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Application of the Karst Disturbance Index as a geoconservation strategy in the Mixteca Alta UNESCO Global Geopark (Mexico)

Abstract:

Karst systems provide valuable environmental services, stemming from the interaction of diverse geological and physicochemical processes that shape and define them. In addition to their geological value, karst systems offer resources with applications in tourism, agriculture, water supply, biological conservation and cultural heritage. However, anthropogenic pressure and intensive use of these spaces generate impacts that compromise their conservation. In this context, the present study is the result of a systematic assessment of the conservation status of the karst systems of the Mixteca Alta UNESCO Global Geopark (GMUMA), using the Karst Disturbance Index as a qualitative evaluation tool, since it was considered to be a method related to the objectives of geoconservation as a strategy for the preservation of these ecosystems. The application of this index made it possible to identify the pressure factors affecting karst systems and also allowed for the zoning of the areas with the highest levels of relative disturbance within the study area. The pressure factors were associated with anthropogenic activities, such as agricultural activities and groundwater extraction, being present precisely in the areas with the highest degree of disturbance. The results obtained constitute a fundamental basis for decision making in natural resource management, land use planning and the development of sustainable activities.