Connectivity and hydrological functions of aquifers and connected wetlands

目前正在形成一种共识，即气候变化将影响世界各地的地下水供应。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量，并不可挽回地改变其水文功能(补给、储存、传输、贡献)，对水资源和生态系统造成潜在的不可挽回的后果。然而，我们对含水层-湿地的连通性、功能和对不断变化的条件的适应能力的了解过于有限，无法推动真正基于综合水管理的适应战略。他说，我的NSERC发现赠款(DG)研究计划的长期目标是了解管理含水层-湿地连通性和水文功能的一般机制，以预测它们在人为压力(抽水、排水、土地利用变化)和气候变化下的脆弱性，并确保它们的弹性。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)量化它们的水文功能，3)弄清人为压力和气候变化对水文连通性和功能的影响。拟议的研究将通过实地研究和建模相结合的方式，分三个紧密交织和相互促进的部分展开，以实现我的特定目标。第一部分将扩大使用天然示踪剂评估含水层-湿地连通性，制定灵活的方法在不同尺度上评估连通性，并产生新的含水层-湿地连通性类型学。第二部分将量化进出湿地的地下水通量，量化水文功能的驱动条件，并定义水文功能强度的指标。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，并为适应措施减少用水冲突提供新的知识。他说，这一研究计划中最先进的领域和建模方法的原始组合将产生标杆新的科学知识、在高影响力期刊上发表的文章，以及亟需的水文功能和脆弱性指标，这些指标将促进新研究举措的发展，并通过研讨会和外联活动转移给利益攸关方。该方法将适用于类似的冰川后地质环境，适用于许多北欧国家类似的潮湿气候条件和气候变化背景。他说，这些原创贡献将通过培训HQP来实现，这些HQP将在一个独特的多学科团队中发展，并准备好面对环境研究常见的现场和建模工作的复杂性。这项研究NSERC-DG计划将为我们解决综合水管理的方式做出重大改变，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.