In a world-first study, Australian environmental scientists have used cave stalagmites as a record of groundwater replenishment over time, that showed the current level of rainfall recharging groundwater in southwest WA is at its lowest for at least the last 800 years.
  • mookulator@wirebase.orgEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    What’s the difference between groundwater recharge due to rainfall and… just plain ol’ rainfall? Couldn’t they have simply reported that it’s raining less?

    • fossilesqueOPMEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      No, it’s describing the reserve water in the soils and sediments which affects just about every part of the environment long term, and things like wells. The ground is like a sponge… It’s the difference between climate and weather, where weather is short term and ephemeral and climate affects the ecology at a deep level at larger scales. They’re saying the moisture levels have fundamentally changed in the soils and deep water reservoirs.