What is a karst?

Answer 1

A karst topography is that which composes of limestone and its associated features and structures.

•Karst topography and caves develop in limestone rocks due to their solubility in dilute acidic groundwater.

•The solubility of limestone in water and weak acid solutions leads to karst landscapes.

•Regions overlying limestone bedrock tend to have fewer visible above-ground sources (ponds and streams), as surface water easily drains downward through joints in the limestone.

•While draining, water and organic acid from the soil slowly (over thousands or millions of years) enlarges these cracks, dissolving the calcium carbonate and carrying it away in solution.

•Most cave systems are through limestone bedrock.

•Cooling groundwater or mixing of different groundwater will also create conditions suitable for cave formation.

Karst topography occurs when the underlying bedrock is dissolved. The bedrock is made of gypsum, limestone or dolomite. This causes sinkholes and caverns to form.

Answer 2

A Karst topography displays a variety of large or small scale features both on the surface and beneath.

On exposed surfaces, small features may include flutes, runnels, clints and grikes, collectively called karren or lapiez.

Medium-sized surface features may include sinkholes or dolines (closed basins), vertical shafts, disappearing streams, and reappearing springs.

Large-scale features may include limestone pavements, poljes and blind valleys.

Mature karst landscapes, where more bedrock has been removed than remains, may result in karst towers or haystack/eggbox landscapes.

Beneath the surface, complex underground drainage systems (such as karst aquifers) and extensive caves and cavern systems may form.

Answer 3

Karst is the name given to all the landforms in areas of limestone rock.

It includes both surface features( limestone pavements, cockpits,gorges etc.) and underground features( caves, pillars, stalagmites etc).

Answer 4

Karst topography is a geological formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks, such as quartzite given the right conditions.

Answer 5

•A morphologic terrain resulting from dissolution and precipitation of near-surface bedrock

-Dissolution of soluble bedrock

-Primarily in carbonates

-Results in distinctive morphology.

Answer 6

Caves, springs, and sinkholes.

also swallets, windows, and rises.

Answer 7

limestone