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karst

Also known as karst topography

thumb|Typical karst terrain of the Dinaric Alps thumb|Li River|Li Jiang fengcong (cone karst) in [[Guilin as part of the South China Karst]] thumb|Karst formation of the Serra de Tramuntana Karst () is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble carbonate rocks such as limestone and dolomite. It is characterized by features like poljes above and drainage systems with sinkholes and caves underground. There is some evidence that karst may occur in more weathering-resistant rocks such as quartzite given the right conditions.

AI overview

Karst is a type of landscape created when soluble rocks like limestone and dolomite dissolve away, producing distinctive features including underground caves and sinkholes along with surface valleys called poljes. This terrain matters because it creates unique environments that affect how water flows underground and shapes the geography of many regions around the world.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Wikidata facts

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native label: Karst
Commons category: Karst
exact match: purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ENVO_00000175

Sources (6)

via Wikidata · CC0

~19 min read

Article

19 sections

Contents

Etymology
Early studies
Development
Chemistry of dissolution
Morphology
Interstratal karst
Kegelkarst, salt karst, and karst forests
Paleokarst
Pseudokarst
Hydrology
Aquifers
Effects of karst hydrology
Karst areas
List of terms for karst-related features
Karst studies
See also
References
Further reading
External links

Subterranean drainage may limit surface water, with few if any rivers or lakes. In regions where the dissolved bedrock is covered (perhaps by debris) or confined by one or more superimposed non-soluble rock strata, distinctive karst features may occur only at subsurface levels and can be totally missing above ground.