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Karst Cave Geoheritage in Protected Areas: Characterisation and Proposals of Management of Deep Caves in the Picos de Europa National Park (Spain)

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Abstract

Caves are one of the most spectacular elements of karst with a high natural value, due to their singularity and high diversity of natural features. The Picos de Europa National Park (Spain) is a high mountain protected area that represents the highest density of deep caves of the World (12 deep caves/km2). This work analyses geoheritage linked to these caves as a part of broad projects to know and inventory the geological heritage of the Picos de Europa National Park. The methodology of work combines both geomorphological and geoheritage studies. Geomorphological study includes a caves inventory of the National Park, the characterization of the caves geomorphology and the selection of 14 caves with > 1-km depth as geosites, including an ice cave for its uniqueness. The geoheritage study is based on a four-forms system formed by selected indicators following the pressure-state-response (PSR) model. In the short term, management measures proposed for the deep karst caves of the National Park include enhancing the scientific research focused on karst and groundwater flow evolution and the palaeoclimatic variations of the region including ice cave monitoring. In the medium term, it should be adequate to re-design the public use system for the regulation and control of the visits to the caves and to emphasise the outstanding nature of the geoheritage linked to the endokarst of the National Park. Finally, in the long term, it would be necessary to design a visit system for expert speleological groups.

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Acknowledgements

This work is the result of the interaction between the INDICAGEOPAR project (MAGRAMA-727/12-OAPN) and GEOCAVE project (MAGRAMA-580/12-OAPN), both funded by the Spanish Autonomous Organism of National Parks (OAPN)-Ministry of Agriculture, Food Quality and Natural Environment. We thank the shepherds of Picos de Europa for their collaboration and to the speleological groups listed as Supplementary Data. The digital elevation model is courtesy of the Spanish National Geographic Institute.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UMR 6266 IDEES, University of Rouen Normandie-CNRS, 7 Rue Thomas Becket, 76821, Mont Saint-Aignan, France

    Daniel Ballesteros

  2. Department of Geology and Geography, University of León, Campus de Vegazana, s/n, 24071, León, Spain

    Esperanza Fernández-Martínez

  3. Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, c/ Ríos Rosas 23, 28003, Madrid, Spain

    Luis Carcavilla

  4. Department of Geology, University of Oviedo, c/ Jesús Arias de Velasco s/n, 33005, Oviedo, Spain

    Montserrat Jiménez-Sánchez

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  1. Daniel Ballesteros
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  2. Esperanza Fernández-Martínez
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  3. Luis Carcavilla
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  4. Montserrat Jiménez-Sánchez
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Correspondence to Daniel Ballesteros.

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Highligths

• Picos de Europa National Park shows international relevance with > 420 km of caves

• The methodology of work combines both geomorphological and geoheritage studies

• Cave geoheritage is evaluated by a pressure-state-response forms system

• 14 caves with > 1 km in depth are selected as geosites based on their geomorphology

• Management proposals combines research, conservation, uses and local development

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Ballesteros, D., Fernández-Martínez, E., Carcavilla, L. et al. Karst Cave Geoheritage in Protected Areas: Characterisation and Proposals of Management of Deep Caves in the Picos de Europa National Park (Spain). Geoheritage 11, 1919–1939 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-019-00416-8

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