"Groundwater has long been an object of intense scrutiny. Only recently have methods become available that permit ecologists, hydrologists, and environmental scientists to assess the biotic and abiotic status of these all-important aquifers. Groundwater Ecology reviews and synthesizes these emerging results by focusing attention on the following issues: the dynamics of water movement through complex subterranean ecosystems; the biological organization and the factors that constrain these ecosystems; alluvial and karst ecosystem functions; and contamination, management, and remediation." "By establishing a firm and broad foundation for studies of groundwater ecology, this book draws attention to fascinating and mysterious ecosystems that are crucial to environmental health."--Jacket.