Hello everyone!
I pleased to invite you to the official site of Central Asian Karstic-Speleological commission ("Kaspeko")
There, we regularly publish reports about our expeditions, articles and reports on speleotopics, lecture course for instructors, photos etc. ...
Dear Colleagues, This is to draw your attention to several recent publications added to KarstBase, relevant to hypogenic karst/speleogenesis: Corrosion of limestone tablets in sulfidic ground-water: measurements and speleogenetic implications Galdenzi,
A recent publication of Spanish researchers describes the biology of Krubera Cave, including the deepest terrestrial animal ever found:
Jordana, Rafael; Baquero, Enrique; Reboleira, Sofía and Sendra, Alberto. ...
Exhibition dedicated to caves is taking place in the Vienna Natural History Museum
The exhibition at the Natural History Museum presents the surprising variety of caves and cave formations such as stalactites and various crystals. ...
Did you know?
That blind valley is 1. a karst valley abruptly terminated by the passage underground of the watercourse which has hitherto resisted the karst processes and remained at the surface. an intermediate type, the half-blind valley, exists in which the valley form continues downstream from the sinkhole used under conditions of normal river flow. the watercourse only flows here intermittently and the valley may (except for its use as a flood conduit) be fossil in that it represents the section abandoned by the river as it sought progressively higher swallow holes [19]. 2. a karst valley with no evident downstream continuation, and one in which the water drains and disappears underground into one or more ponors [20]. 3. a valley that terminates abruptly at a point where its stream sinks, or once sank, underground. as sinks develop higher up the blind valley, the original valley termination may be dry under most flow conditions [9]. related to marginal polje. synonyms: (french.) vallee aveugle; (german.) blindtal, (kesseltal); (greek.) kliste karstike kilas; (italian.) valle cieca, valle chiusa; (russian.) slepaja dolina; (spanish.) valle ciego; (turkish.) kor vadi; (yugoslavian.) slijepa dolina, sepa dolina. see also half-blind valley; marginal polje.?
A comparative study is presented of the microflora of sediments in three caves with different trophic characteristics. Quantitative and qualitative variations of microflora were investigated for one year by studying the total microflora and the activity of the nitrogen cycle functional groups. Data were compared with those of other works of previous authors. Results show that the quantity and kind of organic matter of sediment are most important factors regulating the abundance and activity of cavernicolous microflora. The experimental part of this paper is prefaced by a digest of investigations previously carried out on cavernicolous microflora and by a report of topographic, geomorphologic, hydrologic and trophic characteristics of the caves examined.
Microcharon arganoi, a new Microparasellid from subterranean waters of Southern Italy is described. For the shape and ornamentation of pleopod II of females and for the morphology of pleopod II of males, the new species is clearly related to the phyletic line which includes all the Western and French species of the genus. However, from all these species and from all the other ones M. arganoi differs by the ornamentation of the antennae, maxillipeds and pereiopeds, by the shape and ornamentation of pleopods I and II of males and II of females. and by ratio endopod/exopod of pleopod III. The new species is the first one from the subterranean freshwaters of Italy.
Starting from direct observation carried out inside gypsum caves around Bologna (Italy), the authors develop a new theory about the role played by CO2 in gypsum karstification. Such a theory agrees with the presence of calcite sinters inside gypsum caves without any source of calcium carbonate (cover or interbedding layer). Moreover, starting from this theory, gypsum speleogenesis has to be always considered as a hyperkarstic phenomenon (more than 3 components at the equilibrium).
The absolute size, N, of a Dolichopoda geniculata population was estimated both by the Lincoln-Petersen index and the total count on sample plot methods in a natural cave in Central Italy. 19 pairs of estimates, obtained over 2 years, exhibit a seasonal pattern and a mean value of N ? 430. Differences between estimates obtained with the 2 methods are not significant (P > 0.8). These results, and data from the literature enable most of the major factors influencing the two types of estimates to be identified. Respective cases where methods may be preferably applied are suggested.
Sr content of 137 samples of barite, 81 samples of fluorite, and 65 samples of calcite from 27 post-Cambrian karst and hydrothermal deposits. Karst calcites have an average Sr content of 26 ppm, quite similar to that of the hydrothermal calcites. Hydrothermal fluorites show an average content of 56 ppm. Forty-five percent of the karst barites have an Sr content over 6,000 ppm, while as much as 83.8 percent of the hydrothermal barites contain more than 6,000 ppm Sr. The Sr isotope composition of the Cambrian stratiform barites (0.70867 or - 3) is similar to that of Cambrian seawater, suggesting that the bulk of the Sr was provided by this source. The Sr isotope ratios of the karst barite (average 87 Sr/ 86 Sr = 0.70947 or - 1) indicate that Sr was not only derived by recycling of the stratiform barite but was also provided by the noncarbonate fraction of the Cambrian wall rocks. The Sr isotope composition of the hydrothermal barites ranges from 0.70990 or - 4 to 0.71837 or - 4, suggesting that the Sr derived mainly from a high 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio source.--Modified journal abstract
New localities for the subterranean amphipod Salentinella Ruffo from central-eastern Mediterranean are reported. New collecting localities are listed for Italy, continental Greece and islands of Cephalonie and Zante. Furthermore, some remarks are made about the systematics, the variability and the ecology of the genus. Moreover, the Author refers to the main characteristics of a Salentinella sp. from central Italy, showing intermediate features between S. angelieri and S. franciscoloi. A map of the distribution of the genus Salentinella in Italy and in the Balkan-Dalmatian Peninsula is enclosed.
