The Mekong is the most controversial river in Southeast Asia, and increasingly the focus of international attention. It flows through 6 counties, China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam. The 4 downstream countries have formed the Mekong River Commission to promote sustainable development of the river and many of their people depend on it for their subsistence ? it has possible the largest freshwater fishery in the world, and the Mekong waters support rice agriculture in the delta in Viet Nam (which produces about 40% of that country's food) as well as in Cambodia, Laos and Thailand.
China is now building the first large mainstream dam on the river, and has proposals for several more. These dams are likely to affect the downstream countries. Several of the downstream countries also have plans for large scale hydropower and irrigation development which could also impact the river.
This book will provide a solid overview of the biophysical environment of the Mekong together with a discussion of the possible impacts, biophysical, economic and social, of some possible development scenarios. It is intended to provide a technical basis which can inform the growing political and conservation debate about the future of the Mekong River, and those who depend on it. It is aimed at river ecologists, geographers, environmentalists and development specialists both in the basin and (especially) outside for whom access to this material is most difficult.
This book will be the first comprehensive treatment of the Mekong system.
1. Chapter 1. Introduction 2. 1. Significance of the Mekong River 3. 2. Geography and Biological Resources 4. 3. History of the Mekong Basin 5. 4. Managing the Mekong 6. Chapter 2. The Geology of the Lower Mekong River 7. 1. Introduction 8. 2. Perspective 9. 3. Climate Controlled Change to River Regime 10. 4. The Tectonic and Geological Database 11. 5. Regional Tectonic Context 12. 6. Regional Geological Context of the Lower Mekong Basin 13. 7. The Present and Former Courses of the Upper Mekong River 14. 8. The Present and Former Courses of the Lower Mekong River 15. Chapter 3. Geology and Landforms of the Mekong Basin 16. 1. Introduction 17. 2. Geology 18. 3. Landforms in the Mekong Basin 19. 4. Basin Geomorphic Processes and the River 20. Chapter 4. The Hydrology of the Mekong River 21. 1. Introduction 22. 2. The General Hydrology of the Mekong Basin 23. 3. The Global Context of Mekong River Hydrology 24. 4. Historical Changes in Hydrology 25. 5. Potential Effects of Climate Change on the Hydrology of the Mekong River 26. 6. Conclusions 27. Chapter 5. Geomorphology and Sedimentology of the Lower Mekong River 28. 1. Introduction 29. 2. Physiography and Geology 30. 3. The Proto-Mekong River 31. 4. Geomorphological Zonation of The Mekong River 32. Chapter 6. The Sediment Load of the Mekong River 33. 1. Introduction and Context 34. 2. The Mekong River in a Wider Context 35. 3. The Availability and Reliability of Sediment Data for the Mekong 36. 4. Key Features of the Sediment Regime of the Mekong River 37. 5. Recent Changes in the Sediment Load of the Mekong River 38. 6. Conclusion 39. Chapter 7. Vegetation in the Mekong Basin 40. 1. Regional Forest Formations 41. 2. Forest Vegetation of the Upper Mekong Basin 42. 3. Lowland Forest Vegetation in the Lower Mekong Basin 43. 4. Montane Forest Vegetation in the Lower Mekong Basin 44. 5. Wetlands and Swamp Forests 45. 6. Land-Use Dynamics in the Mekong Watershed 46. Chapter 8. Fish Diversity in the Mekong River Basin 47. 1. Introduction 48. 2. Fish Species Diversity and Endemism 49. 3. Habitat Diversity and Species Assemblages 50. 4. Life Histories 51. 5. Size Diversity 52. 6. Genetic Diversity 53. 7. Determinants of Diversity 54. 8. Research 55. 9. Socioeconomic Value of Fish Biodiversity 56. 10. Major Drivers of Biodiversity Loss 57. 