Karst Terrain

The term ‘karst’ describes landscapes made up of soluble rock, primarily limestone, that has been shaped by weakly acidic rainwater dissolving the rock. This process enlarges bedding planes and tectonic fractures in the rock, forming conduits that promote underground drainage, leaving the highlands largely devoid of surface streams and lakes. The bizarre shapes created by dissolution are most evident where soil erosion has exposed the bedrock, revealing a network of grykes (enlarged fissures) and clints (slabs of bedrock in-between). Cliffs and boulders are sculpted with a variety of karren features, such as solution runnels and pans. Larger karst features include dolines, cave entrances, and karst springs.