Cave and Karst

  The Silent Killer: Untreated Wastewater and Acid Mine Drainage Contamination of Karst Systems - Mike Buchanan (2026) Abstract Karst aquifer systems represent one of the most critical freshwater resources on Earth, supplying drinking water to an estimated 20–25% of the global population (Ford & Williams, 2007). Due to their intrinsic hydrogeological characteristics, high permeability, conduit flow, and minimal natural filtration, karst systems are exceptionally vulnerable to contamination. This paper examines the compounded impacts of untreated wastewater discharge and acid mine drainage (AMD) on karst environments, with reference to documented cases in the United Kingdom and South Africa. The interaction between sewage effluent, mining-derived acidity and carbonate geology produces complex geochemical reactions that mobilize heavy metals, generate toxic gases and degrade aquifer integrity. The paper highlights hydrochemical processes, environmental consequences, policy fa...

  Urban and Industrial Development on Soluble Karst Terrains: Mechanisms, Consequences, Monitoring, and Management Mike Buchanan 2026 Abstract Urbanisation and industrial development on carbonate and other soluble-rock terrains accelerate karstification and disrupt epikarstic environments. Concentrated runoff, altered loading, excavation, and sediment delivery intensify dissolution, enlarge conduits, produce new voids and sinkholes and cause rapid sedimentary occlusion of conduits that together reconfigure hydrologic regimes and degrade groundwater quality. This paper synthesizes mechanisms, observed consequences, monitoring indicators (including increased turbidity, TDS, conductivity, and faster dye-tracer velocities), and causative management measures. Development on karst-prone terrain should be discouraged; where unavoidable, rigorous pre-development assessment, watershed-scale drainage design preserving diffuse recharge, land-use restrictions and legal/financial stewards...

  Managing Fire in Karst Landscapes: Geoethical Implications and Strategies for Sustainable Burn Practices Mike Buchanan - 2025 Abstract Karst landscapes, composed of soluble rocks such as limestone, gypsum, chalk and dolomite, represent fragile ecosystems that host unique subterranean biodiversity and critical freshwater reserves. These terrains are increasingly threatened by fire, driven by both natural and anthropogenic causes. Due to their thin soils, porous geology and complex hydrology, karst systems are exceptionally vulnerable to the cascading impacts of fire, including biodiversity loss, groundwater contamination, and geological alteration. This paper explores fire origins, current management practices, emergency response efficiency and risk management in karst landscapes. By adopting a geoethical framework, we analyse both the threats and opportunities posed by fire, with a particular focus on the integration of Indigenous knowledge, ecological monitoring and modern ...