First assessment on the air CO2 dynamic in the show caves of tropical karst, Vietnam

The carbonate areas of Southeast Asia are part of the global set of well-developed tropical-subtropical karst regions and form water-rich aquifers. Due to the strong development of karst features, groundwater in karst conduits flows rapidly and is susceptible to various environmental problems, including rocky desertification and socioeconomic impacts leading to poverty. Karst-related data for the region are scarce and scattered. Based on information contributed by training workshops of the International Research Center on Karst (IRCK) under the auspices of UNESCO, as well as published literature, this study summarizes karst hydrogeological data and waterrelated environmental issues in Southeast Asia, in an attempt to find commonality, and to form both generally valid and region-specific concepts that can be extended to data-deficient areas, where these concepts may serve as a guide for governments when managing the karst environment. Based on topographic differences, karst terrains in Southeast Asia were classified into four types: karst on plateaux, karst in mountains, karst in plains, and karst on islands. This approach was utilized to compile and classify the surveyed karsts. The examples shared by participants in the IRCK training workshops included karst information from their own countries, most of which have not been published in English. The case studies demonstrate that karst areas in Southeast Asia are widely and repeatedly exposed to droughts and floods, resulting in environmental constraints and development obstacles. These studies also show that environmental problems can be resolved and sustainable development can be achieved if appropriate management measures are taken.

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“…Tourism must be carefully developed. Environmental monitoring is necessary to assess the impact of tourism (Trinh et al 2018).…”

Section: The Water Environment Of Karst In Mountainsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The karst water environment in Southeast Asia: characteristics, challenges, and approaches

Jiang¹,

Chen²,

Siripornpibul³

et al. 2020

Hydrogeol J

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Where Angels Fear to Tread: Developments in Cave Ecology

Humphreys

2018

Cave Ecology

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Impact of water exhaled out by visitors in show caves: a case study from the Moravian Karst (Czech Republic)

Lang,

Faimon,

Pracný

et al. 2024

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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The anthropogenic impact of the water and CO2 exhaled by visitors was studied in the show caves of the Moravian Karst (Czech Republic), especially in the Balcarka and Výpustek Caves. Two alternative models based on (1) the known/presumed composition of the breathed air and physical activity of visitors and (2) the detailed monitoring microclimatic data were proposed. The CO2 fluxes of 2.4 × 10−4 and (2.0–3.9) × 10−4 mol person−1 s−1 and the water vapor fluxes of (3.2–8.9) × 10−3 and (0.6–1.2) × 10−2 g person−1 s−1 were found for a slightly increased physical load. The total attendance and cave tour duration were the main driving factors. For the available data on attendance and accessibility periods, the total mass of water vapor exhaled by visitors in all show caves in the Moravian Karst was estimated between 9.6 × 106 and 4.3 × 108 g with significant seasonality. According to the geochemical model, this mass of water is capable of dissolving 1280 to 59,038 g of calcite, assuming a mean winter and summer CO2 concentration in the cave air of 1000 and 3000 ppmv. The larger extent of water condensation can lead to the so-called condensation corrosion, whereas the lower extent of condensation probably causes a recrystallization of calcite on the surface of speleothems and rocks.

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First assessment on the air CO2 dynamic in the show caves of tropical karst, Vietnam

Cited by 7 publications

References 26 publications

The karst water environment in Southeast Asia: characteristics, challenges, and approaches

The karst water environment in Southeast Asia: characteristics, challenges, and approaches

Where Angels Fear to Tread: Developments in Cave Ecology

Impact of water exhaled out by visitors in show caves: a case study from the Moravian Karst (Czech Republic)

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