Karst Carbon Cycle - Quantitative Physicogeographical Determination for the Various Climate Relief Types of Slovenia

Dissolution of carbonates is an important part of global carbon cycle since (a) it mobilizes long-term stored carbon in the form of carbonates (CaCO₃ and CaMg(CO₃)₂) into the terrestrial hydrosphere, where carbon can be incorporated in the biospheric (biomass) or litospheric (fresh-water carbonates) part of global carbon cycle or is transported further into the oceans. On the other hand, (b) carbon from the atmosphere/pedosphere is included in the karstification as (nowadays problematic) CO₂. Numerous karst phenomena (dissolutional microrelief forms, dissolution dolines, collapse dolines, karst caves, sinter, tufa) are, by the influence of other factors (tectonics, climate, soil and vegetation), therefore a result of global flow of carbon. From this point of view, role of karst is highly underestimated and seeks for more attention.

The basic purpose of research project is determination and quantification of carbon flow on karst and their local/regional variability that are largely the result of different relief and climate situations.