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Hydrological and Geomorphological Controls on the Water Balance Components of a Mangrove Forest During the Dry Season in the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua

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Abstract

Hydrological and geomorphological processes are key to mangrove forest growth and development. However, few mangrove hydrology studies exist in Central America. A 0.2 km2 mangrove forest on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua was investigated to determine the water balance dynamics during the dry season. The used multi-methods approach combined hydrology, hydrochemistry and geophysics. Precipitation is the main freshwater input. Beach ridges are the key geomorphologic features which allowed an increase in water storage of 351 m3d−1 during a 22 day period. Large precipitation events cause breaking of the beach ridges by excess water, suddenly emptying the system. Grey water and pit latrines from the nearby town influence shallow groundwater quality, but also provide extra nutrients for the mangrove forest. Groundwater chemistry is also affected by calcite dissolution and seawater. Refreshening and salinization processes are controlled by the general groundwater flow direction. Hydraulic and hydrochemical influence of seawater on coastal piezometers seems to be controlled by the elevation of the water table and the tidal amplitude. These conditions control forest subsistence during the dry season, which is essential for the mangrove forest to provide ecological and economic benefits such as protection against flooding, habitat for numerous species, and tourist attraction.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN-Managua) and the Aquatic Resources Research Center (CIRA-UNAN) which granted the first author a study permit to conduct her PhD research. Funding was provided by the Dutch Fellowship Program from Nuffic (www.nuffic.nl) and the International Foundation for Science (IFS). Additionally, the first author’s PhD studies were funded by the Faculty for the Future program (www.facultyforthefuture.net). Geophysical data collection and interpretation were performed in collaboration with Marvin Corriols, PhD fellow at Lund University, Sweden, and Lener Sequeira from the Geology and Geophysics Institute (IGG/CIGEO) at UNAN-Managua. Piezometer drilling was possible thanks to the support from Dr. Dionisio Rodriguez, Director of IGG/CIGEO and field technicians Francisco Vasquez and Walter Espinoza.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Water Science and Engineering, UNESCO-IHE, Delft, 3015, 2601, DA, Netherlands

    Heyddy Calderon & Stefan Uhlenbrook

  2. Nicaraguan Aquatic Resources Research Center at the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (CIRA-UNAN), P.O. Box 4598, Managua, Nicaragua

    Heyddy Calderon

  3. VU Amsterdam, Department of Hydrology, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, Netherlands

    Ruben Weeda

  4. Delft University of Technology, Section of Water Resources, Delft, P.O. Box 5048, 2600, GA, Netherlands

    Stefan Uhlenbrook

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  1. Heyddy Calderon
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Correspondence to Heyddy Calderon.

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Calderon, H., Weeda, R. & Uhlenbrook, S. Hydrological and Geomorphological Controls on the Water Balance Components of a Mangrove Forest During the Dry Season in the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua. Wetlands 34, 685–697 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-014-0534-1

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