Publication Date

Fall 2021

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Jason Polk (Director), Jun Yan, Pat Kambesis, and Matt Powell

Degree Program

Department of Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences

Degree Type

Master of Science

Abstract

Karst terrains are complex landscapes that are sensitive to human disturbance. Human activities have polluted and impacted many of these terrains around the world. To preserve these unique landscapes, many karst regions are protected and designated as national parks, geologic special areas, or UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. Despite the widespread general protection of karst landscapes globally, a review of each area’s management plan reveals there is no standardized method of cave and karst management or evaluation of karst impacts.

The non-standardization of karst management strategies may be due to the gap that exists between the needs of karst land managers and the tools provided to them to make management decisions, which are driven by an entity’s objectives. Since 1996, researchers have been developing indices to help fill this gap, including groundwater vulnerability, disturbance, and significance indices. These indices vary in their application, validity, and ease of use. This project aimed to synthesize existing cave and karst indices in a geospatial framework designed to fit the needs of land managers. The goal was to create a comprehensive, holistic, and easy to use set of tools for identifying Karst Management Priority Zones on protected lands. The resulting products were the spatial Karst Disturbance Index (sKDI), spatial Karst Significance Index (sKSI), and combined Priority Management Index (PMI) that were applied and tested against a protected karst area in the Tongass National Forest, Alaska. Successful application and validation of these tools indicates the potential for their use in evaluating and assisting with karst management in any setting.

Disciplines

Earth Sciences | Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment | Environmental Sciences | Natural Resources Management and Policy

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