Great River Landscapes of South and Central America (A Conversation with Kenneth R. Olson)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66659/0e8mbn90Keywords:
Amazon River; Rio de la Plata Basin; Panama Canal; Freshwater Resources; River Landscapes; Water Quality; Environmental Pollution; Arsenic Contam-ination; TCDD; Agent Orange; Climate Change; Soil Erosion; Sedimentation; Invasive Species; Watershed Management; Environmental History; Public Health; Freshwater Crisis; Environmental Resilience; South America.Abstract
This interview discusses Book 5 of the Kenneth R. Olson Book Series, Great River Landscapes of South and Central America, co-authored by Kenneth R. Olson and Donna Tornoe. The book examines the environmental history, ecological dynamics, and management challenges of three major water systems: the Amazon River, the Rio de la Plata Basin, and the Panama Canal watershed. Through a series of case studies, the authors explore how climate variability, river migration, land-use change, deforestation, agricultural development, invasive species, and large-scale engineering projects have shaped river landscapes over time. Particular attention is given to long-term environmental impacts associated with pesticide and herbicide use in the Panama Canal Zone, including concerns regarding arsenic contamination, TCDD-associated herbicides, and potential implications for freshwater quality and public health. The interview highlights the interconnected relationships among environmental processes, political decisions, military activities, economic development, and water-resource management. The discussion emphasizes the importance of resilience-based river management, interdisciplinary environmental research, and long-term monitoring in addressing contemporary challenges related to freshwater sustainability, pollution, ecosystem health, and climate change
References
1. Olson, Kenneth R., and David K. Speidel. 2025. “Anthropogenic and Environmental Impacts on Amazon River Water Quality.” Current Research on Geography, Earth Sci-ence and Environment, Vol. 2. https://stm2.bookpi.org/CRGESE-V2/article/view/296
2. Olson, Kenneth R. 2025. “Declining Rio de la Plata Water Quality: Need to Mitigate the Environmental Impact of Deforestation, Cultivation, Invasive Species, Soil Erosion and Sedimentation.” Open Journal of Soil Science 15: 496–525. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojss.2025.157021
3. Olson, Kenneth R., and Donna Tornoe. 2021. “Long-Term Environmental Impacts of Pesticide and Herbicide Use in the Panama Canal Zone.” Open Journal of Soil Science 11: 403–434. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojss.2021.119021
4. Olson, Kenneth R. 2023. “Review and Analysis: Did the United States Transport, Of-fload, and Use Commercial 2,4,5-T Herbicides Containing Unknown Amounts of TCDD on Military Base Grounds in the Panama Canal Zone between 1948 and 1999?” Open Journal of Soil Science 13: 490–515. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojss.2023.1311023
5. Olson, Kenneth R. 2023. “Review and Analysis: Fate of Arsenic Applied to Canal Shipping-Lane Vegetation and United States Military Base Grounds in the Panama Canal Zone.” Open Journal of Soil Science 13: 391–413. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojss.2023.1310018
6. Tornoe, Donna. 2023. Agent Orange in Panama. https://agentorangeinpanama.com
