Karst Systems in our changing environment

ANNOUNCEMENT AND FIRST CIRCULAR

International Conference dedicated to the 300th Anniversary of the birth of M.V.Lomonosov
to be held 5-10 September 2011

The International Conference 'Northern karst systems in our changing environment' will focus on the problems of northern karst territories, their natural character, details of their genesis and geography, structure and dynamics of karst system components, research on cave glaciation, changes in karst systems under the impact of global climate change and the issues of karst landscape and cave conservation. The conference will be held at the State Nature Reserve «Pinezhsky» near the small town of Pinega in the north of Russia,



Arkhangelsk Region. During the field excursions participants will be able to see the local gypsum-karst landscape and caves that are the example of north-taiga gypsum karst in cold climate.

Organizing Institutions

• Russian Geographical Society
• UIS Commission on Karst Hydrogeology and Speleogenesis
• Institute of Ecological Problems of the North, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
• State Nature Reserve «Pinezhsky», Russia
• Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences
• Moscow State University, Russia
• St.-Petersburg University, Russia
• Ukrainian Institute of Speleology and Karstology
• McMaster University, Canada
• Department of Earth Sciences, Bergen University, Norway
• Natural Sciences Institute of the Perm State University, Russia
• Permafrost Study Institute, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Conference Venue

The conference venue is located in a rural setting by the State Nature Reserve «Pinezhsky» (about 200 km southeast of Arkhangelsk). The participants will gather in the town of Archangelsk and travel to the conference venue by coach (c. 4.5 hours).

Conference Sessions 

1. Karst and cave development in cold climates

• Geology, hydrogeology and speleogenisis
• Palaeogeography
• Cave glaciation, cryogenic phenomena within karst areas
• Mineralogy and ontogeny of ice formations and cryogenic features
• Karst as a factor of landscape organization

2. Land use and human impact within northern karst systems

• Building and land use within karst territories
• Results of anthropogenic impacts on karst systems
• Cave use regulations
• Karst as a factor of regional economic development

3. Biology of cave organisms at low temperatures

• Biodiversity and biogeography of northern caves
• Mechanisms of adaptation to low temperatures
• Cave ecosystem ecology

4. Recreation and ecological education within northern karst areas

• Information provision for ecological education purposes
• Visitor capacity of caves and karst landscapes
• Creation of ecological footpaths
• Protection of caves and karst features
• Museum establishment and management

Excursions 
1. Gypsum karst cave by the conference venue (‘Golubinsky Proval’), c. 2hours.
2. Surface and underground gypsum karst of the Nature Reserve «Pinezhsky», c. 8 hours.
3. Open-air wooden architecture museum of 'Malye Karely', c. 3 hours.

Preliminary Conference Timetable 
5 Sept.
Gathering of participants in the town of Arkhangelsk. Travelling by coach to the conference venue of Golubino, stopping on route to visit the open-air wooden architecture museum of 'Malye Karely'.

6 Sept.
Registration of participants. Opening of the Conference. Plenary presentations.
Reception banquet and brief presentation about the Pinega Region.
Video films.

7 Sept.
Plenary presentations and thematic sessions.
Excursion to the 'Golubinsky Proval' cave and to the karst vale.

8 Sept.
Thematic sessions and poster presentations.

9 Sept.
Excursion to the karst field with closely spaced dolines ("shelopnyak"), field lecture and general discussion (packed lunch). Evening picnic with bonfire and barbecue.

10 Sept.
Participants travel back to Archangelsk by coach.

Organization Fee 
The conference fee is 250 euro, which includes return coach travel from Arkhangelsk to the «Pinezhsky» Reserve, all excursions, opening and closing dinners (banquet and picnic), packed lunch for the day-long excursion, the Field Guide and Conference Proceedings.

Accommodation will be paid separately (still awaiting confirmation of costs). Options for accomodation are detailed on the Conference website.

Field Guide 
A bilingual (Russian-English) local area guide will be issued prior to the Conference.

Conference Proceedings 
The Conference Proceedings will be issued at the beginning of the Conference. Papers of a maximum of four pages including tables and figures should be written either in Russian with summary in English, or entirely in English. MS Word 2003 is preferred format. Papers can be submitted on-line or by e-mail.

Deadlines 

• 1 December 2010 – opening on-line registration of participants
• 1 April 2010 – the 2nd Announcement
• 15 June 2011 – abstract submission closed
• 1 August 2011 – registration of participants without reports closed
• 5 September 2011 – the opening day of the Conference

On-line registration 
The on-line registration is open at the Conference web-site: http://agora.guru.ru/cold-karst-2011/