Type
Text
Type
Dissertation
Advisor
Swanson, Robert | Bokuniewicz, Henry | Sanderson, Warren | Rapaglia, John | Nurse, Leonard.
Date
2014-12-01
Keywords
Marine geology | coastal geology, submarine groundwater discharge, tourism
Department
Department of Marine and Atmospheric Science.
Language
en_US
Source
This work is sponsored by the Stony Brook University Graduate School in compliance with the requirements for completion of degree.
Identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/11401/77793
Publisher
The Graduate School, Stony Brook University: Stony Brook, NY.
Format
application/pdf
Abstract
Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) from oceanic islands has been estimated to contribute over a third of the global SGD due to orographic precipitation, short aquifer pathways and poorly developed surface drainage. This seepage of groundwater across the sea floor connects land and coastal ocean resources, and is hereby proposed as a parameter to evaluate the interconnections between coastal environmental quality and coastal populations and development. Relatively few islands have been studied, but SGD is typically found to be an important, and often the only, source of nutrients to coastal waters. Freshwater and its pollutant load are delivered to the coastal zone via SGD with consequent impacts on tourism and fisheries thus linking the land-based and marine economic sectors. The characteristics of SGD were investigated on Barbados, Guam and Bimini, islands all of, at least partly, carbonate origin, This study evaluates the similarities and differences between these islands and assesses the applicability of using SGD as a parameter within a population– development– environment model. Model scenarios can be used to explore the integrated coastal impacts of wastewater treatment practices and changes in seasonal rainfall due to climate change. This study also presents novel analytical methods for SGD field data. | 217 pages
Recommended Citation
Coffey, Ruth, "Submarine groundwater discharge as an integral environmental " currency" limiting population and development within the ecosphere of small islands." (2014). Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions). 3571.
https://commons.library.stonybrook.edu/stony-brook-theses-and-dissertations-collection/3571