IGCP Project Annual Report:
Project 379
( 1 9 9 5 )

 

IGCP PROJECT SHORT TITLE : Karst processes and the carbon cycle

DURATION AND STATUS Five years (1995-1999), on going project

PROJECT LEADER NAME: Prof. Yuan Daoxian

PROJECT SECRETARY NAME: Dr. Liu Zaihua

DATE OF SUBMISSION OF REPORT: OCT. 1, 1995

SIGNATURE OF LEADER: Yuan Daoxian

Please complete all sections: write N/A where not applicable

 

  1. SUMMARY OF MAJOR PAST ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PROJECT

    In the later stage of the previous project IGCP 299, preliminary researches related to the new project had been done by participants. It could be summarized as :
    1. The results of many monitoring sites distributed under different ecological systems in the world show that the biggest carbon reservoir on Earth, the carbonate rock body with a total capacity of 1016 tons of carbon , is still actively interacting with atmosphere in the global carbon cycle, and forms an important sink or source of atmospheric CO2 along with its dissolution or deposition.
    2. High concentration CO2 are found emitting from many karst areas with geothermal effects, along with the deposition of calcareous sinter, such as Central Italy ;Huanglong Ravine, Eastern border of Tibetan plateau, China; Pamukale Karst Geothermal Spring, Turkey; Coal River Spring, SE Yukon, Canada; and Polour Area, Central Alborz, Iran. Preliminary carbon and noble gas isotopic research shows that the emitting CO2 has either a mantle or carbonate rock metamorphism origin.
    3. To reconstruct paleoclimatic change with karst sediment are found to be very potential for high resolution. For example, a 36cm long core taken from vein calcite in Devils Hole, Nevada is found to keep continuous temperature records of 500,000 years and challenge the Milankovitch Hypothesis (L.J.Winograd, USGS); Temperature shifts are identified in a speleothem from Cold Water Cave, NE Iowa (J.A.Dorale);
      Many temperature shifts and some rapid changes after 36,000 years BP are revealed from a 1.22 meter high stalagmite from Penglong Cave, Guilin, China (Yuan); and seasonal layers of calcite-aragonite pairs are identified for past 1500 years in a stalagmite from Drotsky's Cave, Botswana (L.B.Railsback). All the above mentioned results are important background for further study in the three major objectives of the new project.
  2. ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PROJECT THIS YEAR
    1. GENERAL SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS

