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Karst map of Georgia (Caucasus region) scale: 1:1,500,000

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Abstract

Karst landscapes develop in soluble rocks, such as carbonates and evaporates, but also in various types of rocks that develop pseudokarst features. The main aim of this work is to introduce a new karst map of Georgia (scale: 1:1,500,000) presenting karst and pseudokarst features, which occupy about 17.9% (12,454 km2) of the entire territory of the country and include over 1500 known caves. We distinguish two types of karst features—karst (developed in carbonate rocks) and pseudokarst, and also five subtypes, mainly based on their lithology. About 10.2% (7120 km2) of the country is occupied by karst (carbonate rocks), and about 7.7% (5334 km2) of the country is occupied by pseudokarst features. This karst map of Georgia will provide important assistance to local and foreign researchers interested in studying Georgian karst features.

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Funding

Funding was provided by TSU Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography and the grant of the International Education Center of Georgia (MES 91701063435).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 0177, Tbilisi, Georgia

    Lasha Asanidze, Zaza Lezhava, Kukuri Tsikarishvili & George Gaprindashvili

  2. Department of Geology, LEPL National Environmental Agency, 0112, Tbilisi, Georgia

    George Gaprindashvili

  3. School of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Ilia State University, 0162, Tbilisi, Georgia

    Nino Chikhradze

  4. Center for Human GeoEnvironmental Studies, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY, 42101, USA

    Jason Polk

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  1. Lasha Asanidze
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  2. Zaza Lezhava
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  3. Kukuri Tsikarishvili
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  4. George Gaprindashvili
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  5. Nino Chikhradze
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  6. Jason Polk
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Correspondence to Lasha Asanidze.

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Asanidze, L., Lezhava, Z., Tsikarishvili, K. et al. Karst map of Georgia (Caucasus region) scale: 1:1,500,000. Carbonates Evaporites 34, 1205–1212 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-019-00525-z

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