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Abstract
Given the ecological and societal implications of access to freshwater resources, the relevance of their exploration is highlighted in a world with a rapidly growing global population and shifting climate. Recent studies in White Sands National Park have shown groundwater salinity as a contributing mechanism controlling transitions from barchan dunes to parabolic dunes. Although it is known that plant population density influences the transition from barchan to parabolic dunes, there is still a lack of understanding on the role hydrogeology plays in this system. In this study, we implemented a multi-faceted approach utilizing remote sensing, field investigation, and geostatistical analysis to verify the existence of Inland Freshwater Lenses (IFLs) in White Sands National Park and explore the impact of groundwater chemistry upon dune stabilization and dune morphology. Results from this study support the existence of a larger regional dune field IFL and localized IFLs beneath individual dunes.