Trophic Interactions in Subterranean Environments

Saccò, Mattia; Blyth, Alison J.; Venarsky, Michael P.; Humphreys, William F.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-819166-8.00064-5

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…(2022) could be informative. Microbes and aquatic invertebrates are essential for subterranean ecosystem functioning, contributing to nutrient cycling, energy flow, water filtration and biodiversity (Malard et al., 2023; Saccò, Blyth, Humphreys, Middleton, et al., 2020; Saccò, Blyth, Venarsky, et al., 2022; Venarsky et al., 2023). Therefore, targeting these components of underground aquatic ecosystems unveils crucial aspects of functioning and resilience. Involve interdisciplinary approaches .…”

Section: Setting the Ground(water) For A More Effective Protection Of...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem

Saccò,

Mammola,

Altermatt

et al. 2023

Global Change Biology

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Groundwater is a vital ecosystem of the global water cycle, hosting unique biodiversity and providing essential services to societies. Despite being the largest unfrozen freshwater resource, in a period of depletion by extraction and pollution, groundwater environments have been repeatedly overlooked in global biodiversity conservation agendas. Disregarding the importance of groundwater as an ecosystem ignores its critical role in preserving surface biomes. To foster timely global conservation of groundwater, we propose elevating the concept of keystone species into the realm of ecosystems, claiming groundwater as a keystone ecosystem that influences the integrity of many dependent ecosystems. Our global analysis shows that over half of land surface areas (52.6%) has a medium‐to‐high interaction with groundwater, reaching up to 74.9% when deserts and high mountains are excluded. We postulate that the intrinsic transboundary features of groundwater are critical for shifting perspectives towards more holistic approaches in aquatic ecology and beyond. Furthermore, we propose eight key themes to develop a science‐policy integrated groundwater conservation agenda. Given ecosystems above and below the ground intersect at many levels, considering groundwater as an essential component of planetary health is pivotal to reduce biodiversity loss and buffer against climate change.

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Section: Setting the Ground(water) For A More Effective Protection Of...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem

Saccò,

Mammola,

Altermatt

et al. 2023

Global Change Biology

Self Cite

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“…However, eDNA promises more than just the identification of single species and their linages; it offers a powerful tool for the rapid, non‐invasive assessment of stygofauna within groundwaters, providing information on biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, phylogenetics and trophic interactions from a single sample (see Boulton et al, 2023). This can be seen in the most recent uses of eDNA metabarcoding to identify multiple species within the same environmental sample to characterise stygofauna communities, functions and biodiversity (Korbel, McKnight, et al, 2022) and their trophic interactions (Saccò et al, 2021; Saccò, Blyth, Venarsky, & Humphreys, 2022).…”

Section: Sampling Groundwater Faunamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Within groundwater communities, microorganisms play essential roles in water purification through biogeochemical cycling (Griebler & Avramov, 2015) and form biofilms, on which stygofauna feed. Stygofauna have roles in promoting microbial growth (Edler & Dodds, 1996; Mermillod‐Blondin et al, 2002), enhancing aquifer water transmission (Hose & Stumpp, 2019; Stumpp & Hose, 2017), organic matter processing (Kinsey et al, 2007; Simon & Benfield, 2001) and contribute to the subterranean food web (Saccò, Blyth, Venarsky, & Humphreys, 2022). Combined, these species provide several functions sustaining groundwater ecosystems, aiding groundwater health and water quality (Mermillod‐Blondin et al, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global overview on groundwater fauna

Koch,

Blum,

Korbel

et al. 2023

Ecohydrology

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Groundwater is an important global resource, providing water for irrigation, industry, geothermal uses and potable water. Moreover, groundwater contains the world's largest terrestrial freshwater biome with ecosystems, inhabited mainly by invertebrates (stygofauna) and microbes, undertaking important services including water purification, as well as nutrient and carbon cycling. Despite investigations on the spatial and temporal variations of groundwater fauna and the influence of environmental parameters on these organisms, in parts of the world, even the most basic knowledge of these ecosystems is still lacking. The aims of this study are to provide an overview on groundwater fauna (stygofauna) research, including the historical evolution of research topics and the development of sampling methods and secondly to identify the global distribution of groundwater fauna research and resulting data gaps. To achieve this, an extensive review of accessible groundwater fauna data was conducted by analysing 859 studies. It was evident that over time, there has been an exponential increase in the number of groundwater fauna studies together with changing paradigms in the research focus, particularly as sampling methods have developed from using simple nets, substrate samples and hand‐pumps in the beginning to recent molecular analyses (e.g. eDNA). As application of molecular methods becomes more common, knowledge on groundwater diversity and functional ecology is expected to increase. Studies on groundwater fauna are spatially uneven and are dominated by research in Europe and Australia, with few studies in Africa, Asia and the Americas. This presently biased view on groundwater biota hinders the identification of biodiversity patterns and ecosystem functions on a wider geographic and climatic scale. In the future, a more evenly distributed stygofauna sampling effort in currently underrepresented areas of the globe is necessary to ensure a more comprehensive perspective on stygofauna biodiversity, roles and functional significances. This is increasingly important with the accumulating knowledge of the sensitivities of these ecosystems to anthropogenic activities, including climate change, and is fundamental to effective management of these ecosystems.

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“…At a global level, an indepth and groundwater-specific functional characterization proposed by Keith et al (2022) could be informative. Microbes and aquatic invertebrates are essential for subterranean ecosystem functioning, contributing to nutrient cycling, energy flow, water filtration and biodiversity (Malard et al, 2023;Saccò, Blyth, Humphreys, Middleton, et al, 2020;Saccò, Blyth, Venarsky, et al, 2022;Venarsky et al, 2023). Therefore, targeting these components of underground aquatic ecosystems unveils crucial aspects of functioning and resilience.…”

Section: S E T Ting the G Round ( Water ) For A More Effec Tive Prote...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem

Saccò,

Mammola,

Altermatt

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Groundwater is a vital ecosystem of the global water cycle, hosting unique biodiversity and providing essential services to societies. Despite being the largest unfrozen freshwater resource, in a period of depletion by extraction and pollution, groundwater environments have been repeatedly overlooked in global biodiversity conservation agendas. Disregarding the importance of groundwater as an ecosystem ignores its critical role in preserving surface biomes. To foster timely global conservation of groundwater, we propose elevating the concept of keystone species into the realm of ecosystems, claiming groundwater as a keystone ecosystem that influences the integrity of many dependent ecosystems. Our global analysis shows that over half of land surface areas (52.6%) has a medium-to-high interaction with groundwater, reaching up to 74.9% when deserts and high mountains are excluded. We postulate that the intrinsic transboundary features of groundwater are critical for shifting perspectives towards more holistic approaches in aquatic ecology and beyond. Furthermore, we and Environmental DNA

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Trophic Interactions in Subterranean Environments

Cited by 7 publications

References 56 publications

Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem

Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem

Global overview on groundwater fauna

Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem

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