Plants absorb carbon dioxide from water droplets on the cave roof through photosynthesis, and the water eventually becomes saturated and is deposited to form stalactites. Heliotropic stalactites are common at cave mouths, where light can reach. Algae and other organisms attach to the stalactites near the cave mouth. Because these organisms are phototropic, the stalactites tend to grow towards the outside part of the cave mouth. This is a type of biokarst landform. Similar sedimentary landforms form on both sides of some karst canyons in the south. Similar stalactites can form when a solution seeps from cracks; these features are called external stalactites (Fig. 6).
Phototropic stalactite landscape
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this entry
Cite this entry
(2020). Heliotropic Stalactite Landscape. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_1034
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_1034
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-13-2537-3
Online ISBN: 978-981-13-2538-0
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences