EXTENDING YOUR KNOWLEDGE

These questions are more general than the Interactive computer corrected questions. In fact, many of the questions may not have one correct answer. The purpose of these questions is to provide the users of the RAK with an opportunity to evaluate and apply their understanding of transboundary ecology.

In order to answer these questions you can return to the material in the main text to review information on each topic, you can get some ideas about the answer by discussing the issues they raise with some of your colleagues, or you can utilize the RAK web site and Bulletin Board to get help from other RAK users or from one of the content experts that participated in the development of the RAK

1. Describe what is meant by transboundary resources and transboundary impacts and discuss their importance.

2. Explain why transboundary resources and impacts are often of greater importance in river basins than they are in other types of physical regions, and provide several examples from the Mekong River and basin.

3. Discuss why forests are not classified as a transboundary resource and forestry is not considered to be a source of transboundary impacts. On a more global scale, however, discuss some ways in which forestry does contribute to transboundary impacts.

4. Describe, using examples from the Mekong River and basin, about different types of transboundary impacts related to the physical and biological resources of rivers including examples of a positive impact.

5. Describe the potential importance of transboundary impacts in the future development of the Mekong River and discuss how the MRC mandates will need to focus on resolving transboundary issues.