Collaborative Research: Ecologies of Participation in Island Karst Science and Conservation: A Comparative Multimethods Approach

海岸和岛屿是两大复杂挑战的中心：气候变化和发展的影响。评估这些挑战的全部范围需要超越这些环境的物理可见或表面。这在喀斯特的沿海和岛屿环境中尤其如此，在喀斯特的景观中，水形成了独特的地形，包括洞穴、天坑和地下水含水层。在美国领土波多黎各（PR）的沿海喀斯特系统中，过去和正在进行的勘探、科学研究和保护工作说明了喀斯特研究和保护的利害关系。虽然美国20%的土地是喀斯特，但它是美国公众饮用水的40%的来源。在波多黎各，这些价值要高得多，因为37%的领土是喀斯特地貌。借鉴科学技术研究（STS）、人类学和地理学的理论和方法，西弗吉尼亚大学和美国地球物理联合会之间的这个合作项目考察了非传统参与者和他们的志愿者组织在各种形式的喀斯特探索、科学和保护方面的过去和现在的作用。这些知识将对历史、当前的挑战和未来的地质学、考古学和其他专注于美国关键区域环境的同类科学做出原创性的贡献。数据将包括档案信息、访谈、焦点小组以及与参与者进行的基于人种学的实地访问。这些数据将用于生成空间和社会网络，为沿海喀斯特科学和保护工作提供基础，这些工作主要由洞穴探险家、科学家、保护从业者和志愿者进行。基于sts的参与生态框架将为这一网络分析提供信息，其目的是将参与正在进行的社会技术和环境变化的人员、内容和方式具体化。研究结果将通过ArcGIS StoryMaps这一有效的网络互动平台，以西班牙语和英语向更广泛的受众传播。这些结果不仅对生活在喀斯特系统上或附近的社区有价值，而且对喀斯特的国家和文化价值的普通公众也很重要。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Coasts and islands are at the epicenter of two compounding challenges: variability in climate and the impact of development. Assessing the full scope of these challenges requires going beyond what is physically visible or on the surface of these environments. This is especially the case in coastal and island environments with karst, landscapes in which water forms a distinct topography including caves, sinkholes, and groundwater aquifers. Past and ongoing exploration, scientific study, and conservation work in the coastal karst systems in the US territory of Puerto Rico (PR) illustrate what is at stake with the study and conservation of karst. While 20% of the United States (US) is karst, it is the source of 40% of the American public’s drinking water. In Puerto Rico these values are much higher, given that 37% of the territory is karst. Drawing from theories and methods in Science and Technology Studies (STS), anthropology, and geography, this collaborative project between West Virginia University and the American Geophysical Union examines the past and current role of mostly non-traditional actors and their volunteer-based organizations dedicated to the exploration, science, and conservation of karst in its varied forms. This knowledge will make an original contribution to the history, present challenges, and future of geology, archaeology, and other kindred sciences focused on critical zones environments in the US. Data will include archival information, interviews, focus groups, and ethnographic field-based visits with participants. This data will be used to generate the spatial and social networks undergirding coastal karst science and conservation efforts mostly carried out by cave explorers, scientists, conservation practitioners and volunteers. The STS-informed Ecologies of Participation Framework will inform this network analysis which aims to operationalize the who, what, and how of participation in ongoing socio-technical and environmental change. Results will be disseminated in both Spanish and English to a broader audience using ArcGIS StoryMaps, an effective web-based and interactive platform. These results will not only be valuable for communities living on or near karst systems everywhere, but they are also important for the general public given karst’s national and cultural value.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.