The Mekong : biophysical environment of an international river basin / edited by Ian C. Campbell.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Chapter 1. Introduction; 1. Significance of the Mekong River; 2. Geography and Biological Resources; 3. History of the Mekong Basin; 4. Managing the Mekong; Chapter 2. The Geology of the Lower Mekong River; 1. Introduction; 2. Perspective; 3. Climate Controlled Change to River Regime; 4. The Tectonic and Geological Database; 5. Regional Tectonic Context; 6. Regional Geological Context of the Lower Mekong Basin; 7. The Present and Former Courses of the Upper Mekong River. 8. The Present and Former Courses of the Lower Mekong RiverChapter 3. Geology and Landforms of the Mekong Basin; 1. Introduction; 2. Geology; 3. Landforms in the Mekong Basin; 4. Basin Geomorphic Processes and the River; Chapter 4. The Hydrology of the Mekong River; 1. Introduction; 2. The General Hydrology of the Mekong Basin; 3. The Global Context of Mekong River Hydrology; 4. Historical Changes in Hydrology; 5. Potential Effects of Climate Change on the Hydrology of the Mekong River; 6. Conclusions; Chapter 5. Geomorphology and Sedimentology of the Lower Mekong River; 1. Introduction. 2. Physiography and Geology3. The Proto-Mekong River; 4. Geomorphological Zonation of The Mekong River; Chapter 6. The Sediment Load of the Mekong River; 1. Introduction and Context; 2. The Mekong River in a Wider Context; 3. The Availability and Reliability of Sediment Data for the Mekong; 4. Key Features of the Sediment Regime of the Mekong River; 5. Recent Changes in the Sediment Load of the Mekong River; 6. Conclusion; Chapter 7. Vegetation in the Mekong Basin; 1. Regional Forest Formations; 2. Forest Vegetation of the Upper Mekong Basin. 3. Lowland Forest Vegetation in the Lower Mekong Basin4. Montane Forest Vegetation in the Lower Mekong Basin; 5. Wetlands and Swamp Forests; 6. Land-Use Dynamics in the Mekong Watershed; Chapter 8. Fish Diversity in the Mekong River Basin; 1. Introduction; 2. Fish Species Diversity and Endemism; 3. Habitat Diversity and Species Assemblages; 4. Life Histories; 5. Size Diversity; 6. Genetic Diversity; 7. Determinants of Diversity; 8. Research; 9. Socioeconomic Value of Fish Biodiversity; 10. Major Drivers of Biodiversity Loss; 11. Basin Planning to Sustain Ecosystem Services. 12. Protecting Endangered SpeciesChapter 9. Fisheries of the Mekong River Basin; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; 2. Historical Perspective; ; 3. General Features of MB Fisheries; ; 4. LMB Fishery Yield and Value; ; 5. Habitats and Their Fisheries; ; 6. Aquaculture; ; 7. Management of Fisheries; ; 8. Conclusions; ; ; 1. Introduction; ; Chapter 10. Tonle Sap Lake, the Heart of the Lower Mekong; 1. Introduction; 2. Physical Description of Tonle Sap Lake; 3. Significance of Tonle Sap Lake; 4. Limnology of Tonle Sap Lake; 5. Fisheries in Tonle Sap Lake; 6. Threats to the Lake; 7. Management of Tonle Sap Lake.

The Mekong is the most controversial river in Southeast Asia, and increasingly the focus of international attention. It is possibly the largest freshwater fishery in the world, and the Mekong waters support rice agriculture in the delta in Viet Nam. This book provides an overview of the biophysical environment of the Mekong.