Research methods and techniques in speleology

Objectives of the course

Student has to get an overview of the research methods and techniques which can be applied in karst caves, including measurement of physical and chemical parameters, sampling and monitoring.

Prerequisites

Secondary school geography and geology.

Assessment methods

Oral examination or examination by distance for the whole module, seminar presentation.

Course contents

The main content presents techniques of surveying and mapping of karst caves, basic measurements of physical and chemical parameters (water and air), sampling of cave sediments and their preparation for special analyses (mineralogical, Roentgen, dating techniques).

Recommended reading

• Bonacci, O., 1987: Karst Hydrology. 1-184, Berlin
• Cullingford, 1976: The Science of Speleology, 1-420, New York
• Dreybrodt, W., 1988: Processes in karst Systems. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
• Ford, D., & P., Williams, 1989: Karst Geomorphology and Hydrology, 1-601, London
• Gams, I., 1962 : Meritve korozijske intenzitete v Sloveniji in njihov pomen za geomorfologijo, Geografski vestnik 34/1962, 3-20, Ljubljana
• Gams, I., 1973: Slovenska kraška terminologija, 1973, Ljubljana
• Gams, I., 1974: Kras. Slovenska matica, 1-357, Ljubljana
• Kranjc, A., 1989: Recent fluvial cave sediments, their origin and role in speleogenesis.- Opera 4.razreda, SAZU, ZRC, Inštitut za raziskovanje krasa, 27, 1, 1-167, Ljubljana
• Krawczyk, W.E., 1996: Manual for karst water analysis. International journal of speleology, handbook 1 - Physical speleology. 1-51, Chieti