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Schematic illustration of a karst system, its natural resources and relevant processes (modified after Goldscheider and Drew 2007)
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A holistic conceptual approach to groundwater and natural resources protection, surface and subsurface biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services in karst terrains is presented. Karst landscapes and aquifers consist of carbonate rock in which a part of the fractures has been enlarged by chemical dissolution. They are characterized by unique g...
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Enclosed surficial karst dolines are geomorphologically diverse habitats with the potential to strongly shape community structure and the distribution of functional groups of organisms. Forest habitats in karst landscapes are characterized by lower soil temperatures and microclimatic fluctuations compared to open habitats; therefore, they may provi...
Citations
... Kazakis et al., 2018;Stevanović, 2018;White et al., 2018), especially in the face of global change (e.g., Çallı et al., 2024;Guo et al., 2015;Huang et al., 2017;Sivelle et al., 2021). Therefore, revealing the contamination vulnerability of karst aquifers is essential for sustaining water quality and dependent ecosystem functioning, as well as for effectively managing and protecting karst groundwater resources (Goldscheider, 2019;Ravbar et al., 2023). ...
... (d) A comparative analysis of crop rotations following the fertiliser guidelines has revealed that, in certain instances, fertilisers are applied at doses that are technically appropriate but may not correspond to the specific soil types and geological conditions prevalent in the region. It is essential to strengthen oversight in implementing existing measures delineated in the nature protection and groundwater protection legislation and CAP, particularly concerning Conditionality [26,[51][52][53]. To this end, it is recommended that one or more representative experimental plots showcasing diverse soil types be established in critical areas. ...
The black olm (Proteus anguinus parkelj Sket & Arntzen) is an endemic species found exclusively in the Dobličica River subterranean water systems of the Dinaric karst in southern Slovenia. These unique habitats are vulnerable to contamination due to rapid water flow, primarily from nitrates from agricultural fertilisers and untreated urban wastewater. The safe limit of nitrate concentration for olms is 9.2 mg NO3 − /L, yet measurements in karst springs have shown levels ranging from 3 mg to over 20 mg NO3 − /L. The SWAT modelling tool assessed agri-environmental and land use scenarios for their impact on nitrate leaching. Using the model, we identified hotspots with high nitrogen leaching potential that require immediate attention and implementation of better agricultural practices for fertiliser use. For these hotspots, the most effective approach combines scenarios of cover crops (R2), reduced fertilisation (R3), crop rotation (R4), and conversion of cropland to grassland (E2, E4, E5), potentially decreasing nitrate leaching by up to 60%. Implementing the best scenarios is expected to reduce nitrogen levels below the limit value of 9.2 mg NO3 − /L, essential for maintaining the black olm habitat.
... Caves provide numerous provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural ecosystem services (Goldscheider 2019). Most of these services are mediated by microbial communities which drive the biogeochemical processes underlying them (Table 1). ...
... Most of these services are mediated by microbial communities which drive the biogeochemical processes underlying them (Table 1). In turn, these processes affect the air, water and soil of surface ecosystems through groundwater flows, aeolian transport and atmospheric exchange (Goldscheider 2019;Bennett, Peterson, and Gordon 2009). Supporting services, such as the microbial degradation of surface-derived organic matter, are relatively well understood (Simon, Pipan, and Culver 2007;Ravn, Michelsen, and Reboleira 2020;Dong et al. 2024). ...
... Caves also act as major sinks for CO 2 . The uptake is primarily driven by chemoautotrophic CO 2 fixation and the interaction of atmospheric CO 2 from various sources, including microbial respiration, with meteorological water, forming carbonic acid, which reacts with carbonate rock to form dissolved calcium cations and bicarbonate anions (Figure 2) (Goldscheider 2019). Moreover, karst systems are crucial in many regions as underground water reservoirs where microorganisms drive provisioning services such as the degradation of pollutants (Goldscheider 2019). ...
... A number of suggestions for managing karst hydrology have been put into practice. Klimchouk (2015) and Goldscheider (2019) have put forth a few examples, which take into account land-use, hydrogeological, geomorphological, and biological features while developing methods to prevent pollution of karst groundwater. Nevertheless, this method is not precise enough to evaluate the aquifer's contamination sensitivity. ...