      The new development of the project this year were reflected in the symposium and field excursion in Antalya, Turkey (September), and Singapore (June), and also reports from some National Working Groups. It is summarized according to the major objectives of the Project as follows:
      1. Balance of CO2 in different type of karst system Several representative sites have been selected for research in this direction and monitoring, which include 7 sites in different ecological zones in China (Yuan); Lurbach (Austria, H.Zojer); Yarrangobilly (Australia, D.Gillieson); Skocjanske Jame (Slovenia, A.Kranjc); Spipola Cave (Italy, Paolo Forti); Kungur Cave (Russia, V.N.Andreichuk); Cienaga de Zapata (Cuba, J.E.Rodriguez Rubio); Bonito (Brazil, Kohler Heinz-Charles); Hue (Vietnam, Le Van Thang). France and UK will select study areas later this year in their national working group meeting. According to the available monitoring data on the carbon cycle of several karst dynamic systems on Guizhou Plateau, China, the annual removal of carbon from atmosphere by carbonate rock dissolution in a subtropical humid area is estimated to be 4.15X105 tons (Li Bin, the Institute of karst Geology). A paper is prepared to be presented in the 30th International Geological Congress, 1996.
      2. Deep source CO2 from karst areas During the field seminar in Turkey, a geothermal karst spring in Pamukale was visited. Comparing with the data got in 1990, the hydrochemical parameters which reflect the CO2 outgassing from the hot spring remain almost the same, i.e. high carbonate hardness, low pH at its outlet, but changing rapidly along its surface flow path. Moreover, the PCO2 in the atmosphere above the hot spring water at its outlet was measured directly. The result was 5000ppm. It remains 2000 ppm at the outlet of a semi-closed concrete aquiduct, about 200m away from the hot spring resurgence. An isotopic sample was taken to identify the origin of CO2. The result will be reported later. Earlier, Dr.Tyler Coplen (USGS) had taken sample from the old facies calcareous sinter, in an attempt to get information for environmental change. There are a lot of calcareous sinter in Turkey, but their origin remains a question. For example, the 300m thick travertine terrace underneath Antalya City is considered by many geographers as the result of warm humid climate in the past. However, the result of global karst correlation tells that even under modern tropical humid karst environment, there are no karst water which have carbonate hardness as high as karst springs around Antalya, nor there are travertine deposit as big as Antalya City. Accordingly, the huge travertine terrace in Antalya must have something to do with modern plate tectonic movement, and deep source CO2 emission. More researches should be done. Based on the available literatures and noble gas - carbon isotopic data, the Chinese Group has distinguished the deep source CO2 emission on its whole territory into three types, i.e. CO2 emission with very few deposition, mostly in its eastern part where siliceous rocks are predominant; CO2 emission along with many calcareous sinter, mostly in southwest China where carbonate rocks are widespread; and CO2 reservoirs where the active faults from which the deep source CO2 emitted are buried under thick overburden. 20 CO2 reservoirs are reported from mainland China, more are on its continental shelves. A paper will be presented at the 4th meeting of IGBP Scientific Council (SAC-IV), to be held OCT.22-27, 1995 in Beijing. Moreover, the Chinese Group has started works on Xiajie Geothermal Karst Spring, Zhongdian County, Yunnan Province. Located on the southern extension of Tethysian realm in SW China, it enjoys great amount of calcareous sinter. The PCO2 on water surface air is measured to be 32,000 ppm, the 13C is -4.6%o PDB, which tells a possible mantle origin. In SE France, a lot of works have been done on the distribution of deep CO2 in relation to the structure and tectonic evolution, some of the emission points remain calcareous sinter (M.Bakalowicz, Jean-Claude Grillot). The 13C data reveal either a distinct mantle origin or a mixture with biogenic CO2.
      3. High Resolution paleoenvironment Reconstruction with Karst Records During the symposium in Turkey, A.Issar reported the results of paleoclimatic records in a speleothem taken from Cango Cave, southern Cape Province, S.Africa. The 18O paleothemperatures show decrease from about 30,000 BP, reaching a minimum between 19000-17000 BP. Afterwards, up to 13800 BP the temperature increased. But there is a gap in the speleothem grouth between 13000 BP and 5000 BP. The explanation for the gap is that where temperature started rising, the winter rains started to decrease while summer rain increased. The vegetation being dominantly arboreal absorbed and transpired all the water infiltrating the subsurface. Only after the ecosystem changed into a floral assemblage, which did not have deep roots, did recharge to groundwater and thus drip water restart. Obviously, this explanation is somewhat different from that made by Chinese colleague with a big stalagmite from Guilin (result of IGCP 299). The reason of such differences need to be searched. In a Turkish-Egyptian joint expedition , it was found that the Sannur Cave, 70km to the south of Cairo, showing abundant speleothem under modern arid climate, with corrosion features on some speleothem, and stalactites usually lack of correspondent stalagmite is very potential for paleoclimatic study. The joint works will be continued. Following the paleoclimatic reconstruction back to 36000 years BP with a 1.2m high stalagmite from Guilin, efforts have been started to extend the information in South China back to 200,000 years BP. A 2.5m high stalagmite was taken back. Its interior sedimentological features were studied after exposing it by cutting along its longitudinal axis in a marble manufactory. Samples will be taken according to the micro lamination structure. The next step for high resolution paleoclimatic research will be a part of Sino-Norwegian cooperation. The TIMS U-series dating will be done at the Quaternary Research Lab., Bergen University, Norway, whereas the Institue of Karst Geology in Guilin will do the stable isotopic study and other works.
      4. Methodology Specification
        During the meetings in Singapore and Turkey, methodologies for the Project were discussed in detail. This is also a requirement from the IGCP Board in the assessment for this Project early this year. The following points were reached:
        1. CO2 balance between atmosphere and karst system under different environments.

