A group of researchers from the University of Padua reveals that nearly 80% of the world's watercourses stop flowing at least one day a year. Rivers, in fact, are not static; they expand and contract in response to climate changes, alternating between periods of flow and drought. This natural behavior is common and also occurs in humid regions such as Veneto.
The study, published in "Nature Water," reveals that non-perennial watercourses, those that do not flow continuously, are the most widespread type of river. The total length of the Earth's watercourses ranges between 1.2 and 1.5 billion kilometers, and over one billion kilometers of this network dries up periodically.
"This widespread occurrence is related to the very structure of river networks, dominated by a myriad of small, extremely numerous, and dynamic watercourses that activate and deactivate in response to precipitation and local hydrological conditions," explains Gianluca Botter, the corresponding author of the study and a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Padua. "Their behavior influences the functioning of the entire river system, leaving a noticeable mark even in large drainage basins."
The study's findings challenge the notion that rivers remain the same from source to mouth, highlighting that the alternation between flow and drought is an intrinsic characteristic of river systems. This dynamic has important implications for water quality, biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity, and ecosystem services, and should be integrated into watercourse protection policies to address the challenges of climate change and sustainable water resource use.
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A group of researchers from the University of Padua reveals that nearly 80% of the world's watercourses stop flowing at least one day a year. Rivers, in fact, are not static; they expand and contract in response to climate changes, alternating between periods of flow and drought. This natural behavior is common and also occurs in humid regions such as Veneto.
The study, published in "Nature Water," reveals that non-perennial watercourses, those that do not flow continuously, are the most widespread type of river. The total length of the Earth's watercourses ranges between 1.2 and 1.5 billion kilometers, and over one billion kilometers of this network dries up periodically.
"This widespread occurrence is related to the very structure of river networks, dominated by a myriad of small, extremely numerous, and dynamic watercourses that activate and deactivate in response to precipitation and local hydrological conditions," explains Gianluca Botter, the corresponding author of the study and a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Padua. "Their behavior influences the functioning of the entire river system, leaving a noticeable mark even in large drainage basins."
The study's findings challenge the notion that rivers remain the same from source to mouth, highlighting that the alternation between flow and drought is an intrinsic characteristic of river systems. This dynamic has important implications for water quality, biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity, and ecosystem services, and should be integrated into watercourse protection policies to address the challenges of climate change and sustainable water resource use.
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A group of researchers from the University of Padua reveals that nearly 80% of the world's watercourses stop flowing at least one day a year. Rivers, in fact, are not static; they expand and contract in response to climate changes, alternating between periods of flow and drought. This natural behavior is common and also occurs in humid regions such as Veneto.
The study, published in "Nature Water," reveals that non-perennial watercourses, those that do not flow continuously, are the most widespread type of river. The total length of the Earth's watercourses ranges between 1.2 and 1.5 billion kilometers, and over one billion kilometers of this network dries up periodically.
"This widespread occurrence is related to the very structure of river networks, dominated by a myriad of small, extremely numerous, and dynamic watercourses that activate and deactivate in response to precipitation and local hydrological conditions," explains Gianluca Botter, the corresponding author of the study and a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Padua. "Their behavior influences the functioning of the entire river system, leaving a noticeable mark even in large drainage basins."
The study's findings challenge the notion that rivers remain the same from source to mouth, highlighting that the alternation between flow and drought is an intrinsic characteristic of river systems. This dynamic has important implications for water quality, biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity, and ecosystem services, and should be integrated into watercourse protection policies to address the challenges of climate change and sustainable water resource use.
[summary] => [format] => 2 [safe_value] =>
A group of researchers from the University of Padua reveals that nearly 80% of the world's watercourses stop flowing at least one day a year. Rivers, in fact, are not static; they expand and contract in response to climate changes, alternating between periods of flow and drought. This natural behavior is common and also occurs in humid regions such as Veneto.
