Karstology and Development Challenges

This course is part of the programme
Master’s study programme Environment (second cycle)

Objectives and competences

h2. Objectives: * Based on the development experience, gained on the karst, and on fresh karstological and sociogeographic knowledge, the course will enable students to understand the special features of karst landscape and thus gain foundations for becoming involved in the sensible planning of life on the karst; * this knowledge will serve as a basis for municipal, broader regional and national planning, spatial planning, urbanism, management of natural features and their sensible exploitation, sustainable development, and emphasising our internationally established tradition of Slovene karst and karstology.

h2. General competences: * qualification for performing independent professional work in the field of karst geography; * application of theoretical and practical research methods in understanding and directing the interdependence between humans and their social and natural environment; * qualification for planning sustainable development possibilities in the field of the karst in Slovenia and throughout the world.

h2. Course‐specific competences: * knowledge and understanding of the foundations of modern karst geography as a basis for the good management and direction of sustainable development; * ability to carry out karstological planning in karst landscapes and their protection; * ability to solve selected development issues using special knowledge, scientific methods and other skills.

Prerequisites

General knowledge of geography.

Content

The course enables students to take part in the karstological planning of life on the karst and in its protection, based on integral knowledge and understanding of the three‐dimensional karst heritage.

h2. Major topics: * dentifying and understanding karst landscape, and the development of the use of the karst surface, caves, waters and other natural resources; * presenting fresh, directly applicable karstological experience and methods, and their importance; * knowledge and protection of natural heritage; * sensible planning of life on the karst, taking into account the peculiar karst characteristics, settlement, drinking water supply; * the special features of life in the different types of karst at home and abroad; * planning and supervising greater activities that affect the karst (traffic roads, quarries and waste disposal sites); * managing and using karst features for tourism purposes; * protection of the karst surface, caves and waters; * presenting findings and learning about the planning of life on the karst.

Intended learning outcomes

h2. Knowledge and understanding of: * by coming to understand contemporary research approaches, students learn about the special features of the karst environment; * connection between the natural geographical features of the karst and the life on it; * vulnerability of karst landscape.

h2. Application: * students are qualified to plan life on the karst and to protect it; * students are ready to teach about the evolution of life on the karst.

h2. Reflection: * students become familiar with and continue the development of the exceptional tradition of Slovene karst and karstology, connected with our, internationally speaking, special natural and cultural heritage of the Kras region and of the classical karst; * they gain the ability to form important findings about the karst and to plan life on it.

