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Cave and Karst Systems of Romania pp 367–373Cite as

Pădurea Craiului Mountains: Meziad Cave

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Part of the book series: Cave and Karst Systems of the World ((CAKASYWO))

Abstract

Meziad Cave is known and studied since the late nineteenth century and has been developed for tourism at the beginning of the twentieth century. Today, part of its natural and cultural heritage revealed by scientists and cavers can be visited by tourists along a 1500 m path. Most of its chambers and passages are restricted to research for protection and conservation purposes. Meziad Cave is a landmark of the Pădurea Craiului Mountains (Apuseni Mountains, northwestern Romania) due to its diversity of scientific, aesthetic, and recreational values, such as: particular morphology characterized by huge voids, rare phosphate minerals related to the guano deposits, massive wind-controlled stalactites, some of the largest bat colonies in Romania, diverse and endemic subterranean fauna, and valuable paleontological and archeological remains.

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Acknowledgements

We are very grateful to Center for Protected Areas and Sustainable Development (CAPDD), Bihor, and A. Posmoșanu for proving the Meziad Cave map and pictures, respectively. We thank the following people from Cristal and Z (Oradea) caving clubs for contributing (exploration and survey) to the production of Meziad Cave map: O. Mărcuș, R. Mărcuș, late P. Damm, A. Mărcuș, B. Mărcuș, L. Pusztai, late B. Horvath, D. Pitic, E. Zamfor, J. Kokes, A. Kondacs, late A. Tonț, V. Mărcuș, B. Tamaș. We are thankful to both editors and reviewers for critical comments and thoughtful suggestions that improved the manuscript quality and clarity.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. “Emil Racoviță” Institute of Speleology, Romanian Academy, Calea 13 Septembrie 13, 050711, București 5, Romania

    Ioana N. Meleg & Marius Robu

  2. “Emil Racoviță” Institute of Speleology, Romanian Academy, Clinicilor 5, 400006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Daniela R. Borda

  3. Geo Prospect, 13 Septembrie 30/1, 415600, Ștei, Romania

    Ludovic Mátyási

  4. Muzeul Țării Crișurilor, Dacia Bldv. 1-3, 410464, Oradea, Romania

    Călin Ghemiș

  5. Centrul pentru Arii Protejate și Dezvoltare Durabilă Bihor, Piața 1 Decembrie 4-6, Suite 8, 410068, Oradea, Romania

    Viorel T. Lascu

Authors
  1. Ioana N. Meleg
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  2. Marius Robu
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  3. Daniela R. Borda
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  4. Ludovic Mátyási
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  5. Călin Ghemiș
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  6. Viorel T. Lascu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ioana N. Meleg .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Groundwater Assessment Program, Geological Survey of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA

    Gheorghe M. L. Ponta

  2. School of Geosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA

    Bogdan P. Onac

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Meleg, I.N., Robu, M., Borda, D.R., Mátyási, L., Ghemiș, C., Lascu, V.T. (2019). Pădurea Craiului Mountains: Meziad Cave. In: Ponta, G., Onac, B. (eds) Cave and Karst Systems of Romania. Cave and Karst Systems of the World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90747-5_42

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