Connectivity and hydrological functions of aquifers and connected wetlands

气候变化将影响全世界的地下水供应，这一共识正在形成。地下水位下降不仅影响地下水资源，还将影响与含水层相连的湿地的环境流动，并不可逆转地改变其水文功能（补给、储存、输送、贡献），对水资源和生态系统造成潜在的不可弥补的后果。然而，我们对含水层-湿地的连通性、功能和对变化条件的适应能力的理解过于有限，无法促进真正基于综合水资源管理的适应战略。我的国家科学研究委员会发现基金（DG）研究项目的长期目标是了解控制含水层-湿地连通性和水文功能的一般机制，以预测它们对人为压力（抽水、排水、土地利用变化）和气候变化的脆弱性，并确保它们的恢复能力。我的具体目标是：1)评估含水层和湿地之间的水文连通性；2)量化其水文功能；3)解开人为压力和气候变化对水文连通性和功能的影响。拟议的研究将在三个紧密交织和相互滋养的部分展开，以达到我的具体目标，结合实地研究和建模。第一部分将扩大使用天然示踪剂来评估含水层-湿地连通性，阐述一种灵活的方法来评估不同尺度的连通性，并产生一种新的含水层-湿地连通性类型。第二部分将量化流入和流出湿地的地下水通量，量化水文功能的驱动条件，定义水文功能强度指标。第三部分将提供人类影响的指标，将人类直接引起的变化与气候变化影响区分开来，并为适应措施提供新的知识，减少用水冲突。该研究项目中最先进的实地研究方法和建模方法的原始组合将产生基准的新科学知识，在高影响力期刊上发表文章，以及急需的水文功能和脆弱性指标，这些指标将促进新研究计划的发展，并通过研讨会和外联活动转移给利益相关者。该方法将适用于类似的冰川后地质环境、类似的潮湿气候条件和许多北欧国家的气候变化背景。这些原创的贡献将通过培训hqp得以实现，这些hqp将发展成为一个独特的多学科团队，并准备面对环境研究中常见的实地和建模工作的复杂性。这项研究NSERC-DG计划将为我们如何解决综合水资源管理的重大变革奠定基础，从而为子孙后代保护地下水和湿地做出贡献。

A consensus is now emerging that climate change will impact groundwater availability throughout the world. Water table declines not only affect groundwater resources but will also impact environmental flows for aquifer-connected wetlands and modify irrevocably their hydrologic functions (recharge, storage, transmission, contribution) with potential irremediable consequences on water resources and ecosystems. Yet our understanding of aquifer-wetland connectivity, functions, and resilience to changing conditions is too limited to promote adaptation strategies truly based on integrated water management.      The long-term objective of my NSERC Discovery Grant (DG) research program is to understand the general mechanisms governing aquifer-wetland connectivity and hydrologic functions to anticipate their vulnerability to anthropogenic pressures (pumping, drainage, changes in land use) and climate change, and ensure their resilience. My specific objectives are : 1) to assess hydrologic connectivity between aquifers and wetlands, 2) to quantify their hydrologic functions, 3) to disentangle impacts of anthropogenic pressures and climate change on hydrologic connectivity and functions. The proposed research will unfold in three closely intertwined and mutually nourishing parts to reach my specific objectives, with a combination of field studies and modelling.      Part I will expand the use of natural tracers to assess aquifer-wetland connectivity, elaborate a flexible approach to assess connectivity at different scales, and produce a new aquifer-wetland connectivity typology. Part II will quantify groundwater fluxes to and from wetlands, quantify the driving conditions of hydrologic functions, and define indicators of hydrologic function strength. Part III will provide indicators of human impacts, disentangle direct human-induced changes from climate change impacts, and provide new knowledge for adaptation measures water use conflicts reduction.      The original combination of state-of-the-art field and modelling approaches in this research program will produce benchmark new scientific knowledge, publications in high impact journals, and much-needed indicators hydrologic functions and vulnerability that will promote the development of new research initiatives and be transferred to stakeholders through workshops and outreach activities. The methodology will be transferable to similar post-glacial geological settings, in similar humid climatic conditions and context of climate change found in many Nordic countries.      These original contributions will be made possible through the training of HQPs who will evolve in a unique multidisciplinary team and be prepared to face the complexity of field and modelling work common to environmental studies. This research NSERC-DG program will set the stage for significant changes in how we address integrated water management and thus contribute to protect groundwater and wetlands for future generations.