• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.1-8
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• 2009

The groundwater dependent ecosystem associated with a natural stream is the area where mixing and exchange of surface water and groundwater occurs due to large chemical and hydraulic gradients. Surface-groundwater interactions play an important role in biogeochemical processes in groundwater dependent ecosystems and make this area a hydro-ecological hot spot. The objective of this study is to characterize the groundwater dependent ecosystem in a natural stream where nitrate contamination of stream water is observed by means of hydrogeological, chemical, and biological methods. In this study, vertical flow exchange(hyporheic flow) rates between stream and groundwater were estimated based on vertical hydraulic gradients measured at mini-piezometers of various depths. To investigate the biological natural attenuation potential, biological analyses using polymerase chain reaction(PCR)-cloning methods were performed in this study. Results show that the veritical hyporheic water fluxes affect nitrate concentrations and bacterial densities in groundwater dependent ecosystems to some degree. Also, denitrifying bacteria were identified in hyporheic soils, which may support the biodegradation potential of the groundwater dependent ecosystems under certain conditions.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.130-143
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• 2021

Wetlands are one of the most representative groundwater dependent ecosystems(GDEs) that require access to groundwater on a permanent or intermittent basis to maintain their biological communities and ecological processes. In this study, the seasonal characteristics of the GDEs in Baekseok Reservoir Wetland were evaluated through the monitoring of the temporal and spatial community of benthic macroinvertebrates in the wetland. The appearance of benthic macroinvertebrates appearance was changed seasonally depending on environmental factors such temperature, precipitation and water level for their habitat and it also showed the clear spatial difference in the wetland. The scores of Diversity index(H'), Richness Index (R1) and the Ecological score of benthic macroinvertebrates (TESB/AESB) were relatively high at St.3 and 4(i.e., north area) where groundwater inflows into wetland(i.e., high ²²²Rn conc.). The statistical analysis (ANOVA test and PCA) investigated the correlation among the benthic macroinvertebrates' community, groundwater level, wetland water level and water quality. The results showed that the community of benthic macroinvertebrates at St. 3 and 4 in Baekseok Reservoir Wetlands was spatially dependent on groundwater level and groundwater inflow. The characterization and assessment of GDEs requires understanding the hydrological, biogeochemical and biological process and this study will provide information for characterization and assessment of GDEs.