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REVIEW
Contents Vol 61(8)

Ecology and management of subsurface groundwater dependent ecosystems in Australia – a review

Moya Tomlinson A B and Andrew J. Boulton A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Ecosystem Management, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: moyatomlins@gmail.com

Marine and Freshwater Research 61(8) 936-949 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF09267
Submitted: 20 October 2009  Accepted: 9 March 2010   Published: 13 August 2010

Abstract

As demand for consumptive use of groundwater escalates, the need for careful management becomes more pressing. Water reforms in Australia require explicit recognition of environmental needs in water resource plans, but subsurface groundwater dependent ecosystems (SGDEs) are rarely provided for. The ecological values of these sequestered ecosystems are not well documented and are readily overlooked. We review the biodiversity, ecological processes and ecosystem services of Australian SGDEs and highlight the ecological relevance of their connectivity with other ecosystems. A lack of attention to SGDEs in groundwater plans risks inadequate provision for environmental water requirements with probable impacts on ecological values, water quality and ecosystem goods and services in SGDEs and connected ecosystems. We suggest an ecohydrogeological approach to understanding the implications of anthropogenic disturbance on SGDEs based on their connectivity to other ecosystems and aquifer permeability. As well as a template for comparative research on the biogeochemistry and ecology of SGDEs in Australia and overseas, this conceptual tool has potential application in conservation planning, water resource assessment and environmental impact assessment.

Additional keywords: aquatic conservation, aquifer permeability, ecohydrogeology, environmental water requirements, groundwater regime, stygofauna, water resources.


Acknowledgements

This paper is based on a review commissioned by the National Water Commission in 2008. For valuable discussion and helpful comments on an earlier document, we thank Andy Austin, Steve Cooper, Russell Crosbie, Stefan Eberhard, Graham Fenwick, Hans Jürgen Hahn, Peter Hancock, Stuart Halse, Bill Humphreys, David Le Maitre, Sarah Mika, Dean Olsen and Ian Smith. Support is gratefully acknowledged from the Australian Research Council and the ARC‐funded Environmental Futures Network, and from the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists (to M.T.).


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