Typical Karst Region Research Articles

An evaluation method of the sustainability of water resource in karst region: a case study of Zunyi, China

Water resource is of great significance to the survival and development of human. However, the water resource system in karst regions is sensitive to external interference owing to the special geological processes which cause soil impoverishment, severe rocky desertification and large topographic height difference. Therefore, evaluating the sustainability of the water resource in karst regions is beneficial to reasonably use and protect water resource. This paper puts forward to evaluate the water resource from four aspects, including water resources system, water requirement system, ecosystem and social economic system. Moreover, on this basis, 18 evaluation indexes were selected to construct the sustainability evaluation index system and method. This method was used to evaluate the sustainability of the water resource in the typical karst region—Zunyi, Guizhou province, China, and was verified according to the actual situation in the research area. All these provide reference for the evaluation of the sustainability of the water resource in similar regions.

Factors controlling accumulation of soil organic carbon along vegetation succession in a typical karst region in Southwest China

Vegetation succession enhances the accumulation of carbon in the soil. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation in different vegetation types in the karst region of Southwest China. The goal of this study was to identify and prioritize the effects of environmental parameters, including soil physico-chemical properties, microbial biomass, enzyme activities, and litter characteristics, on SOC accumulation along a vegetation succession sere (grassland, shrubland, secondary forest, and primary forest) in the karst landscape of Southwest China. Relationships between these parameters and SOC were evaluated by redundancy analysis. The results showed that SOC accumulation was significantly different among vegetation types (P<0.01) and increased with vegetation succession (from 29.10g·kg−1 in grassland to 73.92g·kg−1 in primary forest). Soil biochemistry and physical characteristics significantly affected the accumulation of SOC. Soil microbial biomass showed a predominant effect on SOC in each of the four vegetation types. In addition, the soil physical property (especially the silt content) was another controlling factor in the early stages (grassland), and urease activity and saccharase activity were important controlling factors in the early-middle and middle-late stages, respectively. Litter characteristics only showed mild effects on SOC accumulation. Variation partitioning analysis showed that the contribution of sole main factors to SOC variation decreased, while the interaction effect among parameters increased along the succession gradient.

Estimating ecological indicators of karst rocky desertification by linear spectral unmixing method

Coverage rates of vegetation and exposed bedrock are two key indicators of karst rocky desertification. In this study, the abundances of vegetation and exposed rock were retrieved from a hyperspectral Hyperion image using linear spectral unmixing method. The results were verified using the spectral indices of karst rocky desertification (KRDSI) and an integrated LAI spectral index: modified chlorophyll absorption ratio index (MCARI2). The abundances showed significant linear correlations with KRDSI and MCARI2. The coefficients of determination (R2) were 0.93, 0.66, and 0.84 for vegetation, soil, and rock, respectively, indicating that the abundances of vegetation and bedrock can characterize their coverage rates to a certain extent. Finally, the abundances of vegetation and bedrock were graded and integrated to evaluate rocky desertification in a typical karst region. This study suggests that spectral unmixing algorithm and hyperspectral remote sensing imagery can be used to monitor and evaluate karst rocky desertification.

Spatio-temporal variation of vegetation carbon storage and density in karst areas of Northwest Guangxi based on remote sensing images

本研究基于1990年、2000年和2005年遥感影像数据, 结合高程、气象与样地调查等数据, 运用地理信息系统技术, 对桂西北喀斯特区植被碳储量及密度进行了分析。研究结果表明: 从1990年到2005年, 研究区域植被碳储量与密度呈增加趋势, 1990年、2000年和2005年植被碳储量分别为1.03×10⁸ t、1.41×10⁸ t和1.63×10⁸ t, 植被碳密度分别为14.82 t·hm^-2、20.38 t·hm^-2和23.49 t·hm^-2, 基本与四川省(18.47 t·hm^-2)、江西省(25.38 t·hm^-2)植被碳密度值一致; 在空间分布上, 区域植被储量与碳密度大致呈现西高东低、中低山(海拔>500 m)高而峰丛洼地(海拔<500 m)低的分布格局, 1990年西部大部分县市的植被碳密度为15~22 t·hm^-2, 而中东部大部分县市的植被碳密度为8~15 t·hm^-2; 而时间上的变化在空间上表现为, 植被碳储量与密度不同程度地表现为低值区的东部增加, 高值区的西部减少或轻微增加, 典型喀斯特区植被碳密度增加明显(1990年和2005年植被碳储量比例分别为45.54%和51.99%)。研究结果表明, 峰丛洼地植被碳储量与密度显著增加, 生态环境移民、退耕还林等石漠化治理措施效果显著, 有利于增强区域植被碳汇。

Nitrous oxide emissions from different land use patterns in a typical karst region, Southwest China

Fluxes of nitrous oxide (N2O) from different land use patterns (matured forest, secondary forest, grassland and cropland) in a subtropical karst region of Guizhou Province, Southwest China, were measured for one year with a closed static chamber technique and by gas chromatography. The results showed that soil under different land uses was a source of atmospheric N2O. The cropland was a source with relatively high N2O as compared to forest and grassland, but no significant differences were observed. N2O emissions from soils varied with land use change and fertilizer application. There were two peaks of N2O flux occurred following the combination of two obvious precipitation and fertilizer events in the cultivated land. Converting from the matured forest to secondary forest tended to increase annual emissions of N2O (from 1.40 to 1.65 kg N ha−1 a−1), while changing land use from secondary forest to scattered grassland tended to decrease annual emissions of N2O slightly (from 1.65 to 1.45 kg N ha−1 a−1). Our range of cumulative annual N2O emission across different land uses (1.40–1.91 kg N ha−1 a−1) in a karst region is in general agreement with previously published data in a non-karst region. However, in the maize field, N2O emission factor (EF) was 0.34% for fertilizer application, which is about 71.2% lower than the IPCC default value. It is suggested that current IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) EF methodology could overestimate N2O emission from the karstic cropland. Anyway, the N2O emission from cropland in the karst region would contribute significantly to the global N2O budget, so reducing fertilization frequency during the crop growing season could lead to a decrease in N2O emission in the whole year.

