Karst surface. Photo: Max Wisshak
Definitions
Karst surface. Photo: Max Wisshak
Definitions
Cave
A natural cavity in rock large enough to be entered by a human. It may be water-filled.
Karst
Karst is a type of landscape formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. Karst landscapes are found worldwide and are critical for supplying vital groundwater resources, and for sustaining unique ecosystems and biodiversity.
Karst Aquifer
A groundwater body, economically accessible for human use, formed in karstified rock. Unlike most aquifers, groundwater movement is rapid, unfiltered, and flows primarily through conduits along complex and difficult-to-predict flow paths to springs and wells.
Karst Area Coverage
Wherever carbonate or evaporite rocks exposed, then it is almost certain that there will be dissolution and development of conduits. This is a karst area. However, there may be no caves. A good example is the English Chalk which crops out over a wide area, has sinking streams, springs and rapid groundwater flow through conduits but less than ten caves. The same can apply to gypsum areas. Conversely, large caves can be found entirely beneath non-carbonates and there is no karst on the surface above it.
Karst-Aware Approach
A karst-aware approach is a strategic and ongoing commitment to recognizing the profound importance, unique vulnerabilities, and irreversible nature of karst geoecosystems. It requires a fundamental shift in how we plan, build, and conserve to ensure the protection of karst landscapes is integrated into global biodiversity and climate frameworks.
Karst Geoecosystem
More than just a landscape, a karst geoecosystem is a unified system where geological and biological processes are deeply interconnected and co-evolve. One where abiotic factors (e.g., bedrock, soil, water flow) are the primary drivers that determine the distribution, diversity, and function of biological life. An effective "karst-aware" environmental management and policy must address these geological-biological linkages, especially across large spatial scales like watersheds or mountain ranges.
Lost cave
A lost cave has either been destroyed, for example by quarrying, or permanently blocked, for example covered by a landfill site.
Sinkhole (doline)
A natural, enclosed depression in a karst landscape that channels rainwater and surface flow directly into the underground aquifer system. They are the most common diagnostic feature of karst terrains though not all karst areas display them prominently (see "karst area coverage" definition). Dolines can appear in various shapes (bowl, cone, cylinder) and sizes, from a few meters to hundreds of meters across.
Speleology
The exploration, description and scientific study of caves and related phenomena.
Biospeleology
Biospeleology is the scientific study of organisms that live in caves and other underground habitats, exploring how life survives and adapts in subterranean environments.
It focuses on: Cave-adapted animals; Microorganisms that thrive in dark, nutrient-limited environments; Ecosystems found in caves, including how species interact and survive with little light and scarce food; Evolutionary adaptations like loss of pigmentation, enhanced sensory organs, and slow metabolism.
Subterranean ecosystems
The network of interconnected habitats below the Earth's surface, including both water-saturated and air-filled environments. While caves are the most well-known, this domain also encompasses microscopic spaces between soil and rock particles. Subterranean ecosystems are mostly defined by a rather permanent or partial-absence of light, severely limited food resources, and stable environmental conditions, hosting life uniquely adapted to these challenges. Read more in Pipan & Culver (2013).