Natural and anthropogenic hazards in karst areas

Notizia di carlos Benedetto



The session (no. NH8.03) is included in the Natural Hazards Program of the
1st General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union, to be held in Nice
(France) from April 25 to 30, 2004. I am organizing the session along with
John Gunn of the Limestone Research Group at the University of
Huddersfield, Alexander Klimchouk of the National Academy of Science of
Ukraine, and Philippe Audra of the University Nice-Sophia Antipolis.



The Abstract Deadline is January 11, 2004, and
abstracts should be submitted
through the EGU website at http://www.cosis.net/members/meetings/sessions/information.php?p_id=76&s_id=1644



The website also contains detailed information about the meeting.



It is our intention to publish a selection of the session papers in a
special issue of an international, peer reviewed journal. At the meeting in
Nice we will discuss about this possibility with all of the attendants.



If you have any questions, please feel free to contact myself
cerimp06@area.ba.cnr.it, or one of my co-conveners j.gunn@hud.ac.uk,
klim@klim.carrier.kiev.ua, audra@unice.fr



I look forward to receiving abstracts from you, and to seeing you in Nice



Session Description:



Due to a number of peculiar geological and hydrogeological features
(fractured rocks, presence of karst cavities and conduits, rapid
concentrated flow), karst areas are among the most vulnerable settings of
the world to man-induced and/or natural hazards. Occurrence of subsidence
phenomena, floods, and slope movements may be for example very frequent,
causing serious damage in several karst areas. Agriculture and land use
changes may lead to degradation of the karst landscape through the practice
of stone clearing and crushing, which may favour the development of erosion
and eventually result in rocky desertification. At the same time, other
anthropogenic activities such as intensive quarrying cause partial or total
destruction of the karst landscape and of near-surface caves, with loss of
the important geological and archeological evidence they contained.

Fragility of karst environments is furtherly evidenced by karst groundwater
systems, which are extremely important water supplies (about 25% of the
global population is supplied largely or entirely by karst waters), but
which quality is very susceptible to degradation. Over-exploitation of karst
water resources, sea-water intrusion, and events of pollution, with the
consequent deterioration of water quality are worldwide frequently object of
study.



Many of the hazards affecting karst environments can be fully appreciated
only through a multi-disciplinary approach, combining expertise from
different fields, including but not limited to, geomorphology, engineering
geology, hydrology, hydrogeology, geophysics, and geochemistry.



The symposium dedicated to natural and anthropogenic hazards in karst areas
is a good opportunity to share experiences from different areas of the
world, and to discuss methodologies and techniques for a better
understanding of karst, of the different hazards which may occur in these
very fragile environment, and of the more correct ways for its management.



At the latter aim, the interaction between human activity and karst areas
also needs to be stressed.Papers dealing with analysis of case studies in
karst areas are solicited.



Contributions presenting a multi-disciplinary approach to the problem are
particularly encouraged. This symposium is addressed to stimulate further
research in the field of karst research, and to facilitate the co-operation
between different expertise.



Mario Parise

CNR-IRPI, Sezione di Bari

c/o Ist. Geologia Applicata e Geotecnica

Politecnico di Bari

Via Orabona 4

70125 Bari

Italy

tel. +39-080-5428137

fax +39-080-5567944

e-mail: cerimp06@area.ba.cnr.it