karst landscapes

limestone pavement

a large flat area of exposed limestone that had its soil cover removed due to denudation

grikes

continuous freeze thaw action widens and deepens the joints forming large cracks

can be up to 30cm wide and 100cm deep

clint

flat blocks that separate grikes

carbonation often takes place here

karren

carbonation occurs on the surface of clints where the acidic water remains stationary causing little holes

swallow holes

large inverted cone in the clints. when streams or rivers flow across limestone pavement vertically eroding. these have the ability to take the streams water often disappear completely underground

closed depressions

holes or hollows on the surface of a karst landscape that range from a few m in depth and diameter to hundreds of m in depth to sevral km in diameter

dolines

joints are widened or the roof of an underground cave collapses and the overlying material slumps downward. usually circular in shape.

uvulas

multiple dolines or swallow holes coalesce medium sized

poljes

two or more uvulas coalesce as a result of faulting steep walls and flat floors can be up to sevral km²

dry valley

most common in places without water for most the year may have originated at the end of a glacial period. melt water flowed over the surface. meltwater eroded vertically cutting a valley when the ice had completely melted left without a water supply so its completely dry. disappears underground through a swallow hole leaving a valley behind

turloughs

temporary seasonal lakes.

incessant torrential rainfall the water table rises with water gathering on the surface forming a lake. during hot seasons water drains down the hole. then it completely dries out fluvial sediment leaves behind rich soils