Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
SURFACE KARST FORMS
unimpeded to the sea, and
impounded karst
, which is
surrounded by impervious rocks and has to drain through
different hydrogeological systems to reach the sea.
Figure 8.5 illustrates diagrammatically some of the
main karst landforms that are discussed in the following
sections.
Early studies of karst landscapes centred on Vienna, with
work carried out on the Dinaric karst, a mountain system
running some 640 km along the eastern Adriatic Sea from
the Isonzo River in north-eastern Italy, through Slovenia,
Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and
Serbia, to the Drin River, northern Albania. The Dinaric
karst is still regarded as the 'type' area, and the Serbo-
Croat names applied to karst features in this region have
stuck, although most have English equivalents. However,
the reader should be made aware that karst terms are very
troublesome and the subject of much confusion. It may
also be helpful to be mindful of a contrast often made
between
bare karst
, in which bedrock is largely exposed
to the atmosphere, and
covered karst
, in which bedrock
is hardly exposed to the atmosphere at all. All degrees
of cover, from total to none, are possible. Another basic
distinction is drawn between
free karst
, which drains
Karren
Karren
is an umbrella term, which comes from
Germany, to cover an elaborately diverse group of
small-scale solutional features and sculpturing found
on limestone and dolomite surfaces exposed at the
ground surface or in caves. The French word
lapiés
and the Spanish word
lapiaz
mean the same thing.
Widespread, exposed tracts of karren on pavements
and other extensive surfaces of calcareous rocks are
termed
Karrenfeld
(
karren fields
). The terminology
dealing with types of karren is bafflingly elaborate.
Figure 8.5
Schematic diagram of some karst features.
