Determining groundwater recharge and vapor flow in dune sediments using a weighable precision meteo lysimeter.

Dune belts are crucial for the recharge of coastal aquifers. In spite of their hydrological relevance for the maintenance of precious natural wetland and wildlife environments and a range of other ecosystem services, only limited knowledge of soil water dynamics in dune belts is currently available. This study presents soil water balance components measured during one hydrological year using a high precision meteo-lysimeter with lower boundary control installed in a coastal dune belt under a dry subhumid climate in southern Spain close to the Atlantic Ocean.