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Encyclopedia of Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks pp 11–15Cite as

Ancient karst

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Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

Introduction

Karst is characterized by spectacular surface topographies, caves, and subterranean drainage systems that have developed in soluble limestone, dolostone, or gypsum bedrocks (e.g., Jennings, 1971, 1985; Sweeting, 1973; Bögli, 1980; Trudgill, 1985). Karst is geologically complex because it represents the balance between the diametrically opposed processes of dissolution and precipitation which are mediated by groundwater that flows over and through the bedrock. Thus, from a geological perspective karst is a subaerial diagenetic terrain. Esteban and Klappa (1983) defined karst as “... a diagenetic facies, an overprint in subaerially exposed carbonate bodies, produced and controlled by dissolution and migration of calcium carbonate in meteoric waters, occurring in a wide variety of climatic and tectonic settings, and generating a recognizable landscape.” Similarly, Choquette and James (1988)defined karst to “... include all of the diagenetic features—macroscopic and...

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Bibliography

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, USA

    Brian Jones

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  1. Brian Jones
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geography and Geology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada

    Gerard V. Middleton

  2. Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T IZ2, Canada

    Michael J. Church

  3. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G I, Canada

    Mario Coniglio

  4. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA

    Lawrence A. Hardie

  5. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada

    Frederick J. Longstaffe

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© 1978 Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross, Inc.

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Jones, B. (1978). Ancient karst. In: Middleton, G.V., Church, M.J., Coniglio, M., Hardie, L.A., Longstaffe, F.J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-3609-5_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-3609-5_5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-0872-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-3609-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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