Progress of IGCP 379 in 1995 and
the First Half of 1996
Yuan Daoxian
1. MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PREVIOUS 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 foci of the new project.
2. ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PROJECT IN 1995
The new development of the
project in 1995 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:
2.1 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); Candamo Cave, Nerja Cave (Spain);
Spipola Cave (Italy, Paolo Forti); Kungur Cave (Russia, V.N.Andreichuk); Cienaga de Zapata
(Cuba, J.E.Rodriguez Rubio); Upper Ribeira (Brazil, Ivo Karmann);Hawkins River Site,Ky,USA
(C.G.Groves); Akiyoshi-Dai, Japan (Yoshimura); Robertson Glasies,John Evans Glacier
(Martin Sharp,Canada); Hue (Vietnam, Le Van Thang). France and UK will select study areas
later.
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.
2.2 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. A water sample was taken .Its (c13 is
1.35* reported by the Insti. of Karst Geology (Guilin). 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
was presented at the 4th meeting of IGBP Scientific Council (SAC-IV), 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.
2.3 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 paleotemperatures 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 growth 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.
2.4 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 1995. 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
datng 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.
3. PERSPECTIVES IN 1996
3.1 COORDINATION WORKS
In the past one and half years,participants have
offered karst systems under different climatic and geological background for monitoring
carbon cyclng. Some preliminary results are provided and shown in the LETTERS AND
CONTRIBUTIONS of this Newsletter. They include :
Polar and high mountain karst: John Evans Glacier(Ellesmere Is.), Robertson
Glacier, Spitzbergen, Tsanfleuron Glacier(Switzerland), Huanglong,China Temperate humid or
semihumid regions: Akiyoshidai, Siberia, Kungur Cave, Hawkins River Site,KY,USA, Smiarid
regions: North China Mediterranean regions : Candamo Cave (N.Spain), Nerja Cave(S.Spain),
Skocjanske Jame(Slovenia) Subtropical and Tropical Regions: Guilin, Maolan, Hue(Vietnam),
Cienaga de Zapata, Upper Ribeira(Brazil) Geothermal karst: Huanglong, Pamukale, southeast
France
Regarding the paleoclimtic reconstruction with
karst records, the Project has taken into account the works of PAGES/IGBP which is trying
to make high resolution global correlation on climatic change for the past 200,000 years
and 2,000 years along three PEP Transects(Pole-Equator-Pole), i.e, PEP-I:north-south
America; PEP-II:Russia-China-Australia; PEP-III:Europe-Africa. IGCP 379 has focused its
works on the regions without other paleoenvironmental proxies( ice core, lake deposits,
loess and etc.) along the three Transects.For instance, speleothem samples are being taken
in south China along the transect from coastal area to Tibet Plateau. In Europe, a
transect is formed through many countries and making headway. An email list including 70
participants of the Project from 25 countries and regions has been put into use, and
facilitate fast communication.
3.2 MEETING IN THE 30TH IGC IN BEIJING
In conjunction with the 30th International
Geological Congress,to be held August 4-14 in Beijing. IGCP 379 will have
symposiums in August 8 and August 9, entitled "formation and evolution of karst and
data on environmental change" (18-6). A business meeting will take place on the
evening of August 6(18:00- 20:00),Room A8,CWTC.
Participants from 9 countries will attend
the meetings and present 31 papers, which include the following aspects:
Regional karst and morphogenesis ............ 8 papers
Karst geochemistry and isotopes ............. 6 papers
Dynamics of karst processes and
CO2 source and sink for atmosphere ........... 8 papers
Paleokarst .................................. 4 papers
Karst environmental problems ................ 5 papers
3.3 MEETING IN BERGEN, NORWAY, AUGUST 1-4,1996
A symposium "climatic change- the karst
record, karst system as an unique source of paleoclimatic information" followed by
two weeks karst excursion in northern Norway. Co-sponsored by the University of Bergen,
and the Karst Water Institute(USA), Dr.S.E.Lauritzen is very kind to agree chairing an
informal meeting for IGCP 379 during the symposium.
About 60 abstracts have been received. They include not only paleoclimatic
reconstruction with cave sediment from PEP-III(Europe), but also quite a few papers on
those from PEP-I and PEP-II. Moreover, new approaches in high resolution paleoclimatic
study with speleothem, such as microbanding luminescence, U-Pb dating, fluid inclusion,
trace element interpretation, and mechanism of speleothem formation will also be
discussed. So it will no doubt be a very informative and helpful symposium for IGCP 379.
4. INFORMATIONS FROM RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS AND RESEARCH PROJECTS
There are quite a few international projects or
organizations with similar direction as IGCP 379. We have contacted them and sought for
cooperation and exchanging informations.
4.1 KARST COMMISSION OF IAH
The Project is initiated and has got continous
support from this commission. The implementation of this Project has been in many cases in
coincidence with its activities. The Karst Commission will have its next annual meeting
(1997) in Switzerland, in conjunction with the 12nd Congress of the International Union of
Speleology(August 10-17).
