Projects / Programmes
Methodology for monitoring the sustainable use of karst show caves with automatic measurements – role model – Postojna cave
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.12.00 |
Humanities |
Geography |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| T000 |
Technological sciences |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.07 |
Social Sciences |
Social and economic geography |
karst geography, microclimate, CO2, automatic measuring systems, guidelines for sustainable cave tourism, impact of tourism, weather, climate change
Researchers (10)
Organisations (2)
Abstract
Natural karst features have been named after the Kras region in Slovenia. Over 150 years ago the development of the scientific discipline karstology began here, which is focused to scientific research and protection of karst areas.
The exquisite beauty of karst caves, including the Slovenian Postojna Cave, is a first-class tourist attraction.
Karst cave tourism is booming all over the world and becoming an important economic activity. However, this presents a potential threat of an irreversible destruction of karst caves.
Natural ventilation is the key mechanism that “carries away” the impacts of tourists, i.e. CO2 and the introduced energy, from the cave atmosphere. In order to understand the air currents in a highly complex cave geometry, we need a greater amount of system knowledge and dedicated measurements than can be found in previous partial, unrelated solutions. Based on ventilation mechanisms, we will give a comprehensive answer, theoretical and practically measurable, on how to monitor the tourist use of a karst cave using an Automatic climatological expert cave measurement system to prevent excessive use. The key global contribution will be the establishment of a methodology for determining carrying capacity based on automatic measurements of cave microclimate, and the monitoring of the sustainable use of a karst show cave.
All conclusions regarding the carrying capacity will be based on automatically measured data on the cave’s microclimate; they can be independently verified and will not be a subjective estimate.
The project’s main innovation will be the introduction of automatic measurements of CO2 as a direct tracer of successful ventilation or of excessive use. Our new key hypothesis is that carrying capacity is the DYNAMIC FUNCTION of the cave’s microclimatological parameters. It can be independently verified by suitable dedicated measurements of cave microclimate.
Besides monitoring excessive tourist use, the project will also develop a methodology for identifying cave microclimate based on automatic measurements. We will be introducing the following comprehensive innovations into global karstology:
- Criteria for the micro, mezzo and macro placement and representativeness of measurement sites;
- Guidelines for the periodic calibration of sensors and electronic interfaces in karst caves;
- Guidelines for automatic control of data quality for automatic cave measurement systems, which will be a global innovation in karstology; most karstological climatological measurements do not focus on this important segment;
- Methodology for processing the measured microclimatological data, which will encompass directions for a suitable sampling frequency at the sensor level, and directions regarding the contents of databases and statistical processing in longer time units;
- Methods for the fast detection of changes in microclimate;
- Perfected use of DTN (delay and disruption networking) technology for non-invasive communications in karst caves;
- Testbed environment for a practical demonstration in the world-famous Postojna Cave in the Classical Karst, which is visited by masses of tourists.
- The anticipated basic scientific result is identification of the natural ventilation of a karst cave, as the key mechanism of the transfer of energy and matter between the cave and external atmosphere, using a measurement system and assessing it with a model.
Application of the original project results will not be limited to show caves; most of them will be generally applicable in karstological research. So far, no one has systematically analysed and combined these sets into a comprehensive methodology. The methodology as a whole will denote a total global innovation. In light of the boom in cave tourism, this will serve as an important scientific basis for preventing the harmful effects of tourist use.
Implementation of the set objectives is guaranteed by the previous experience and (independent and joint) re
Significance for science
This project will give a comprehensive answer on how to applicatively monitor the tourist use of a karst cave using an Automatic climatological expert cave measurement system to prevent excessive use of the cave. The key global contribution will be the establishment of a methodology for determining carrying capacity based on automatic measurements of cave microclimate, and the monitoring of the sustainable use of a karst show cave.
The following solutions will be a global innovation:
All conclusions regarding the carrying capacity will be based on automatically measured data on the cave’s microclimate; they can be independently verified and will not be a subjective estimate.
The project’s total innovation will be the introduction of automatic measurements of CO2 as a direct tracer of excessive use or too poor ventilation of the show cave. Our new key hypothesis is that carrying capacity is the dynamic function of the cave’s microclimatological parameters. It can be independently verified by suitable dedicated measurements of cave microclimate.
Besides monitoring excessive tourist use of the cave, the project will also develop a methodology for identifying cave microclimate based on automatic measurements. The following innovations will be introduced into karstology:
- Criteria for the micro, mezzo and macro placement and representativeness of measurement sites, which will describe the key characteristics of cave microclimate as a whole;
- Guidelines for the periodic calibration of sensors and electronic interfaces in karst caves;
- Guidelines for automatic control of data quality for automatic cave measurement systems, which will be a global innovation in karstology; most karstological climatological measurements do not focus on this important segment;
- Methodology for processing the measured microclimatological data, and directions regarding the contents of databases and statistical processing in longer time units (from sampling to annual and even more long-term values);
- Methods for the fast detection of changes in microclimate, which will be an important algorithm result;
- Perfected use of DTN technology for non-invasive communications in karst caves;
- Testbed environment for a practical demonstration in the world-famous Postojna Cave in the Classical Karst, which is visited by masses of tourists.
Application of the original project results will not be limited to show caves; most of them will be generally applicable in karstological research.
These research sets and anticipated original results have never been systematically analysed and combined into a comprehensive methodology. Even as a whole (methodology for the measurement monitoring of the sustainable use of a show cave), it will denote a total global innovation and will serve as a very important scientific basis for preventing the harmful effects of tourist use.
Significance for the country
The previous partial measurement solutions did not study the cave integrally. The project results will serve as scientific directions on how to establish automatic measurement monitoring of cave microclimate in order to obtain comprehensive knowledge.
The proposed project is important for the preservation of natural heritage, which the Postojna Cave symbolizes. Guidelines for sustainable use will enable a proper balance between commercially-oriented use and the preservation of a natural jewel. The working Automatic climatological expert cave measurement system, designed at the highest level, will be an objective tool for monitoring the cave’s proper use. Since Postojna Cave is not the only show cave in Slovenia, the managers of other, smaller caves will be able to see how this system works in practice and then adopt its essential elements. In the long run, we will raise the level of environmental care in the commercial use of caves. We will transfer this good practice example to our neighbouring countries and throughout the world, where karst show caves exist.
The project’s co-financier (Postojnska jama d.d.) wants to preserve the cave’s current condition in the long run. It will be aided by the scientifically-supported directions. These directions are of broader importance, because tourism in karst caves is becoming an increasingly important global industry. This industry is striving towards a balance between use/utilization and the natural intact condition, which is difficult to achieve in practice without detailed directions and a monitoring measurement system.
Until now, partner - the company MEIS d.o.o. has been generating income from products for the market, from a European research project and from several national applied research projects. For MEIS d.o.o. this project will be an excellent opportunity to raise its market product – environmental measurement systems with the corresponding software – to the highest professional level, also for karst caves. The co-financier REODOM d.o.o. is focused mainly on the development of DTN technologies. This project envisages the development of an operational version of such communication technology for demanding areas without infrastructure. The working testbed environment in the Postojna Cave will be of exceptional importance for the marketing of DTN technology.
For the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, which grants the concession for the tourist use of the Postojna Cave, the “Methodology for Monitoring the Sustainable Use of Show Caves” will be of exceptional importance. The results of this project will be a key element in assessing the cave’s carrying capacity.
Most important scientific results
Interim report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Interim report
