River Water Quality and Landscape in the Kumena and Tatau Basins, Sarawak, Malaysia [Keitaro Fukushima]
River Water Quality and Landscape in the Kumena and Tatau Basins, Sarawak, Malaysia Keitaro Fukushima (Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University) River water quality is a very useful indicator of upstream terrestrial environment including land use, geology, lifestyle, development of infrastructure, and so forth. For example, the concentrations of calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+) ions and dissolved silica (Si) are mainly controlled by underlying bedrock geology; nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentratios reflect land use such as agriculture and urbanization; and chloride ion (Cl–) concentration is likely proportional to the distance from the sea. Mines, factories, and livestock facilities can discharge high concentrations of N, P, certain metals, and […]