INTRODUCTION

Research on groundwater/surface water ecotones has increased our understanding of the structure and functioning of stream, lake and groundwater ecosystems through a broader spatial perspective that takes into account the entire drainage network, and recognises that processes occurring in the surface and groundwater environments are influenced by the riparian and hyporeic zones (Amoros & Petts, 1993; Gibert et al, 1994). These zones consist of environmental and metabolic gradients of different micro- to macro-scales and thus can be seen in terms of Landscape Ecology (Holland et al, 1991; Hansen & di Castri, 1992).

This book evaluates the functioning and the role of groundwater/surface water ecotones in functional landscapes with particular reference to processes and to the implications for managing biological diversity and ecological flows. It attempts to identify a set of fundamental principles that could provide a sufficient basis for the understanding of complex transition zones and for the development of a comprehensive body of scientific knowledge for the management of the different sources of water in an overall strategic plan.