An Integrated Approach for Investigating the Salinity Evolution in a Mediterranean Coastal Karst Aquifer

Frollini, Eleonora; Parrone, Daniele; Ghergo, Stefano; Masciale, Rita; Passarella, Giuseppe; Pennisi, Maddalena; Salvadori, Matteo; Preziosi, Elisabetta

doi:10.3390/w14111725

Cited by 9 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…The increasing intensity of droughts, driven by longer dry periods and shorter wet periods have made this region one of the most susceptible to soil degradation and desertification in Europe (Ferreira et al, 2020). Carbonate formations and karst features characteristic of this area are subjected to the global problem of climate change, as many karst springs, rivers, and streams face significant hydrological changes such as increased flow intermittence characterised by seasonal loss of flow and surface drying (Frollini et al, 2022;Patekar et al, 2021;Sivelle et al, 2021;Stubbington et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Restored tufa-depositing streams: a dynamic interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems

Beljak

Vlaičević

Perić

et al. 2023

Knowl. Manag. Aquat. Ecosyst.

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Stream periphyton has implications for ecosystem processes, yet little is known about its function in response to restoration efforts. In this study, we compared the taxonomic and functional composition of periphytic ciliates between restored and unrestored (control) streams for two different immersion periods to identify species with indicator potential, identify ciliate functional traits that differ between the two stream types, and examine the effects of environmental parameters on species and functional trait composition. Our study showed that restored streams differed from control streams in terms of species and functional trait composition. In restored streams, better competitors, i.e., omnivorous and bacterivorous free-swimming ciliates predominated, utilizing a wider range of different niches created by the greater microhabitat complexity due to retention of allochthonous organic matter particles and precipitation of calcite crystals, i.e., tufa. One of these species was Platyophrya vorax, which was identified as a species with indicator potential for restored tufa-depositing streams. The relationship between habitat heterogeneity, ciliate functional traits, and organic matter dynamics suggests that restoration of tufa-depositing streams affects ecosystem functioning by influencing its functional components, highlighting the need to investigate such ecosystems through the prism of connected lotic and terrestrial ecosystems rather than isolated ecosystems.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Restored tufa-depositing streams: a dynamic interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems

Beljak

Vlaičević

Perić

et al. 2023

Knowl. Manag. Aquat. Ecosyst.

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“…Many researchers report that the salinization of GW resources in coastal aquifers is caused by natural processes such as mineral weathering, evaporation, ion exchange, and seawater intrusion [ 5 , 13 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. However, other studies show that the salinization of GW is caused by anthropogenic activities such as agricultural, industrial, domestic, and urban development [ 14 , 22 ]. Huang et al [ 14 ] reported the influence of SWI on the salinization of GW in south China along with other natural and anthropogenic processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated Hydrogeological, Hydrochemical, and Isotopic Assessment of Seawater Intrusion into Coastal Aquifers in Al-Qatif Area, Eastern Saudi Arabia

et al. 2022

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Seawater intrusion (SWI) is the main threat to fresh groundwater (GW) resources in coastal regions worldwide. Early identification and delineation of such threats can help decision-makers plan for suitable management measures to protect water resources for coastal communities. This study assesses seawater intrusion (SWI) and GW salinization of the shallow and deep coastal aquifers in the Al-Qatif area, in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. Field hydrogeological and hydrochemical investigations coupled with laboratory-based hydrochemical and isotopic analyses (18O and 2H) were used in this integrated study. Hydrochemical facies diagrams, ionic ratio diagrams, and spatial distribution maps of GW physical and chemical parameters (EC, TDS, Cl−, Br−), and seawater fraction (fsw) were generated to depict the lateral extent of SWI. Hydrochemical facies diagrams were mainly used for GW salinization source identification. The results show that the shallow GW is of brackish and saline types with EC, TDS, Cl−, Br− concentration, and an increasing fsw trend seaward, indicating more influence of SWI on shallow GW wells located close to the shoreline. On the contrary, deep GW shows low fsw and EC, TDS, Cl−, and Br−, indicating less influence of SWI on GW chemistry. Moreover, the shallow GW is enriched in 18O and 2H isotopes compared with the deep GW, which reveals mixing with recent water. In conclusion, the reduction in GW abstraction in the central part of the study area raised the average GW level by three meters. Therefore, to protect the deep GW from SWI and salinity pollution, it is recommended to implement such management practices in the entire region. In addition, continuous monitoring of deep GW is recommended to provide decision-makers with sufficient data to plan for the protection of coastal freshwater resources.

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Understanding the phenomenon of saltwater intrusion sourced from desalination plants at coastal aquifers

Abbas,

Al-Naemi,

Farooque

et al. 2023

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Members of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates rely on desalination to produce water for domestic use. Desalination produces brine that may intrude into the aquifers to pollute the fresh groundwater because of the concentration gradient and groundwater pumping. Modeling the trends of saltwater intrusion needs theoretical understanding and thorough logical experimentation. The objective of this exercise was to understand the phenomenon of saltwater intrusion using an existing set of data analyzed with the convective–diffusion equation and the two-region mobile–immobile solution model. The objective was achieved by optimizing non-measurable solute transport parameters from an existing set of data generated from a series of logical miscible displacements of potassium bromide through sepiolite minerals and curve-fitting simulations. Assumptions included that solute displacements through sepiolite porous media and the related simulations represented the phenomenon of saltwater intrusion under non-equilibrium conditions of porous media mimicking the aquifers. Miscible displacements of potassium bromide were observed from a column of 2.0–2.8 mm aggregates of sepiolite over 4 ranges of concentration and at 11 displacement speeds under saturated vertical flow deionized water and vice versa. Breakthrough curves of both bromide and potassium ions were analyzed by a curve-fitting technique to optimize transport parameters assuming solute movement was governed (i) by the convective–diffusion equation and (ii) the two-region mobile–immobile solution model. Column Peclet numbers from the two analyses were identical for potassium ions but those for bromide ions were c. 60% greater from the two-region model than from the convective–diffusion equation. For the two-region model, dispersion coefficients were well defined and remained unchanged from the convective–diffusion equation for potassium ions but decreased for bromide ions. Retardation factors for bromide ions were approximately the same, but those for potassium ions, though > 1, were poorly defined. In order to design mitigation strategies for avoiding groundwater contamination, this study’s findings may help model groundwater pollution caused by the activities of desalination of seawater, which produces concentrated liquid that intrudes into the coastal aquifer through miscible displacement. However, robust saltwater intrusion models may be considered in future studies to confirm the results of the approach presented in this exercise. Field data on the groundwater contamination levels may be collected to compare with simulated trends drawn from the saltwater intrusion models and the curve-fitting technique used in this work. A comparison of the output from the two types of models may help determine the right option to understand the phenomena of saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers of various characteristics.

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An Integrated Approach for Investigating the Salinity Evolution in a Mediterranean Coastal Karst Aquifer

Cited by 9 publications

References 50 publications

Restored tufa-depositing streams: a dynamic interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems

Restored tufa-depositing streams: a dynamic interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems

Integrated Hydrogeological, Hydrochemical, and Isotopic Assessment of Seawater Intrusion into Coastal Aquifers in Al-Qatif Area, Eastern Saudi Arabia

Understanding the phenomenon of saltwater intrusion sourced from desalination plants at coastal aquifers

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