Towards engineering harmony between water, ecosystem and society: editorial

摘要

We are living in the Anthropocene, the era in the geological history of the Earth where humanity is a key driver for the transformation of both the litho- and biosphere (Crutzen, Stoermer 2000; Crutzen 2002). There are two primary factors which degrade the self-regulatory capacity and sustain-ability of the Earth's ecosystems: demographic development and increasing consumption of energy and resources per capita. This in turn amplifies emissions of pollutants and carbon dioxide (CO_2) which stimulate climatic instability. The second parallel and long-term threat is the degradation of fundamental ecological processes which maintain, and are maintained by, the ecosystems' homeostasis; i.e., energy flow as well as matter and water circulation. Such modifications are especially significant in catchments in Europe where as much as 70% of the accessible landscape has been transformed into agrocenosis and urbanised areas.