Karstic depressions on Bolkar Mountain plateau, Central Taurus (Turkey):distribution characteristics and tectonic effect on orientation

Abstract

This study investigates the spatial distribution characteristics of karstic depressions that developed on a 2558 km 2 plateau with gently sloping in neritic (reef) limestones in the western section of the Bolkar Mountains. The 30,132 karstic depressions identified are located at elevations between 1315 and 2525 m, while 31°/km 2 slope and 5.6 km/km 2 drainage density are limited to the spatial distribution of depressions. In the central section of the study area at the anticlinal surface, maximum density (99 depressions/km 2 ) is reached between elevations of 1930 and 2080 m. The orientation of depressions is predominantly NE-SW. However, in the same area, the orientation of depressions also varies from ENE-WSW toward NE-SW from west to east. The left-lateral strike-slip Ecemiş Fault was effective in the formation of these orientations, with a NE-SW orientation close to the fault and ENE-WSW orientation farther away from the fault.

Fluvio-karstic evolution of the Taşeli Plateau (Central Taurus, Turkey)

“…A positive correlation is observed between doline density and relict drainage density (r: 0.52; Figure 6d). A similar relationship is observed on other karst plateaus (Bočić et al, 2015;Öztürk et al, 2017, 2018aŞener and Öztürk, 2019). These results indicate that the plateau surface was eroded by numerous paleorivers.…”

“…Morphometric analysis of karst landforms is a useful tool for evaluation of karst areas (Jennings, 1975;Day, 1983;Bondesan et al, 1992;Bruno et al, 2008;Basso et al, 2013;Öztürk et al, 2017, 2018aVerbovšek and Gabor, 2019). A hypothesis can be created for the evolution of karst systems by means of these morphometric analyses (Jeanpert et al, 2016;Öztürk et al, 2017).…”

“…Morphometric analysis of karst landforms is a useful tool for evaluation of karst areas (Jennings, 1975;Day, 1983;Bondesan et al, 1992;Bruno et al, 2008;Basso et al, 2013;Öztürk et al, 2017, 2018aVerbovšek and Gabor, 2019). A hypothesis can be created for the evolution of karst systems by means of these morphometric analyses (Jeanpert et al, 2016;Öztürk et al, 2017). Doline morphometry in particular acts as a sensitive indicator of tectonic activity in a karst region and the orientation of the dolines' long axes provides important clues about structural systems (Day, 1983;Nazik, 1986;Öztürk et al, 2017, 2018aŞimşet et al, 2019;Verbovšek and Gabor, 2019).…”

“…A hypothesis can be created for the evolution of karst systems by means of these morphometric analyses (Jeanpert et al, 2016;Öztürk et al, 2017). Doline morphometry in particular acts as a sensitive indicator of tectonic activity in a karst region and the orientation of the dolines' long axes provides important clues about structural systems (Day, 1983;Nazik, 1986;Öztürk et al, 2017, 2018aŞimşet et al, 2019;Verbovšek and Gabor, 2019). Therefore, morphometric parameters of dolines are regularly applied to find links between doline properties and structures (Faivre and Reiffsteck, 2002;Florea, 2005;Öztürk et al, 2018a).…”

“…The uppermost closed contour lines of dolines on these topographic maps (contour intervals are 10 m) were delineated as polygons in GIS (classical method) (Öztürk, 2018). The basic morphometric parameters (elevation, area, perimeter, long axis, short axis, elongation ratio, and circularity index) were calculated for each doline (Day, 1983;Denizman, 2003;Öztürk et al, 2017). The long axis (connecting the 2 farthest points) and short axis of dolines were drawn manually and the elongation ratios were calculated with the aid of polygons (Öztürk et al, 2018a).…”