Doline Morphometric Analysis and Karst Morphology of Biokovo Mt (Croatia) Based on Field Observations and Digital Terrain Analysis

Abstract

Biokovo Mt is part of the Outer Dinarides, in a coastal position with a NW-SE main tectonic orientation. The highest peak called Sveti [Sv.] Jure (1762 m) towers above a karst plateau of 1300-1400 m mean elevation. Both of the long margins of Biokovo are characterized by steep and high relief energy rockwalls formed along tectonic fault lines. The plateau is intensely karstified with diverse karren forms, large dolines and several shaft caves. Its unique karstmorphological features are the relatively deep dolines with steep walls, so the landscape is characterized mainly by the sharp interdoline ridges and pyramidal peaks instead of negative doline forms. Based on the previous observation, the Biokovo plateau can be considered a "polygonal karst".The geomorphological map of a study area from this plateau has been elaborated, based on field observations and topographical maps. After digitizing the contour lines, we have created the digital elevation model (DEM) of the study area and carried out sophisticated doline-morphometrical analysis using the DEM. The most important and unique feature of the landscape, the polygonal structure, has been derived from the DEM using GIS hydrologic modelling tools.Key words: doline, polygonal karst, morphometrical analysis, Biokovo Mt. Morfometrijska analiza ponikava i krških reljefnih oblika Biokova (Hrvatska) temeljena na digitalnoj analizi reljefa i terenskom istraživanjuPlanina Biokovo nalazi se na obali Jadranskog mora i dio je Vanjskih Dinarida s tipičnim dinarskim smjerom pružanja SZ-JI. Najviši vrh Biokova Sv. Jure (1762 m) izdiže se iznad krške zaravni koja se nalazi na visini od 1300 do 1400 m. Sjeveroistočna i jugozapadna padina Biokova nastale su duž glavnih rasjeda, vrlo su strme i velike su reljefne energije. Krška zaravan građena je od jurskih i krednih vapnenaca i dolomita te je intenzivno okršena. To se očituje u bogatstvu krških reljefnih oblika: škrapa, vrlo velikih ponikava i jama. Posebnost su krškog reljefa Biokova duboke ponikve vrlo strmih padina, tako da je krajobraz istraživanog područja više obilježen oštrim i uskim grebenima i visokim piramidalnim vrhovima koji međusobno odjeljuju ponikve nego udubljenjima. Na temelju dosadašnjih istraživanja biokovsku kršku zaravan možemo smatrati "poligonalnim kršem". Na osnovi terenskoga kartiranja i različitih analiza topografse karte načinjena je geomorfološka karta istraživanog područja površine od 3 km 2 koje se nalazi jugozapadno od vrha Sv. Jure. Na temelju digitaliziranih izohipsa izrađen je digitalni model reljefa (DEM) istraživanog područja, koji je poslužio sofisticiranoj morfometrijskoj analizi ponikava. Poligonalna struktura dobivena je iz digitalnog modela reljefa uz pomoć GIS hidroloških alata.Ključne riječi: ponikve, poligonalni krš, morfometrijska analiza, Biokovo * isti rad je tiskan na mađarskom jeziku 2005. godine u KARSZTFEJLŐDÉS X. Szombathely, 2005. pp. 229-243.

Prostorni raspored i gustoća ponikava jugoistočnog Velebita

“…In this case, the number of dolines is not the best indicator of the degree of karstification -a much better one would be their surface area and volume. Similar conclusions were reached for the area of Biokovo (Telbisz et al, 2009).…”

“…In the area of Croatia, the spatial distribution and the density of dolines were studied by V. Klein (1976) in the area of Lika and Velebit, D. Mihljević (1994) in the area of Baljevac plateau near Ličko Petrovo Selo, D. Mihljević (1995) in the area of Učka and Ćićarija, S. Faivre (1992;1999) and S. Faivre and P. Reiffsteck (1999;2002) in the area of Velebit, M. Pahernik (2000) in the area of Velika Kapela, S. Faivre and M. Pahernik (2007) on the island of Brač, N. Buzjak (2006) in the area of Žumberak and Samobor hills, N. Bočić (2009b) in the area of Slunj plateau, and T. Telbisz et al (2009) in the area of Biokovo mountain. A comprehensive spatial analysis of dolines in the whole territory of Croatia was made by M. .…”

Butterfly diversity and biogeography on the Croatian karst mountain Biokovo: Vertical distribution and preference for altitude and aspect?

“…Biokovo originated during the karstification process in fluvial periods. Bedrock originated from sedimentation, and the main geomorphologic characteristics are due to limestone and dolomite karst, and the occasional water regime (Kušan, 1969;Telbisz et al, 2009). The aspect of the sea-facing side of the mountain is much steeper than that of the mainland side.…”

Geomorphological Characteristics of the Italian Side of Canin Massif (Julian Alps) using Digital Terrain Analysis and Field Observations

“…many doline karst terrains, doline area distributions are lognormal (e.g. Gao, Y. et al 2005;Plan & Decker 2006;Telbisz et al 2007Telbisz et al , 2009. It means that while the original distribution is strongly right-skewed, when plotting the distribution in a semi-logarithmic coordinate system (taking the logarithm of area on the horizontal axis) it looks like the normal Gaussian bell-curve.…”