Tropical Asian Streams: Zoobenthos, Ecology and Conservation

Chapter 2. Scope

Scope In 1984, the Brazilian limnologist J.G. Tundisi wrote of the general perception that our knowledge of tropical freshwaters was far less than was required to understand the mechanisms and processes operating in these ecosystems (Tundisi, 1984). It is certainly less than is desirable and needed for their proper conservation and management (Williams, 1988; 1994). A perennial obstacle to tropical research, Tundisi asserted, was difficulty in obtaining even the basic literature. He exhorted colleagues to disseminate information in the form of reviews and critical syntheses on a regional basis. Such regional syntheses could deal with systematics, biological processes, and ecosystem functioning drawing upon the limited examples available. In that spirit, this book was written. The freshwater ecology of tropical Asia is not well known (Fernando, 1984a; Dudgeon & Lam, 1994; Boon, 1995; Dudgeon, 1995a), despite Dussart's (1974) review of the pre-1970 literature concerning to inland waters of the region. Lotic habitats (i.e. rivers and streams) have received less attention than standing waters (Crisman & Streever, 1995), notwithstanding the fact that an Asian biologist (Hora, 1923, 1927, 1936) was among the earliest investigators of the stream fauna. For example, Lim (1980) has drawn attention to the 7 Scope In 1984, the Brazilian limnologist J.G. Tundisi wrote of the general perception that our knowledge of tropical freshwaters was far less than was required to understand the mechanisms and processes operating in these ecosystems (Tundisi, 1984). It is certainly less than is desirable and needed for their proper conservation and management (Williams, 1988; 1994). A perennial obstacle to tropical research, Tundisi asserted, was difficulty in obtaining even the basic literature. He exhorted colleagues to disseminate information in the form of reviews and critical syntheses on a regional basis. Such regional syntheses could deal with systematics, biological processes, and ecosystem functioning drawing upon the limited examples available. In that spirit, this book was written. The freshwater ecology of tropical Asia is not well known (Fernando, 1984a; Dudgeon & Lam, 1994; Boon, 1995; Dudgeon, 1995a), despite Dussart's (1974) review of the pre-1970 literature concerning to inland waters of the region. Lotic habitats (i.e. rivers and streams) have received less attention than standing waters (Crisman & Streever, 1995), notwithstanding the fact that an Asian biologist (Hora, 1923, 1927, 1936) was among the earliest investigators of the stream fauna. For example, Lim (1980) has drawn attention to the 7 Scope In 1984, the Brazilian limnologist J.G. Tundisi wrote of the general perception that our knowledge of tropical freshwaters was far less than was required to understand the mechanisms and processes operating in these ecosystems (Tundisi, 1984). It is certainly less than is desirable and needed for their proper conservation and management (Williams, 1988; 1994). A perennial obstacle to tropical research, Tundisi asserted, was difficulty in obtaining even the basic literature. He exhorted colleagues to disseminate information in the form of reviews and critical syntheses on a regional basis. Such regional syntheses could deal with systematics, biological processes, and ecosystem functioning drawing upon the limited examples available. In that spirit, this book was written. The freshwater ecology of tropical Asia is not well known (Fernando, 1984a; Dudgeon & Lam, 1994; Boon, 1995; Dudgeon, 1995a), despite Dussart's (1974) review of the pre-1970 literature concerning to inland waters of the region. Lotic habitats (i.e. rivers and streams) have received less attention than standing waters (Crisman & Streever, 1995), notwithstanding the fact that an Asian biologist (Hora, 1923, 1927, 1936) was among the earliest investigators of the stream fauna. For example, Lim (1980) has drawn attention to the 7 Scope In 1984, the Brazilian limnologist J.G. Tundisi wrote of the general perception that our knowledge of tropical freshwaters was far less than was required to understand the mechanisms and processes operating in these ecosystems (Tundisi, 1984). It is certainly less than is desirable and needed for their proper conservation and management (Williams, 1988; 1994). A perennial obstacle to tropical research, Tundisi asserted, was difficulty in obtaining even the basic literature. He exhorted colleagues to disseminate information in the form of reviews and critical syntheses on a regional basis. Such regional syntheses could deal with systematics, biological processes, and ecosystem functioning drawing upon the limited examples available. In that spirit, this book was written. The freshwater ecology of tropical Asia is not well known (Fernando, 1984a; Dudgeon & Lam, 1994; Boon, 1995; Dudgeon, 1995a), despite Dussart's (1974) review of the pre-1970 literature concerning to inland waters of the region. Lotic habitats (i.e. rivers and streams) have received...