Karst refers to any topography or landform that forms over soluble rocks. The classic karst landforms, which
include enclosed depressions, sinking streams, and caves, are primarily generated by surface and subsurface
waters dissolving rocks; mechanical erosion plays a secondary role. This review paper attempted to evaluate the
Karst topography from an international standpoint, taking into account its creation, features, resultant landforms, denudation, and restoration. The systematic review of the literature, which has been shown to be a
trustworthy approach, served as the foundation for this review article. The review shower that iypically, karst
topography forms on evaporites, dolostones, limestones, and rock salt. Caves can contain significant paleontological, paleoenvironmental, and archeological remnants because they can serve as traps for surface material,
shielding it from surface erosion. Karst cannot be produced solely by a significant amount of rock solubility. The
best karst is developed by dense, massive, pure, and coarsely fractured rocks. Although karst terrain is most
common in humid areas with carbonate rock, it can also be found in temperate, tropical, alpine, and polar
climates. According to the Koppen-Geiger ¨ classification, arid climates account for approximately 34.2% of all
carbonate rock areas worldwide. Cold climates account for 28.2%, moderate temperatures for 15.9%, tropical
climates for 13.1%, and polar climates for 8.6% of the total. Ten percent of the Earth’s surface is made up of karst
topography, and up to 25% of the world’s population depends on karst areas for their water supply, making an
understanding of karst essential. The peculiarities of karst environments make them highly vulnerable to geohazards such as collapse and dropout dolines (sinkholes), slope movements, and floods. Karst areas are also
extremely specialized habitats, with important and often very vulnerable subterranean ecosystems. The
vulnerability of karst requires unique management and protection strategies to be devised to preserve this
natural landscape for its future sustainability
... Dependency on a shared groundwater aquifer between the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Croatia has increased the interest and political motivation to cooperate on the TBA Žumberak-Samoborsko Gorje Mt. This is demonstrated by reporting on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 6) indicator related to transboundary cooperation, SDG indicator 6.5.2 and SDG 6.3.2 related to the protection of groundwater and surface water quality, and is consistent with SDGs (2, 3, 7, 12, 13, and 15) [37,38]. With the establishment of a Joint Agreement on cooperation between Croatia and Slovenia, they have rights and obligations under the Water Convention and the Water Framework Directive. ...
This study highlights the geochemistry of water and sediments of the karstic springs of the transboundary aquifer (TBA) Žumberak–Samoborsko Gorje Mt. (NW Croatia). After calculating pollution indices, the analysis showed that the sediments are unpolluted. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) showed only the elements Ba and Rb, indicating moderate levels of pollution, with the highest values in springs Vapnik and Bistrac. Statistical analysis confirmed their natural origin. The water of these springs is under possible anthropogenic influence as indicated by elevated concentrations of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP). According to a principal component analysis (PCA) for elements in sediments, PC1 described a combined lithogenic and oxidative–reductive influence, PC2 described a combined geological background including total organic carbon (TOC) content and oxidative–reductive influence, while TOC had the greatest influence on PC3. Depending on element composition, the factor scores related to PC1 and PC2 resulted in two different groups of sites, while the factor scores concerning PC1 and PC3 did not show separation in two groups. The hierarchical cluster analysis showed three clusters in relation to the content of the elements. The correlation coefficient between the sediment and related water samples showed that the springs placed in a low-permeability formation (dolomite) had a strong positive coefficient of correlation.
... Carbonate and karst aquifers are of great importance for human water supply, supporting aquatic habitats and providing ecosystem services [1][2][3][4][5]. Optimizing groundwater withdrawals from these aquifers is therefore essential to obtain the maximum flow rate for human purposes and, at the same time, limit negative effects on the environment. ...
Carbonate and karst aquifers are of great importance for human water supplies, for supporting aquatic habitats and providing ecosystem services. Optimizing the groundwater withdrawals is therefore essential for obtaining the maximum flow rate for human purposes while minimizing the negative effects on the environment. In particular, when the abstraction of groundwater occurs through wells, the problem of defining the sustainable yield arises. This study analyzes pumping tests conducted in carbonate and karst aquifers in southern Italy to derive indications for defining the sustainable yield of yields. The four examined cases concern the Mesozoic-Cenozoic platform and transition pelagic carbonate rocks characterized by different degree of fracturing and karstification and hosting a carbonate aquifer with variable average groundwater yields. The analysis compared drawdown-time trends and their derivatives for 35 pumping tests with theoretical curves to identify the flow dimension. Parameters useful for examining the well yields were then determined. The results show that the response to the pumping of the investigated aquifers is very variable, both among the different sites and within the same site. Well yields are very different due to aquifer heterogeneity, local hydrostratigraphy and structural setting, and position of the pumping center within the groundwater flow system. To determine the operational pumping rate for a well in this environment, this study emphasizes the importance of analyzing drawdown trends over time to correctly predict the well's long-term response to pumping. Specifically, when pumping induces a steady-state drawdown response, the focus for defining the sustainable abstraction shifts to the basin or aquifer scale. Conversely, when a transient drawdown response to pumping results, the well's capacity to capture groundwater becomes the primary factor for well yield and its sustainability.
... On the other hand, karst provides resources such as soil, vegetation, and habitat for multiple species [17][18][19][20]. It also protects forests, rivers, and lakes against the harmful effects of acid rain [21,22]; in addition, unique ways of life and landscapes with scenic appearance and scientific/educational potential relevant to the development of leisure and recreation activities are developed on these systems [18,23]. ...
