The Ecological Significance of the Submarine Discharge of Groundwater

Abstract

Discharge of groundwater into the sea is widespread. Overlooking it may lead to serious misinterpretations of ecological data in studies of coastal pollution, of benthic zonation and productivity, and of the flux of dissolved substances within and between bottom sediments and overly~ng water. Data are presented indicating that in the Perth region of Western Australia, submarine groundwater discharge delivers several times as much nltrate to coastal waters a s does river runoff.