Due to imbalance between surface karst features that indicate carbon sequestration (limestone dissolution and development of karst gorges) on one hand and measured processes immediately behind them in caves on the other (release of carbon into the atmosphere and sinter deposition), part of our research was focused toward the role of microorganisms on dissolution. The latter was previously indicated by strongly etched illuminated limestone surfaces. We found out that role of microorganisms can be important in illuminated freshwater environment and very small, if at all, in caves. Depending on methodology, this can lead to misinterpretation since aggressiveness of water with respect to calcite, which is common tool of geochemists calculating rates of dissolution, has small correlation with total dissolution (chemical+biological) and using only hydrochemical data can be strongly misleading. Research outputs could not be possible without our previous efforts to develop appropriate and innovative methodology.
COBISS.SI-ID: 37780269
This is a summary of basic outputs of PostDoc project that were available till June 2015, namely outputs of first and second phase that show very clearly power function (with negative exponent) between soil CO2 concentration and altitude (attached file "pCO2-izviri in prenikla voda kraških jam.jpg"). It is also a basis for original paper that is currently in final stage of preparation by project leader where also later measurements are taken into account.
COBISS.SI-ID: 38601517