Speleothems in the dry Cave Parts of the Gamslöcher-Kolowrat Cave, Untersberg near Salzburg (Austria), 2011,
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Bieniok Anna, Zagler Georg, Brendel Uwe, Neubauer Franz

New, remarkably dry parts of the Gamslöcher-Kolowrat Cave at 728 to 853 m depth have been explored in the Untersberg near Salzburg in Austria. This region is called the Desert, its greatest cavity is called the White Hall. The new cave part is characterized by various white speleothems. The predominant ones are snow-like calcite powder with an extremely low density, and fine gypsum needles. Gypsum also occurs in the form of balls stuck to vertical walls. In addition, fluorescent hydromagnesite crusts, Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2·4H2O, as well as the sodium sulfate mineral mirabilite were identified in this part of the cave. Mirabilite and gypsum needles differ from the gypsum balls in their isotopic sulfur signature (δ34S of -16.9‰ and -18.4‰ vs. +2.9‰). The unusually low sulfur isotopic compositional values are tentatively explained by a source of bacteriogenetic sulfur from sulfides.

Kontaktkarst im Bereich Murursprung-Rosskar (Lungau, Salzburg) , 2011,
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Steinwender C, Plan L.

The karst morphology of the high-alpine area east of the Mur spring (Province of Salzburg, Austria) was studied. Various surface karst features and seven new caves were documented. The 10 to 50 m thick carbonate sequence at the Mur spring is part of the Mesozoic Silbereck Marble Group which stretches along the northern margin of the Tauern-Window. Differences in the dipping of the strata with respect to the slope result in two different appearances of the karst on both sides of the Rosskar fault: carbonate rocks east of the fault are widely exposed and autogenic recharge is dominant. West of the fault the narrow marble band is mainly recharged by allogenic waters (stripe karst). Intense karstification is visible in both allogenically and autogenically fed areas. Waters infiltrating in the higher lying catchment suggest a single hydrologic system between the Frauennock and the Mur spring. Despite the small thickness of the carbonates remarkable caves exist and a total length of 337 m was surveyed. More than 150 dolines as well as other karst features including karren and ponors were mapped.

Fledermausfunde aus dem Gamslöcher-Kolowrat-Salzburgerschacht-System (1339/1) des Untersbergs bei Salzburg, 2012,
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Spötl C. , Zagler G. , Bauer K. , Mangini A. , Bieniok A.

Bat bones preserved in sediment layers of the remote parts of the Gamslöcher- Kolowrat-Salzburgerschacht system (Untersberg, south of the city of Salzburg) yielded an age in excess of 400,000 years based on four uranium-thorium dates obtained on intercalated flowstone. The bones belong to Myotis bechsteinii (Bechstein’s bat). A second profile which lacks flowstone layers but shows a similar sediment stratigraphy contained remains of M. bechsteinii, M. nattereri (Natterer’s bat) und M. cf. brandti (Brandt’s bat). The latter bones show evidence of biting and chewing by marten. A well preserved mummy of M. mystacinus (Whiskered bat) found on top of sediments in a third locality of this extensive cave system was dated to 3632-3559 years BC using radiocarbon (calibrated age range). This date demonstrates that the aridity that characterises these remote cave passages and the ventilation regime have prevailed since a least the Middle Holocene.