          a. monitoring site selection, considering climatic, geological and ecological condition.

          b.monitoring and CO2 flux assessment methods, direct measuring (using Drager, Gastec, infrared gas analyser, gas chromatograph etc); or hydrochemical approach. When employing the latter, it is highly recommended to test the most sensitive parameters (pH, HCO3-, conductivity, temperature,etc) in situ with some portable instruments.

          c. monitoring regime: automatic recorders are recommended. If not available, monthly, at least seasonal measurment is required, but daily or hourly measuret during some extreme climatic events is recommended.

          d.Monitoring system: the whole karst dynamic system, including its atmosphere, soil air, water chemistry, solid phase and some biochemical factors should be taken into account.
        2. deep source CO2 emission.

          a.site selection: considering active fault, geothermal field, volcanic region, with or without calcareous tufa.

          b.to identify origin of CO2 , carbon and noble gas isotopic approach should be used.

          c.to evaluate quantity of emission, methods of direct measuring, or by volume and daitng of calcareous sinter are recommended
        3. High resolution paleoenvironment reconstruction with karst records.

          a. site selection: priority at the areas where other paleoenvironment records (ice core, lacustrine deposit and etc) are not available and karst records show advantageous.

          b. time priority: 200,000 year BP.

          c. resolution: 100 years.

          d. sampling method: drilling to get small core sample has the advantage for cave protection and less engineering work, but for more objective sampling, it is recommended- to bring back the whole stalagmite, and to take sample according to its interior structure.

          e.dating methods: C14,AMS C14, U-series (by counting); TIMS U-series, and other approaches can be chosen according to the characteristics of the cave sediments and the aim of research.

          f.stable isotopic study: usually necessary for paleoclimatic reconstruction.
    1. LIST OF MEETINGS WITH APPROXIMATE ATTENDANCE
      AND NUMBER OF COUNTRIES
      1. IGCP 379 meeting in Antalya, Turkey, Sept.10-19, 1995, with a symposium"Karst Waters and Environmental Impacts", and field excursion to visit different karst hydrological systems in Central South Turkey, and geothermal karst spring at Pamukale, Western Turkey, where CO2 is emitting along active fault, and splendid calcareous sinter are depositing. Some field research methods which are recommended for this Project were shown during the excursion. 137 participants from 35 countries took part in the meeting.
      2. IGCP 379 meeting in Singapore. June 19-23,1995, with a symposium on "Tropical Karst" and field excursion to Mulu, Sarawak, Malaysia, June 24-29,1995. 31 participants from 12 countries attended the meeting.
    2. NUMBER OF PUBLICATIONS(INCLUDING MAPS):
      LIST OF MAJOR OR MOST IMPORTANT PUBLICATIONS
      1. John Gunn (Editor), Abstract of papers presented at"Changing Karst Environments", an international symposium held at the Universities of Oxford and Huddersfield, September 1994, published as a special issue of the Transaction of the British Cave Research Association(BCRA) Volume 21, No.1, 22 pages.
      2. Zoran Stevanovic, Budimir Filipovic(Eds.), Ground waters in carbonate rocks of the Carpathian-Balkan Geological Association, as a contribution to IGCP 299, 1994, Belgrade. 237 pages.
      3. Liu Zaihua, U.Svensson, et al, Hydrodynamic control of inorganic calcite precipitation in Huanglong Ravine, China: Field measurements and theoretical prediction of deposition rates, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Vol.59, No.15, pp.3087-3097,1995.
      4. Yuan Daoxian, Sensitivity of karst processes to environmental changes and its records, Chinese Science Bulletin, Vol.40, No.13.pp.1210-1213,July, 1995.
      5. Gultekin Gunay et al (Eds.), Abstract of papers presented at: International symposium and field seminar on karst waters and environmental impacts, held at Antalya, Turkey, September 1995, published by UKAM, Hacettepe University, 106 pages.
      6. Yuan Daoxian, Geological aspects of modern carbon cycle in mainland China, the paper will be presented at IGBP Scientific Council 4th meeting, to be held OCT.23-27, 1995 in Beijing.
      7. .Yuan Daoxian, Some important aspects related to global change in modern karst study, published by Chinese National Committee of IGBP, 1995. 8. Yuan Daoxian, Li Bin, Liu Zaihua, Karst in China, 4 pages, to be published in EPISODES, IUGS, later 1995.
    3. . LIST OF COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN PROJECT
      ( * INDICATE THE COUNTRIES ACTIVE THIS YEAR)
      ALGERIA* CZECH* JORDAN SLOVENIA*
      AUSTRALIA* EGYPT* JAPAN* SOUTH AFRICA
      AUSTRIA* FRANCE* LITHUANIA* SPAIN
      AZERBAIJAN* GERMANY* MALTA SWITZERLAND*
      BELGIUM GREECE MALAYSIA* TUNISIA
      BRAZIL* HUNGARY* NEW ZEALAND* TURKEY*
      BULGARIA* INDIA* NORWAY* TURKMENISTAN
      CANADA* INDONESIA POLAND* UK*
      CHINA* IRAN* ROMANIA* UKRAINE*
      CROATIA IRELAND RUSSIA* USA*
      CUBA* ISRAEL* SINGAPORE* VIETNAM*
      CYPRUS ITALY* SLOVAKIA* YUGOSLAVIA*