The study, published in "Nature Water," reveals that non-perennial watercourses, those that do not flow continuously, are the most widespread type of river. The total length of the Earth's watercourses ranges between 1.2 and 1.5 billion kilometers, and over one billion kilometers of this network dries up periodically.
"This widespread occurrence is related to the very structure of river networks, dominated by a myriad of small, extremely numerous, and dynamic watercourses that activate and deactivate in response to precipitation and local hydrological conditions," explains Gianluca Botter, the corresponding author of the study and a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Padua. "Their behavior influences the functioning of the entire river system, leaving a noticeable mark even in large drainage basins."
The study's findings challenge the notion that rivers remain the same from source to mouth, highlighting that the alternation between flow and drought is an intrinsic characteristic of river systems. This dynamic has important implications for water quality, biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity, and ecosystem services, and should be integrated into watercourse protection policies to address the challenges of climate change and sustainable water resource use.
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A group of researchers from the University of Padua reveals that nearly 80% of the world's watercourses stop flowing at least one day a year. Rivers, in fact, are not static; they expand and contract in response to climate changes, alternating between periods of flow and drought. This natural behavior is common and also occurs in humid regions such as Veneto.
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The study, published in "Nature Water," reveals that non-perennial watercourses, those that do not flow continuously, are the most widespread type of river. The total length of the Earth's watercourses ranges between 1.2 and 1.5 billion kilometers, and over one billion kilometers of this network dries up periodically.
"This widespread occurrence is related to the very structure of river networks, dominated by a myriad of small, extremely numerous, and dynamic watercourses that activate and deactivate in response to precipitation and local hydrological conditions," explains Gianluca Botter, the corresponding author of the study and a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Padua. "Their behavior influences the functioning of the entire river system, leaving a noticeable mark even in large drainage basins."
The study's findings challenge the notion that rivers remain the same from source to mouth, highlighting that the alternation between flow and drought is an intrinsic characteristic of river systems. This dynamic has important implications for water quality, biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity, and ecosystem services, and should be integrated into watercourse protection policies to address the challenges of climate change and sustainable water resource use.
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A group of researchers from the University of Padua reveals that nearly 80% of the world's watercourses stop flowing at least one day a year. Rivers, in fact, are not static; they expand and contract in response to climate changes, alternating between periods of flow and drought. This natural behavior is common and also occurs in humid regions such as Veneto.
The study, published in "Nature Water," reveals that non-perennial watercourses, those that do not flow continuously, are the most widespread type of river. The total length of the Earth's watercourses ranges between 1.2 and 1.5 billion kilometers, and over one billion kilometers of this network dries up periodically.
"This widespread occurrence is related to the very structure of river networks, dominated by a myriad of small, extremely numerous, and dynamic watercourses that activate and deactivate in response to precipitation and local hydrological conditions," explains Gianluca Botter, the corresponding author of the study and a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Padua. "Their behavior influences the functioning of the entire river system, leaving a noticeable mark even in large drainage basins."
The study's findings challenge the notion that rivers remain the same from source to mouth, highlighting that the alternation between flow and drought is an intrinsic characteristic of river systems. This dynamic has important implications for water quality, biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity, and ecosystem services, and should be integrated into watercourse protection policies to address the challenges of climate change and sustainable water resource use.
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A group of researchers from the University of Padua reveals that nearly 80% of the world's watercourses stop flowing at least one day a year. Rivers, in fact, are not static; they expand and contract in response to climate changes, alternating between periods of flow and drought. This natural behavior is common and also occurs in humid regions such as Veneto.
The study, published in "Nature Water," reveals that non-perennial watercourses, those that do not flow continuously, are the most widespread type of river. The total length of the Earth's watercourses ranges between 1.2 and 1.5 billion kilometers, and over one billion kilometers of this network dries up periodically.
"This widespread occurrence is related to the very structure of river networks, dominated by a myriad of small, extremely numerous, and dynamic watercourses that activate and deactivate in response to precipitation and local hydrological conditions," explains Gianluca Botter, the corresponding author of the study and a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Padua. "Their behavior influences the functioning of the entire river system, leaving a noticeable mark even in large drainage basins."
