Global ecosystem typology

Alternative site for the Global ecosystem typology with additional information for ecosystem profiles and indicative maps.

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SF1.2 Groundwater ecosystems

Biome: SF1. Subterranean freshwaters biome

Contributors:
(texts)

Low productivity ecosystems occur within water-saturated permeable rock strata or layers of buried unconsolidated sediments. Life in these dark, confined or connected ecosystems is almost completely comprised of microbial and small invertebrate detritivores and their protozoan consumers. Diversity and productivity decline with depth and connectivity to surface waters. Although groundwater ecosystems occur almost everywhere in the near surface crust, they are prominent below surface water and in artesian basins.

Key Features

Saturated ecosystems at or below the watertable with low diversity communities of heterotrophic microbes and invertebrates.

Overview of distribution

Scattered globally throughout land masses.

Profile versions

  • v1.0 (2020-01-20): DA Keith
  • v2.0 (2020-06-03): DA Keith; TM Iliffe; V Gerovasileiou; B Gonzalez; D Brankovits; A Martínez García; GC Hose
  • v2.01 ():
  • v2.1 (2022-04-06): DA Keith; TM Iliffe; V Gerovasileiou; B Gonzalez; D Brankovits; A Martínez García; GC Hose Full profile available at official site

Main references

Selected references for this functional group:

  • Danielopol DL, Griebler C, Gunatilaka A, Notenboom J (2003) Present state and future prospects for groundwater ecosystems Environmental Conservation 30: 104-130 DOI:10.1017/s0376892903000109

  • Hancock PJ Boulton AJ, Humphreys WF (2005) Aquifers and hyporheic zones: towards an understanding of groundwater Hydrogeology Journal 13: 98–111 DOI:10.1007/s10040-004-0421-6

  • Struckmeier W, Richts A (2008) Groundwater resources of the world BGR Hannover / UNESCO Paris. MAP

Diagrammatic assembly model

Diagrammatic assembly model of SF1.2 Groundwater ecosystems. See general notes on diagrams. Open image full size.

Maps

Maps are indicative of global distribution patterns are not intended to represent fine-scale patterns. The maps show areas of the world containing major (coloured red) or minor occurrences (coloured yellow) of each ecosystem functional group. See general notes on maps.

There are 2 alternative versions of the indicative map for this functional group, please compare description and sources below.

SF1.2.IM.orig_v1.0

Datasets

  • BGR-Groundwater-Basins

Map references

  • Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR) & UNESCO (2012) River and Groundwater Basins of the World 1 : 50 000 000 – Hannover, Paris

SF1.2.web.orig_v1.0

Indicative global maps of Groundwater aquifers were based on Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe & UNESCO (2012) with colour ramp showing type of aquifer by recharge rate, only in major groundwater basins (type 11 (minor occurrences) to type 15 (major occurrences)). Open image full size.

Datasets

  • BGR-Groundwater-Basins

Map references

  • Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR) & UNESCO (2012) River and Groundwater Basins of the World 1 : 50 000 000 – Hannover, Paris

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