BIBLIOS

Document type
Book chapters


Title
Projecto Groundscene: biodiversidade de lagoas costeiras e respectivas bacias hidrográficas como ecossistemas dependentes de águas subterrâneas

Participants in the publication
Chainho P (Author)
CO
PM Félix (Author)
MJ Correia (Author)
CM Fernandes (Author)
JLCosta (Author)
ML Chaves (Author)
T Stigter (Author)
R. Hugman (Author)
N Salvador (Author)
L Costa (Author)
I Domingos (Author)
Dep. Biologia Animal
MARE
J Castro (Author)
T Cruz (Author)
A Costa (Author)
JP Monteiro (Author)
CTA - Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias da Água, Universidade do Algarve
A Chambel (Author)
L Nunes (Author)
A Silva (Author)
JR Pinto (Author)
AM Vidal (Author)
Reserva Natural das Lagoas de Santo Andre? e da Sancha - ICNB
I Pinheiro (Author)
MJ Costa (Author)
HN Cabral (Author)
Dep. Biologia Animal
CO
LT Ribeiro (Author)
L Cancela da Fonseca (Author)
CTA - Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias da Água, Universidade do Algarve
CO

Summary
The European Water Framework Directive requires the assessment of ecological status of all water bodies, including rivers, estuaries and coastal areas, emphasising that the status of surface aquatic ecosystems might depend on groundwater status. The assessment of the ecological status of coastal lagoons dependent on groundwater is particularly complex because of the ecotones groundwater – surface freshwater – surface marine water. Moreover, groundwater overexploitation might have significant impacts over biodiversity. The major objective of project GROUNDSCENE is to assess the ecological responses to a reduction in the aquifer recharge and an increase of water abstraction promoted by climate change. This project was developed in two coastal lagoons, Melides and Santo Andre?, located at SW Portugal. These coastal systems were selected as case studies because both are dependent on the Sines aquifer groundwater, drained through small Mediterranean type stream systems. These lagoons have short opening periods to the sea when they receive marine water. This project integrated historical data on biological elements (macroinvertebrates and fish) and physical-chemical data collected along the last four decades, which were compared to current data, collected using the most appropriate sampling techniques for each habitat type. Sampling surveys focused on the ecotones groundwater – streams – coastal lagoons since these interface areas are expected to be good indicators of the inter-dependency between these compartments. Groundwater transfers from the aquifer system to the river watersheds and associated ecosystems were also determined. Additional parameters were measured as indicators of the environmental conditions. The results obtained indicated, in general, higher taxonomic diversity in the Melides streams than in the Santo Andre? river basin, contrasting with a greater diversity of the benthic macroinvertebrate and fish communities in the Santo Andre? lagoon, when compared to the Melides lagoon. Historical and current data showed a high spatial and temporal variability of the biological communities of these coastal lagoons, mainly constrained by the opening periods and precipitation. Stream communities are mainly influenced by the temporary versus permanent characteristics of those systems and by the habitat structure, mainly the substrate heterogeneity.\\n

Editor(s)
Pereira S.D., Freitas J.G, Bergamaschi S., & Rodrigues M.A.C. Eds


Where published
Formação e ocupação de litorais nas margens do Atlântico - Brasil/Portugal

Publication Identifiers
ISBN - 978­859846020­8

Address
Rio de Janeiro, Brasil



Document Identifiers
DOI - https://doi.org/10.13140/2.1.2991.2004

Keywords
Groundwater Management Biodiversity Coastal lagoons

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