About this Research Topic
Groundwater-seawater exchange is one of the most important hydrological processes of land/sea interactions in the coastal zones, including submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and seawater intrusion (SWI). SGD not only transports freshwater groundwater from land to ocean, but also is an important source of nutrients, heavy metals, carbon and organic pollutants in coastal waters. Therefore, SGD can play a major role in the biogeochemical cycle and budget of marine elements (C, N, P, Si), and drive the deterioration of water quality, and influence the coastal environments. On the other hand, the serious over-exploitation of groundwater due to the urbanization and industrialization acceleration may drive seawater intrusion into aquifers, which results in the salinization of shallow groundwater and is harmful to vegetation growth.
This Research Topic welcomes original research work related to groundwater-seawater exchange and related subjects.
The coastal zone is a water transition zone where freshwater interacts with saline water. This zone, also referred to as the interface between land and ocean, is vulnerable to contamination or damage due to anthropogenic activities. With the increasing population of people living along the coast and the rapid development of coastal areas for industrial, agricultural and urban purposes, groundwater and nearshore seawater in the coastal zones are becoming highly concentrated in dissolved material (contamination).
Groundwater-seawater exchange and associated material fluxes to the ocean will influence the coastal and terrestrial ecosystems. In order to develop a better understanding of the environmental implications of groundwater-seawater exchange, this collection invites contributions that:
1) Present and discuss innovative approaches that evaluate SGD and SWI in typical coastal systems;
2) Investigate groundwater dynamics and groundwater-seawater exchange over a short or long-time scales;
3) Provide coastal groundwater-surface water interaction data for making strategies for effective management of the coastal zone.
Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:
• Assessing submarine groundwater discharge
• Groundwater solute transport to surface waters
• Impacts of groundwater discharge on coastal environments
• Distinguishing fresh groundwater from saline groundwater discharge
• Monitoring saltwater-freshwater interface
• Seawater intrusion in typical aquifers
• Coastal groundwater dynamics
This Research Topic welcomes original research work related to groundwater-seawater exchange and related subjects.
The coastal zone is a water transition zone where freshwater interacts with saline water. This zone, also referred to as the interface between land and ocean, is vulnerable to contamination or damage due to anthropogenic activities. With the increasing population of people living along the coast and the rapid development of coastal areas for industrial, agricultural and urban purposes, groundwater and nearshore seawater in the coastal zones are becoming highly concentrated in dissolved material (contamination).
Groundwater-seawater exchange and associated material fluxes to the ocean will influence the coastal and terrestrial ecosystems. In order to develop a better understanding of the environmental implications of groundwater-seawater exchange, this collection invites contributions that:
1) Present and discuss innovative approaches that evaluate SGD and SWI in typical coastal systems;
2) Investigate groundwater dynamics and groundwater-seawater exchange over a short or long-time scales;
3) Provide coastal groundwater-surface water interaction data for making strategies for effective management of the coastal zone.
Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:
• Assessing submarine groundwater discharge
• Groundwater solute transport to surface waters
• Impacts of groundwater discharge on coastal environments
• Distinguishing fresh groundwater from saline groundwater discharge
• Monitoring saltwater-freshwater interface
• Seawater intrusion in typical aquifers
• Coastal groundwater dynamics
Keywords: groundwater dynamics, saltwater-freshwater interface, groundwater discharge, Seawater intrusion
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
