1. Groundwater assessment using microflora and metazoan fauna
Hans Jürgen Hahn1, Christian Griebler 2
Groundwater assessment using
microflora and metazoan fauna
2 GSF- National Research Center for
Environment and Health
Institute of Groundwater Ecology
München-Neuherberg, Germany
1 Arbeitsgruppe Grundwasserökologie
Universität Koblenz-Landau
Campus Landau

2. Groundwater ecosystems
Groundwater ecosystems harbor a high biodiversity
Groundwater resources
Essential services & goods for society
Self-purification of groundwater controlled by biotic and abiotic processes
Pertubations by infiltrating contaminants and gw extraction

3. Groundwater as a part of landscape
On different spatial scales, pristine heterotrophic groundwater communities are shaped by:
Biogeography & Landscape
History
Aquifer structure
(geohydrological aquifer type)
Hydrol. exchange/geochemistry
- O2
- POM, DOM
- Electron acceptors (O2, NO3-,
SO42-...)
Spring
Hyporheal
Aquifer-Aquifer-Ecotone
Ground water
nach Gibert et al. 1997
Ecotone

4. Groundwater as a part of landscape
Macro-organisms
Meio-organisms
Micro-organisms
GWEs are open systems
The connection given as transport velocity varies dramatically
Some systems may be hydrologically isolated
1.000
100 10
Cave
Lake
River
Sea
Days
Altitude [m]
Years
-10
Protozoa & Fungi
Decades
Viruses
-100
Bacteria & Archaea
Centuries
-1.000
Aquifer
Aquifer
Temperature limit
Impermeable rock
Aquitard
for life
Mantle

5. Site particularities: Hydrological Exchange
Stygobiontic
Ubiquist
Arcticocamptus raeticus
Diacyclops languidoides
Megacyclops viridis
Ecotone Fauna

6. Site particularities: Hydrological Exchange
Metazoan Fauna
from HAHN (2006)

7. Site particularities: Hydrological Exchange
Bacteria

8. Site particularities: Hydrological Exchange
The GW-Fauna-Index
- reflects hydrological exchange with surface water
allows to predict groundwater fauna communities
correlates best with fauna compared to abiotic data

9. Site particularities: Hydrological Exchange
GW habitats according to the hydrological exchange
from HAHN (2006)

10. Site particularities: Hydrological Exchange
GW-Fauna-Index groups
Metazoan Fauna
from HAHN (2006)

11. Site particularities: Hydrological Exchange
GW-Fauna-Index groups
from HAHN (2006)

12. Anthropogenic impact: - surface water intrusion
- organic pollution

13. Anthropogenic impact: toxic (organic) pollution

14. Applications of
Groundwater Ecological Research

15. Fields of Applications
Anoxic groundwater
Microbiology
Oxic groundwater
Hydrol. exchange/vulnerability: Metazoan fauna & (Microbiology)
Hydrogeological context: Metazoan fauna & (Microbiology)
Non-toxic, organic pollution: Metazoan fauna & Microbiology
Toxic pollution: Microbiology & (Metazoan fauna)

16. Hydrological Exchange
Assessment of Vulnerability
Protection of Drinking Water
Official Gazette
Bacterial pollution of the drinking water distribution system of the city of Lautenbach

17. Hydrological Exchange
Evaluation of GW Extraction

18. Geohydrol. Type of Aquifer
Hydrogeological Model
Geohydrol. Type of Aquifer
Assessment of Hydro(geo)logy
Cross-Sectional Scheme
FR 1
FR 2 AL
Bore

19. Hydrological Exchange Geohydrol. Type of Aquifer
Management of Wetlands
- Hydrological and hydrogeological context
Early-warning system
Impact assessment and regulation
„Hot spots“ of biodiversity

20. 4.230.000 results for „contaminated sites“ in the German speaking internet
Pollution
Survey of Contaminated Sites
- Screening for pollution
Identification of contaminants

21. Assessment of ecosystem status and function
Institute of Groundwater Ecology
A simple example
Key functions on different hirarchical levels
Go into more details when going down the levels
Combine with statistics to look for changes in patterns

22. Groundwater temperature
Geothermic power plants
Evaluation of (anthropogenous) alterations of gw temperature
- Very few field study data available
Research urgently required
AQUITHERM Project
founded by the Life Science Foundation and headed by Lüders, T., Brielmann, H. & Griebler, C., GSF- Inst. Groundwater Ecology, Neuherberg, Germany

23. Abstract Applications of GW Ecological Research Perspectives
Assessment of Vulnerability and Protection and Monitoring of Drinking Water
Evaluation of GW Extraction
Assessment of Hydro(geo)logical Conditions
Management of Wetlands
Survey of Contaminated Sites
Perspectives
Evaluation of Alterations of GW Temperature

24. Requirements for the Application
- Knowledge and quantification of ecological keyfactors
- Appropriate data ascertainment using standardised methods
Availability of regional gw-biotope references incl. biological and environmental indicators
(What is the good ecological status?)
- Definition of biotic and abiotic indicators
- Information on aut- and synecology of the species considered (fauna)

25. Thank you very much
for your attention

26. Slide provided by Winderl & T. Lüders
Correlation of microbial populations to aquifer status?
Institute of Groundwater Ecology
 Distinct allocation of specific microbial lineages to different zones of a contaminant plume (kerosene)
100%
a-Proteobacteria
Bacteria exclusively found in contaminated sediment
Degraders (Variovorax, d-PB, Peptococci)
Iron- and sulfate reducers (Geobacteraceae)
Fermenters (Clostridia, Spirochaetes)
Uncultured (OP10 & 11)
Bacteria exclusively found in ‘clean’ sediment
- Uncultured (b- and d-PB)
b-PB, Variovorax et al.
b-PB, uncultured
80%
g-Proteobacteria
d-PB, Geobacter et al.
d-PB, uncultured
60%
Clostridiales
Relative clone abundance
Acidobacteria
40%
Spirochaetes
Planctomycetes
Nitrospirae
20%
Actinobacteria
Chloroflexi
OP10 Cand. Division 0%
OP11 Cand. Division
source
plume
clean
Diverse
16S-rDNA clone libraries
 Bioindicative lineages ?
Slide provided by Winderl & T. Lüders