300521 UE Introduction to groundwater ecology (2007W)

Groundwater represents one of the essential basics for human life. In Europe, it is the most important resource for drinking water and highly used for irrigation in modern agriculture. It is often unrecognized that high quality groundwater and its storage over decades in significant quantities is a result of natural purification processes in soil and aquifers mediated by biota. These ecosystem services are only provided by healthy groundwater ecosystems. Most important actors in aquifers are the microorganisms which can be found almost everywhere in the subsurface. Beside these, a number or invertebrates, such as worms, snails, mites, and various crustaceans, are frequently present in alluvial and karstic aquifers. Groundwater biota include living fossils, are rich in endemic species and represent a yet undiscovered diversity with unknown abilities. Groundwater ecosystems are subject to frequent and ongoing threats mainly caused by the introduction of contaminants. We therefore have to develop new strategies for its protection and restoration. The lecture will provide a basic overview covering most current topics in groundwater ecology.