E.A. Martel (1859-1938) is rightly regarded as one of the most important people in the history of cave study. Writing in French, as he did, his work was little known in those parts of central Europe ...that were in the Austrian empire. Thus much of what he wrote about the Classical Karst was not readily accessible to those now living in that area. It is for that reason that this English translation of his 1894 publication has been made. Martel had been in Slovenia from 14 September 1893 to mid October. He was shown the principal caves and karst features of the region by Wilhelm Putick who had been exploring these places from 1886 onwards. This assistance had been authorised by Count Falkenhayn, the Minister of Agriculture in Wien. Such was the importance with which Martel was regarded internationally.
Sustainable development in karst areas should be adapted to its specificities and take into account its vulnerability. The assessment of the development potential and management of karst areas is of ...great importance in Slovenia. This book presents the analyses of the impact of landscape features on the land use and sustainable development in a marginal Slovenian karst landscape ‒ Bela krajina. In order to draw attention to the combination of social perspectives with natural conditions for an integrative view of the karst landscapes, three approaches were used: 1. assessment of the degree of human disturbance to the karst landscape, 2. analyses of land use dynamics, and 3. quantitative and qualitative analyses of the sustainable development of Bela krajina. Karst landscape features affect sustainable development of the study region both positively and negatively. According to local stakeholders the positive effects are mainly connected with tourism, and the negative effects are mainly connected with hampered agriculture. The main message is that karst landscape features should not only be seen as limiting factors, but also for their development potential.
This is a very dull book. Like a dictionary, it contains only facts: facts that are not readily to be found elsewhere. People who are important in the study of caves and karst are known for what they ...did, what they wrote and whom they influenced. But as individuals they are often no more than a name. They may perhaps be recognized for other aspects, as a King perhaps, or a novelist or a famous doctor. Some, like Darwin or Freud, have changed the world in other ways~but very many had only normal quiet lives during which they also explored, studied or wrote about caves. It is they whose wider lives are difficult to trace and it is 4634 of them who are recorded here, with information from birth certificates, obituaries, unpublished letters and mentions by other people. It is their wider lives that help to show them as real people. In some cases their interest in caves was a part of their professional lives. In many others it provides stimulation and relaxation in otherwise busy lives. But in every case it was the same person and the same brain that enjoyed both~and it was both that made them the people they were. It is only from the biographical sources recorded here, that each person can be understood.
The book is the result of joint work and many years of mutual cooperation between researchers from Slovenia and Croatia. It was made as part of the transboundary project ŽIVO! Življenje – voda! (Life ...– Water!) (IPA CBC SI-HR 2007-2013), which involved the participation of authors from project partner institutions as well as invited authors who are familiar with the characteristics of the karst area of Northern Istria and the conditions there relating to drinking water supply. The monograph presents the natural features of Northern Istria, the karst and karst phenomena, karst hydrogeology, ecology and microbiology, and highlights in particular the vulnerability of the karst to various human activities. The main focus of attention is on karst water sources. In assessing their characteristics we used available knowledge of karst water on both sides of the border and supplemented it with new research on the transboundary area in question, which was based on field measurements and sampling, and chemical, microbiological and biological analysis of water. The collected findings form the basis for planning more effective monitoring of the quality of karst water sources, their protection and consequently the improvement of their quality.First editon was published in 2015, this corrected second edition is available also in paperback (ISBN 978-961-05-0001-8).
The scientific monograph ('Palaeofloods in karstic Ljubljanica River Catchment') presents a research on palaeofloods in the main water confluence in the Ljubljanica River Catchment, namely the area ...between the Pivka Basin, Cerknica Karst Polje, and Planina Karst Polje. Several geomorphological forms genetically related to floods have been identified, e.g. floodplains, river terraces, corrosion notches on cave walls, as well as laminated fine-grained sediments. Since they were found at higher altitudes than the present floods reach, they were considered as palaeoflood features. Morphometric analysis of the studied geomorphological forms was used to determine the volume of palaeofloods and their altitudinal range. The hydrometric characteristics of the palaeofloods where calculated by computer modelling. Petrological analyses of fine-grained sediments from the surface and caves were used to determine the origin of sediments and their settling velocities, hence to prove their flood origin. Furthermore, morpho-chronological analyses with radiometric methods 14C and U-Th on flowstones interlaying with flood sediments where carried out. The results show that the volume and altitude of palaeofloods throughout the study area fairly exceeded the highest known recent floods.
The book is the result of joint work and many years of mutual cooperation between researchers from Slovenia and Croatia. It was made as part of the transboundary project ŽIVO! Življenje – voda! (Life ...– Water!) (IPA CBC SI-HR 2007-2013), which involved the participation of authors from project partner institutions as well as invited authors who are familiar with the characteristics of the karst area of Northern Istria and the conditions there relating to drinking water supply. The monograph presents the natural features of Northern Istria, the karst and karst phenomena, karst hydrogeology, ecology and microbiology, and highlights in particular the vulnerability of the karst to various human activities. The main focus of attention is on karst water sources. In assessing their characteristics we used available knowledge of karst water on both sides of the border and supplemented it with new research on the transboundary area in question, which was based on field measurements and sampling, and chemical, microbiological and biological analysis of water. The collected findings form the basis for planning more effective monitoring of the quality of karst water sources, their protection and consequently the improvement of their quality.
Research represent in this monograph (Incomplete Solution Of Carbonate Rocks In Karst Caves Of Slovenia) was dedicated to incomplete solution of limestones and dolomites in karst caves~that is to ...occurrence of thick, soft weathered zones of “soluble” residue of carbonate rocks. With field and laboratory analyses I have tried to find out what is happening within the carbonate rocks during weathering and why they do not dissolve completely. Solution penetrates into the rock along various textures and structures. Results of analysis have shown that during weathering limestones and dolomites become purer~Mg, Sr and U are leached out, structure of the rock becomes more porous. In the cases when surface of weathered rock come in contact with flowing water, the water tears exposed particles and transports them away. If water does not flow over the exposed particles fast enough, they remain attached to the wall of the cave. The ratio between corrosion and the mechanical erosion of carbonate rocks on cave passages walls is more significant for the formation of roughness and rocky relief on the wall than for the growth of the passage. Microorganisms are present in the processes, but it is not yet known if they contribute to the weathering. From research follows that zones of white porous rock on cave walls are a product of weathering and are not precipitated secondary minerals.
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