Groundwater Systems and Eco-hydrological Features in the Main Karst Regions of China

: Different karst water features and related water resources are present both in southern and northern China. There are over 3,358 well-developed karst ground river systems with total discharges in the dry season of about 420times108 m3 in the main karst regions in the southern part of China. Exploitation rates are only 8–15%. Over 100 larger karst spring systems in the main karst regions of northern China cover a catchment area from 500 km2 to over 4,000 km2, of which the average discharge appears to be from about 1 m3/s to 13 m3/s and the exploitation rates are 70–80%. Six aspects of the eco-hydrological features of some typical karst regions in China comprising water environment, ecological features, materials and structures between parent rock and soil, bio-geological processes and palynological studies (spore-pollen) are discussed. Qualitative evaluation of eco-geology and rocky desertification in the karst regions should be based on the main karst ecological conditions as well as artificial, i.e., man-made impacts.

Using the radial basis function network model to assess rocky desertification in northwest Guangxi, China

Karst rocky desertification is a progressive process of land degradation in karst regions in which soil is severely, or completely, eroded. This process may be caused by natural factors, such as geological structure, and population pressure leading to poor ecosystem health and lagging economic development. Karst rocky desertification is therefore a significant obstacle to sustainable development in southwest China. We applied a radial basis function network model to assess the risk of karst rocky desertification in northwest Guangxi, a typical karst region located in southwest China. Factors known to influence karst rocky desertification were evaluated using remote sensing and geographic information systems techniques to classify the 23 counties in the study area from low to extreme risk of karst rocky desertification. Counties with extreme or strong karst rocky desertification risk (43.48%, nearly half of the study area) were clustered in the north, central and southeast portions of the study area. Counties with low karst rocky desertification (30.43%) were located in the west, northeast and southwest of the study area. The spatial distribution of karst rocky desertification was moderately correlated to population density.

Karst water resources and geo-ecology in typical regions of China

The aim of this work is to compare the different karst water features and related water resources in South and North China. In Southern China there are over 3,358 karst ground river systems with a total discharge of about 420 × 108 m3 in the dry season. In North China, there are about 100 larger karst spring systems, each with a catchment area from 500 km2 to over 4,000 km2, and an average discharge from 1 to 13 m3/s. The basic geo-ecological features of water, soil and air quality are described for typical karst regions of China. The total quality of geo-ecology is evaluated by five important factors.

Surface and subsurface environmental degradation in the karst of Apulia (southern Italy)

Karst environments are highly vulnerable to a variety of degradation and pollution problems. Geology (fractured carbonate rocks), morphology (presence of a network of cavities produced by karst processes), and hydrogeology (rapid concentrated flow through fractures and conduits) of karst carbonates strongly favour the movement of contaminants towards the water table. In particular, poor quality of subsurface water can derive from polluting substances flowing at the surface, and/or by direct immission of liquid and solid waste into the water table through the systems of conduits and joints in the rock mass. As a consequence, water quality can deteriorate severely, which implies very high economic and social costs in order to clean the polluted sites and restore the original situation. In some cases, such as when the original karst morphology is changed because of anthropogenic interventions, the variations created in the landscape are not recoverable, and a loss of sites of naturalistic interest has to be registered. High vulnerability of a typical karst region of the Mediterranean area is illustrated in this paper by describing some case studies from Apulia, southern Italy. The Apulia region, where karst processes have had a prominent role in the development of the present landscape, is mostly underlain by intensely karstified limestone. Two cases of pollution due to solid waste into karst cavities (Grave di S. Leonardo in the Gargano Promontory and Grave Pelosello in the Murge plateau), landscape transformation in the Minervino Murge area, and degradation of Gravina Monsignore, a typical karst valley in southeastern Murge, are described in the paper. In two out of four cases, degradation of the sites was discovered thanks to activity from local speleologists, who also acted as promoters for cleaning and safeguarding the polluted sites. These examples underline well the mismanagement of karst territories (in particular, the common practice to dump refuse into sinkholes and caves), the pollution of limestone aquifers, and the effects that such pollution in karst areas might have in terms of the risk to public health.

Heavy metals in sediments—problems concerning determination of the anthropogenic influence. Study in the Krka River estuary, eastern Adriatic coast, Yugoslavia

Factors that govern heavy metal concentration in sediments were examined by a combined analytical, geochemical, and geological approach. The constrains encountered in the determination of the anthropogenic influence are exposed. The region examined was the Krka River estuary located in the typical karst region of the eastern Adriatic, Yugoslavia.

DOLMEN'S DECORATION PATTERNS IN SUMBA, INDONESIA

In this article, An Introduction to a Unique Culture of Sumba, HB. Mude assumed that the first settlers of Sumba came by boat from Malaka, Singapore, Riau, Java, Bali, Sima, Rote and Sabu, under the leadership of Umbu Mandoku and his wife, Rambu Humba. To honour his wife, the island was named Humba or Sumba. Sumba consists of West and East Regency. The climate is relatively hot with short rainy season and prolonged dry period. Sumba is a typical karst region, and bordered by the alluvial plain of Melolo areas, from where the river Melolo now flows eastward.