May 28, 2008
Bowling
Green, Ky. - This week Western Kentucky University is hosting about 60 scientists from around the country at the 4th national meeting of the U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group (USGS KIG).
The USGS KIG is a group of scientists from throughout the United States who share an interest in research about karst landscapes, which are areas of especially soluble bedrock in which such features as sinkholes, caves and underground rivers are common. Meetings are held about every three years at various U.S. sites known for their karst features.
Southcentral Kentucky has one of the world’s most highly studied karst regions, including the Mammoth Cave System, which extends under parts of Hart, Barren and Edmonson counties forming the world’s largest known cave system.
“USGS KIG meetings always include geology field trips during which scientists can share experiences about different karst areas and the environmental problems that occur in them,” said Eve Kuniansky of the USGS in Florida, the leading force behind the four USGS KIG meetings held since the program was initiated in 1999. The group toured Mammoth Cave Tuesday night and has a full day field trip in and around the National Park later in the week.
The main part of the meeting is comprised of technical sessions over two days held at Mass Media and Technology Hall during which scientists will be sharing results of recent research in the study of these landscapes and protection of resources there.
“There are great benefits of hosting such cutting edge research conferences here at WKU,” according to Chris Groves, Director of the Hoffman Environmental Research Institute within WKU’s Applied Research and Technology Program.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For more information, contact Chris Groves, (270) 745-5201.
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