Rivers of Portugal: Communities, Processes and Changes

The book Rios de Portugal - Comunidades, Processos e Alterations appears in a context in which the great importance of rivers for society is recognized and in which there is intense scientific and technical development on aquatic ecosystems in Portugal. In 17 chapters, written by several Portuguese researchers, the aim was to cover the various research areas related to rivers. Thus, this book begins with the fundamental physical aspects of rivers: hydrology and sedimentology. There are eight chapters dedicated to aquatic organisms: algae, fungi and bacteria, aquatic and riverine vegetation, invertebrates, fish, amphibians and reptiles, mammals, and birds. The following chapters address anthropic activities that cause strong changes in the quality of ecosystems, ecological monitoring, and the restoration of degraded sectors of rivers. The penultimate chapter concerns the last section of the rivers, before the sea, the estuaries. And finally, the last chapter deals with thermo-mineral sources that are also strongly linked to water courses.