Spatial distribution and development characteristics of karst cave tourism resources in Yangquan City of Shanxi Province

The spatial distribution of karst caves and developmental characteristics is the foundation of karst tourism resources development. The karst cave tourism resources in Yangquan City are abundant, but its spatial distribution and development characteristics are still unclear. Based on the technique of GIS, modern surveying and mapping technology, high-density electrical method measuring technology, the authors carried out spatial distribution and development research of cave tourism resources in Yangquan City. The results are as follows. (1) The caves were mainly gathered in the southeastern Yu County, accounting for 80% of the total resources. (2) The digital geomorphologic analysis showed that caves were mainly distributed between 1 200 and 1 500 m vertically and between 15° and 35° in slope. Karst geomorphologic region was the main development area of caves, accounting for 80% of the total resources. (3) The cave landscape has convenient transportation, which is less affected by surface rivers and has good development potential. (4) GIS analysis showed that the cave tourism resources in Yangquan City shows a strip distribution, with the Cangshan scenic area in the west and Niangziguan spring group area in the south. The strip area is about 500 km², which is a concentrated continuous development area of karst landscape in North China. (5) Combined with mapping, high-density electrical measurement and GIS analysis, the authors concluded that the karst cave resources in Yangquan City were mainly developed in Ordovician Majiagou Formation, and were scattered in other carbonate strata. The results of this study could provide scientific references for the rational development of tourism geological resources and the formulation of geological tourism development planing in Yangquan City, and also for the development of similar geological tourism research.