Residences in Warren County, Kentucky, are characterized by high levels of residential radon, which is one of the radioactive daughter products of uranium. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), radon exposure causes approximately 22,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States per year. The City of Bowling Green, in Warren County, is underlain by karst, an easily soluble limestone subsurface, which allows radon gas to travel easily through cracks and fissures. Carbonate rocks under Bowling Green are underlain by the Devonian Chattanooga Shale, a low-grade uranium ore and a potential source of radon gas. A digital map of the Chattanooga Shale was created using Arc GIS. A 1.6 km by 1.6 km (one-mile by onemile) grid for Warren County was generated, and depth data from oil wells within each grid cell were averaged to render the elevation of the top surface of the Chattanooga Shale in a digital format. A socio-economic GIS of Warren County was created using US Census Bureau and Property Value Administration data. The Chattanooga Shale and the socio-economic layers were correlated to test points that have high residential radon measurements to determine whether proximity to the shale layer or home type is the better predictor for radon risk. Once risks have been determined, management decisionmaking is simplified and resources can be targeted towards high need areas. Although this study determined that home type, i.e., size of the home and whether there is a basement present, does have a significant effect on residential radon levels, proximity to the top surface of the Chattanooga Shale does not have a significant effect in Warren County, Kentucky. Due to this lack of a geologic pattern it is recommended that radon mitigation systems be included in all new home construction and design.

Caves, the cornerstone feature of karst aquifers, are little understood in Florida. This dissertation, which analyzes the morphology, elevation, lithologic setting, and hydrology of caves in west-central Florida, demonstrates that the karst of the unconfined Floridan aquifer differs from the paradigm view of karst presented in modern geology textbooks. The differences reflect setting: eogenetic (west-central Florida) vs. telogenetic (conventional). Interpretations about the architecture of cavernous porosity in this dissertation come from detailed surveys (497 stations) of seven air-filled caves.The surveys reveal that solution cavities within the unconfined Floridan aquifer align along NE-SW and NW-SE fractures. The surveys further identify tabular zones of cavernous porosity that extend for tens of meters. Characteristic "plus-sign" passages occur at the intersection of solution-enlarged fractures and the tabular horizons. The caves, as surveyed, do not connect points of discrete aquifer input to springs. Rather, they are separated by intact bocks of aquifer matrix, ever- narrowing fissures, sediment fills, and breakdown. With an additional 574 spot elevations from 63 previously surveyed air-filled and submerged caves and 526 foot-length cavities encountered in 26 drilled wells, the assembled data reveal that cave passages above and below the watertable of the unconfined Floridan aquifer cluster at similar elevations throughout west-central Florida. At the largest scale, the levels of cavities cut across geologic structure, thus suggesting a water-table origin. The close linkage of the water table and sea level this coastal setting suggests the levels reflect positions of paleosea level. Given that the air-filled caves in west-central Florida reflect higher sea levels,the coastline would have been close when the air-filled caves formed. The levels organize according to a sea-level datum at elevations of 30 m, 20-22 m, 12-15 m,and 3-5 m. The levels are similar in elevation to nearby terraces evident in GIS and LIDAR topographic data. The terraces correspond to the classic, Quaternary marine terraces of the coastal plain of the southeastern U.S.A. Given that the now-submerged caves reflect lower sea levels, the coastline was far from the caves when they formed. They organize according to a watertable datum at depths of 15 m, 30-40 m, 60-70 m, and > 100 m with some correspondence to marine terrace and paleoshoreline features identified on the sea floor of the west florida shelf using GIS and multibeam bathymetry. The multigenerational origin of these deeper caves masks the correspondence. Although past water tables are seen to be the first-order control of cave passages regionally, lithology appears to play a significant role at the scale of an individual cave. Approximately 2,000 measurements of matrix permeability from more than 228 m of continuous core from the unconfined Floridan aquifer of west-central Florida reveal a wide-ranging facies-dependent matrix permeability[log k(m2)= -12.9 +/- 1.6, total range]. Solution passages tend to be wider where the matrix permeability is greater. Time-series analysis on measurements of spring discharge from 31 springs and published time series from 28 additional sites reveal key differences between eogenetic and telogenetic karst aquifers, reflecting the difference in matrix permeability of the eogenetic [log k(m2) from -14 to -11] and telogenetic[log k(m2) from -15 to -20] limestones. For instance, log Q/Qmin flow-duration curves have greater slopes at eogenetic karst springs, a manifestation of lowerratios between the maximum and mean discharge (Qmax/Qmean). Additionally,aquifer inertia as defined on auto correlograms is greater in eogenetic karst than telogenetic karst.Hydrographs of spring flow and water level vary on a seasonal or longertime scale. The localized, convective-style storm events typical of the Florida summer rainy season are not realized as individual peaks in these hydrographs.Apparently, large, widespread, storm events, such as hurricanes in the late summer and fall and frontal systems in the winter and spring, are necessary to produce significant changes in storage. Data from nine pressure transducers in caves and in the aquifer matrix across the unconfined Floridan aquifer all record immediate increases in the water level due to Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in September of 2004. The increases are simultaneous over large regions. These changes do not propagate through the aquifer as a pulse like the classic scenario of conduit flow in telogenetic karst aquifers.

