XIX Conference of the Iberian Association of Limnology


3 juillet 2017
Types d'actualités
Evénements
Date de l'événement
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Résumé

Les eaux intérieures et les défis du XXIe siècle: du savoir scientifique à la gestion environnementale

Inland freshwaters represent only a minor fraction of total waters of our planet; however they comprise a large variety of systems, including lakes, lagoons, ground waters, streams and rivers that greatly differ in size, and water chemistry. Inland waters also support a strikingly and disproportionately high level of the world’s biodiversity.

Historically, inland waters are linked to the rise of ancient civilizations. Many ancient civilizations grew and flourished along large rivers or other large sources of freshwaters as centers of intensive anthropogenic activities. Some civilizations collapsed due to environmental changes resulting in water scarcity. Some of the worst recent environmental disasters are related to bad water management (e.g. the collapse of the Aral sea). The misuse of water resources is an ongoing process, with large rivers that run dry (e.g. Colorado, Indus, Yellow) and dubious hydrological plans threatening biodiversity and marginalized human societies (e.g. inner Niger Delta). Unsafe water kills more people than all wars; it is estimated that every year 1.7 million people die in the world because of water related problems.

Inland waters provide ecosystem services to humans, including clean water for consumption, irrigation and hydropower, food, cultural and spiritual values. However, humanity’s growing water needs, global climatic change, nutrients and pollutants run-off are exacerbating challenges of water scarcity and quality, which will in turn, increase the pressure we place on our inland waters.

These pressures challenge human societies to better understand rivers to properly manage freshwater resources. The Iberian Limnological Association meeting, to be held in Coimbra in June 2018, will be an interactive platform for scientists, policy makers, environmental managers, industry and all those interested in inland waters to discuss and share their ideas and expertise. We welcome all to the 2018 AIL meeting.
Lieu
Coimbra (Portugal)
Geofield