Hydrobiogeochemistry of Major Asian Rivers

Rivers are a life-line for millions of peoples around the world, especially the Asian rivers (the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Mekong and Yellow River) which play a very vital role in the development and sustainability of densely populated societies. Interchange of water among rivers, catchments and the subsurface of the surrounding environments are dynamic aspects of hydrobiogeochemical processes and function. These water exchange processes stimulate biogeochemical activity in the river through provision of nutrients, indigenous microbes and anthropogenically derived dissolved reactants and pollutants. Hydrobiogeochemistry of rivers also plays a key role in water quality, nutrient dynamics, carbon cycle and fluxes. Recently, there is clear evidence that river hydrobiogeochemistry is extremely variable based on geographical locations and settings, climatic condition, ecology and anthropogenic activities. This Research Topic will focus on the different aspects of hydrobiogeochemistry of rivers that are highly sensitive to natural disturbances and human perturbations including floods, drought, land-use changes and water use and management.

The goal of this collection is to welcome Original Research papers and Reviews on the latest developments in the understanding of hydrobiogeochemistry of major world rivers. Rivers are an unquestionably important source of fresh water and play an important role in agricultural, industrial and social development. Many rivers serve as a substantial source of water supply to the urban and rural population. High dependence on the river water resource and the negligence in its management might alter the natural hydrobiogeochemical processes of rivers and consequently deteriorate its water quality. Anthropogenic perturbations also deteriorate river water quality through adding new hazardous chemicals and restrict the use and service of the important resources. Only through systematic monitoring and review of water interchange processes between river and catchment, can the hydrobiogeochemistry of rivers can be illustrated and the causes of river water degradation be identified. This understanding is essential to protect and manage the major water resources and to get ecosystem services from rivers. Therefore, research in hydrobiogeochemistry of rivers is essential to guarantee adequate good quality water resources for future generations and sustainable development.

The subject matter of the proposed Research Topic is multidisciplinary and covers a wide range of environmental aspects including the hydrochemistry of rivers, water pollution, characteristics and dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM), climate changes and biogeochemical processes. It also focuses on the impact of global climate changes on the water quality and biogeochemistry of rivers, especially in densely populated areas. Its scope includes a range of topics related to characteristics and dynamics of DOM and transport of biogenic organic carbon from land to river and marine environment, interaction of DOM to both organic and inorganic pollutants, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission from inland water, estimation of carbon fluxes of major rivers. It also includes the advancement of analytical techniques for hydrobiogeochemical studies. Hence the subject of the Research Topic can broadly be related to hydrochemistry, carbon transport (cycle) mechanism study and recent analytical methods of hydrobiogeochemical analysis in environmental sciences. This Research Topic aims to cover but is not limited to the above issues.