Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems

Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) refers to surface and subterranean systems that depend on groundwater for their survival. GDEs are found in various parts of Western Australia from arid to tropical environments and vary from wetlands to drylands.

Systems supported by groundwater can include anything from surface vegetation and the associated surface animal habitats to subterranean aquifers inhabited by Stygofauna.

GDEs are sensitive to the quantity and quality of their water source. Changes due to pollution, salinisation, acidification or over-extraction can cause irreparable damage and may result in the local extinction of plants and/or animals.

GDEs play an important role in the water and nutrient cycles and provide a home for many unique animals. As the state of their health is often used as an indicator of the state of the environment, GDEs have high conservation values.

ecologia Environment’s services in managing GDE issues include;

• Using a risk-based approach to determine the presence of GDEs;
• Identifying the risk of impact to GDEs in a project area;
• Botanical surveys and fauna surveys of GDEs, including aquatic invertebrates;
• Stygofauna sampling and monitoring; and
• Short-range endemics (SREs) survey and monitoring.