Introduction to the Dinaric Karst
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Andrej Mihevc, Mitja Prelovšek, Nadja Zupan Hajna (Eds.) INTRODUCTION TO THE DINARIC KARST Editors / Uredniki: Andrej Mihevc, Mitja Prelovšek, Nadja Zupan Hajna Language review / Jezikovni pregled: Carolyn L. Ramsey Photos / Fotografije: Authors of chapters, if not otherwise mentioned Cartography / Kartografija: Mitja Prelovšek Design and graphic art / Oblikovanje in grafična ureditev: Mitja Prelovšek Published by / Izdal in založil: Inštitut za raziskovanje krasa ZRC SAZU, Postojna / Karst Research Institute at ZRC SAZU, Postojna Represented by / Zanj: Tadej Slabe Printed by / Tisk: Collegium Graphicum d.o.o., Ljubljana Printrun / Naklada: 300 copies / izvodov Postojna, junij 2010 The publication was published within the Karst Underground Protection project which is financially supported by the Slovenia- Croatia Operational Programme 2007-2013. Knjiga je bila izdana v okviru projekta Karst Undergorund Protection financiranega iz Operativnega programa IPA Slovenija- Hrvaška 2007-2013. CIP - Kataložni zapis o publikaciji Narodna in univerzitetna knjižnica, Ljubljana 911:551.44 INTRODUCTION to the Dinaric Karst / edited by Andrej Mihevc, Mitja Prelovšek, Nadja Zupan Hajna ; [photos authors of chapters ; cartography Mitja Prelovšek]. - Postojna : Inštitut za raziskovanje krasa ZRC SAZU = Karst Research Institute at ZRC SAZU, 2010 ISBN 978-961-254-198-9 1. Mihevc, Andrej, 1952- 251366400 Introduction to the Dinaric Karst Edited by: Andrej Mihevc Mitja Prelovšek Nadja Zupan Hajna Postojna, junij 2010 Contents Geographical Position and General Overview 6 (Andrej Mihevc, Mitja Prelovšek) Short History of Research 9 (Andrej Kranjc) Geology 14 (Nadja Zupan Hajna) Climate 20 (Mitja Prelovšek) Hydrology 25 (Mitja Prelovšek) Geomorphology 30 (Andrej Mihevc) Land Use 44 (Nadja Zupan Hajna, Andrej Mihevc, Mitja Prelovšek) Case Studies from the Dinaric Karst of Slovenia 49 (Andrej Mihevc, Nadja Zupan Hajna, Mitja Prelovšek) Kras Ljubljanica River System Karst of Dolenjska and Kolpa Contac Karst of Matarsko podolje Caves Unroofed Caves and Surface Denudation Use of Karst and its Protection References 67 Geographical Position and General Overview Andrej Mihevc, Mitja Prelovšek The Dinaric karst is the major morphologi- in the Kolubara and Morava river basins, the cal type of landscape of the Dinarsko gorovje edge of the Kosovo basin and the Prokletije (Dinaric mountains), extending over approxi- mountains. The transition to the Alps in the mately 60,000 km2 and forming the largest northwest and the Albanian mountains toward continuous karst landscape in Europe. the southeast is not very distinctive. The Dinarsko gorovje are positioned be- The Dinarsko gorovje are separated into tween the Panonian Basin in the northeast different natural belts. All have a common and the Adriatic Sea in the southwest, cover- direction (northwest-southeast; the Dinaric ing an area over 650 km in length and over 150 direction), which is the direction of most of km wide (Fig. 1). In the north, they border the the relief features. The main geomorphologic Alps along the rivers Soča, Idrijca and Dolejns- differences of the mountains are defined by ko podolje (Dolenjska lowland). The inner side differences in lithology. Inland non-carbonate of the mountains is delimited by the river Sava rocks on which fluvial relief has developed pre- valley. The eastern border of the mountains is vail. The main parts of the mountains, central Fig. 1: Delimitation of the Dinaric karst toward northeast after Roglić (1965) and after Gams (1974). 6 and outer belts, are formed mostly of Meso- dolines, and caves. Because of the pure lime- zoic and Tertiary rocks, mostly limestone and stone that prevails, only thin non-continuous dolomite. Here the highest relief is found and soil cover developed on the karst. Even though karst landscapes prevail. Closer to the coast, in most of the area there is enough precipita- relief is generally lower; there are also several tion, the thin soils and karst cannot keep it on narrow belts of Eocene flysch between the the surface, so in general aridity is the prob- limestones. They are expressed as belts of low- lem, especially on the southern side of the er relief and have important control over the mountains closer to Mediterranean Sea. underground discharge of the main karst belt. On both edges, where non-karstic rocks The highest elevations occur in the central are in contact with the main karst belt, insu- belt of the Dinarsko gorovje. Here displaced lated karst areas are developed. There are also separated units of higher relief occur, including areas of karst in dolomite, forming fluviokarst. karst plateaus like Snežnik (1,796 m), Risnjak There are areas of contact karst with sinks and (1,528 m), Velika and Mala Kapela, Plješivica ponors. On the edges of the karst, there are (1,657 m), Velebit (1,758 m), Dinara (1,913 m), also large springs. Vitorog (1,907 m), Vran, Čvrsnica (2,228 m), The Dinaric karst is very rich with cave Prenj (2,155 m), Bjelašnica (2,067 m), Jaho- fauna, with many endemic species of animals. rina, Lelija, Maglič, Durmitor (2,522 m), Tara, The reasons for this are a long, uninterrupt- Njegoš (1,721 m), Orjen (1,895 m), and Lovčen ed evolution and the age of the karst. Some (1,749 m). These high plateaus, which are all of the animals, like Proteus anguinus (Fig. 3) elongated in the Dinaric direction, are separat- and Marifugia cavatica can be found on all ex- ed by lower plateaus and levelled surfaces on treme sides of the Dinaric karst, proving simi- limestone or deep trough valleys flowing from lar and simultaneous evolution of the whole non-carbonate rocks. Dinaric karst. During the cold stages of Pleistocene the Modest natural resources are the reason snow line in the Dinaric Mountains was at for the low human population. Traditionally about 1,100 m, so glaciation affected the high- this was the area of pasture, transhumance, er parts. Glaciation partially blocked or inter- and later, forestry. The natural vegetation in rupted karst drainage and slightly modified the the area was forest. Wood was used for fire- karst features. Mostly glaciers developed on wood, charcoal, for shipbuilding and for con- plateaus in rugged karst terrain full of closed struction. In the lower areas, along the coast depressions. Glaciated karst plateaus were and on the Kras, the forests completely disap- smoothed slightly and small moraines were peared (Fig. 2). Inland, because of a more hu- developed. In most cases, glaciers ended in mid climate and different land use, the forests closed depressions with karst outflows. remained. Characteristic forms associated with the There are two reasons for the reforestation karst mountains are large levelled surfaces, of the area: numerous protective regulations plateaus and intramontane depressions in and reforestation attempts. More important is which karst poljes have developed. There are the change in the economy in the past century. no fluvial rivers valleys; only in some places are There is no longer such enormous pressure on some dry valleys preserved. Smaller relief fea- the land. tures are uvalas, dolines, dry valleys, collapsed 7 Fig. 2: Coastal part of Dinaric karst experienced severe deforestation which started already in the Neolithoc period (photo: A. Mihevc). Fig. 3: Mountainous Dinaric karst - Popovo polje in Herzegovina (photo: M. Mihevc). 8 Short History of Research Andrej Kranjc Dinaric karst is the landscape where the tury BC mentions the springs of Timavo (Herak sciences of karstology and speleology took & Stringfield 1974) which were later studied their origin and started to develop thus con- by Poseidonios of Apameia (135 – 50 BC). In tributing several karstological terms to in- connection with them he mentions also »the ternational karst terminology. In the antiq- chasm« - Škocjanske jame (Škocjan caves; uity already some of karst phenomena were Kranjc 1998). In Virgil’s Aeneida the Timavo mentioned from the Dinaric karst, but here springs are called the Mother of the sea and are considered published sources mostly Strabo’s Geography names Lugeon Lacus. Curi- from the 16th century on, when the modern ously all these phenomena are from the north- karst research started. In those times Dinaric western part of the Dinaric karst. Taking into karst belonged to different states. Adequate the consideration that this is the most distant sources were used and and it was a difficult related to Greece, I would say that we do not task yet not completely achieved but it pres- know the appropriate references. ents a relatively new approach. For the older From the Middle Ages it is not known period some Venetian and Turkish works are much more. Tabula Peutingeriana showing included. Emphasized are Austrian and Austro- the springs of the Timavus is in fact a Roman Hungarian researchers working in Bosnia and map. Karst phenomena are mentioned in the Herzegovina as well as Serbian researchers. documents from different reasons but without The contribution which can be no more than a notion of karst yet. In 888 the king Berang- an unpretentious overview mentions early er donated the church in the cave Sv. Ivan v philosopher N. Gučetić discussing karst phe- Čele – San Giovanni d’Antro located in the last nomena, and travellers through the Balkans parts of the karst above the plain of Friuli, the like B. Hacquet, B. Kuripečič, E. Čelebija, and Croatian word for the cave Pechice, Pechie or A. Fortis, and also well-known geomorpholo- Pechine ossia Grotta, that is pećina, figures gists and speleologists A. Penck, E.-A. Martel, on the map of the domain of a monastery on J. Cvijić, A. Melik, and J. Roglić. the Ugljan Island in the year 1096 and 1166 respectively as shown in many contributions Pre-scientific phase of late M. Malez (1984). Well known is Byzan- Karst phenomena or better phenomena tine’s Emperor Constantine Porphyrogennetos which we are called nowadays as karst ones description of his empire De Administrando are relatively often mentioned by ancient Imperio (948 – 952) where many karst sites are Greek and Roman authors.