Karsztos

Karsztos is a term used in geology to describe features, landscapes, and processes related to karst, the terrain formed in soluble rocks such as limestone, dolostone, or gypsum by the dissolution action of mildly acidic water over long timescales. The result is a distinctive topography that includes extensive cave systems and dramatic surface landforms.

Key surface and subsurface expressions of karsztos landscapes include dolines or sinkholes, uvalas, poljes (large flat-floored depressions), caves and complex cave networks, underground rivers, and ponors where streams disappear into the subsurface. Karst hydrology features rapid groundwater flow through conduits and aquifers, with springs and recharge areas often separated from the surface, making water resources sensitive to contamination. Caves host specialized ecosystems and speleothems such as stalactites and stalagmites, which form through mineral deposition.

Distribution and terminology: karst forms occur worldwide, and the term karsztos is commonly used in Hungarian to describe karst-related landscapes and phenomena. Notable karst regions include the Dinaric Karst along the Adriatic, the Kras plateau in Slovenia and Italy, and extensive karst zones across Hungary and Slovakia.

Ecological and cultural significance: karst terrains support unique biota, provide important groundwater resources, and attract tourism and scientific study. They also pose hazards such as sinkhole formation and vulnerability of water supplies to pollution. Many karst areas are protected as geological or natural heritage sites.