ESCI1907: Caves and Karst: Rocks, Water, and Human Impact

With a focus on caves in Minnesota and throughout the world, this freshman seminar addresses general principles of earth science and climate change on various temporal scales, and the relationship between human activities (e.g., land use) and the environment. Environmental issues surrounding urban and agricultural groundwater water quality and use are a primary focus. We will be using the underlying scientific principles of geology, hydrology, biology, and chemistry of karst and cave systems in order to more clearly grapple with these environmental issues. We will examine the current limitations of our technologies to model groundwater flow in complex cave and karst environments, and discuss the ramifications of these limitations on the development of reasonable zoning regulations, agricultural practices, and groundwater quality criteria. Additionally, this course aims to show that caves have often acted as inhabited places throughout history (even in modern times) and may contain cultural (archaeological) resources worthy of protection. Finally, this course hopes to encourage an appreciation for the roles that caves and karst play in modern society as gas and groundwater reservoirs, the latter of which can be compromised by the migration of contaminated waters. Students will read peer-reviewed research to identify for themselves the environmental issues facing caves and karst and to begin to propose their own potential solutions. Student appreciation for the fragility of cave environments will be grounded in first-hand experiences gained during field trips to local caves.

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