Depositional properties and geochemistry of Holocene perched springline tufa deposits and associated spring waters: a case study from the Denizli Province, Western Turkey - Tufas and Speleothems: Unravelling the Microbial and Physical Controls - page 255

Table 3. Comparative features of some European perched springline tufa sites well-documented

Pentecost 2000; Pedley
et al. 2003 Matlock
Bath, Derbyshire, UK

Violanta et al. 1994, Rochetta
a Volturno, central Italy

Pedley et al. 2003, Rio Taju˜a
valley, central Spain

Martin-Algarra et al. 2003,
Granada basin, central Spain

This study, G ¨ney ¸ elalesi,
Denizli, SW Turkey

Climate Temperate Rainfall

1000 mm pa*

Semi-arid Semi-arid Rainfall

,490 mm pa*

Semi-arid Rainfall
,490 mm pa*

Semi-arid Rainfall 548 mm pa,
ann mean air temp. 13.5 8C

Altitude 100 - 130 m 450 - 550 m 750 - 800 m 950 - 1120 m 200 - 500 m

Spring Multi-spring

resurgences, water
temp. close to 20 8C
Ca-Mg-HCO 3 type
waters

Ambient temperature or low
thermal waters

Multi-spring resurgences Multi-spring resurgences,

migrating springs
downslope in time

Multi-spring resurgences, spring
water temp. ¼ 18.7 8C,
Ca - Mg - HCO 3 type water

Morphology Western lower slope of

the River Derwent
with a few cascades

Lobe-shaped configirations
and minor terraces are
visible

Mature deposits are
characterized by lenticular
to wedge-shaped,
downslope-facing lobate
profiles

Four well-defined steps
succeeding each other in
downslope direction

Lobate or fan-shaped mounds in
plan, lenticular,
wedge-shaped in profile, flat
top (mature stage)

Lob top surface Suspended channels Terraced, flat upper surface

associated with suspended
channel (catwalk) and very
shallow lakes

Gently convex or flat upper
surface in mature stage.
Organic-rich and oncoidal
deposits

Flat upper surface, Abundant
oncoid up to gravel size

Flat upper surface (maturity
stage) associated with
suspended channel, stand of
trees, used as agricultural area

150 hectars (1.5 km 2 ) Areal extent 6 hectars 1500 hectars From a few square metres up

to hundreds of hectars

20 hectars

Primary cavities Present Large cavities and several

caves, speleothem-lined
cave walls

Abundant, speleothem-lined Decimeter to meter-size voids

partially speleothem-lined

Abundant cavities up to cave
size with speleothem-lined

Stromotolite Stromotolites encrusring

travertine intraclasts

Flat-topped stromotolite heads
below bryophyte curtain

Thin, planar to undulose
stromotolite crust

Thin, undulose stromotolite
crust

Flora Bryophyte (moss),

diatom, mollusca,
ostracoda, pollen

Moss (bryophyte),
cyanobacteria

Moss (mainly bryophyte),
some grasses and trees

Decimeter-sized moss mound,
patches of canes, leaves of
Salix sp., Quercus sp., and
herbaceous veget.

Some grasses and trees, moss
(mainly bryophyte), diatom

Fauna Pulmonate gastropods usually

dominant in distal slope
facies by

Gastropod Gastropod

Tufa breccia,
palaeosol

Filled up erosional channels
with intraclasts on upper
slope associated with
palaeosols

Detrital tufas associated with
palaeosols

Common as calcified plant
detritus on distal slope

Common on distal slopes and
interlobe areas

Age relationship No regular age trend

downslope

Tufa steps get younger
downslope with time

No regular age trend downslope