Monitoring Human Impact in Show Caves. A Study of Four Romanian Caves

Silviu Constantin, Ionuț Cornel Mirea, Alexandru Petculescu, Răzvan Adrian Arghir, Dragoș Ștefan Măntoiu, Marius Kenesz, Marius Robu and Oana Teodora Moldovan
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Silviu Constantin: Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Department of Geospeleology and Paleontology, Frumoasă 31, 010051 Bucharest, Romania
Ionuț Cornel Mirea: Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Department of Geospeleology and Paleontology, Frumoasă 31, 010051 Bucharest, Romania
Alexandru Petculescu: Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Department of Geospeleology and Paleontology, Frumoasă 31, 010051 Bucharest, Romania
Răzvan Adrian Arghir: Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Department of Geospeleology and Paleontology, Frumoasă 31, 010051 Bucharest, Romania
Dragoș Ștefan Măntoiu: Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Department of Cluj, Clinicilor 5, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Marius Kenesz: Romanian Institute of Science and Technology, Saturn 24-26, 400504 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Marius Robu: Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Department of Geospeleology and Paleontology, Frumoasă 31, 010051 Bucharest, Romania
Oana Teodora Moldovan: Romanian Institute of Science and Technology, Saturn 24-26, 400504 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-26

Abstract: (1) Background: Show caves are unique natural attractions and touristic traffic can trigger their degradation within a short time. There are no universal solutions to counter the effects of the touristic impact upon the cave environment and both protection protocols and management plans have to be established on a case-by-case basis. (2) Methods: The study includes four show caves from the Romanian Carpathians, where monitoring of the number of visitors, paralleled by the monitoring of the main physicochemical parameters of the air and water (CO 2 , temperature, humidity, drip rate, conductivity, and pH) was implemented. (3) Results and Conclusions: The results of the study have: established a set of basic principles to be enforced by the management of show caves and issued a set of preventive measures and instructions to be followed by the personnel and stakeholders of the caves.

Keywords: cave; microclimate; monitoring; sustainable management; Carpathians; Romania (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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