Mature karst topography is well recognized within the hydrology and geology communities to include subterranean fluid pathways that act as turbulent conduits conveying fluid from surface stream sinks called swallets to sources called springs. However, we find that little knowledge has been reported with regards to the transport and fate of terrestrially-derived sediment organic carbon (SOC) within karst watersheds. This study investigated the hypothesis that karst pathways could act as biologically active conveyors of SOC that temporarily store sediment, turnover carbon at higher rates than otherwise considered, and recharge depleted SOC back to the surface stream within the fluvial system. Mixed research methods were applied within a mature karst network. Methods included high resolution measurements of water and sediment characteristics of surface streams, carbon and stable carbon isotope measurements of transported sediment, and numerical modeling of water and sediment pathways. The mixing of sediment during net zero deposition and erosion was investigated in this study using a parameter calibrated to SOC data. Results of this study showed that heterotrophic bacteria in the subsurface conduit oxidized 0.05 tCkm-2y-1 resulting from the temporary storage of terrestrial carbon in the karst conduit. The subsurface conduit transports 0.15 tCkm-2y-1 out of the fluviokarst watershed.

A novel tracer method has used 15N to label Escherichia coli and track the transport of bacteria, a common contaminant, through karst aquifers. Use of this method could provide valuable insight into the movement of bacteria in aquifers, which would help improve remediation methods and strategies. A wild strain of E. coli was isolated from the Cane Run/Royal Spring basin in the Inner Bluegrass region of Kentucky. The strain was serotyped O-:H- and virulence testing showed the strain did not have virulence factors of E. coli commonly pathogenic to humans. Five karst microcosms were filled with sterilized water collected from Royal Spring in Georgetown, Kentucky. Each microcosm was inoculated with wild-type E. coli, enriched in 15N, and incubated at 14° C for 130 days. The microcosms were periodically sampled for the concentration and nitrogen isotope composition of E. coli over 130 days. The E. coli survived at concentrations within one log of the average initial value of 5.62×1010 for the duration of the study. Statistical modeling showed no significant difference in δ15N values from day 1 and day 130. This strain is therefore recommended for traces in the Cane Run/Royal Spring basin.

Currently, bacterial movement in karst aquifers is not well understood. Use of stable isotopes to label non-pathogenic Escherichia coli as a particulate groundwater tracer in karst systems has been examined in previous studies. Loss of the stable isotope signal is anticipated in traces greater than 500 m in length. Potential loss of 15N due to predation by protozoa was examined. Filter-sterilized water from Royal Spring in Georgetown, Kentucky, was inoculated with a mixture of either Tetrahymena pyriformis or Colpoda steinii and 15N-enriched E. coli and stored in the dark at 14°C. Samples were analyzed for their nitrogen isotope composition (as δ15N values), and for population counts of bacteria and protozoa in a time course experiment, on days zero and seven after inoculation. Protozoan populations increased in the presence of E. coli, while bacterial populations decreased. δ15N values increased in T. pyriformis fed enriched E. coli but did not show values as high as the bacteria themselves, indicating that attenuation via predation may be a concern in future groundwater traces.

High-resolution electrical-resistivity, seismic-refraction, and seismic-reflection surveys were performed at three locations in the Inner Bluegrass Region of Kentucky along coincident survey lines in order to correlate results and determine which method is most effective at locating karst features in this area. The first two survey locations at Slack’s Cave and the Kentucky Horse Park were chosen in order to investigate known karst features. High and low electrical-resistivity anomalies were correlated to air- and water-filled karst voids, respectively. Seismic velocity anomalies, including parabolic time suppressions, amplitude terminations, and surface-wave backscatters, were also observed and correlated to these karst voids. These findings were applied to a third location along Berea Road in order to investigate undiscovered karst voids. Three seismic targets were selected based on backscatter anomaly locations and were aligned in a northwest trend following the general bedrock dip, joint orientations, and suspected conduit orientation. Overall, the seismic-reflection method provided the highest resolution and least ambiguous results; however, integration of multiple methods was determined to help decrease ambiguities in interpretation created by the inherent non-uniqueness found in the results of each method.

