|
|||||
|
|
Groundwater-dependent ecology of the shoreline of the subtropical Lake St Lucia estuary |
|
| Authors: | Ricky Taylor Bruce Kelbe Sylvi Haldorsen Greg A Botha Bente Wejden Lars Været Marianne B Simonsen |
| Institution: | 1. KZN Wildlife, Private Bag X01, St Lucia, 3936, South Africa 3. Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432, ?s, Norway 2. Department of Hydrology, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, Kwa-Dlangezwa, 3886, South Africa 4. Council for Geoscience, P.O.Box 900, Pietermaritzburg, 3200, South Africa 5. Nordre Skuterudvei 16, 1432, ?s, Norway 6. Norconsult AS, Vestfjordgaten 4, 1338, Sandvika, Norway |
| Abstract: | The ecology of the St Lucia estuary in South Africa is of unique international importance. During droughts the estuary experiences high salinities, with values above that of seawater. Ion-poor groundwater flowing into the estuary from prominent sand aquifers along its eastern shoreline forms low-salinity habitats for salt-sensitive biota. During droughts, plants and animals can take refuge in the groundwater discharge zone until the condition in the estuary regains tolerable salinity. Simulations of the groundwater discharge indicate that the flow can persist during droughts over at least a decade, and be of great important for the resilience of the estuary. Anthropogenic activities have reduced the river inflow and made the St Lucia estuary more sensitive to droughts. The groundwater has thereby become increasingly important for the estuary’s ecology. Protection of the groundwater discharge along the shoreline itself and actions to increase the groundwater recharge are therefore important management tasks. |
| Keywords: | Estuary Groundwater Salinity Ecology Refugia South Africa KwaZulu-Natal St Lucia |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ | |