An Interdisciplinary and Hierarchical Approach to the Study and Management of River Ecosystems

Abstract

Rivers are complex ecosystems (Thorns & Sheldon, 2000a) influenced by prior states, multi-causal effects, and the states and dynamics of external systems (Walters & Korman, 1999). Rivers comprise at least three interacting subsystems (geomorphological, hydrological and ecological), whose structure and function have traditionally been studied by separate disciplines, each with their own paradigms and perspectives. With increasing pressures on the environment, there is a strong trend to manage rivers as ecosystems, and this requires a holistic, interdisciplinary approach. Many disciplines are often brought together to solve environmental problems in river systems, including hydrology, geomorphology and ecology. Integration of different disciplines is fraught with challenges that can potentially reduce the effectiveness of interdisciplinary approaches to environmental problems.