Key PointsThirty per cent of Australia’s groundwater supply is deteriorating in terms of amount and quality, according to experts.
Underground aquifers are heavily relied on for irrigation and in some cases, drinking water via wells and bores.
Scientists have shown the health of groundwater directly affects the health of ecosystems such as wetlands above ground.
It is used to irrigate 40 per cent of all crops on Earth and provides around half of the world’s drinking water.
Half of the world’s drinking water comes from underground reserves and is accessed via bores and wells. Credit: Gary S Chapman/Getty Images
Research by Saccò and his small team in the Subterranean Research and Groundwater Ecology (SuRGE) group has also shown a direct link between the quality of groundwater ecosystems and those above ground.
Dr Mattia Saccò, senior lecturer in aquatic ecology at Curtin University in Perth, at work, and below: some species detected in Western Australia groundwater. Credit: Supplied
A threatened ecosystem – here’s how you can help
For example, people should choose endemic species of plants for their yards as these require less watering than exotic, introduced species, he says.
Planting native, endemic species in gardens greatly reduces demands on water, says Saccò. Source: Pixabay / Pixabay (CC0)
“We should (also) avoid unnecessarily contaminating the soil with excessive fertilisers, which would eventually percolate inside the aquifer and (diminish) the overall groundwater quality,” he says.
In essence, we should consider groundwater as our most precious, publicly accessible source of water, and treat it accordingly.
Reduced rainfall due to the effects of climate change impact heavily on Australia’s groundwater supplies, according to scientists. Source: Moment RF / Vicki Smith/Getty Images
Higher temperatures and reduced rainfall make it harder for groundwater basins to recharge, according to Saccò.
He emphasizes that groundwater is crucial for sustaining life on Earth.
This issue is particularly severe in dry regions of Australia.
Saccò notes that about 70% of water consumption in Perth and Mandurah comes from groundwater sources.
Due to limited rainfall, Perth relies heavily on groundwater for water supply. Source: AAP
In Western Australia, reduced and sporadic rainfall leads to decreased groundwater recharge, impacting local communities, agriculture, and industry.
What lives in underground water?
Groundwater basins support a diverse underground aquatic ecosystem, housing approximately 30,000 species.
These species have adapted to unique conditions in the absence of light and nutrients found in lakes and rivers.
Astyanax mexicanus, a blind cave fish. Credit: Wikimedia
These underground animals have evolved unique adaptations such as loss of sight and pigmentation, and some have developed appendages for survival.
The Proteus anguinus, an aquatic salamander. Credit: gremlin/Getty Images
The depletion of groundwater poses a threat to these unique underground species that are essential for Earth’s ecosystem.
Amphipods, known as the “architects of the underground,” play a key role in connecting groundwater to surface water through tunnels they dig.
It is essential to preserve groundwater ecosystems to protect surface biodiversity and maintain the delicate balance between these environments.
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