While almost every aspect of society-nature interactions can be treated as an environmental security issue, the threats to human societies originating from inadequate freshwater management constitute one of the most wi- spread and pressing problems. For thousands of years rivers and river valleys have been the cradle of human civilizations. Rivers have provided not only food and freshwater, but also shelter and means of transportation, and they are still an essential component in every national and regional economy. In turn, growing needs of human societies, accompanied by growing abilities, have caused significant river alterations and ecosystem changes that have resulted in river contamination, biodiversity loss and general riverine ecosystem degradation. The extinction of sturgeon species is one of the most eloquent examples of the negative and irreversible influence of human society on river e- systems. The sturgeon, sometimes called the "living fossil" or living "dinosaur" of the fish world, is known to have lived since the time of the dinosaurs, for at least 250 million years, and is currently on the verge of extinction solely due to anthropogenic impacts.

Inhalt

Preface.- Acknowledgements.- Contents.- Abbreviations.- Part I International Experience in Transboundary Watershed Management and Sturgeon Restoration.- 1.1 Water.- Environmental Security and the Role of River Regimes in Fostering (Environmental) Cooperation: Case of the Sava Commission; A. Colakhodzic.- Challenges and Prospects of Transboundary Water Management in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia; S. Koeppel.- Successful Transboundary River Basin and Estuary Cooperation: Benchmarks for the Ural River Basin?; J. Simpson et al.- The Issues of Transboundary Rivers in South Caucasus at the End of the 20th and Beginning of the 21st Centuries; T. Vardanian.- 1.2 Sturgeon Species.- Migratory Fish Stocks in Transboundary Basins - Implications for Governance, Management and Research; J. Valbo-Jørgensen et al.- The Key Threats to Sturgeons and Measures for their Protection in the Lower Danube Region; M. Lenhardt.- Rescue Efforts to Save Sturgeons in America; M.K. Zaidi, S. Ireland.- Rivers Rehabilitation: New Approach to the Design of Fish Passes Through Dams; V. Lagutov.- Part II The Ural River Basin.- 2.1. Water Resources.- The Ural River Basin: Hydrology, Characteristics and Water Use; V. Lagutov.- River Flow Formation in the Russia South Urals; Y. Nesterenko, M. Nesterenko.- Climate Change and Water Resource in North Caucasus and South Urals; N. Dronin, A. Kirilenko.- 2.2 Fish Resources.- The Ural River Sturgeons: Population Dynamics, Catch, Reasons for Decline and Restoration Strategies; Viktor Lagutov and Vladimir Lagutov.- Field and Genetic Approaches to Enhance Knowledge of Ural River Sturgeon Biology; D. Phaedra.- Fish Biodiversity of the Orenburg Region; A. Gryzunov.- 2.3 Restoration Activities.- Establishment of the International Ural Sturgeon Park; Viktor Lagutov and Vladimir Lagutov.- The URALBAS Resolution.- Index.-