Readings

  • KRANJC, A. (ur.). Monitoring of karst caves, (Acta carsologica, ISSN 0583‐6050, vol. 31, no. 1). Ljubljana: Slovenska akademija znanosti in umetnosti: Znanstvenoraziskovalni center SAZU, 2002, str. 85‐96, ilustr. E-version
  • KNEZ, M. (ur.), SLABE, Tadej (ur.). Kraški pojavi, razkriti med gradnjo slovenskih avtocest, (Carsologica, 7). Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU, 2007, str. 9‐22, ilustr., zvd. Catalogue
  • MIHEVC, A. (ur.). Kras : voda in življenje v kamniti pokrajini = water and life in a rocky landscape, (Projekt Aquadapt). Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU, 2005, str. 44‐56, ilustr., zvd. Catalogue
  • KNEZ, M., SLABE, T. Caves and sinkholes in motorway construction, Slovenia : case study 3. V: WALTHAM, Tony, BELL, Fred, CULSHAW, Martin. Sinkholes and subsidence : karst and cavernous rocks in engineering and construction, (Springer‐Praxis books in geophysical sciences). Berlin [etc.]: Springer: Praxis, cop. 2005, str. 283‐288, ilustr. E-version
  • GABROVŠEK, F., KNEZ, M., KOGOVŠEK, J., MIHEVC, A., MULEC, J., PERNE, M., PETRIČ, M., PIPAN, T., PRELOVŠEK, M., SLABE, T., ŠEBELA, S., RAVBAR, N. Development challenges in karst regions : sustainable land use planning in the karst of Slovenia. Carbonates and evaporites, ISSN 0891‐2556, 2011, vol. 26, nr. 4, str. 365‐380, ilustr. doi: 10.1007/s13146‐011‐0072‐3 E-version
  • KNEZ, M., KOGOVŠEK, J., LIU, H., MULEC, J., PETRIČ, M., RAVBAR, N., SLABE, T. Karstological study of the new Kunming airport building area (Yunnan, China). Environmental earth sciences, ISSN 1866‐6280, 2012, vol. 67, iss. 1, str. 273‐ 283, ilustr. E-version doi: 10.1007/s12665‐011‐1506‐x
  • DEBEVEC, B., KNEZ, M., KRANJC, A., PAHOR, M., PRELOVŠEK, M,, SEMEJA, A., SLABE, T. Preliminary study for the adaptation of the "Heaven's Cave" for tourist purposes (Phong Nha‐Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam) = Predhodna študija za turistično ureditev Nebeške jame (Narodni park Phong Nha‐Ke Bang, Vietnam). Acta carsologica, ISSN 0583‐ 6050, 2012, letn. 41, št. 1, str. 115‐127, ilustr.] E-version
  • PRELOVŠEK, M. (ur.), ZUPAN, H. N. (ur.). Pressures and protection of the underground karst : cases from Slovenia and Croatia = Pritiski in varovanje podzemnega krasa : primeri iz Slovenije in Hrvaške = Pritisci i zaštita podzemnog krša: primjeri iz Slovenije i Hrvatske. Postojna: Inštitut za raziskovanje krasa ZRC SAZU: = Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU, 2011, str. 83‐92, ilustr.] E-version
  • CULVER, D. C., DEBEVEC, B., KNEZ, M., KOVAČIČ, G., KRANJC, A., MULEC, J., PIPAN, T., PRELOVŠEK, M., RAVBAR, N., SEMEJA, A., SLABE, T., ŠEBELA, S., ZUPAN H. N., KNEZ, M. (urednik), PETRIČ, M. (urednik), SLABE, T. (urednik). Krasoslovje v razvojnih izzivih na krasu. 2, Gradnja, turizem, ekologija, varovanje = Karstology and development challenges on karst. 2, Construction, tourism, ecology, protection, (Carsologica, 14). Ljubljana: Založba ZRC: = ZRC Publishing, 2012. 199 str., ilustr. ISBN 978‐961‐254‐340‐2. Catalogue

  • Other literature will be presented in lectures.

Assessment

Written examination

Lecturer's references

Prof. Dr. Tadej Slabe is a Full Professor of Karstology.

  • CULVER, D. C., DEBEVEC, B., KNEZ, M., KOVAČIČ, G., KRANJC, A., MULEC, J., PIPAN, T., PRELOVŠEK, M., RAVBAR, N., SEMEJA, A., SLABE, T., ŠEBELA, S., ZUPAN, H. N., KNEZ, M. (urednik), PETRIČ, M. (urednik), SLABE, T. (urednik). Krasoslovje v razvojnih izzivih na krasu. 2, Gradnja, turizem, ekologija, varovanje = Karstology and development challenges on karst. 2, Construction, tourism, ecology, protection, (Carsologica, 14). Ljubljana: Založba ZRC: = ZRC Publishing, 2012. 199 str., ilustr. ISBN 978‐961‐254‐340‐2.
  • DEBEVEC, B., KNEZ, M., KRANJC, A., PAHOR, M., PRELOVŠEK, M., SEMEJA, A., SLABE, T. Preliminary study for the adaptation of the "Heaven's Cave" for tourist purposes (Phong Nha‐Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam) = Predhodna študija za turistično ureditev Nebeške jame (Narodni park Phong Nha‐Ke Bang, Vietnam). Acta carsologica, ISSN 0583‐6050, 2012, letn. 41, št. 1, str. 115‐127, ilustr.
  • GABROVŠEK, F., KNEZ, M., KOGOVŠEK, J., MIHEVC, A., MULEC, J., PERNE, M., PETRIČ, M., PIPAN, T., PRELOVŠEK, M., SLABE, T., ŠEBELA, S., RAVBAR, N. Development challenges in karst regions : sustainable land use planning in the karst of Slovenia. Carbonates and evaporites, ISSN 0891‐2556, 2011, vol. 26, nr. 4, str. 365‐380, ilustr. http://www.metapress.com/content/184ur670026301h8/fulltext.pdf, doi: 10.1007/s13146‐011‐0072‐3.
  • KNEZ, M., SLABE, T. Lithological characteristics, shape and rock relief of the Lunan stone forest. V: GINÉS, Á. (ur.), et al. Karst rock features : karren sculpturing, (Carsologica, 9). Ljubljana: Založba ZRC: = ZRC Publishing, 2009, str. 439‐452, ilustr.
  • KNEZ, M., SLABE, T. Krasoslovna spremljava gradnje, raziskave ter načrtovanja avtocest prek slovenskega krasa. V: KNEZ, M. (ur.), SLABE, T. (ur.). Kraški pojavi, razkriti med gradnjo slovenskih avtocest, (Carsologica, 7). Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU, 2007, str. 9‐22, ilustr., zvd.

