Assessing groundwater ecosystem health, status, and services

Hose, Grant C.; Lorenzo, Tiziana Di; Fillinger, Lucas; Galassi, Diana M. P.; Griebler, Christian; Hahn, Hans Juergen; Korbel, Kathryn; Reboleira, Ana Sofia P. S.; Siemensmeyer, Tobias; Spengler, Cornelia; Weaver, Louise; Weigand, Alexander

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-819119-4.00022-6

Cited by 8 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 98 publications

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“…These challenges arise from the unique physiological characteristics of groundwater species, such as their low reproduction rates, long life spans, and low metabolism [33,34,35], which make them ill-suited for tests designed for surface water invertebrates [21]. Accessing groundwater habitats and collecting groundwater species require expertise and speci c equipment, making the process more complex and time-consuming compared to sampling surface water organisms [7]. Taking into account all of these factors, employing surface water species as surrogates to estimate the sensitivity of groundwater species to chemical contaminants (upon applying appropriate correction factors that consider the speci c traits and sensitivities of groundwater fauna), appears to be a reasonable and practical approach [22,36].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This value may initially appear overly restrictive, especially considering the higher resistance observed in groundwater species like P. lusitanicus and N. achaiae. However, we believe that an EQS of 5 ng/L takes into account the need for precautionary measures to safeguard groundwater ecosystems, which are delicate and vulnerable [3,7], and we will provide an explanation for this reasoning. First, it is important to acknowledge that pharmaceuticals frequently co-occur in groundwater [37,38].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Groundwater fauna plays a crucial role in providing various ecosystem services, such as viruses and pathogens removal, carbon recycling and environmental engineering and sediment remix through burrowing [7]. However, contamination from sources such as sewage wastewater, industrial activities, agricultural practices, stormwater runoff, salinization, and pesticide/fertilizer application poses a signi cant threat to this resource [1,8,9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmental risk of diclofenac sodium in European groundwaters: implications for setting environmental quality standards

Duarte,

Lorenzo,

Reboleira

2024

Preprint

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Groundwater harbors unique species adaptated to perpetual darkness. Groundwater fauna plays a crucial role in global ecosystem services, but contamination poses a threat to this keystone ecosystem. Diclofenac sodium is a common non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug of particular concern, due to its presence in both surface and groundwater. We assess the environmental risk of diclofenac sodium in European groundwaters using different scenarios, analyzing Measured Environmental Concentrations (MECs) of diclofenac sodium and estimated the Predicted No Effect Concentration (PNECs) through two approaches: considering the sensitivity of the groundwater crustacean Proasellus lusitanicus, and using surface water species as proxies. Our results show that scenarios based on surrogate species predict that groundwater ecosystems are at risk, and the MECs of diclofenac sodium were consistently lower than the PNEC of P. lusitanicus, suggesting that the current MECs do not pose a significant threat to this groundwater-adapted species. However, risk scenarios differ considering the sensitivity of other groundwater species, emphasizing the importance of considering multiple species’ sensitivities in risk assessment. Therefore, we recommend establishing an environmental quality standard for diclofenac sodium in groundwater at 5 ng/L, value that accounts the need for precautionary measures to safeguard groundwater ecosystems, essential for preserving their unique biota and services.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmental risk of diclofenac sodium in European groundwaters: implications for setting environmental quality standards

Duarte,

Lorenzo,

Reboleira

2024

Preprint

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“…Caves harbour unique organisms with specific adaptations to the peculiar conditions of subterranean habitats, including many short-range endemics, representing independent colonisations of surface ancestors, many ancient lineages and countless species yet to be discovered 5,17 . These ecosystems provide multiple benefits to humans 17,18 . They include the largest spaces for groundwater storage, but also water purification, in which subterranean biota plays the crucial role in the degradation of organic matter and pollutants 5,18,19 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These ecosystems provide multiple benefits to humans 17,18 . They include the largest spaces for groundwater storage, but also water purification, in which subterranean biota plays the crucial role in the degradation of organic matter and pollutants 5,18,19 . In addition, caves are fundamental shelters for a variegated set of species, some of which are already known as being at risk of extinction, including bats 17 .…”

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confidence: 99%

Temperature variation in caves and its significance for subterranean ecosystems

Medina,

Antić,

Borges

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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Climate change affects all ecosystems, but subterranean ecosystems are repeatedly neglected from political and public agendas. Cave habitats are home to unknown and endangered species, with low trait variability and intrinsic vulnerability to recover from human-induced disturbances. We studied the annual variability and cyclicity of temperatures in caves vis-à-vis surface in different climatic areas. We hypothesize that cave temperatures follow the average temperature pattern at the surface for each location with a slight delay in the signal, but we found three different thermal patterns occurring in caves: (1) high positive correlation and a similar thermal pattern to the surface, (2) low correlation and a slight thermal delay of the signal from the surface, and (3) high negative correlation with an extreme delay from the surface. We found daily thermal cycles in some caves, which may potentially control the circadian rhythms of cave organisms. Our results show that caves had lower thermal amplitude than the surface, and that thermal averages within caves approximately correspond to the to the annual average of surface temperature. Caves buffer external temperature and act as refugia for biota in extreme climatic events. Likewise, temperature increases at surface will lead to increment in caves, threatening subterranean biota and ecosystem services.

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STYGOTOX: A Quality‐Assessed Database of (Eco)Toxicological Data on Stygofauna and Other Aquatic Subterranean Organisms

Groote‐Woortmann,

Korbel,

Hose

2024

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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We have compiled the toxicity data on stygofauna and other aquatic subterranean organisms in one (eco)toxicological database. A total of 46 studies were found, containing 472 toxic endpoints covering 43 different stressors. These compounds were tested on subterranean organisms from four phyla, 12 orders, 24 genera, and 55 species. The studies included were published between 1976 and December 2023 using fauna collected in 13 different countries. The suitability of the studies was assessed to indicate the completeness of reporting and their suitability for use in hazard and risk assessment. This compilation provides a valuable source of data for future development of toxicity testing protocols for groundwater organisms, and to support decision‐making, ecological risk assessments and the derivation of water quality criteria for the protection of groundwater ecosystems. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;00:1–9. © 2024 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

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Assessing groundwater ecosystem health, status, and services

Cited by 8 publications

References 98 publications

Environmental risk of diclofenac sodium in European groundwaters: implications for setting environmental quality standards

Environmental risk of diclofenac sodium in European groundwaters: implications for setting environmental quality standards

Temperature variation in caves and its significance for subterranean ecosystems

STYGOTOX: A Quality‐Assessed Database of (Eco)Toxicological Data on Stygofauna and Other Aquatic Subterranean Organisms

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