OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

1,To compare the karst ecological systems in tropical (photo 9) and subtropical, Mediterranean (photo 10), Gondwana(photo11), arid and semiarid and other regions, their mechanism of formation, and different impacts on human life;

photo 9, stone pinnacles, Gunoug Api, Mulu, Sarawak,Malasia
photo 10, rock desert at Kornat Archipelago on Adriatic Sea, Croatia
photo 11,Eucalyptus forest in karst regions of southeast Australia, good for mitigating soil salinization problem by lowering groundwater table through its strong evapotranspiration.

2, To compare the microscopic karst ecological system as affected by different geochemical background and phase of carbonate rocks(photo12, photo 13),especially its impact on species selection (photo 14) and biodiversity, and thereafter there habilitation of karst lands;

photo 12, Tall, steep subtropical tower karst, developed on hard compact Devonian limestone, Guilin, south China. Although spectacular in landscape, this kind of limestone is not favourable for soil formation and water detention, so that the ecological problems are more serious.
Photo 13, Low ,rounded subtropical cockpit karst, developed on soft porous Tertiary carbonate rocks, Puerto Rico . In general, ecological problems in karst regions based on such young phase soluble rock are not as worse as those on old phase hard compact carbonate rocks.
Photo 14,Honeysuckle,a species of herb medicine growing on carbonate rocks in south China, but is found to develop better on particular strata with certain kind of trace elements .

3,To compare the subterranean ecological systems of karst on both geographical and geological views, and explore their differences on the evolution of troglobite, troglophile and trogloxene species and relation with surface species (Fig.1).
Fig.1, A model of energy flow between rock, soil, fauna, and flora in a subterrane an ecological system (George W. Moore, G.Nicholas Sullivan,1978)

4,To compare the mutual effects of karst ecological system and human activities, e.g, the impacct of karst ecological system on agriculture, forest, human health (photo 15, photo 16), and on the other hand, the impact of humanactivities (urbanization, timbering, mining, quarrying, agriculture, and etc.)on karstecological system (photo 17, photo 18).

Photo 15,The early-maturing wheat in Gubeng polje, Xichou county,Yunnan province. Only this kind of crop can grow in the polje because it is flooded by the underground stream in the summer year after year.

Photo 16, The plant called as Zijingzelan in Chinese is originated from Vietnam, but now spreads over karst regions inYunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi provinces, and restrains the growth of other useful plants.

Photo 17, The deforestation process following cultivation on slope steeper than 25 degree, occurred in Mashan region, Ziyun County, Guizhou, China.

Photo 18,Small patches of soil tilled to grow maize in limestone fissures between rocks. The scene illustrate dis near Zhulinqing village, Pingshan township in northern Puding county,Guizhou Province.

RELATIONSHIP WITH PREVIOUS PROJECTS

IGCP 299: Concentrated on the correlation of karst morphology and its environments of formation

IGCP 379: Emphasis on the impact of karst processes on global change, especially on the source and sink of green house gas, and paleoenvironmental reconstruction with karst records

IGCP 448: Will concentrate on the ecological problems of karst.

THERE SULTS OF IGCP448 EXPECTED

1, A guideline to use properly the experiences in there habilitation of deteriorated karst lands being got from different types of karst ecological system of the world.

2,A better understanding on the hydrological and geochemical behaviours of different karst dynamic system in the context of carbon cycle, watercycle and element migration as bases of more reasonable and sustainable land use in karst areas.

3,The use of knowledges on the behaviours and changing of subterranean biological community in karst areas forvarious aspects of environ-mental study and protection, e.g, as indicators of surface environmental change (water pollution, soil erosion etc.); as self-purification agent in karst system; or as winter refuges for beneficial orinjurious animal and insects.

IMPLEMENTATION

Karst scientists will work together with biologists, geologists, geographer, and scientists of many other disciplines;Methodologies of compa-rision will be worked out on the bases of available knowledges of karst ecology;World correlation will be carried out on typical sites of different karst ecological system.

TENTATIVE WORK SCHEDULE

1,First year (2000).A detail plan for the next5years will be prepared in a workshop. It will include the selection of of karst sites under diffe-rent geological and climatic background for understanding there relationship of geochemical conditions with flora selection, biodiversity and the rehabilitation of karst land; for comparing the karst environment and the evolution of subterranean species; and comparing the mutual effect between human activities and karst ecological system. The workshop will also define the methodology of correlation, such as the geol-ogical and other components of karst ecosystem and indicators of its deterioration, the criteria of links between karst geology and ecological condition; content and techniques of monitoring, the GIS in gecogeological mapping.

Working group meetings with field excursions will beheld in July 14 to 23,2000 in Cluj, Romania ( contact: Dr. Bogdan Onac, email: bonac@bioge.ubbcluj.ro, http://www.uib.no/people/nglbn/karst2000.htm)

In August 6-17,2000inconjunction with the20-6 symposium of the 31st International Geological Congress, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil(contact: Dr.Ivo Karmann, email: ikarmann@spider.usp.br,or the Organizing Committee of 31st IGC:31igc@31igc.org ).

In September17-26,2000,Marmaris,Turkey (contact: Prof. Gultekin Gunay, ggunay@hacettepe.edu.tr,www.karst.hacettepe.edu.tr ).

2,The second year(2001).A workshop to examine the karst ecosystem in subtropical humid monsoon areas and semiarid areas.

The relationship between land use change and rock desertification in karst, and geochemical background of successful or failure in rehabi-litation will be investigated. Working group meeting in Beijing, August24-27,2001,and field seminar in south China, August 28 to September 2,2001 ( contact: Beijing, Mr.Wang Wei, Cagsdic@public.bta.net.cn, for field seminarin Guilin, Prof.Yuan Daoxian, dxyuan@mailbox.gxnu.edu.cn ).

3,The third year(2002). Working Group meeting in Nerja Cave (S.Spain) and field trip in Sierra de las Nieves Massif, an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Spain ( contact: Dr. Bartolome And reo Navarro, email: andreo@uma.es ).Karst ecosystem of Mediterranean climate, human impacts on karst groundwater and caves will be examined. After the meeting, a field seminar in South France inarranged.

It is to learn the mechanism of subterranean species evolution in different types of karst (Moulis,Foussoubie,Terrieu) and its reflection on ecogeological condition.

4,Fourth year(2003). Working group meeting and field seminar in Perm, Russia to compare the karst ecological features in a boreal enviro-nment with those of others. The impacts of human activities, especially mining on karst ecosystem will be investigated in the field. A tentative summary of the Project will be made.

5,Fifth year(2004).To work out a final report, which will summarize the results of world correlation on all the four objectives of the Project. A working group meeting will beheld in Buchan karst, Victoria, Australia to examine the karst ecogeology of Gondwana environment.