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Review: From multi-scale conceptualization to a classification system for inland groundwater-dependent ecosystems

Revue : De la conceptualisation multi-échelles à un système de classification des écosystèmes continentaux dépendant des eaux souterraines

Revisión: De una conceptualización multiescala a un sistema de clasificación para ecosistemas dependientes de agua subterránea interior

综述:对内陆依赖地下水的生态系统的多尺度概念化及分类系统

Revisão: Da conceptualização multi-escala para um sistema de classificação de ecossistemas interiores dependentes de águas subterrâneas

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Abstract

Aquifers provide water, nutrients and energy with various patterns for many aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) are increasingly recognized for their ecological and socio-economic values. The current knowledge of the processes governing the ecohydrological functioning of inland GDEs is reviewed, in order to assess the key drivers constraining their viability. These processes occur both at the watershed and emergence scale. Recharge patterns, geomorphology, internal geometry and geochemistry of aquifers control water availability and nutritive status of groundwater. The interface structure between the groundwater system and the biocenoses may modify the groundwater features by physicochemical or biological processes, for which biocenoses need to adapt. Four major types of aquifer-GDE interface have been described: springs, surface waters, peatlands and terrestrial ecosystems. The ecological roles of groundwater are conditioned by morphological characteristics for spring GDEs, by the hyporheic zone structure for surface waters, by the organic soil structure and volume for peatland GDEs, and by water-table fluctuation and surface floods in terrestrial GDEs. Based on these considerations, an ecohydrological classification system for GDEs is proposed and applied to Central and Western-Central Europe, as a basis for modeling approaches for GDEs and as a tool for groundwater and landscape management.

Résumé

Les aquifères fournissent eau, nutriments et énergie, selon des mécanismes variés, à beaucoup d’écosystèmes aquatiques et terrestres. Les écosystèmes dépendant des eaux souterraines (EDES) sont de plus en plus reconnus pour leur valeur écologique et socio-économique. Les connaissances actuelles sur les processus contrôlant le fonctionnement éco-hydrologique des EDES continentaux sont passées en revue, de façon à identifier les facteurs-clés qui conditionnent leur viabilité. Ces processus ont lieu à la fois à l’échelle du bassin versant et de l’émergence. Les types de recharge, la géomorphologie, la structure et la géochimie des aquifères contrôlent la disponibilité en eau nutritive des nappes. La structure de l’interface système souterrain-biocénoses peut modifier les caractéristiques des nappes du fait des processus physico-chimiques et biologiques, auxquels les biocénoses doivent s’adapter. Quatre types majeurs d’interface aquifère-EDES sont décrits : sources, eaux de surface, tourbières et écosystèmes terrestres. Le rôle écologique des eaux souterraines est conditionné par les caractéristiques morphologiques pour l’interface sources-EDES, par la structure de la zone hyporhéïque pour les eaux de surface, par la structure et le volume du sol organique pour l’interface tourbières-EDES et par la fluctuation de la surface libre et par les écoulements de surface dans les EDES terrestres. Sur la base de ces considérations, un système de classification éco-hydrologique pour les EDES est proposé et appliqué à l’Europe du Centre et du Centre-Ouest, comme fondement pour des modélisation des EDES et comme outil de gestion des eaux souterraines et des paysages.

Resumen

Los acuíferos proporcionan agua, nutrientes y energía con varios esquemas para muchos ecosistemas acuáticos y terrestres. Los ecosistemas dependientes del agua subterránea (GDEs) son cada vez más reconocidos por sus valores ecológicos y socioeconómicos. Se realiza una revisión del conocimiento actual de los procesos que gobiernan el funcionamiento ecohidrológico de los GDEs interiores, para evaluar los principales factores que limitan su viabilidad. Estos procesos ocurren tanto en escala de cuenca como de la emergencia. Los esquemas de la recarga, la geomorfología, la geometría interna y la geoquímica de los acuíferos controlan la disponibilidad del agua y el estado de los nutrientes del agua subterránea. La estructura de interfaz entre el sistema de agua subterránea y la biocenosis pueden modificar las características del agua subterránea por procesos fisicoquímicos y biológicos, para los cuales la biocenosis necesita adaptarse. Cuatro tipos principales de la interfaz de acuíferos GDEF han sido descriptos: manantiales, aguas superficiales, turberas y ecosistemas terrestres. Los roles ecológicos del agua subterránea están condicionados por las características morfológicas para los manantiales GDEs, por la estructura de la zona hiporreica para las aguas superficiales, por la estructura orgánica del suelo y por el volumen de los GDEs con turberas, y por la fluctuación de los niveles freáticos y las inundaciones de superficie en los GDEs terrestres. Basado en estas consideraciones se propone un sistema de clasificación ecohidrológico para los GDEs y es aplicado para el centro – oeste y el centro de Europa., como una base para modelar enfoques para los GDEs y como una herramienta para el manejo del agua subterránea y el paisaje.

