Pseudokarst Commission of the Czech Speleological Society

In 1980s, an increased interest in pseudokarst was encountered within the Czech speleological community, leading to numerous activities in pseudokarst terrains. The advances in exploration and research of non-karst caves motivated the presidium of the Czech Speleological Society (CSS) to establish a Pseudokarst Commission in 1990. Activities of the Commission entail not only coordination of research and documentation of surficial and subsurface pseudokarst phenomena, but also the study and monitoring of their mineral and biological contents, meso- and microclimate in caves and inversion-dominated tracts of extensive rock cities, and other problems of pseudokarst terrains.

A favourable condition for the work of the Commission is the fact that it combines cavers, professional speleologists, and a wide range of experts from various academic institutions and universities. Regular sessions of the Commission are held at least once a year. The frequent communication among the Commission, caving clubs and experts over the last 20 years permitted to organize multiple workshops, seminars and conferences. These contacts and activities have also resulted in a number of publications evidencing the increasing scientific level of pseudokarst problematics treatment within the CSS.

The Commission also pursues intensive collaboration with many partners from abroad, most notably the UIS Pseudokarst Commission, in which the CSS Pseudokarst Commission has its representation. The first and long-lasting President of the CSS Pseudokarst Commission was Jiří Kopecký sr., a member of the 5-03 Broumov CSS Caving Club. At present, the Commission is presided by Josef Wagner of the 7-01 Orcus Bohumín CSS Caving Club.

In years 2008–2010, the activities of CSS Pseudokarst Commission culminated in the filing of all speleological objects (including pseudokarst caves) in the whole country, published in the speleological monograph “Caves”–Jeskyně (Volume 14 of the series “Protected areas of the Czech Republic” by the Agency for Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection CR, Praha 2009). Also the “Atlas of sandstone rock cities” authored by J. Adamovič, R. Mikuláš and V. Cílek was completed (Academia Publishers, Praha 2010). In this period, favourable results were also achieved in fieldwork, especially in the study and documentation of pseudokarst relief in sandstone areas, in the documentation of caves in flysch sediments of the Moravské Beskydy Mts., and in the biospeleological study of root stalagmites and related structures.

In the nearest future, the Commission is facing an uneasy but pleasant task to assist in the preparation and realization of all pseudokarst-related activities within the coming UIS Speleological Congress to be held in the Czech Republic in 2013. This will include opening of a separate pseudokarst session, field excursions focused on pseudokarst problems, and a session of the UIS Pseudokarst Commission.

Website: http://www.speleo.cz

Contacts:
Josef Wagner, Časlavská 412, 735 81 Bohumín, ČR e-mail : orcusvolny.cz
Jiří Kopecký, Husova 154, 550 01 Broumov - Velká Ves, ČR e-mail : kopeckyatlas.cz

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