11. Basin Planning to Sustain Ecosystem Services 58. 12. Protecting Endangered Species 59. Chapter 9. Fisheries of the Mekong River Basin 60. 1. Introduction 61. 2. Historical Perspective 62. 3. General Features of MB Fisheries 63. 4. LMB Fishery Yield and Value 64. 5. Habitats and Their Fisheries 65. 6. Aquaculture 66. 7. Management of Fisheries 67. 8. Conclusions 68. Chapter 10. Tonle Sap Lake, the Heart of the Lower Mekong 69. 1. Introduction 70. 2. Physical Description of Tonle Sap Lake 71. 3. Significance of Tonle Sap Lake 72. 4. Limnology of Tonle Sap Lake 73. 5. Fisheries in Tonle Sap Lake 74. 6. Threats to the Lake 75. 7. Management of Tonle Sap Lake 76. Chapter 11. Mekong Schistosomiasis 77. 1. Introduction 78. 2. Where Did Schistosoma mekongi Come from? 79. 3. Where is Mekong Schistosomiasis Going? 80. Chapter 12. Water Quality of the Lower Mekong River 81. 1. Introduction 82. 2. Pollution Sources 83. 3. Water Quality Data 84. 4. Water Quality Guidelines and Suggested Thresholds 85. 5. Methodology 86. 6. Observations and Discussion 87. 7. Conclusions 88. Chapter 13. The Development and Application of Biomonitoring in the Lower Mekong River System 89. 1. Introduction 90. 2. The MRC Biological Monitoring Program 91. 3. Results 92. 4. Discussion 93. 5. Conclusions 94. Chapter 14. Watercourse Environmental Change in Upper Mekong 95. 1. General 96. 2. Geohydrological Characteristics 97. 3. Soil Erosion and Sediment 98. 4. Water Quality 99. Chapter 15. Conserving Dolphins in the Mekong River 100. 1. Introducton 101. 2. Historical Accounts of Irrawady Dolphins in the Mekong River 102. 3. The Mekong Dolphin Conservation Project 103. 4. The Economic, Political, and Social Complexities of Mekong Dolphin Conservation 104. 5. The Potential for Sustainable Conservation 105. 6. Conclusions 106. 7. Recommendations 107. Chapter 16. Development Scenarios and Mekong River Flows 108. 1. Introduction 109. 2. Modeling Development Impacts 110. 3. Mekong Development Scenarios 111. 4. Predicted Hydrological Consequences of Development 112. 5. Consequences of Hydrological Changes 113. 6. Conclusions 114. Chapter 17. The Challenges for Mekong River Management 115. 1. Introduction 116. 2. The Need for Management 117. 3. The Challenge of Management 118. 4. The MRC and Mekong Management 119. 5. Conclusions 120. Index
The Mekong is the most controversial river in Southeast Asia, and increasingly the focus of international attention. It flows through 6 counties, China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam. The 4 downstream countries have formed the Mekong River Commission to promote sustainable development of the river and many of their people depend on it for their subsistence ? it has possible the largest freshwater fishery in the world, and the Mekong waters support rice agriculture in the delta in Viet Nam (which produces about 40% of that country's food) as well as in Cambodia, Laos and Thailand.
China is now building the first large mainstream dam on the river, and has proposals for several more. These dams are likely to affect the downstream countries. Several of the downstream countries also have plans for large scale hydropower and irrigation development which could also impact the river.
This book will provide a solid overview of the biophysical environment of the Mekong together with a discussion of the possible impacts, biophysical, economic and social, of some possible development scenarios. It is intended to provide a technical basis which can inform the growing political and conservation debate about the future of the Mekong River, and those who depend on it. It is aimed at river ecologists, geographers, environmentalists and development specialists both in the basin and (especially) outside for whom access to this material is most difficult.
This book will be the first comprehensive treatment of the Mekong system.
