Ecohydrology of Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems: A Review |
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| Authors: | Hu Liu Wenzhi Zhao Zhongkai Li |
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| Institution: | 1.Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Linze Inland River Basin Research Station, Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, Lanzhou 730000, China;2.Key Laboratory of Ecohydrology of Inland River Basin, Lanzhou 730000, China;3.College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China |
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| Abstract: | Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) are ecosystems that must have access to groundwater to maintain their ecological structure and function. In other words, the vegetation dynamics moisture dynamics, and water-salt balance in GDEs are significantly affected by and directly related to the groundwater. This work reviews the most recent research advances in the ecohydrology of GDEs from: ①the interactions between groundwater and vegetation, ②the interactions between groundwater and soil moisture dynamics in the vadose zone, the interactions between ground and ③surface-water systems, ④the interactions between groundwater and salt accumulation dynamics, ⑤the responses of GDEs to climate changes and human disturbances, and ⑥the ecohydrological modeling works toward sustainable management of GDEs. It is pointed out that several issues need to be taken into account in the managements of GDEs, i.e., how does the vegetation of GDEs response to fluctuations and decreases in the groundwater level, whether there is a catastrophic loss of the functions of GDEs, and what is the threshold value below which such a catastrophe may occur. The key to solving those issues lies in how to delineate the different ecohydrological processes occurred in the soil medium from the top of the ground surface to the water table. Therefore, observation and modeling efforts are needed and will be important research priorities in the future, especially for GDEs in arid environments. We also argued that four more difficulties should be addressed towards sustainable management of GDEs in future: ①how to identify GDEs in the field, and determine which habitats and species are reliant on groundwater for their persistence in the landscape, ②what groundwater regime is required to sustain the existence of GDEs, ③how to manage GDEs with limited social resources, and ④what measures of ecosystem function can be monitored to determine that management is effective? |
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| Keywords: | Groundwater dependent ecosystems Ecohydrology Salt dynamics Climate changes Mathematic models |
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