The morphometric characterization of large-scale depressions, with high-resolution contributions and in urban contexts, has been carried out in the cities of Cozumel and Playa del Carmen. For Tulum, the inputs have been insufficient in identifying depressions at a detailed level. This research aimed to analyze and characterize the negative exokarstic relief of the city of Tulum through morphometric parameters and urban elements that contribute to the knowledge of the human-nature relationship. From the DEM ALOS PALSAR, contour lines, elevation models, slopes, and shadows were extracted, which allowed the identification of depressions, topographic profiles, and the calculation of morphometric indices; subsequently, the distribution of depressions was analyzed concerning urban elements. The identified depressions were classified into uvalas, sinkholes, and poljes. The analysis of the topographic profiles allowed us to recognize units in the shape of "V" (64%), "U" (19%), and "Hoya" (17%). The highest concentration of type V depressions is observed in the city's central area, characterized by a medium and high population density, as well as the centralization of commercial and public establishments. The detailed characterization of depressions is a planning and management tool for the territory.
... Karst aquifers are often the source of large springs (Bonacci et al. 2023;Fan et al. 2023;Stevanović and Milanović 2023) and have unique underground cave systems, both of which host diverse ecosystems (Siegel et al. 2023). Karst landscapes serve as recreational areas, and many karst features are classified as World Heritage Sites (Goldscheider 2019;Gunn 2021). Furthermore, carbonate rocks serve as important industrial raw material, host oil and gas reservoirs, contain commercial ore bodies, and provide information about the Earth's evolution through biological, chemical, mineralogical, and isotopic signatures (Mackenzie 1978), and are part of the global carbon cycle (Hartmann et al. 2009). ...
Carbonate rocks in the Mediterranean region form karst landscapes with a variety of morphological and hydrological features, and are of particular interest from a water management perspective as they represent major karst aquifers. The Mediterranean Karst Aquifer Map and Database (MEDKAM) provides a 1:5,000,000 scale map showing the distribution of carbonate and evaporite rocks that can host karst groundwater resources, with additional information on other hydrogeological settings, selected terrestrial and submarine karst springs, caves and karst groundwater-dependent ecosystems. A statistical evaluation shows that carbonate rocks cover ~39.5% of the Mediterranean region within a 250-km focus area from the coastline. North Africa has the largest continuous area of carbonate rocks, while smaller countries in the Middle East and the Dinarides have the largest proportion of carbonate rocks in relation to their total area. Carbonate rocks are also widespread in coastal areas, occurring along ~33.6% (14,000 km) of the total Mediterranean coastline, including large islands such as Crete and Mallorca, and ~25.9% (6,400 km) of the continental coastline. Two additional maps display (1) groundwater recharge, showing a climatic gradient from north to south, and (2) groundwater storage trends, indicating a mean annual karst groundwater loss from 2003 to 2020 of 436 million m ³ in the 250-km area. This study quantifies the carbonate rocks in the Mediterranean region and shows their importance for groundwater resources. MEDKAM will serve as a basis for further research and improved international cooperation in karst groundwater management.
... In many countries and regions of the world such as USA (e.g., Texas, Florida), Europe (e.g., Austria, Italy, Dinaric region) and Asia (e.g., China, Lebanon, Syria), karst aquifers massively contribute to the freshwater supply; several large cities, e.g. the city of San Antonio, Miami, Vienna, Rome, Naples, Taiyuan, Beirut, and Damascus entirely depend on karst groundwater (Sun et al., 2020;Chen et al., 2017;Allocca et al., 2014). Karst aquifers hosts important groundwater resources for human consumption, agriculture, industry, cattle farming, energy production, tourism and include cultural heritages, natural landscapes, and ecosystems with great geo-and bio-diversity Goldscheider, 2019). ...
... Due to their distinctness, caves represent outstanding natural and tourist destinations. Since the first visits to caves, humans have exerted a significant influence on cave environments and ecosystems, and karst terrains are particularly sensitive to their direct or indirect impacts (Brinkmann and Garren 2011;Fernandez-Cortes et al. 2011;Goldscheider 2019). In the caves, which are regularly visited by large groups of tourists, the most common and pronounced changes are those in air temperature, humidity and CO 2 concentrations, followed by changes in the physicochemical properties of drip-water and the growth of lampenflora, which have a significant impact on the growth of speleothems (e.g. ...
Particulate matter concentrations (PM10, PM2.5, PM1) and microclimatic parameters (air temperature, CO2) were monitored in the Škocjan Caves (Slovenia). The effects of tourist visits on the PM concentrations and the cave’s microclimate are immediate and direct, but these values normalise relatively quickly. The results showed seasonal, diurnal, and spatial differences in all parameters studied. Due to the higher number of visitors, their influence on the cave’s microclimate and PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations is greater in summer than in winter. The measured PM1 levels depend on the ventilation in the cave, as air transport plays an important role in their introduction into the cave. PM consists of minerals of natural origin resulting from the re-suspension of cave sediments due to strong air currents generated by the opening of the doors to tourists and their walks. The second most common influence is the anthropogenic phases originating from maintenance work in the cave, electronic devices, cave lighting and emissions from outside the cave (aerosols from the polluted Reka River, industry, traffic, gypsum waste disposal). In order to upgrade the sustainable use of the UNESCO-listed Škocjan Caves for tourism, we propose regular monitoring of PM and a detailed characterization of individual PMs and their sources, in addition to monitoring of the cave’s microclimate and biology.
