engleski

The Plitvice Lakes

The increasing pollution of our environment as deliberate or unintentional consequences of human activities has to a great extent spoiled sensitive karst ecosystems. This has led, for example, to distortions of landscapes, to soil erosion, to increased solution processes and to input of contaminants into the underground system. Some of the various impairments to karst ecosystems, which damage natural resources, may threaten directly the life of man, animals and plants and their living space. Large parts of our earth are covered by karst areas and in many regions the karst aquifers are the only available water resources for drinking water. Even large cities in Europe, Asia and America obtain their drinking water from karst water resources. These humanly induced changes to karst are a serious challenge to every hydrogeologist. We have to recognize that the resulting problems cannot be solved just by technical measures. It is necessary also to change of human behavior and perception in respect of the natural resources involved. In order to preserve the quantity and quality of karst groundwater the efforts of the whole of society are required, but though an increasing awareness of environmental problems can be observed, there is still a lack of awareness of the specific problems of the vulnerable karst systems. The IAH Karst Commission decided in 1993 to contribute to an increasing awareness of the vulnerability of our karst systems and karst groundwater resources by publishing examples of the human impacts on karst groundwater. A great number of colleagues put their experience at our disposal. With introductory chapters by main coordinators and succeeding case studies, we hope to present a convincing depiction of the environmental problems of karst aquifers ; not only for experts, but also for politicians, managers, administrators, planners and the whole interested public.

Plitvice Lakes, Karst Hydrogeology, Human Activities

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