LIMNOLOGY AND REMOTE SENSING.. A contemporary approach

The problem of global water resources has become a severe limitation for the future development of civilization. In many countries, especially those with rapidly growing populations, resources of drinking water are close to being exhausted. An urgent task, therefore, is to study and assess various components of global water resources, and freshwater lakes are one of the most important components. Limnological studies are hence of growing significance. In this book, the authors discuss contemporary limnological problems of local, regional and global scale. There is particular emphasis on the application of remote sensing techniques to monitor lake dynamics, thermodynamics, biodynamics and water quality. An interactive approach has been used to consider various processes from the viewpoints of both numerical modelling and observations. For illustrative purposes, in-situ and remote sensing data are presented in relation to both the lakes of Northwestern Russian and the American Great Lakes, and a comparative analysis carried out. The role of geographic information systems (GIS) is discussed and emphasized. The book is intended for a broad readership of those involved in limnological studies.