As ever-increasing levels of carbon dioxide alter the chemistry of the Earth’s atmosphere, understanding the global carbon cycle becomes increasingly important. A particularly important component is the riverine carbon cycle, as rivers are the primary conduits for dissolved inorganic carbon from terrestrial watersheds to ocean basins. Stable carbon isotopes (13C/12C) were collected weekly and input into the mixing model IsoSource to delineate seasonal carbon sourcing along two nested basins in the upper Green River System, Kentucky. In the more siliciclastic upstream catchment, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) was primarily derived from soil respiration (34%). Groundwater dissolving carbonate bedrock and carbonate dissolution/precipitation reactions contributed 31% and 11%, respectively. The more carbonate-dominated downstream catchment also was influenced greatly by soil respiration (35%). Due to the more pronounced levels of carbonate bedrock, carbonate reactions contributed double that of the upstream catchment (20%), with groundwater contributing 22%. Seasonally, the upstream basin gathered most DIC from soil respiration from late spring to winter. Early spring precipitation and still limited photosynthesis caused the primary carbon sourcing to shift to groundwater. Downstream, the primary source throughout the entire study period was soil respiration. Collectively, this study provides insight into the carbon cycling process in a mid-latitude, karstic river using carbon isotope sourcing to aid in the quantification of global carbon flux in the critical zone.

The laboratory-derived calcite dissolution rate law of Plummer et al. (1978) is the most widely used and mechanistically detailed expression currently available for predicting dissolution rates as a function of water chemistry. Such rate expressions are of great use in understanding timescales associated with limestone karst development. Little work has gone into the field testing of the rate law under natural conditions. This work compared measured dissolution rates measured by a crystal weight loss experiment in Buffalo Creek within Fort’s Funnel Cave, which lies within a pristine, forested catchment of Mammoth Cave National Park. Continuous water chemistry sampling over the same period allowed a time-integrated prediction of the dissolution based on the Plummer et al (1978) expression. Results indicate that the rate law overpredicted dissolution by a factor of about ten. This concurs with earlier laboratory work suggesting that the law tends to overpredict rates in solutions close to equilibrium with respect to calcite, as were the waters in this study. Estimating dissolution rates with the expression under varying hydrologic conditions also allowed a prediction of storm scales change in cave forming processes. Neglecting effects of sediment masking on the bed, it was found that 78% of the work done in the dissolution of the cave passage during the study period occurred at or around baseflow conditions, with only a small amount during the effective but infrequent high flow conditions.

This thesis presents the results of paleoethnobotanical investigations conducted at nine karst sites associated with the Maya site of Pacbitun in western Belize. The archaeobotanical remains were deposited during the Late Classic period and the site was abandoned at some point during this same time (c. A.D. 900). Paleoenvironmental data from the Maya Lowlands indicates that human activity contributed to regional climate change during the Late/Terminal Classic period. However, site-specific research has demonstrated a variety of responses to these social and ecological changes. The archaeobotanical data from this study is used as a proxy for understanding how people at Pacbitun ritually responded to macro-regional environmental stress. Ritual plant use at the cave sites does not conform to behavioral ecology models that predict biological, cost-fitness related responses to resource scarcity. Instead, the data supports a model of behavior based on culturally motivated ritual practices.

Surface streams in karst landscapes are often characterized by high nutrient levels due to incomplete filtration through series of innumerable, below-ground conduits. Seasonal growth of the filamentous alga, Cladophora, is typically associated with nutrient-rich waters. This research compared macroinvertebrate food web structure between riverine reaches with contrasting underlying karst topography, nutrient levels, and Cladophora cover during summer 2012 and autumn 2013. Recent work in these reaches found a high correlation between Cladophora cover and nutrient content, particularly nitrate. Four questions were addressed during this study: 1. Do longitudinal trends in algal and consumer δ13C values relate to decreased DIC availability in larger watersheds? 2. Are trophic niche breadths narrower in more karstified reaches than in less karstified reaches due to longitudinal differences in Cladophora standing stocks? 3. Do differences in trophic-dynamic relationships between primary consumers and their food resources reflect the marked distinction in Cladophora standing stocks in two sections of the upper Green River that flow through differing levels of karstification? 4. Are consumers assimilating primarily autochthonous or allochthonous food resources? Consumers and algae became more 13C-depleted in downstream reaches, which is opposite to published data in other streams. Underlying causes for this pattern are uncertain, but one plausible cause is an increase in DIC availability downstream. Karstrelated hydrology may potentially alter or even reverse normal longitudinal gradients within in-stream producer and subsequently, consumer δ13C values. Since consumers were sampled during low-Cladophora conditions during 2013 and within a few weeks of the onset of the Cladophora bloom in 2012, stable isotopic results may be more representative of primary consumer diets during pre- Cladophora bloom periods. Although Cladophora cover was significantly higher in downstream reaches during both years, food-web structure was similar in all reaches. Consumer niche breadth was similar across reaches, and mixing model analyses suggested that primary consumers in all reaches assimilated similar amounts of Cladophora. The contribution of both autochthonous and allochthonous food resources to the assimilated diet of primary consumers appeared to be similarly important. These results suggest that allochthonous resources may be important in some midreach food webs, especially during periods of low algal growth.