摘要

含水层能够为许多水生和陆地生态系统提供水以及各种类型的营养和能量。依赖地下水的生态系统(GDEs)的生态及社会经济价值越来越被认可。本文综述了控制内陆GDEs生态水文功能的过程研究现状,从而评价限制其发展的主要驱动力。这些过程发生在流域及更大尺度上。含水层的补给类型、地形地貌、内部几何形状以及地球化学控制着水资源可利用量和地下水的营养状况。地下水系统及生物群落之间的界面结构可通过物理化学和生物过程改变地下水特征,并需要生物群落的适应。本文对四个主要类型的含水层—GDE界面进行描述;泉、地表水、沼泽、陆地生态系统。地下水的生态作用由形态学特征约束,对泉水GDEs而言,由伏流区结构约束,对地表水,由有机土壤结构和体积约束,对沼泽GDEs,由地下水位波动约束,对陆地GDEs由地表洪水约束。基于这些因素,本文提出一个GDEs生态水文分类系统,并应用到欧洲中部和中西部,从而为建立GDEs模型打下基础,为地下水及景观管理提供工具。

Resumo

Os aquíferos fornecem água, nutrientes e energia com vários padrões para muitos ecossistemas aquáticos e terrestres. Os ecossistemas dependentes das águas subterrâneas (EDAS) são crescentemente reconhecidos pelos seus valores ecológicos e socioeconómicos. Revê-se o conhecimento actual dos processos que determinam o funcionamento eco-hidrológico dos EDAS interiores de forma a avaliar os factores principais que condicionam a sua viabilidade. Estes processos ocorrem tanto à escala da bacia hidrográfica como à escala da emergência. Os padrões de recarga, geomorfologia, geometria interna e geoquímica dos aquíferos controlam a disponibilidade de água e o estado nutritivo das águas subterrâneas. A estrutura da interface entre o sistema de águas subterrâneas e as biocenoses pode modificar as características das águas subterrâneas por processos físico-químicos ou biológicos para os quais as biocenoses precisam de se adaptar. Descreveram-se quatro tipos principais de interface aquífero-EDAS: nascentes, águas superficiais, turfeiras e ecossistemas terrestres. O papel ecológico das águas subterrâneas está condicionado pelas características morfológicas no caso dos EDAS associados a nascentes, pela estrutura da zona hiporreica para as águas superficiais, pela estrutura e volume do solo orgânico no caso dos EDAS associados a turfeiras e pela flutuação do nível freático e das cheias de águas superficiais no caso dos EDAS terrestres. Com base nestas considerações, propõe-se um sistema de classificação ecohidrológica para os EDAS e faz-se a sua aplicação à Europa Central e Centro-ocidental como uma base para as abordagens de modelação de EDAS e como uma ferramenta para a gestão das águas subterrâneas e da paisagem.

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Acknowledgements

The work was carried out as part of the GENESIS project on groundwater systems (http:/www.thegenesisproject.eu) financed by the European Commission 7FP large scale project contract 226536. The authors are grateful to Dr. Jari Ilmonen for his comments on this work and to Jessica Meeks for her assistance in improving the quality of the text. We also thank Dr. Hans Jürgen Hahn and one anonymous reviewer for their remarks which allowed enrichment of this work.

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  1. Center for Hydrogeology and Geothermics, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2009, Neuchâtel, Switzerland

    Guillaume Bertrand & Daniel Hunkeler

  2. Institute of Applied Geosciences, Division of Hydrogeology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Kaiserstr. 12, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Nico Goldscheider

  3. Soil and Vegetation Laboratory, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2009, Neuchâtel, Switzerland

    Jean-Michel Gobat

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  1. Guillaume Bertrand
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Correspondence to Guillaume Bertrand.

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Bertrand, G., Goldscheider, N., Gobat, JM. et al. Review: From multi-scale conceptualization to a classification system for inland groundwater-dependent ecosystems. Hydrogeol J 20, 5–25 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-011-0791-5

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