Pollution of Lakes and Rivers: A Paleoenvironmental Perspective / Edition 2

by John P. Smol

Overview

Now in its second edition, Pollution of Lakes and Rivers provides essential insights into present-day water quality problems from an international perspective.

• Explains simply and effectively how lake sediments can be used to reconstruct pollution history
  
• Includes over 200 additional references and a new chapter on recent climatic change and its effects on water quality and quantity
  
• Tackles present-day water quality problems from an international perspective
  
• Previously published by Hodder Arnold

PowerPoint slides of the artwork from the book are available from:

http://post.queensu.ca/~pearl/textbook.htm

Reviews:

"This is a very well-written and wide-ranging volume that is both instructive and topical. It is likely to prove useful as an introduction to the general area, a reference source and for teaching purposes." (The Holocene, November 2008)

"If you thought that paleolimnology was just mud, pollen, and diatoms then you will likely be both struck by the complexity of this field of research and grateful that John Smol, FRSC, has described it so clearly and broadly. Simply put, the second edition is an excellent book." (Journal of Phycology, 2008)

“This is a useful text. It provides a good level of detail so that the beginner in this area can appreciate what palaeolimnology can (and cannot) achieve. It goes beyond the simple introduction to provide a detailed understanding of how techniques can be applied ... This is a different take on the usual pollution text and would be of great use to those wishing to understand more from sedimentary records.” Taken from the British Ecological Society’s Teaching Ecology website 

"John Smol has extensive experience in this field of paleoenvironmental research which he combines well with his excellent written communication skills to produce a text that is easy to read but also thought provoking."  (Quaternary Science Reviews, 2009)

“The breadth of coverage in this text is impressive.” (Lake and Reservoir Management, 2009)

“If I could speak with fluidity and clarity in my lectures as consistently as John Smol writes my students would be very grateful.” (Journal of Paleolimnology, 2009)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781405159135
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	01/29/2008
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	394
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.72(h) x 0.78(d)

About the Author

John P. Smol FRSC is a Professor in the Department of Biology at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, with a cross-appointment at the School of Environmental Studies. He holds the Canada Research Chair in Environmental Change, and is the Editor-in-Chief for the journal Environmental Reviews and is the founding editor of the Journal of Paleolimnology, which he edited from 1987 to 2007

Table of Contents

Preface to the second edition.

About the author.

1 There is no substitute for water.

2 How long is long?.

3 Sediments: an ecosystem’s memory.

4 Retrieving the sedimentary archive and establishing the geochronological clock: collecting and dating sediment cores.

5 Reading the records stored in sediments: the present is a key to the past.

6 The paleolimnologist’s Rosetta Stone: calibrating indicators to environmental variables using surface-sediment training sets.

7 Acidification: finding the “smoking gun”.

8 Metals, technological development, and the environment.

9 Persistent organic pollutants: industrially synthesized chemicals “hopping” across the planet.

10 Mercury – “the metal that slipped away”.

11 Eutrophication: the environmental consequences of over-fertilization.

12 Erosion: tracking the accelerated movement of material from land to water.

13 Species invasions, biomanipulations, and extirpations.

14 Greenhouse gas emissions and a changing atmosphere: tracking the effects of climatic change on water resources.

15 Ozone depletion, acid rain, and climatic warming: the problems of multiple stressors.

16 New problems, new challenges.

17 Paleolimnology: a window on the past, a key to our future.

Glossary.

References.

Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“The book is written in a very enjoyable style and the obvious enthusiasm of the author rings from the page.”
–Catherine Duigan, Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems

“John Smol has produced an excellent introduction into how sedimentary records mainly from lakes but also from rivers, reservoirs and other environments can be used to study past environments …This is a terrific text for undergraduate and Masters students covering a vast range of material that is both accessible and up to date …”
–Viv Jones, The Geographical Journal

“Much thought has gone into this book … The chapter headings in this book show the author’s facility with words and concepts …”
–Frank E. Round, Diatom Research

“… the book is compact and highly readable and makes for an excellent introduction and overview of the current state of palaeolimnology … a valuable text for all students of environmental change”
–Roger Flower, The Holocene

“… particularly well written. Smol’s vast experience in writing and editing is evident in his direct writing style … a fine contribution that is clearly written and suitable for student and seasoned investigator alike.”
–Richard B. Brugam, Journal of Paleolimnology

“… John Smol has been one of the central figures in the field of paleolimnology throughout much of its modern development … the book is well written and highly informative. The examples cover much of the significant paleolimnological studies conducted during the past decades in different parts of our planet.”
–Heiki Simola, SIL News

Editorial Reviews

"John Smol has produced a very readable text on modern day lake and river pollution problems and paleolimnologic approaches for providing insights into these problems. The breadth of coverage in this text is impressive." (Lake and Reservoir Management, September 2009)

"This was an enjoyable book to read as the author is extremely knowledgeable technically, and he writes well and in an easy to understand manner." (Journal of the American Water Resources Association, June 2009)

"The author has the gift of clear writing which is evident in terms of the fluidity and clarity of the book content—.I can happily recommend this book knowing that my enthusiastic attempts will be more than well supplemented." (Journal of Paleolimnology, March 2009)

"John Smol has extensive experience in this field of paleoenvironmental research which he combines well with his excellent written communication skills to produce a text that is easy to read but also thought provoking—A very well written and formulated book. It strikes the right balance between description of key issues and the practical methods for investigating these." (Quaternary Science Reviews, Feb 09)

"This comprehensive, up-to-date volume provides essential insights into the multidisciplinary science of paleolimnology aimed at tackling some of the most urgent environmental problems." (Lakeline, Fall 2008)

"This is a very well-written and wide-ranging volume that is both instructive and topical. It is likely to prove useful as an introduction to the general area, a reference source and for teaching purposes." (The Holocene, November 2008)

On the first edition:

"This is a useful text. It provides a good level of detail so that the beginner in this area can appreciate what palaeolimnology can (and cannot) achieve." (Bigpond.net.au)

"I promise you will come away thinking!"
Nandini Kumar, TerraGreen"Intellectually generous and gracious, a fine example showing us that scientists, too, have their poetic sides which can be used to charm us while they produce convincing work." (U.S. Water News)

From the Publisher