The study's findings challenge the notion that rivers remain the same from source to mouth, highlighting that the alternation between flow and drought is an intrinsic characteristic of river systems. This dynamic has important implications for water quality, biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity, and ecosystem services, and should be integrated into watercourse protection policies to address the challenges of climate change and sustainable water resource use.
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A group of researchers from the University of Padua reveals that nearly 80% of the world's watercourses stop flowing at least one day a year. Rivers, in fact, are not static; they expand and contract in response to climate changes, alternating between periods of flow and drought. This natural behavior is common and also occurs in humid regions such as Veneto.
The study, published in "Nature Water," reveals that non-perennial watercourses, those that do not flow continuously, are the most widespread type of river. The total length of the Earth's watercourses ranges between 1.2 and 1.5 billion kilometers, and over one billion kilometers of this network dries up periodically.
"This widespread occurrence is related to the very structure of river networks, dominated by a myriad of small, extremely numerous, and dynamic watercourses that activate and deactivate in response to precipitation and local hydrological conditions," explains Gianluca Botter, the corresponding author of the study and a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Padua. "Their behavior influences the functioning of the entire river system, leaving a noticeable mark even in large drainage basins."
The study's findings challenge the notion that rivers remain the same from source to mouth, highlighting that the alternation between flow and drought is an intrinsic characteristic of river systems. This dynamic has important implications for water quality, biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity, and ecosystem services, and should be integrated into watercourse protection policies to address the challenges of climate change and sustainable water resource use.
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A group of researchers from the University of Padua reveals that nearly 80% of the world's watercourses stop flowing at least one day a year. Rivers, in fact, are not static; they expand and contract in response to climate changes, alternating between periods of flow and drought. This natural behavior is common and also occurs in humid regions such as Veneto.
The study, published in "Nature Water," reveals that non-perennial watercourses, those that do not flow continuously, are the most widespread type of river. The total length of the Earth's watercourses ranges between 1.2 and 1.5 billion kilometers, and over one billion kilometers of this network dries up periodically.
"This widespread occurrence is related to the very structure of river networks, dominated by a myriad of small, extremely numerous, and dynamic watercourses that activate and deactivate in response to precipitation and local hydrological conditions," explains Gianluca Botter, the corresponding author of the study and a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Padua. "Their behavior influences the functioning of the entire river system, leaving a noticeable mark even in large drainage basins."
The study's findings challenge the notion that rivers remain the same from source to mouth, highlighting that the alternation between flow and drought is an intrinsic characteristic of river systems. This dynamic has important implications for water quality, biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity, and ecosystem services, and should be integrated into watercourse protection policies to address the challenges of climate change and sustainable water resource use.
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A group of researchers from the University of Padua reveals that nearly 80% of the world's watercourses stop flowing at least one day a year. Rivers, in fact, are not static; they expand and contract in response to climate changes, alternating between periods of flow and drought. This natural behavior is common and also occurs in humid regions such as Veneto.
The study, published in "Nature Water," reveals that non-perennial watercourses, those that do not flow continuously, are the most widespread type of river. The total length of the Earth's watercourses ranges between 1.2 and 1.5 billion kilometers, and over one billion kilometers of this network dries up periodically.
"This widespread occurrence is related to the very structure of river networks, dominated by a myriad of small, extremely numerous, and dynamic watercourses that activate and deactivate in response to precipitation and local hydrological conditions," explains Gianluca Botter, the corresponding author of the study and a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Padua. "Their behavior influences the functioning of the entire river system, leaving a noticeable mark even in large drainage basins."
The study's findings challenge the notion that rivers remain the same from source to mouth, highlighting that the alternation between flow and drought is an intrinsic characteristic of river systems. This dynamic has important implications for water quality, biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity, and ecosystem services, and should be integrated into watercourse protection policies to address the challenges of climate change and sustainable water resource use.
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