The DynaDeep observatory – a unique approach to study high-energy subterranean estuaries

Frontiers in Marine Science

Marine Science

Felix Auer¹  Moritz Holtappels¹  Cordula Berkenbrink²  Mike Müller-Petke³  Thomas Günther³  Nico Skibbe³  Vincent Post⁴  Christopher Siebert⁵  Michael Ernst Böttcher⁶  Magali Roberts⁷  Dietmar Pommerin⁷  Anja Reckhardt⁷  Grace Abarike⁷  Holger Freund⁷  Jutta Niggemann⁷  Bert Engelen⁷  Simone Brick⁷  Hannelore Waska⁷  Kai Schwalfenberg⁷  Thomas H. Badewien⁷  Kojo Amoako⁷  Katharina Pahnke⁷  Thorsten Dittmar⁸  Oliver Zielinski⁹  Jairo Cueto^1,10  Gabriel Herbst^1,10  Christian Winter^1,10  Rena Meyer^1,11  Gudrun Massmann^1,11  Stephan L. Seibert^1,11  Janek Greskowiak^1,11  Iris Valeria Medina Cordova^1,12  Hannah Karen Marchant^1,13 

[1] Alfred-Wegener-Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany;Coastal Research Station, Lower Saxony Water Management, Coastal Defense and Nature Conservation Agency (NLWKN), Norden, Germany;Department for Geoelectrics and Electromagnetics, Leibniz-Institute for Applied Geophysics, Hannover, Germany;Edinsi Groundwater, Nederhorst den Berg, Netherlands;GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung, Kiel, Germany;Geochemistry & Isotope Biogeochemistry, Geology Department, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research (IOW), Warnemünde, Germany;Marine Geochemistry, Institute for Geography and Geology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany;Maritime Systems, Interdisciplinary Faculty, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany;Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany;Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany;Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity, Oldenburg, Germany;Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany;Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research (IOW), Warnemünde, Germany;Institute for Geosciences, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, Kiel, Germany;Institute of Biology and Environmental Science (IBU), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany;Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany;Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany;Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany;Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM), University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany;

关键词: beach;    land-sea interface;    submarine groundwater discharge (SGD);    groundwater;    morphodynamics;    Spiekeroog;    biogeochemistry;    infrastructure;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fmars.2023.1189281

 received in 2023-03-18, accepted in 2023-05-29,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Subterranean estuaries are connective zones between inland aquifers and the open sea where terrestrial freshwater and circulating seawater mix and undergo major biogeochemical changes. They are biogeochemical reactors that modify groundwater chemistry prior to discharge into the sea. We propose that subterranean estuaries of high-energy beaches are particularly dynamic environments, where the effect of the dynamic boundary conditions propagates tens of meters into the subsurface, leading to strong spatio-temporal variability of geochemical conditions. We hypothesize that they form a unique habitat with an adapted microbial community unlike other typically more stable subsurface environments. So far, however, studies concerning subterranean estuaries of high-energy beaches have been rare and therefore their functioning, and their importance for coastal ecosystems, as well as for carbon, nutrient and trace element cycling, is little understood. We are addressing this knowledge gap within the interdisciplinary research project DynaDeep by studying the combined effect of surface (hydro- and morphodynamics) on subsurface processes (groundwater flow and transport, biogeochemical reactions, microbiology). A unique subterranean estuary observatory was established on the northern beach of the island of Spiekeroog facing the North Sea, serving as an exemplary high-energy research site and model system. It consists of fixed and permanent infrastructure such as a pole with measuring devices, multi-level groundwater wells and an electrode chain. This forms the base for autonomous measurements, regular repeated sampling, interdisciplinary field campaigns and experimental work, all of which are integrated via mathematical modelling to understand and quantify the functioning of the biogeochemical reactor. First results show that the DynaDeep observatory is collecting the intended spatially and temporally resolved morphological, sedimentological and biogeochemical data. Samples and data are further processed ex-situ and combined with experiments and modelling. Ultimately, DynaDeep aims at elucidating the global relevance of these common but overlooked environments.

【 授权许可】

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Copyright © 2023 Massmann, Abarike, Amoako, Auer, Badewien, Berkenbrink, Böttcher, Brick, Cordova, Cueto, Dittmar, Engelen, Freund, Greskowiak, Günther, Herbst, Holtappels, Marchant, Meyer, Müller-Petke, Niggemann, Pahnke, Pommerin, Post, Reckhardt, Roberts, Schwalfenberg, Seibert, Siebert, Skibbe, Waska, Winter and Zielinski