karstis

Karstis, commonly referred to in English as karst, designates a landscape shaped by the dissolution of soluble rocks, especially limestone, dolostone and gypsum. The term derives from the Karst Plateau in the Dinaric Alps, where such terrain was first described in detail.

Carbonic acid formed from carbon dioxide in rainwater dissolves soluble rocks, creating irregular surfaces and underground drainage systems. Surface features include sinkholes (dolines), disappearing streams, and flat-floored valleys called poljes. In caves, stalactites and stalagmites grow from mineral deposits, while underground rivers and springs connect aquifers to the surface.

Karst drainage is often rapid and confined to conduits; this produces extensive underground networks that can store and transmit large volumes of water. Karst regions are important groundwater resources but are susceptible to pollution because contaminants can move quickly through subterranean channels.

Karst landscapes occur in temperate and tropical regions around the world. Well-known areas include parts of the Dinaric Karst along the Adriatic coast and other limestone regions in Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa. The karst system supports diverse ecosystems and provides water supplies, tourism, and scientific interest; it also poses hazards such as sudden sinkhole formation and groundwater contamination.

See also: Karst topography, Speleology, Karst hydrology.