      4.  

    4. ACTIVITIES INVOLVING OTHER IGCP PROJECT, IUGS OR MAJOR PARTICIPATION OF SCIENTISTS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
      1. According to the advices from IGCP Board early this year, we had written and sent our circular letters to leaders or secretary of the following IGCP projects for close cooperation: IGCP 387 (successor of 296): Quaternary environmental changes in Asia and the Pacific (V.Sibrava, Czech); IGCP 341: Southern hemisphere paleo and neoclimate (P.P.Smolka, Germany); IGCP 349: desert margins and paleomonsoons since 135 KYRS BP (A.K.Singhvi, India). We had already got reprints of papers from IGCP 341, and found it very helpful to this Project. Joint works are considered.
      2. Cooperation with karst-related international academic organizations, such as IAH, IGU, and UIS has been as close as with the previous project IGCP 299. They worked together for the Project's meetings and publications this year.
      3. INQUA COMMISSION ON CARBON (Hugues Faure, France). The new commission has similar ideas and objectives with this Project. We had approached each other positively by exchanging work plans, informations, and also cross membership. Close cooperation between the two in the years ahead will be certainly expected.
      4. Scientists from Algeria, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Cuba, Czech, Egypt, Hungary, India, Iran, Israel, Malaysia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam and Yugoslavia took part in the Project's meetings in Turkey or Singapore, or sent report or papers for this Project.

