Yearly Archives: 2015

Abstracts for Poster Presentations – due October 23

By conferences

There’s still time to submit an abstract for a poster at the KWI/PROTECT Karst, Groundwater Contamination and Public Health meeting!

Did you want to get involved the KWI/PROTECT Karst, Groundwater Contamination and Public Health meeting but weren’t sure how your research fit into the technical program?  If so, then we encourage you to submit an abstract for a poster.  See Abstracts and Snap Talks for information on how to submit your poster abstract.

The poster sessions are intended to encourage interaction and can incorporate subjects that are somewhat tangential, including things like (1) related karst, public health, or outreach studies, (2) a dataset you’d like to present and discuss with others, (3) information about a related organization, and/or (4) details about a potential research site.  This is your opportunity to tell others about what you’ve been doing and to get some feedback.

The abstract deadline for the posters is Oct 23rd.   If you have any questions, please contact us.  We hope you take this opportunity to participate in the conference, learn new perspectives, and possibly meet some new collaborators.

GSA Annual Meeting in Baltimore – KWI sponsored sessions

By conferences

For the GSA Annual Meeting in Baltimore in 2015, KWI is sponsoring 5 sessions:

T116. Contamination in Karst: Beyond the Case Study

Sarah K. Carmichael, Ellen K. Herman
Karst Waters Institute; GSA Hydrogeology Division; National Cave and Karst Research Institute; GSA Karst Division

Karst aquifers are an important drinking water source and are particularly vulnerable to contamination. This session will highlight new work on karst contamination modeling and methodologies that take us beyond single case studies.

Karst | Hydrogeology | Environmental Geoscience |

Submit an abstract to this session

T119. Geological Interactions within the Global Carbon Cycle

Chris Groves, Jonathan B. Martin
GSA Karst Division; International Research Center on Karst Under the Auspices of UNESCO; Karst Waters Institute; National Cave and Karst Research Institute; GSA Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division; GSA Mineralogy, Geochemistry, Petrology, and Volcanology Division

While over vast timescales interactions between water, the atmosphere, and minerals influence partitioning of Earth’s carbon, less attention has been focused on shorter timescales. This session emphasizes links between carbonate minerals and Earth’s carbon cycle.

Karst | Geochemistry | Environmental Geoscience |

Submit an abstract to this session

T120. Karst Processes and Speleogenesis: Advances in Monitoring, Modeling, and Measurements

Benjamin F. Schwartz, Matthew D. Covington
GSA Hydrogeology Division; GSA Karst Division; Karst Waters Institute; National Cave and Karst Research Institute; GSA Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division

This session seeks to highlight recent advances in the study of karst systems, with emphasis on process studies, method development, modeling advances, instrumentation innovations, long-term monitoring, and more.

Karst | Hydrogeology | Geomorphology |

Submit an abstract to this session

T121. New Perspectives in Karst Geomicrobiology and Redox Geochemistry: Advances from 20 Years of Interdisciplinary Research and Exploring Our Future Frontiers

Annette Summers Engel, John R. Spear, Sarah K. Carmichael, Hazel A. Barton, Philip C. Bennett
GSA Karst Division; GSA Geobiology & Geomicrobiology Division; Karst Waters Institute; National Cave and Karst Research Institute; Geochemical Society

In the 20 years since the Karst Waters Institute–sponsored symposium, “Breakthroughs in Karst Geomicrobiology and Redox Geochemistry,” we welcome contributions that highlight major achievements and latest advances in karst research. Interdisciplinary participation is encouraged.

Karst | Geomicrobiology | Geochemistry |

Submit an abstract to this session

T122. Remote Sensing and Geophysical Imaging in Karst

Lewis Land, Daniel H. Doctor
GSA Karst Division; GSA Environmental and Engineering Geology Division; GSA Geophysics Division; GSA Hydrogeology Division; National Cave and Karst Research Institute; Karst Waters Institute; GSA Geoinformatics Division

Geophysics and remote sensing tools are frequently used for investigations of karst phenomena. We welcome papers that address the use of remote sensing and geophysical imaging in karst regions, including both airborne and ground-based methods.

Karst | Geophysics/Geodynamics |

Submit an abstract to this session

2015 KWI Karst Award – Dr. David Culver

By awards

The Karst Award is an award given annually to an outstanding member of the cave and karst field.

Karst Award winner for 2015: Dr. David C. Culver

2015DaveCulver1
The 2015 Karst Award honoree is Dr. David C. Culver. He will speak at the March 14, 2015, awards banquet on the topic of “Why Study Cave Life?”

Dr. Culver received his B.A. in Biology from Grinnell College (1966) and Ph.D. in Biology from Yale University (1970) with the dissertation titled Analysis of Simple Cave Communities. He began his academic career with an appointment as Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at Northwestern University in 1971. His career advanced to the level of Full Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology during his tenure at Northwestern that came to an end in 1987. Moving to American University in Washington, DC, in 1987, Culver joined the faculty of the Department of Biology and later led the formation of the Department of Environmental Science in 2008 where he now holds his faculty appointment. Culver has acted as Department Chair in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Northwestern and in Biology at American University, and he has been Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Dean for Science, both at American.

David Culver has conducted cutting-edge research on cave life and published “the” book on that topic: Cave Life (1982, Harvard Univ. Press). His work on biological diversity in cave communities resulted in new concepts of the biogeography of subterranean life. Culver advanced theories about species evolution subsequent to organism isolation in caves that revolutionized our understanding of biogeography. Detailed studies of predation and competition, feeding behaviors, and morphological changes in cave organisms all connected to his insights into evolutionary theory. Sustained efforts to identify and fully describe new species in locations around the world added to his comprehensive study of cave life. Connectivity to the surface environment or among caves added to the complexity of his maturing understanding of cave life and its various adaptations. Culver developed tools to access sampling gaps and quantify species richness that added rigor to studies of cave life. His work on biodiversity and available habitat speaks to issues in species conservation and cave protection.

Culver is a prolific writer. With approximately 90 refereed journal articles, more than 30 book chapters, and 12 books, Culver is educating the world about cave life and about caves. His Encyclopedia of Caves with co-editor William B. White (2005 and 2012, Elsevier Academic Press) is comprehensive and up-to-date. His recent book Biology of Caves and Other Subterranean Habitats with co-author Tanya Pipan (2009, Oxford Univ. Press) extends the textbook coverage of the topic he addressed in his first book in 1982.

Culver is a leader in the karst community. He led the creation of the Karst Waters Institute in 1991. Culver has served KWI as a member of the Board of Directors, Executive Vice-President, and President of KWI. He is currently the KWI Comptroller. Culver is a National Speleological Society Honorary Life Member and Fellow. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Cave Conservancy Foundation and is a member of the Virginia Cave Board.

The science of cave and karst studies would not be where it is today without Culver’s many contributions. Our understanding of cave life derives directly from his life’s work.