4.2 IGCP 349,IGCP 387(296), IGCP 341, IGCP 404.
According to the advices from IGCP Board,
we have contacted IGCP 349"desert margins and paleomonsoons of the old world: 135,000
years to the present"(1993-1997); IGCP 404 "Terrestrial carbon in the past 125ka
(1996-1999); IGCP387(successor of 296) "Quaternary in the Asia/Pacific
region(1989-1993); IGCP 341 "southern Hemisphere paleo- and neoclimate". We are
invited to attend a joint meeting of 349 and 404, to be held Jan.3-7,1997 in Noukchott,
Mauritania, with a scientific programme of "desert margin change in Africa since
135ka: implication for water,carbon and mankind". The meeting will also be the first
working group meeting of INQUA commission on carbon.
4.3 INQUA COMMISSION ON CARBON (PROF.HUGUES
FAURE , FRANCE)
The commission was established during the
14th INQUA congress held in Berlin(August, 1995). It is intended to foster scientific
cooperation for the study of how the carbon cycle changes during glacial and interglacial
oscillations and its role in the Earth System. It includes 6 thematic WG : weathering as
carbon sink ; karst processes and the carbon cycle(IGCP 379); carbon release from the
lithosphere; modelling carbon cycle in the past; carbon in lake; continental shelves
carbon(IGCP 396).
4.4 CARBON FLUXES IN HYDROLOGIC AND
GEOLOGIC PROCESS (A national research program of USA, Sundquist,E.T)
The objectives of the Project are : To evaluate local to global
carbon fluxes associated with hydrologic and geologic processes; to determine the
geochemical mass balance for carbon in selected hydrologic/geologic systems; to determine
the processes most important in controlling carbon fluxes; to investigate the possibility
of past variations in world's(natural) CO2 balance, and to apply this
information to the prediction of future global CO2 fluxes; and to understand
the role of fluxes of carbon compounds in selected local ground water and/or surface water
contamination problems.
More informations are available at Email: esundqui@usgs.gov.
4.5 CDIAC (CARBON DIOXIDE INFORMATION
ANALYSIS CENTER, WORLD CENTER-A FOR ATMOSPHERE TRACE GASES)
CDIAC is sponsored by U.S.Department of Energy's Global
Change Research Program. Its publication (CDIAC Communications) twice a year
include latest development of research on CO2 and other trace gases in
atmosphere( Email: cdiac@ornl.gov ).
4.6 PAGES/IGBP
To verify GCM (General Circulation
Model), effort will be made in the next few years to get high resolution paleoclimatic
change records along PEP-I, PEP-II and PEP-III Transect for the past 200,000 years and
2,000 years.
4.7 RAPID SEDIMENTATION AND HIGH RESOLUTION
STRATIGRAPHY: PROCESSES AND APPLICATIONS, A STRATEGIC UNIVERSITY PROGRAMME (SUP) 1996-1999
Proposed by the Department of Geology,
University of Bergen, Norway, it includes 4 tasks: rapid changes,sediment flux and
environmental variability on the continental margin; fjord sediments as archives for
ultra-high resolution startigraphy; glacial fluctuation and high resolution continental
stratigraphy; Ultra-high precision stratigraphy from speleothem (Stein-Erik Lauritzen).
The last one is quite related to one of the aims in IGCP379.
4.8 GLOBAL COMPARISON OF EPIKARST( A.KLIMCHOUK,
KARST COMMISSION OF IGU, AND UIS WG ON KARST HYDROGEOLOGY)
25 participants from 9 countries. Objectives
: to compare characteristics of epikarst on global basis; to reveal factors controlling
variability of structure, morphology, and hydrologic function of epikarst; to assess the
role of epikarst in karst hydrology and morphogenesis; to prepare a monograph.
5. PUBLICATIONS WITH MENTION AS CONTRIBUTION TO THE
PROJECT
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 ,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 presented at IGBP Scientific Council 4th meeting, 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, published in
EPISODES, IUGS, 1995,Vol.18,Nos.1 &2, p.62-65
9. Yuan Daoxian(1997), the carbon cycle in karst, accepted for publication in
Zeitschrift fur Geomorphologie.
10. Yuan Daoxian(1997), rock desertification in the subtropical karst of south
China, accepted for publication in Zeitschrift fur Geomorphologie
6. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED AT IGCP 379 PROJECT'S
SECRETARIAT
- Rudi Kiefer 3 papers
- D.C.Ford 6 papers
- John E Mylroie 2 papers
- Arie Issar 8 papers
- P.Smart 2 papers
- Ian Fairchild 5 papers
- Yves Quinif 9 papers
- Mebus.A.Geyh 5 papers
- M.Pulina 11 papers
- .Juraj Cincura 3 papers
- .Mackenzie,F.T 1 book
- .Stein-Erik Lauritzen 7 papers
- .Dominique Genty & M. Bakalowicz 1 paper
7. FUTURE MEETINGS
We will discuss the places of future meeting in
the meetings of Beijing and Bergen. According to our previous discussions, the tentative
plan for our future meetings are:
7.1 1997
August 10-17,1997, La Chaux- de-Fonds(Neuchatel),
Switzerland. In conjunction with the 12 nd International Congress of Speleology, and
Symposium on hydrology of limestone. Other chances for meeting in 1997 include ; Jan.3-7,
Mauritania, Joint symposium of IGCP404-349, and INQUA carbon commission ; June 23-27,
Athens, Greece, IAEG congress; August 28-Sept.3 ,Bologna,Italy , 4th International
Conference on Geomorphology.
7.2 1998
Sept. 13-18, Las Vegas, Nevada,USA, in conjunction with the 28th Congress of IAH.
There will be also a chance to meet at the spring of 1998 in Shiraz, Iran.
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