Stein Heide, Kellermann Claudia, Schmidt Susanne I, Brielmann Heike, Steube Christian, Berkhoff Sven E, Fuchs Andreas, Hahn Hans Jürgen, Thulin Barbara, Griebler Christian
University of Koblenz-Landau, Campus Landau, Department of Biology, Im Fort 7, D-76829, Landau, Germany.
J Environ Monit. 2010 Jan;12(1):242-54. doi: 10.1039/b913484k. Epub 2009 Nov 24.
The use of ecological criteria for the assessment of aquatic ecosystem status is routine for surface waters. So far no ecological parameters are considered for the assessment and monitoring of groundwater quality. It has been well known for decades that aquifers are ecosystems harbouring a vast diversity of invertebrates and microorganisms. The growing knowledge on groundwater microbial and faunal communities as well as the molecular and statistical tools available form a solid ground for the development of first ecologically sound assessment schemes. The sensitivity of groundwater communities towards impacts from land use and surface waters is exemplarily demonstrated by a data set of two geologically similar but hydrologically partially separated aquifer systems. Subgroups of the fauna in groundwater (stygobites vs. stygophiles and stygoxenes) successfully indicated elevated nitrate impacts linked to land use activities. Within the microbial communities, impacts from land use are mirrored by high bacterial biodiversity values atypical for pristine groundwater of comparable systems. The data show that there is legitimate hope for the application of ecological criteria for groundwater quality assessment in the future.
使用生态标准评估地表水生态系统状况已成为常规做法。到目前为止，在评估和监测地下水质量时尚未考虑任何生态参数。几十年来，人们早已知道含水层是拥有大量无脊椎动物和微生物的生态系统。对地下水微生物和动物群落的了解不断增加，以及现有的分子和统计工具，为制定首个生态合理的评估方案奠定了坚实基础。两个地质相似但水文上部分分隔的含水层系统的数据集，示例性地证明了地下水群落对土地利用和地表水影响的敏感性。地下水中动物群的亚组（穴居动物与喜穴动物和偶入动物）成功表明与土地利用活动相关的硝酸盐影响升高。在微生物群落中，土地利用的影响通过可比系统原始地下水典型的高细菌生物多样性值反映出来。数据表明，未来应用生态标准进行地下水质量评估是有合理希望的。
