A multi-disciplinary global approach of groundwater flows in karstic areas and its consequences for water resources and environment studies

This research program intends to cast some light on two main topics: a) the routine functioning of the continental water circulation in hydrosystems together with its interaction with other fluxes such as that of energy, chemicals, whether in solution or as suspended matter, sediments, or, possibly, pollutants; and b) the response of such hydrosystems to external or internal, and natural or anthropic stresses. The study will be carried out on karst aquifers because of their very complicated functioning processes. Three karst systems, different in structure, have been selected. During two hydrologic cycles, each system will be put under survey with emphasis on the quantification of the system behaviour. For this purpose, the various involved teams, whose expertise and analytical techniques are different and complementary, will work jointly and simultaneously measuring various parameters.