Abstract
The sustainable management of coastal marine environments requires a comprehensive understanding of the processes related to material transport from land to coastal sea. Besides surface water discharge (e.g., rivers and storm drains), submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) plays a key role since it provides a major pathway for solute and particulate transport of contaminants and nutrients, both having considerable potential to cause deterioration of the overall ecological status of coastal environments. The aim of the presented study was the investigation of SGD in two exemplary and dissimilar areas at the Black Sea coast, one in the west (Romania) and one in the east (Georgia). The approach included the assessment of the geological/geographical setting regarding the potential of SGD occurrence, the use of environmental tracer data (222Rn, δ18O, δ2H, salinity), and the evaluation of sea surface temperature patterns near the coastline using satellite data. Besides the individual site specific results, the study revealed that a combined evaluation of tracer data and satellite based information allows SGD localization with satisfying precision. A downscaling approach starting with large scale satellite data is generally recommended, continuing with medium scale tracer patterns and ending with local spot sampling.
Highlights
Sustainable management of the coastal ocean requires a comprehensive understanding of the processes related to solute and particulate material transport from the terrestrial to the marine environment
Whereas river and sewage discharge into the sea are bound to distinct and generally accessible locations, which allows for straightforward quantification of the associated discharge rates and matter budgets, the investigation of material transport via submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is more challenging
Nutrients and contaminants carried by discharging groundwater have considerable potential to cause deterioration of the overall ecological status of coastal marine environments
Summary
Sustainable management of the coastal ocean requires a comprehensive understanding of the processes related to solute and particulate material transport from the terrestrial to the marine environment. Whereas river and sewage discharge into the sea are bound to distinct and generally accessible locations, which allows for straightforward quantification of the associated discharge rates and matter budgets, the investigation of material transport via submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is more challenging. Adding to the general difficulties in localizing SGD in order to investigate the related processes is the spatial and temporal variability that is typical for SGD. SGD provides a major pathway for solute and particulate transport across the groundwater/seawater interface. Nutrients and contaminants carried by discharging groundwater have considerable potential to cause deterioration of the overall ecological status of coastal marine environments. Related detrimental impacts include contamination and eutrophication of the coastal sea, contamination of seafood, disturbance of coastal marine ecosystems as well as harmful algal blooms
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