This book was prepared for publication by an International Working Group of experts under the auspices of COGEOENVIRONMENT - the Commission of the International Union of Geological Sciences (lUGS) on Geological Sciences for Environmental Planning and lUGS-GEM (Commission on Geosciences for Environmental Management). The main aim of the Working Group "Geology and Ecosystems" was to develop an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the mechanisms and special features within the "living tissue - inert nature" system under different regional, geological, and anthropogenic conditions. This activity requires international contributions from many scientific fields. It requires efforts from scientists specializing in fields such as: environmental impacts of extractive industries, anthropogenic development and medical problems related to geology and ecosystem interaction, the prediction of the geoenvironmental evolution of ecosystems, etc. The Working Group determined the goal and objectives of the book, developed the main content, discussed the parts and chapters, and formed the team of authors and the Editorial Board. The Meetings of the Working Group (Vilnius, Lithuania, 2002 and Warsaw-Kielniki, Poland, 2003) were dedicated to discussion and approval of the main content of all chapters in the Book.

Sustainable management of water resources is quickly increasing in importance on a global scale. An important piece of the puzzle is the characterization of marine water and determining its importance to geochemical budgets. To do this, submarine groundwater discharges must be carefully studied. Comprehensively exploring the subject, Submarine Groundwater presents quantitative data relating groundwater contribution to the water/salt balance of regional and global bodies of water. The authors examine different data-supported methods for studying submarine groundwater flow and discharge through case studies contributed by leading international scientists. They discuss the maintenance of optimal water, salt, temperature and hydrobiological regimes of inland seas and large lakes. The book covers subsurface water exchange between the land and sea as well as groundwater discharge to the seas. It also provides a review of experimental methods and numerical modeling that can be used for the evaluation of specific discharge data and the effect of groundwater on the salt balance of seas and oceans. Defining the field of marine hydrogeology as a science that studies submarine groundwater, its properties, circulation, and distribution, Submarine Groundwater delineates the role of quantitative assessment of subsurface water exchange between land and sea in predicting its changes under the influence of natural factors and human activity. It provides a framework for assessing different methods and making the best choice for various situations.

This book was prepared for publication by an International Working Group of experts under the auspices of COGEOENVIRONMENT - the Commission of the International Union of Geological Sciences (lUGS) on Geological Sciences for Environmental Planning and lUGS-GEM (Commission on Geosciences for Environmental Management). The main aim of the Working Group "Geology and Ecosystems" was to develop an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the mechanisms and special features within the "living tissue - inert nature" system under different regional, geological, and anthropogenic conditions. This activity requires international contributions from many scientific fields. It requires efforts from scientists specializing in fields such as: environmental impacts of extractive industries, anthropogenic development and medical problems related to geology and ecosystem interaction, the prediction of the geoenvironmental evolution of ecosystems, etc. The Working Group determined the goal and objectives of the book, developed the main content, discussed the parts and chapters, and formed the team of authors and the Editorial Board. The Meetings of the Working Group (Vilnius, Lithuania, 2002 and Warsaw-Kielniki, Poland, 2003) were dedicated to discussion and approval of the main content of all chapters in the Book.

Sustainable management of water resources is quickly increasing in importance on a global scale. An important piece of the puzzle is the characterization of marine water and determining its importance to geochemical budgets. To do this, submarine groundwater discharges must be carefully studied. Comprehensively exploring the subject, Submarine Groundwater presents quantitative data relating groundwater contribution to the water/salt balance of regional and global bodies of water.

The authors examine different data-supported methods for studying submarine groundwater flow and discharge through case studies contributed by leading international scientists. They discuss the maintenance of optimal water, salt, temperature and hydrobiological regimes of inland seas and large lakes. The book covers subsurface water exchange between the land and sea as well as groundwater discharge to the seas. It also provides a review of experimental methods and numerical modeling that can be used for the evaluation of specific discharge data and the effect of groundwater on the salt balance of seas and oceans.

Defining the field of marine hydrogeology as a science that studies submarine groundwater, its properties, circulation, and distribution, Submarine Groundwater delineates the role of quantitative assessment of subsurface water exchange between land and sea in predicting its changes under the influence of natural factors and human activity. It provides a framework for assessing different methods and making the best choice for various situations.