ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF WETLANDIGROUNDWATER RELATIONSHIPS IN SPAIN

Groundwater and sub-surficial water relationships are very important aspects of the ecological processes of Spanish wetlands. Although only a part of these relationships is known and a relatively small number of wetland types and geographical aseas have been investigated, results indicate that geohydrology should be an essential part of wetland characterization. Hypogenic and epigenic wetlands are quite different categories of ecosystems and it has been established that groundwater relationships are key factors in determining flooding, water regime and leve1 stability, hydrochemistry, basin origin and morphometry, turbidity, eutrophy, plant and animal communities and susceptibility to impact. Much closer cooperation between geohydrologists and wetland ecologists and better diffusion of ecological and hydrogeological knowledge among both groups of specialists are needed to cope with the important tasks of wetland management and conservation as well as to respond to new socioeconomic demands