Remote Sensing Applications for Freshwater Systems

Abstract

Experts (see other chapters in this book) expect the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) to double over the next four decades and expect even larger increases in other radiation-trapping gases or “greenhouse gases” during the same period. As a result, global temperatures may increase significantly and regions may undergo significant changes in moisture regimes. In response to these climate changes, freshwater ecosystems may undergo rapid transformations. In addition, human activity has been significantly affecting freshwater systems. The Industrial Revolution and human population growth have brought increases in the particulate content of the atmosphere by activities such as farming and the increased use of fossil fuels. Humankind’s increasing needs for fuel, food, and fiber have resulted in severe impacts on watersheds, including riparian zones, in many freshwater systems in the world. The press and the public are focusing on the question of the validity of forecasted global warming and its effects on the ecosystems while downplaying the fact that significant global changes in the environment are already occurring due to human activities. It is as if we, as a global society, should relax if the much anticipated global warming fails to happen. The on-going impacts to the environment by other means are, in fact, affecting severely freshwater ecosystems.