appreciation of these beautiful resources can be greatly enhanced, and their conservation for the future aided.

In this study Dr Haslam examines how the quantity, function and ecology of water changes as it moves from watershed to river. The development of river and riverscape, their ecology, the effect of human activities (such as water abstractions, flood control and management for recreational use) and water resources are described both in principle and using case histories. Contrasting examples are given from across the world, including Iceland, Hungary, Malta, Britain and the USA, which enables understanding of how water and riverscape interact with each other, and with human impact. The study, development and loss of water resources is also described, including the extreme example of Malta, whose clean water now depends solely on oil imports. This innovative book is written for graduate students and professionals interested in how water and riverscape interact.

The study of water in the landscape is a new and rapidly expanding field. Dr Haslam examines how the quantity, function and ecology of water changes as it moves from watershed to river. The development of river and riverscape, their ecology, the effect of human activities (such as water abstractions, flood control and management for recreational use) and water resources are described both in principle and using case histories. Contrasting examples are given from across the world, including Iceland, Hungary, Malta, Britain and the USA, which enables understanding of how water and riverscape interact with each other, and with human impact. The study, development and loss of water resources is also described, including the extreme example of Malta, whose clean water now depends solely on oil imports. This innovative book is written for graduate students and professionals interested in how water and riverscape interact.