Karst Types and Their Karstification

Abstract

Eighty-one karst types and their main characteristics are described in this study, including the conditions of their development, the main characteristics of their karstification and their characteristic features. The classification includes the karst types of the Earth, a concise description of each karst type and the possibilities of belonging to several types of various karst areas. The classification of types is hierarchical in terms of groups, subgroups, types and subtypes. Karst can be classified according to their momentary state (the group of static karst types) and to their development (group of dynamic karst types). The group of static karst types has the azonal and zonal subgroups. zonal karst types may be situated under any climate. These karst types are categorized according to their geological characteristics (age of karstification, constituting rock, extent of coveredness, structure), their elevation, expansion, the morphology of their surface, hydrology and to the effects occurring on the karst. Taking the above mentioned factors into consideration, the author distinguishes various types and describes their characteristics. Zonal karst types are also described (tundra karst, temperate karst, subtropical karst, tropical karst), karst types that can be distinguished based on their geomorphic evolution are identified and their characteristics are presented.

Geodiversity of surface karst features of geographical zones

“…Based on literary data (Wilford & Wall, 1965;Williams, 1971Williams, , 1972aWilliams, , 1972bWilliams, , 1987Sweeting, 1973;Balázs, 1986Balázs, , 1990White, 1988;Waltham & Fookes, 2003;Veress, 2004Veress, , 2020Ford & Williams, 2007;Waltham, 2008;Andrejchuk et al, 2019) the medium and large surface features of zonal karst types (azonal carbonate karsts) with various climate and dissolution origin were distinguished without paleo features (Figure 1). Geomorphic agents of chosen zonal karst types were taken into consideration.…”

“…During researches various karst types have been distinguished and described (Grund, 1914;Cvijič 1918Cvijič , 1925Gvozdetskiy, 1965;Sweeting, 1973;Jakucs, 1977;Komatina, 1982;Balázs 1986Balázs , 1990White, 1988). Karst types can be classified as zonal and azonal groups (Veress, 2020). Zonal karsts are climate dependent (e.g.…”

Prediction and Early Detection of Karsts—An Overview of Methods and Technologies for Safer Drilling in Carbonates

“…Furthermore, the shape and geometrical properties of a cave are subjected to many processes involved in the genesis mechanism. There are numerous karst forms of different shapes and geometrical sizes [22], other than the discussed caves, which are given here as examples of subsurface karstification.…”

Development Environments and Factors of Subsidence Dolines

“…Concealed karst develops where the cover is young (moraine, loess, alluvium), the denudation of the surface is impeded (karstic depression, dry valleys), or continuous development of weathering residue (tropical karst) occurs [11][12][13]. Concealed karsts are widespread on Earth for example on glaciokarsts [14], on tropical karsts [15,16], on permafrost [17], and on coastal karsts [18]. In addition to carbonate karsts, it can also develop on evaporite karsts if they are covered by unconsolidated cover [1,6,[19][20][21][22][23][24][25].…”

“…The limit of doline development related to the karstwater level, which depends on altitude, is determined by the high karstwater level of the interglacial. The dolines of coastal karst that developed in the glacial are filled with sea water or impounded karstwater at various degrees as a result of the rise of the sea level (Figure 2D, [16]). Depending on the altitude of depressions, the lakes may be more and more intermittent and meteoric water plays a role in their development rather than karstwater and/or sea water [98].…”