Genesis, types and evolution of crevice-type caves in the flysch belt of the Western Carpathians (Czech Republic)

Pseudokarst caves of the Outer Western Carpathians, Czechia

“…As a result of these processes, typical landforms have developed: double-crested ridges, headscarps with exposed rock walls, rocky trenches, huge slide rock blocks, landslide dams with lakes and pseudokarst caves (Pánek & Lenart, 2016). It is mainly deep-seated slope deformations that are commonly accompanied by crevice type caves (Lenart, Pánek, & Dušek, 2014). Talus type caves are formed in the middle or lower segments of deep-seated slope deformations.…”

“…The research of these two phenomena was interconnected in the new millennium (Baroň, Cílek, & Melichar, 2003;Klimeš et al, 2012;Lenart et al, 2014;. Thanks to the existence of the open underground space, there is a unique chance to study the internal structure of landslide bodies from within (Baroň, Bečkovský, & Míča, 2014;Lenart et al, 2014;Margielewski & Urban, 2003). Pseudokarst caves have become a source of information on landscape evolution.…”

“…The work is valuable for its accurate maps of the caves. Lenart et al (2014) conducted a regional geomorphic study that interconnects the research of gravitational slope deformations with the research of crevice type caves. Several minor studies deal with this research area as well (Baroň, 2004;Baroň et al, 2003;Pánek, Tábořík, & Hradecký, 2007).…”

“…Although it is possible to obtain data concerning their dimensions (Lenart et al, 2014;Wagner et al, 1990), morphology (Lenart, 2015), genesis, relation to gravitational slope deformations (Lenart et al, 2014), recent evolution (movement) (Baroň et al, 2014;Klimeš et al, 2012), determination of the exact ages of the caves has failed. The only reliable data show the minimal ages of gravitational slope deformations acquired from organic matter deposited in the colluvial parts of gravitationally disrupted slopes.…”

“…Except for four caves formed in Jurassic limestone, all other caves developed in the Cretaceous to Palaeogene flysch rocks. From the geological point of view, the pseudokarst caves were formed in 14 different rock units (Figure 2 As can be seen in the maps of the caves supplemented with the rose diagrams of measured joint sets, the crevice corridors commonly follow the main directions of joints (Lenart et al, 2014). The largest complex crevice type cave systems can be laterally predisposed by strike-slip faults, which may intersect the cave diagonally.…”