现代岩溶学学科体系——祝贺《现代岩溶学》出版六周年

Discussions on the disciplinary system of modern karstology--To commemorate the sixth anniversary of the publication of the academic book of Modern Karstology

作为现代地球科学学科体系重要组成部分的岩溶学一直以来都被认为是地质学、地理学、环境科学、生态学之间的交叉、边缘学科,并未建立起自己独立的学科体系。面对全球岩溶地貌分布广泛、生态环境脆弱及问题复杂多样且同经济社会发展密切相关等情况,文章在简要回顾国内外岩溶学发展历程的基础上,通过对近三十年国内外岩溶研究相关学科发展情况的分析,以地球系统科学、岩溶动力学理论为指导,讨论构建现代岩溶学学科体系这一重要问题。文章围绕岩溶动力系统的四大功能和岩溶区资源环境生态问题的实际,从地质学、地理学、地球化学、生态学、环境学、水文学等与现代岩溶学研究相关的学科出发,尝试构建现代岩溶学学科体系,其主要的学科分支包括岩溶地质学、岩溶地貌学、岩溶水文地质学、岩溶环境学、岩溶工程地质学、岩溶生态学、岩溶资源学、全球变化岩溶学、洞穴学等九个分支学科,并简要阐述了各分支学科的科学内涵和定位。分支学科的构建,体现了国际岩溶科学研究中相关研究方向和学科发展独立性和交叉性的统一,体现了国际岩溶学发展的现状和趋势,对于国际岩溶科学的发展具有较为重要的意义。

As an important part of modern earth science,karstology(karst science)has always been considered as a cross and marginal discipline between geology,geography,environmental science and ecology,but has not established its own independent discipline system.According to the latest statistics,15.2%of the global ice-free continental land is characterized by the presence of carbonate rock.The extent of carbonate rocks displaying distinctive karst landforms,which is part of important landscape types on the earth’s surface.However,for a long time,dominated research ideas and methods in karstology are mainly originated from geology,geography,hydrology,environmental science,ecology and other disciplines.In some research fields in karstology,interdisciplinary research has become the dominated characteristic,so the disciplinary systems of karstology itself is submerged in the interdisciplinary research background,which leads to the problems of incomplete disciplinary system,unclear characteristics,inaccurate orientation and so on,and has a certain adverse impact on the sustainable development of the karstological discipline.The widespread karst landform is a fragile ecological environment region with various and complex eco-environmental problems,which is also closely related with the economic and social development.For resolving these problems,it needs to utilize new scientific theory and technique.Based on a brief review of the karstology development at home and abroad,this paper analyzes the development of karstology and its related disciplines in the past 30 years,and discusses an important problem on constructing the disciplinary system of modern karstology under the guidance of earth system science and karst dynamics theory.According to the four functions of karst dynamic system(to drive the formation of karst features,to regulate greenhouse gas in atmosphere,thus mitigate environmental acidification,to drive the movements of elements,thus influence life and bring about formation of mineral deposits,and to record environmental changes)and the related resources,environment and ecological problems in karst area,this paper attempts to establish the disciplinary system of modern karstology on the basis of some views from geology,geography,geochemistry,ecology,environment and hydrology.The main subdisciplines in modern karstoloy include the following nine subdisciplines:karst geology,karst geomorphology,karst hydrogeology,karst environmental science,karst engineering geology,karst ecology,karst resource science,karstic global change science,and speleology.This paper also briefly discusses the scientific connotation and orientation of each branch subject.Karst geology discipline mainly studies the geological process and evolution of various karst phenomena,including petrology and lithofacies paleogeography of various soluble rocks(carbonate rocks,sulphate rocks,halide rocks,etc.),formation environment of strata containing soluble rocks and its formation process,geological structure and processes,development history of karst,etc.Karst geomorphology mainly studies the characteristics,genesis,distribution and evolution of various karst landforms or features on the earth’s surface and their relationship with the formation environment.Karst hydrogeology mainly studies the storage,distribution and movement of karst groundwater,the spatio-temporal variations and evolution of karst groundwater quantity and quality,the mutual transformation between surface water and karst groundwater,the evaluation,exploitation and utilization of karst groundwater resources and the protection of water environment in karst areas under the influences of natural environment and anthropogenic activities.Karst environmental science mainly focuses on the characteristics,interaction relationship and evolution rules of material and energy cycle of the lithosphere,atmosphere,hydrosphere and biosphere constrained by karst around human beings.It also studies various environmental problems in karst areas and proposes corresponding solutions.Karst engineering geology is a science that studies the interaction and mutual influence between engineering construction activities and geological environment in karst areas,and solves engineering geological problems by using the techniques and methods of modern karstology and other related disciplines to ensure the smooth run of construction works and the safe operation of various engineering.Karst ecology mainly studies the structures,functions,operation mechanisms of ecosystem constrained by karst environment and its interaction between ecosystem and human activities.Karstic global change science mainly studies the relationship between the operation processes of karst dynamic system and the source and/or sink of global greenhouse gases(mainly CO_(2))and the interpretation of high resolution global or regional environmental information in karst speleothems.Karst resource science mainly studies the theories and rules of formation,occurrence,evolution and distribution of various resources(mainly natural resources)related to karst system and the theories,techniques and methods of protection,exploitation and sustainable utilization of related resources.Speleology is the science of caves accessible to human,which main studies cave formation,cave landform and related geological processes,the genesis,processes and environmental significance of cave speleothems(sediments)and various cave features,cave physical,chemical,hydrological and meteorological processes,cave biology and microorganism,cave paleontology and archaeology,cave culture and art,cave surveying and mapping technology,cave exploitation,utilization and protection,cave tourism,cave health care,etc.The establishment of these sub-discipilines reflects the unity of independence and interdisciplinarity of related research directions and disciplinary development in international karstological research,and also reflects the current situation and future trend in international karstological research,which have great significance to the development of international karstology.