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Seawater intrusion in the Guanahacabibes Peninsula (Pinar del Rio Province, western Cuba): effects on karst development and water isotope composition

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Abstract

The water resources in the Guanahacabibes Peninsula are distributed in two areas. The northeastern area is characterized by swamps, wetlands and lagoons, with a low contribution of seawater, whereas the area in the southwestern plain shows a considerable development of the karst structures that limits the existence of superficial waters but permits the ingression of the surrounding seawater. In this latter area, the groundwater showed a marked increase in salinity with the depth. In particular, groundwater with a seawater fraction of 0.1 had the lowest Ca-(Mg)-carbonates saturation indexes calculated by modeling the mixing between freshwater and seawater using different software, thermodynamic databases and equations for activity coefficients. Generally, seawater and groundwaters with an added seawater fraction above 0.60–0.65 showed similar oversaturated indexes in high-Mg calcites and pure Ca-carbonates (calcite and aragonite). Differently, in the groundwater that showed carbonates undersaturation (generally with a seawater fraction between 0.02 and 0.60), the saturation indexes in high-Mg calcites were 0.2 lower than pure Ca-carbonates. Locally, the bacterial reduction of the dissolved sulfate enhanced the dissolution of the limestone, contributing to the increased development of the karst structures and the seawater intrusion. Finally, the presence near the coastline of fresh Ca- and Na-bicarbonate waters was in accordance with the upward flow of the shallow freshwater during the formation of the saline wedge. However, the oxygen and hydrogen stable isotope composition of the waters showed a probable contribution to the area from a deep aquifer that is recharged in the highest reliefs of the province (Cordillera de Guaniguanico).

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the two anonymous reviewers for their suggestions and comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Earth Sciences “Macedonio Melloni”, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 157A, 43124, Parma, Italy

    Tiziano Boschetti & Fulvio Celico

  2. Faculty of Chemistry, University of Havana, Zapata between G and Carlitos Aguirre, Vedado, PC 10400, Havana, Cuba

    Patricia González-Hernández

  3. University of Pinar del Río “Hermanos Saiz Montes de Oca”, Calle Marti 270 Final, 20100, Pinar del Río, Cuba

    Rebeca Hernández-Díaz

  4. Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone, 86090, Pesche (IS), Italy

    Gino Naclerio

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  1. Tiziano Boschetti
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Correspondence to Tiziano Boschetti.

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Boschetti, T., González-Hernández, P., Hernández-Díaz, R. et al. Seawater intrusion in the Guanahacabibes Peninsula (Pinar del Rio Province, western Cuba): effects on karst development and water isotope composition. Environ Earth Sci 73, 5703–5719 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3825-1

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