  3. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES OF THE PROJECT FOR THE YEAR HEAD
    1. GENERAL GOALS

      The aims of the Project's second year will focus on exchanging concrete results from typical sites, and to revise the plan for the next step works according to the Project's new developments:
      1. to compare the CO2 sinks from the atmosphere by carbonate rock dissolution under different climatic, geological, vegetational and soil environment, and with different human impacts;
      2. to exchange the results of high resolution reconstructions of the late Pleistocene to Holocene environmental change using karst records from selected regions of the world;
      3. for a better understanding on the regularities and characteristics of deep source CO2 emission and their relationship with tectonic features and carbonate rock distribution.
    2. SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS AND FIELD TRIPS ( *indicate participation by developing countries)
      1. Meeting in Guilin-Beijing, China, July 15 - August 1, 1996, with field seminar. In conjunction with the 18-6 symposium "Formation and evolution of karst and data on environmental change" in the 30th International Geological Congress. Results related to the objectives of this Project from different parts of the world will be exchanged. Typical sites for monitoring and estimating CO2 sink or source related to karst processes, and for late Pleistocene environment study with karst records will be visited. The meeting will be possibly in cooperation with INQUA Carbon Commission.
      2. Meeting in Bergen, Norway, August 1-4, 1996. The meeting will focus on paleoclimatic study with karst record. It will be co-sponsored by the Dept. of Geology, University of Bergen, and the Karst Waters Institute (KWI) of USA. This Project will take the chance for a local meeting of Europe in 1996. Scientists from Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Cuba, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam have expressed their strong interest to participate in the above planned symposiums and excursions
    3. PROPOSED MAJOR PUBLICATIONS (INCLUDING MAPS)
      1. The carbon cycle in karst (IGCP 379), to be published in mid 1996, Zeitschrift fur geomorphologie.
      2. Several papers will be presented at the 30th International Geological Congress, and later published in proceedings, such as: i. Carbon cycle in karst and its relationship with source and sink of atmospheric CO2, case study on Guizhou Plateau. ii. Regime of soil CO2 on carbonate rock and its impact on karst processes. iii. Geochronology of No.1 stalagmite from Penglong Cave, Guilin. iv. The origin and rate of CO2 emission from Pamukale geothermal karst- spring,Turkey.
      3. Many papers on Quaternary paleoclimatic change will be presented in the sympos - ium at Bergen, Norway, such as: i. Late Pleistocene climatic records in a stalagmite from Penglong Cave, Guilin. ii.Records of quaternary climatic change in Sannur cave,Egypt.
  4. PROJECT FUNDING REQUEST

    The total funding request for 1996: USD 8,000, including
    1. symposium and excursion in China, July 15-August 1, 1996, USD 5,000.
    2. symposium and excursion in Norway, August 1-4, 1996, USD 3,000.
  5. REQUEST FOR EXTENSION, ON-EXTENDED-TERM STATUS,
    OR INTENSION TO PROPOSE SUCCESSOR PROJECT.

    6. N/A

  6. SUMMARY

    The first year of IGCP 379 shows a very ecouraging start, which were reflected as following :
    1. Good multidisciplinary cooperation. For example, the knowledges and ideas from tectonic geologists about CO2 emission from Cordilleran expansion belts, USA (D.M.Kerrick et al) and SE France, and the interest from Quaternary geologist on carbon cycle problem (INQUA Carbon Commission) will be very helpful to the progresses of this Project.
    2. Methodologies have been better specified. Moreover, several key laboratories will cooperate with this Project, including. IAEA Isotope Hydrology Section; TIMS U-series Lab., Bergen University, Noway; Quaternary Research Lab., ANU, Australia; BRGM Centre Thematique "Eau", France; Laboratoire de geochimie Isotopique, Universite d'Orsay, France; Isotope Geology Division, USGS; Stable istotope Lab., the Institute of karst Geology, China; Lanzhou Gas Geochemistry Lab., Academia Sinica; AMS C14 lab., Beijing University, China.
    3. Broad participancy, with more than 100 participants from 48 countries, including many developing countries. As a Successor Project of IGCP 299, many of the previous works are good background for the new Project. However, many participant countries such as China, UK and France, will reorganize their National Working Groups and figure out specific working plan to fit the new objectives and methodologies. Obviously, this will benefit the smooth running of IGCP 379. It is therefore believed, that the continuation of IGCP 379 in 1996 will be very fruitful. It will not only improve people's knowledge on global carbon cycle, especially terrestrial carbon cycle, but also bring new ideas for global change study.
  7. ATTACH OTHER INFORMATION CONSIDERED RELEVANT

    Scientists from six European countries (Austria, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Switzerland) are applying for a new project"Climatological Effects on Karst Aquifer System"(CLEKS, 1996-1999) from European Community. We will seek cooperation with CLEKS. The Project has been more involved in the activities of IGBP, including its scientific advisory council meeting in 1995 (SAC-IV).
  8. EXPENDITURE STATEMENT

    Except 10% for secretariat use, most of the $4500 allocation of this Project in 1995 were used to support some participants at its meeting in Turkey.
    8 participants from 7 developing countries had received support for their registration fee or part of their accomodation during the meeting.

 

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