ITALIAN GYPSUM KARSTS - Synthesis of field observations and bibliographic data on shallow and deep gypsum karsts in Italy; these karsts are located in Trias (Emily) and in Messinian (continental Italy, especially near Bologna, and Sicily). The author describes clints of Sicily, the features of erosion and filling in underground caves.
The relationships between the internal and external evolution of the Mt. Cucco karst complex are studied. A classic set of equations, involving the oxidation of hydrogen sulphide, originated at depth in an evaporitic formation, is used to explain the presence of massive gypsum deposits in the Mt. Cucco and the Faggeto Tondo caves. The distribution and the morphology of more than 30 caves in the system, the presence of gypsum, always located along faults, and the presence of broken stalactites and columns, suggest that the evolution of the karst system has been controlled by tectonic movements. Relationships between the development of the caves and the geomorphic evolution of the area are proposed.
Description Prepared by some of the world's leading experts in the field, this book is the first summarizing work on the origin, importance and exploitation of paleokarst. It offers an extensive regional survey, mainly concerning the Northern Hemisphere, as well as a thorough analysis of the problems of research into paleokarst phenomena, with particular emphasis on theoretical contributions and practical exploitation. By concentrating on phenomena which have appeared in the course of geological history, the book represents a substantial development in the general theory of paleokarst and demonstrates the advantages of a comprehensive approach to the problem. Considerable emphasis is put on the economic importance of paleokarst phenomena, from the point of view of exploiting significant deposits of mineral raw materials, as well as from a civil engineering and hydrological point of view. Since the publication deals with a boundary scientific discipline, it is intended for specialists from various branches of science: geologists, paleontologists, economic geologists, geographers, mining engineers and hydrogeologists.
Contents List of Contributors. Foreword.
Part I. Introduction. Introduction (P. Bosák et al.). Paleokarst as a problem (J. Głazek, P. Bosák, D.C. Ford). Terminology (P. Bosák, D.C. Ford, J. Głazek).
Part II. Regional Review. Paleokarst of Belgium (Y. Quinif). Paleokarst of Britain (T.D. Ford). Paleokarst of Norway (S.-E. Lauritzen). Paleokarst of Poland (J. Głazek). Paleokarst of Czechoslovakia (P. Bosák, I. Horáček, V. Panoš). Paleokarst of Hungary (G. Bárdossy, L. Kordos). Hydrothermal paleokarst of Hungary (P. Müller). Paleokarst of Italy. Selected examples from Cambrian to Miocene (M. Boni, B. D'Argenio). Paleokarst-related ore deposits of the Maghreb, North Africa (Y. Fuchs, B. Touahri). Paleokarst of Yugoslavia (D. Gavrilović). Paleokarst of Bulgaria (I. Stanev, S. Trashliev). Paleokarst of Romania (M. Bleahu). Paleokarst of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (R.A. Tsykin). Paleokarst of China (Zhang Shouyue). Paleokarst of Canada (D.C. Ford). Paleokarst of the United States (M.V. Palmer, A.N. Palmer).
Part III. Mineral Deposits Connected With Karst. An introduction to karst-related mineral deposits (P. Bosák). Pb-Zn ores (S. Dżułyński, M. Sass-Gustkiewicz). Bauxites (G. Bárdossy). Iron ore deposits in paleokarst (G. Bárdossy, Y. Fuchs, J. Głazek). Clays and sands in paleokarst (P. Bosák). The oceanic karst: modern bauxite and phosphate ore deposits on the high carbonate islands (so-called ``Uplifted Atolls'') of the Pacific Ocean (F.G. Bourrouilh-le Jan). Paleokarst-related uranium deposits (Y. Fuchs).
Part IV. Hydrogeology and Engineering Hazards in Paleokarst Areas. Paleokarst as an important hydrogeological factor (J. Zötl). Hydrogeological problems of opencast and underground mining of mineral deposits encountered during their exploration, development and exploitation stages (P. Bosák). Hydrogeological problems of the Cracow-Silesia Zn-Pb ore deposits (Z. Wilk). Hydrogeological problems of Hungarian bauxite and coal deposits (T. Böcker, B. Vizy). Paleokarst in civil engineering (A. Eraso). Interaction between engineering and environment in the presence of paleokarst: some case histories (J. Głazek).
Part V. Paleokarst as a Scientific Subject. Special characteristics of paleokarst studies (I. Horáček, P. Bosák). Tectonic conditions for karst origin and preservation (J. Głazek). Problems of the origin and fossilization of karst forms (P. Bosák). Biostratigraphic investigations in paleokarst (I. Horáček, L. Kordos).
Part VI. Conclusions. Part VII. References. Part VIII. Indexes. Author Index. Geographical Index. Subject Index.
Allozyme variation at 32 gene loci was studied in cave dwelling shrimps of the genus Troglocaris (fam. Atyidae). Populations were collected from several caves and wells belonging to different drainage systems in the Karst areas of NE Italy. Results suggest the existence of two sympatric, genetically distinct, biological species (provisionally indicated as species A and B in the T. anophthalmus complex) in the samples collected at the Duino Well, Sagrado and Comarie caves (Nei's D = 0.209). Samples from Gradisca and Aurisina are represented by only one (A) or the other (B) of the two species, respectively. Two remaining eastern populations from the Rosandra Valley also proved to be monospecific. However, they posses fixed alternative alleles markedly different from both species A and B suggesting that these two populations may belong to a third sibling species, C (A vs. C, D=0.346; B vs. C, D=0.146). These data are discussed in relation to allopatric speciation of cave dwelling shrimp species, flooding periods of subterranean waters and the role of cave organisms as markers of this process.
