The Interplay of Environment and Biota in Assessing the Freshwater Quality in Karst

Karst aquifers are both a valuable resource for humankind and habitat unique biota. The quality of freshwater sources may be easily affected by natural (e.g., geology, climate, vegetation) anthropogenic agriculture, livestock, tourism) changes, particularly in karst landscapes with highly vulnerable groundwater reservoirs. We seasonally monitored nine representative (i.e., six springs, well, surface stream, cave stream resurgence) the system Runcuri Plateau (KSRP) (Western Romanian Carpathians) during seven sampling campaigns 2019–2021. assessed how these factors influenced water based on European national standards drinking water. geological structure tectonics lithology) KSRP was reassessed, environmental variables sites were investigated order to evaluate their impact physicochemical profile, microbial contamination, meiofauna presence. Multivariate statistics performed gain insights into interplay among all self-purification capacity chemical pollutants. most relevant drivers shaping content altitude sites, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), air temperature, followed profile waters calcium hardness, magnesium nitrites, nitrates, conductivity, phosphates, total dissolved solids, iron concentrations). presence mostly precipitation, NDVI. Our results reflected effect environment chemistry biota assemblages. A pollutant attenuation trend observed discharging waters, even though studied not statistically supported. More investigations needed comprehend processes developed black box KSRP.