Field Note: Threatening Tonle Sap: Challenges for Southeast-Asia’s largest Freshwater Lake
The Tonle Sap ecosystem in Cambodia is Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake; strongly impacted by the Mekong river flood pulse. The lake is home to exceptional biodiversity, and rural communities living in free floating villages on the lake and on its shores. The fragile niche ecosystems as well...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Pazifische Studien e.V.
2013-09-01
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| Series: | Pacific Geographies |
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| Online Access: | http://www.pacific-geographies.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/07/PG40_KUENZER.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818327156910981120 |
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| author | Kuenzer, Claudia |
| author_facet | Kuenzer, Claudia |
| author_sort | Kuenzer, Claudia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Tonle Sap ecosystem in Cambodia is Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake; strongly impacted by the Mekong river flood pulse. The lake is home to exceptional biodiversity, and rural communities living in free floating villages on the lake and on its shores. The fragile niche ecosystems as well as the rural livelihoods of Tonle Sap are under severe threat. Overfishing, illegal wood harvesting, further resource exploitation, and water quality deterioration all impact the stability of the socio-ecological system of Tonle Sap. At the same time, expected flood pulse changes due to regulatory measures in the context of hydropower development upstream on the Mekong are a severe threat for Tonle Sap’s ecosystem stability. The area needs to shift into the focus of attention of national and international re-searchers, stakeholders, and decision makers, to find suitable pathways for a future sustainable development of this unique and pristine region. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T12:11:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-84d27a5f71ee40839e7a83c67298e326 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2196-1468 2199-9104 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T12:11:48Z |
| publishDate | 2013-09-01 |
| publisher | Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Pazifische Studien e.V. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pacific Geographies |
| spelling | doaj.art-84d27a5f71ee40839e7a83c67298e3262022-12-21T23:46:49ZengArbeitsgemeinschaft für Pazifische Studien e.V.Pacific Geographies2196-14682199-91042013-09-0122402931Field Note: Threatening Tonle Sap: Challenges for Southeast-Asia’s largest Freshwater LakeKuenzer, Claudia0German Aerospace Centre, DLR, Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234 Wessling, GermanyThe Tonle Sap ecosystem in Cambodia is Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake; strongly impacted by the Mekong river flood pulse. The lake is home to exceptional biodiversity, and rural communities living in free floating villages on the lake and on its shores. The fragile niche ecosystems as well as the rural livelihoods of Tonle Sap are under severe threat. Overfishing, illegal wood harvesting, further resource exploitation, and water quality deterioration all impact the stability of the socio-ecological system of Tonle Sap. At the same time, expected flood pulse changes due to regulatory measures in the context of hydropower development upstream on the Mekong are a severe threat for Tonle Sap’s ecosystem stability. The area needs to shift into the focus of attention of national and international re-searchers, stakeholders, and decision makers, to find suitable pathways for a future sustainable development of this unique and pristine region.http://www.pacific-geographies.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/07/PG40_KUENZER.pdfTonle Sap Lakeflood pulse ecosystemfloating villagesrural livelihoodsfisheries |
| spellingShingle | Kuenzer, Claudia Field Note: Threatening Tonle Sap: Challenges for Southeast-Asia’s largest Freshwater Lake Pacific Geographies Tonle Sap Lake flood pulse ecosystem floating villages rural livelihoods fisheries |
| title | Field Note: Threatening Tonle Sap: Challenges for Southeast-Asia’s largest Freshwater Lake |
| title_full | Field Note: Threatening Tonle Sap: Challenges for Southeast-Asia’s largest Freshwater Lake |
| title_fullStr | Field Note: Threatening Tonle Sap: Challenges for Southeast-Asia’s largest Freshwater Lake |
| title_full_unstemmed | Field Note: Threatening Tonle Sap: Challenges for Southeast-Asia’s largest Freshwater Lake |
| title_short | Field Note: Threatening Tonle Sap: Challenges for Southeast-Asia’s largest Freshwater Lake |
| title_sort | field note threatening tonle sap challenges for southeast asia s largest freshwater lake |
| topic | Tonle Sap Lake flood pulse ecosystem floating villages rural livelihoods fisheries |
| url | http://www.pacific-geographies.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/07/PG40_KUENZER.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kuenzerclaudia fieldnotethreateningtonlesapchallengesforsoutheastasiaslargestfreshwaterlake |