Part 1     Objectives and Foci of IGCP 379


The International Geological Correlation
Program IGCP 379 "Karst Processes and the Carbon Cycle" (1995-1999)

 

Goal and Objectives

(1).

To assess the contribution of carbonate rocks to the content of CO2 in atmosphere 

through karst processes, especially dissolution and precipitation, this aspect of the
global carbon cycle has been little studied to date.
(2).

To compare the annual balance of CO2 between the atmosphere and karst system

under different geological, climatic and ecological environments.
(3).

To determine the origin and amount of annual emission of CO2 into the atmosphere 

from karst areas with geothermal, volcanic activities or active fault, especially those
near plate margins.
(4). To providing informations about the processes of environmental change after the late
Pleistocene in major karst regions of the world, especially those without other 
paleoenvironmental information (such as ice cores, lacustrine deposits or eolian
deposits).

 

Research Emphases

Focus1.

Comparison of on-going karst processes based on in-situ monitoring, in an attempt

to find out the role of modern karst processes play in global carbon cycle.
Focus2.

The role which karst processes may play in global greenhouse gas budget.
Focus3.

To get high resolution karst records for paleoclimate reconstruction with all the

available new techniques for selected transect of the world.


Project Implementation

The project is a successor of IGCP 299 "Geology, Climate, Hydrology and Karst Formation" (1990-1994). It was accepted by the UNESCO/IUGS IGCP Board in Paris early February as
an on-going project of 1995-1999.

The project is supported by many karst-related international academic organization, including the karst comission of International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH), the karst commission of International Geographic Union (IGU), and the Union of International Speleology (UIS). More than 250 colleages from 46 countries were involved in the previous project (IGCP 299). The successor one is expecting the same participancy. Links with some IGBP core projects, such as PAGES have been established under the promotion of the new direction of IGCP ( Geoscience in the service of sociaty) put forward in 1994. Cooperation with INQUA Paleocarbon Commission has also been established.

 

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