Derek R. Ford is Assistant Professor of Education Studies at DePauw University, USA. He is the author of multiple books.Paul D. Williams, University of Auckland, New Zealand.

• Preface xiAcknowledgements xiii1 Introduction to Karst 11.1 Definitions 11.2 The Relationships of Karst with General Geomorphology and Hydrogeology 41.3 The Global Distribution of Karst 51.4 The Growth of Ideas 61.5 Aims of the Book 81.6 Karst Terminology 82 The Karst Rocks 92.1 Carbonate Rocks and Minerals 92.2 Limestone Compositions and Depositional Facies 122.3 Limestone Diagenesis and the Formation of Dolomite 182.4 The Evaporite Rocks 242.5 Quartzites and Siliceous Sandstones 272.6 Effects of Lithological Properties upon Karst Development 282.7 Interbedded Clastic Rocks 312.8 Bedding Planes, Joints, Faults and Fracture Traces 312.9 Fold Topography 352.10 Palaeokarst Unconformities 363 Dissolution: Chemical and Kinetic Behaviour of the Karst Rocks 393.1 Introduction 393.2 Aqueous Solutions and Chemical Equilibria 413.3 The Dissolution of Anhydrite, Gypsum and Salt 443.4 The Dissolution of Silica 453.5 Bicarbonate Equilibria and the Dissolution of Carbonate Rocks in Normal Meteoric Waters 453.6 The S–O–H System and the Dissolution of Carbonate Rocks 533.7 Chemical Complications in Carbonate Dissolution 573.8 Biokarst Processes 613.9 Measurements in the Field and Laboratory: Computer Programs 623.10 Dissolution and Precipitation Kinetics of Karst Rocks 654 Distribution and Rate of Karst Denudation 774.1 Global Variations in the Solutional Denudation of Carbonate Terrains 774.2 Measurement and Calculation of Solutional Denudation Rates 824.3 Solution Rates in Gypsum, Salt and Other Non-Carbonate Rocks 904.4 Interpretation of Measurements 925 Karst Hydrogeology 1035.1 Basic Hydrogeological Concepts, Terms and Definitions 1035.2 Controls on the Development of Karst Hydrological Systems 1165.3 Energy Supply and Flow-Network Development 1245.4 Development of the Water Table and Phreatic Zones 1295.5 Development of the Vadose Zone 1325.6 Classification and Characteristics of Karst Aquifers 1345.7 Applicability of Darcy's Law to Karst 1365.8 Freshwater–Saltwater Interface 1406 Analysis of Karst Drainage Systems 1456.1 The 'Grey Box' Nature of Karst 1456.2 Surface Exploration and Survey Techniques 1466.3 Investigating Recharge and Percolation in the Vadose Zone 1536.4 Borehole Analysis 1636.5 Spring Hydrograph Analysis 1736.6 Polje Hydrograph Analysis 1816.7 Spring Chemograph Interpretation 1826.8 Storage Volumes and Flow Routing Under Different States of the Hydrograph 1876.9 Interpreting the Organization of a Karst Aquifer 1896.10 Water-Tracing Techniques 1916.11 Computer Modelling of Karst Aquifers 2037 Speleogenesis: The Development of Cave Systems 2097.1 Classifying Cave Systems 2097.2 Building the Plan Patterns of Unconfined Caves 2147.3 Unconfined Cave Development in Length and Depth 2227.4 System Modifications Occurring within a Single Phase 2317.5 Multiphase Cave Systems 2337.6 Meteoric Water Caves Developed Where There is Confined Circulation or Basal Injection of Water 2367.7 Hypogene Caves: Hydrothermal Caves Associated Chiefly with CO 2 2407.8 Hypogene Caves: Caves Formed by Waters Containing H 2 S 2437.9 Sea-Coast Eogenetic Caves 2467.10 Passage Cross-Sections and Smaller Features of Erosional Morphology 2497.11 Condensation, Condensation Corrosion and Weathering in Caves 2617.12 Breakdown in Caves 2658 Cave Interior Deposits 2718.1 Introduction 2718.2 Clastic Sediments 2718.3 Calcite, Aragonite and Other Carbonate Precipitates 2818.4 Other Cave Minerals 2928.5 Ice in Caves 2948.6 Dating of Calcite Speleothems and Other Cave Deposits 2988.7 Palaeoenvironmental Analysis of Calcite Speleothems 3068.8 Mass Flux Through a Cave System: The Example of Friar's Hole, West Virginia 3209 Karst Landform Development in Humid Regions 3219.1 Coupled Hydrological and Geochemical Systems 3219.2 Small-Scale Solution Sculpture – Microkarren and Karren 3219.3 Dolines – The 'Diagnostic' Karst Landform? 3399.4 The Origin and Development of Solution Dolines 3429.5 The Origin of Collapse and Subsidence Depressions 3469.6 Polygonal Karst 3519.7 Morphometric Analysis of Solution Dolines 3539.8 Landforms Associated with Allogenic Inputs: Contact Karst 3589.9 Karst Poljes 3619.10 Corrosional Plains and Shifts in Baselevel 3659.11 Residual Hills on Karst Plains 3709.12 Depositional and Constructional Karst Features 3779.13 Special Features of Evaporite Terrains 3819.14 Karstic Features of Quartzose and Other Rocks 3889.15 Sequences of Carbonate Karst Evolution in Humid Terrains 3919.16 Computer Models of Karst Landscape Evolution 39510 The Influence of Climate, Climatic Change and Other Environmental Factors on Karst Development 40110.1 The Precepts of Climatic Geomorphology 40110.2 The Hot Arid Extreme 40210.3 The Cold Extreme: Karst Development in Glaciated Terrains 41010.4 The Cold Extreme: Karst Development in Permafrozen Terrains 42110.5 Sea-Level Changes, Tectonic Movement and Implications for Coastal Karst Development 42710.6 Polycyclic, Polygenetic and Exhumed Karsts 43411 Karst Water Resources Management 44111.1 Water Resources and Sustainable Yields 44111.2 Determination of Available Water Resources 44211.3 Karst Hydrogeological Mapping 44511.4 Human Impacts on Karst Water 44911.5 Groundwater Vulnerability, Protection and Risk Mapping 46011.6 Dam Building, Leakages, Failures and Impacts 46412 Human Impacts and Environmental Rehabilitation 47112.1 The Inherent Vulnerability of Karst Systems 47112.2 Deforestation, Agricultural Impacts and Rocky Desertification 47312.3 Sinkholes, Induced by Dewatering, Surcharging, Solution Mining and other Practices on Karst 47812.4 Problems of Construction on and in the Karst Rocks – Expect the Unexpected! 48512.5 Industrial Exploitation of Karst Rocks and Minerals 48912.6 Restoration of Karstlands and Rehabilitation of Limestone Quarries 49412.7 Sustainable Management of Karst 49912.8 Scientific, Cultural and Recreational Values of Karstlands 502References 505Index 554

"…nobody who studies karst in any or all of its aspects can afford to overlook or disregard this book." (International Journal of Speleology Volume 36, 2007)