Large rivers : geomorphology and management There is a growing awareness of the importance of large rivers within the earth and environmental sciences. Large river environments are coming under increasing pressure from a combination of factors including climate change and human population growth. Only a small proportion of the 50 largest rivers of the world have so far been the focus of in depth studies so a review of large rivers is urgently required. The urgency is due to the impacts of climate change which is expected to affect different parts of a large river system like the Amazon or the Mississippi differently requiring a holistic understanding of the drainage system.