Lair, G. J. and Zehetner, F. and Fiebig, M. and Gerzabek, M. H. and van Gestel, C. A.M. and Hein, T. and Hohensinner, S. and Hsu, P. and Jones, K. C. and Jordan, G. and Koelmans, A. A. and Poot, A. and Slijkerman, D. M.E. and Totsche, K. U. and Bondar-Kunze, E. and Barth, J. A.C. (2009) How do long-term development and periodical changes of river-floodplain systems affect the fate of contaminants? Results from European rivers. Environmental Pollution, 157 (12). pp. 3336-3346. ISSN 0269-7491
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
In many densely populated areas, riverine floodplains have been strongly impacted and degraded by river channelization and flood protection dikes. Floodplains act as buffers for flood water and as filters for nutrients and pollutants carried with river water and sediment from upstream source areas. Based on results of the EU-funded "AquaTerra" project (2004-2009), we analyze changes in the dynamics of European river-floodplain systems over different temporal scales and assess their effects on contaminant behaviour and ecosystem functioning. We find that human-induced changes in the hydrologic regime of rivers have direct and severe consequences on nutrient cycling and contaminant retention in adjacent floodplains. We point out the complex interactions of contaminants with nutrient availability and other physico-chemical characteristics (pH, organic matter) in determining ecotoxicity and habitat quality, and draw conclusions for improved floodplain management.