h2. Other lecturers:

Prof. Dr. Martin Knez is an Associate Professor of Karstology. * CULVER, D. C., DEBEVEC, B., KNEZ, M., KOVAČIČ, G., KRANJC, A., MULEC, J., PIPAN, T., PRELOVŠEK, M., RAVBAR, N., SEMEJA, A., SLABE, T., ŠEBELA, S., ZUPAN, H. N., KNEZ, M. (urednik), PETRIČ, M. (urednik), SLABE, T. (urednik). Krasoslovje v razvojnih izzivih na krasu. 2, Gradnja, turizem, ekologija, varovanje = Karstology and development challenges on karst. 2, Construction, tourism, ecology, protection, (Carsologica, 14). Ljubljana: Založba ZRC: = ZRC Publishing, 2012. 199 str., ilustr. ISBN 978‐961‐254‐340‐2. * DEBEVEC, B., KNEZ, M., KRANJC, A., PAHOR, M., PRELOVŠEK, M., SEMEJA, A., SLABE, T. Preliminary study for the adaptation of the "Heaven's Cave" for tourist purposes (Phong Nha‐Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam) = Predhodna študija za turistično ureditev Nebeške jame (Narodni park Phong Nha‐Ke Bang, Vietnam). Acta carsologica, ISSN 0583‐6050, 2012, letn. 41, št. 1, str. 115‐127, ilustr. * GABROVŠEK, F., KNEZ, M., KOGOVŠEK, J., MIHEVC, A., MULEC, J., PERNE, M., PETRIČ, M., PIPAN, T., PRELOVŠEK, M., SLABE, T., ŠEBELA, S., RAVBAR, N. Development challenges in karst regions : sustainable land use planning in the karst of Slovenia. Carbonates and evaporites, ISSN 0891‐2556, 2011, vol. 26, nr. 4, str. 365‐380, ilustr. http://www.metapress.com/content/184ur670026301h8/fulltext.pdf, doi: 10.1007/s13146‐011‐0072‐3. * KNEZ, M., SLABE, T. Lithological characteristics, shape and rock relief of the Lunan stone forest. V: GINÉS, Á. (ur.), et al. Karst rock features : karren sculpturing, (Carsologica, 9). Ljubljana: Založba ZRC: = ZRC Publishing, 2009, str. 439‐452, ilustr. * KNEZ, M., SLABE, T. Krasoslovna spremljava gradnje, raziskave ter načrtovanja avtocest prek slovenskega krasa. V: KNEZ, M. (ur.), SLABE, T. (ur.). Kraški pojavi, razkriti med gradnjo slovenskih avtocest, (Carsologica, 7). Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU, 2007, str. 9‐22, ilustr., zvd.

Prof. Dr. Stanka Šebela is an Associate Professor of Karstology. * GREGORIČ A., VAUPOTIČ J., ŠEBELA S., 2014: The role of cave ventilation in governing cave air temperature and radon levels (Postojna Cave, Slovenia). International journal of climatology, 34, 5, 1488‐1500. * ŠEBELA S., TURK J., 2014: Natural and anthropogenic influences on the year‐round temperature dynamics of air and water in Postojna show cave, Slovenia. Tourism management, 40, 233‐243. * ŠEBELA S., PRELOVŠEK M., TURK J., 2013: Impact of peak period visits on the Postojna Cave (Slovenia) microclimate. Theoretical and applied climatology, 111, 1/2, 51‐64. http://www.springerlink.com/content/kt122v61708p7784/fulltext.pdf, doi: 10.1007/s00704‐012‐0644‐8 * ŠEBELA S., TURK J., 2011: Air temperature characteristics of the Postojna and Predjama cave systems. Acta geographica Slovenica, 51, 1, 43‐64. * ŠEBELA S., TURK J., 2011: Local characteristics of Postojna Cave climate, air temperature, and pressure monitoring. Theoretical and applied climatology, 105, 3/4, 371‐386.