1. Chapter 1. Introduction 2. 1. Significance of the Mekong River 3. 2. Geography and Biological Resources 4. 3. History of the Mekong Basin 5. 4. Managing the Mekong 6. Chapter 2. The Geology of the Lower Mekong River 7. 1. Introduction 8. 2. Perspective 9. 3. Climate Controlled Change to River Regime 10. 4. The Tectonic and Geological Database 11. 5. Regional Tectonic Context 12. 6. Regional Geological Context of the Lower Mekong Basin 13. 7. The Present and Former Courses of the Upper Mekong River 14. 8. The Present and Former Courses of the Lower Mekong River 15. Chapter 3. Geology and Landforms of the Mekong Basin 16. 1. Introduction 17. 2. Geology 18. 3. Landforms in the Mekong Basin 19. 4. Basin Geomorphic Processes and the River 20. Chapter 4. The Hydrology of the Mekong River 21. 1. Introduction 22. 2. The General Hydrology of the Mekong Basin 23. 3. The Global Context of Mekong River Hydrology 24. 4. Historical Changes in Hydrology 25. 5. Potential Effects of Climate Change on the Hydrology of the Mekong River 26. 6. Conclusions 27. Chapter 5. Geomorphology and Sedimentology of the Lower Mekong River 28. 1. Introduction 29. 2. Physiography and Geology 30. 3. The Proto-Mekong River 31. 4. Geomorphological Zonation of The Mekong River 32. Chapter 6. The Sediment Load of the Mekong River 33. 1. Introduction and Context 34. 2. The Mekong River in a Wider Context 35. 3. The Availability and Reliability of Sediment Data for the Mekong 36. 4. Key Features of the Sediment Regime of the Mekong River 37. 5. Recent Changes in the Sediment Load of the Mekong River 38. 6. Conclusion 39. Chapter 7. Vegetation in the Mekong Basin 40. 1. Regional Forest Formations 41. 2. Forest Vegetation of the Upper Mekong Basin 42. 3. Lowland Forest Vegetation in the Lower Mekong Basin 43. 4. Montane Forest Vegetation in the Lower Mekong Basin 44. 5. Wetlands and Swamp Forests 45. 6. Land-Use Dynamics in the Mekong Watershed 46. Chapter 8. Fish Diversity in the Mekong River Basin 47. 1. Introduction 48. 2. Fish Species Diversity and Endemism 49. 3. Habitat Diversity and Species Assemblages 50. 4. Life Histories 51. 5. Size Diversity 52. 6. Genetic Diversity 53. 7. Determinants of Diversity 54. 8. Research 55. 9. Socioeconomic Value of Fish Biodiversity 56. 10. Major Drivers of Biodiversity Loss 57. 11. Basin Planning to Sustain Ecosystem Services 58. 12. Protecting Endangered Species 59. Chapter 9. Fisheries of the Mekong River Basin 60. 1. Introduction 61. 2. Historical Perspective 62. 3. General Features of MB Fisheries 63. 4. LMB Fishery Yield and Value 64. 5. Habitats and Their Fisheries 65. 6. Aquaculture 66. 7. Management of Fisheries 67. 8. Conclusions 68. Chapter 10. Tonle Sap Lake, the Heart of the Lower Mekong 69. 1. Introduction 70. 2. Physical Description of Tonle Sap Lake 71. 3. Significance of Tonle Sap Lake 72. 4. Limnology of Tonle Sap Lake 73. 5. Fisheries in Tonle Sap Lake 74. 6. Threats to the Lake 75. 7. Management of Tonle Sap Lake 76. Chapter 11. Mekong Schistosomiasis 77. 1. Introduction 78. 2. Where Did Schistosoma mekongi Come from? 79. 3. Where is Mekong Schistosomiasis Going? 80. Chapter 12. Water Quality of the Lower Mekong River 81. 1. Introduction 82. 2. Pollution Sources 83. 3. Water Quality Data 84. 4. Water Quality Guidelines and Suggested Thresholds 85. 5. Methodology 86. 6. Observations and Discussion 87. 7. Conclusions 88. Chapter 13. The Development and Application of Biomonitoring in the Lower Mekong River System 89. 1. Introduction 90. 2. The MRC Biological Monitoring Program 91. 3. Results 92. 4. Discussion 93. 5. Conclusions 94. Chapter 14. Watercourse Environmental Change in Upper Mekong 95. 1. General 96. 2. Geohydrological Characteristics 97. 3. Soil Erosion and Sediment 98. 4. Water Quality 99. Chapter 15. Conserving Dolphins in the Mekong River 100. 1. Introducton 101. 2. Historical Accounts of Irrawady Dolphins in the Mekong River 102. 3. The Mekong Dolphin Conservation Project 103. 4. The Economic, Political, and Social Complexities of Mekong Dolphin Conservation 104. 5. The Potential for Sustainable Conservation 105. 6. Conclusions 106. 7. Recommendations 107. Chapter 16. Development Scenarios and Mekong River Flows 108. 1. Introduction 109. 2. Modeling Development Impacts 110. 3. Mekong Development Scenarios 111. 4. Predicted Hydrological Consequences of Development 112. 5. Consequences of Hydrological Changes 113. 6. Conclusions 114. Chapter 17. The Challenges for Mekong River Management 115. 1. Introduction 116. 2. The Need for Management 117. 3. The Challenge of Management 118. 4. The MRC and Mekong Management 119. 5. Conclusions 120. Index
