IzvlečekUDK 551.44(729) Mick Day: Vpliv človeka na kraško pokrajino na Karibih: preteklost, sedanjost in prihodnost Kras je močno povezan z zgodovino ter okoljsko, gospodarsko, kmetijsko in kulturno problematiko Karibov. Kraška območja predstavljajo številne izzive pri upravljanju z naravo. Po eni strani so na krasu povečana tveganja za naravne nesreče, po drugi strani pa je kraška pokrajina posebej občutljiva za degradacijo in okoljske spremembe. Na krasu najdemo veliko arheoloških najdišč predkolumbskih kultur. Evropsko kolonialno kmetijstvo, ki seveda ni bilo sonaravno, je povzročilo veliko škode na vegetaciji in kraškem površju. Kraška območja so bila pomembna pri uporih proti kolonialni oblasti. Specifiko kraške pokrajine so za skrivanje in gverilske akcije izkoriščali Marooni. Po osamosvajanju so kraška območja postala pomembna za kmetijstvo, urbanizacijo in turizem. Kljub tveganjem suše in poplav, je vpliv človeka na kras dolgoročen. Po napovedih naj bi klimatkse spremembe v regiji povzročile naraščanje morske gladine, spremembe v količini padavin in večjo pogostost izjemnih vremenskih dogodkov, kot so suše in orkani. Učinki teh dogodkov bodo na krasu še močneje izraženi, posebej z ozirom na kraško hidrologijo. Klimatkse spremembe in človekov vpliv bo vse bolj ogrožal že tako ogrožene kraške ekosisteme in skupnosti prebivalcev na Karibih. Vse grožeče spremembe bo protrebno vnesti v načrte upravljanja območja. Ključne besede: Karibi, kras, zgodovina, naravne nesreče, klimatske spremembe, upravljanje. AbstractUDC 551.44(729) Mick Day: Human Interaction with Caribbean Karst Landscapes: Past, Present and FutureKarst provides a critical physical backdrop for much of the Caribbean's history and many of its existing environmental, agricultural, economic and cultural issues. The karstlands are challenging to human habitation, since they possess a broad array of natural hazards, but they are also at risk of degradation and vulnerable to environmental change. The karst has a rich legacy of pre-Colombian settlement and contains many regional archaeological sites. Unsustainable European colonial agricultural practices degraded the vegetation and landscape severely. The karstlands also played a major role in resistance to colonial authority, and were used by Maroons as both refuges and bases for harassment and guerilla actions. Following emancipation and independence, the karst became a basis for subsistence agriculture, increasingly yielding to commercial agriculture, urbanization and industrial activities, and tourism. Despite hazards such as drought and flooding, human impacts on the karstlands have been long-term and severe. Regional predictions are that anthropogenic climatic change will lead to rising sea levels, changing precipitation totals and the increasing frequency of extreme events, such as droughts and hurricanes. The effects of all these changes will be magnified in the karst, particularly with respect to karst hydrology. Climate change and other human impacts will increasingly threaten already at-risk a...

No abstract

No abstract

There is considerable heterogeneity, but the Caribbean contains many "classic" karst landscapes, including cockpits, towers, dry valleys, dolines (sinkholes), blue holes and caves. The karst has played an important role in Caribbean history, as a focus of resistance to colonial power, and as a basis for subsistence agriculture following emancipation and independence, increasingly incorporating commercial agriculture, urbanization and industrial activities, and tourism. Karst landscape provides a critical physical backdrop for many of the Caribbean's environmental, agricultural, economic and cultural issues, and its sustainability is critical to regional wellbeing. The Caribbean karstlands are challenging to human habitation, since they possess a broad array of natural hazards, such as drought and fl ooding, but they are also inherently fragile, at risk of degradation and vulnerable to environmental change. Despite this vulnerability to environmental change, under rational management regimes there is no inherent reason why human use should not be sustainable in the long term. Human impacts, however, have been longterm and severe, particularly through destruction of natural vegetation, contamination of water supplies, urbanization and quarrying. The Caribbean karst continues to play important roles locally, nationally and regionally in water supply, mining and quarrying, agriculture, tourism and conservation, all of which represent specifi c and collective challenges to sustainability of the karst environment. Additionally, sustainability is threatened by the consequences of anthropogenic climatic change, which is predicted to lead to increasing air and water temperatures, rising sea levels and changing weather patterns, including decreasing precipitation totals, and the increasing frequency of extreme events, such as droughts and hurricanes, the effects of all of which will be magnifi ed in the karst, particularly with respect to karst hydrology. Disruption of the karst hydrological cycle may lead to increasing aridity and desertifi cation, with concomitant impacts on ecology and potential land use. Increasing population and economic development will further exacerbate human impacts on the karst landscapes. Climate change and other human impacts will increasingly threaten already at-risk and vulnerable ecosystems and human communities, necessitating integration of climate change parameters and the adoption of appropriate risk management measures. The severity of these impacts may be reduced by appropriate land management and land use planning, which are necessary ingredients for long-term sustainability.

Ecotourism and nature-based tourism in karst landscapes are often focused on protected areas and are significant both economically and because of potential impacts. Karst covers nearly a third of the highly urbanized island of Puerto Rico, especially adjacent to the north coast and in the southwest. Much of the island's natureoriented tourism is focused on the karst, because it is the least-fragmented remaining habitat. The authors conducted a literature review and collected data during field research in 2009. The results indicate that the five state (or commonwealth) forests located within the karst of Puerto Rico are a primary focus of ecotourism because they are readily accessible and represent an important resource for low-impact recreation and education. The forests are used by residents and visitors, and they provide opportunities for appreciation and enjoyment of the karst landscape. Ecotourism activities focused on the state forests include hiking, bird-watching, and learning about nature. Without the state forests, levels of ecotourism within the karst would be considerably constrained. So, although they are limited in numbers and extent, they provide a critical recreational and economic resource in the karst landscape.