Turkey is distributed with karst up to about 40%of its land area,in which karst is developed under typical Mediterranean climate.According to the structural characteristics,Turkey is divided into four different karst areas from north to south,among which the Taurus mountains is the largest and most developed karst area in this country and even in the Mediterranean region;therefore,karst in Turkey is of high research value.Based on the systematic collection of geological,structural and hydrogeological data,this study compiles a 1∶100,000,000 karst geological map of Turkey,analyzes the factors affecting karst development,and summarizes the distribution law of karst in Turkey,the main karst phenomena and the current situation of resource exploitation and utilization.Many external and internal factors contribute to the type and the degree of karstification of carbonate rocks.However,the basic fact is that the geological structure,the orogeny,and the connected tectonics provide the basic framework that permits,enhances,or impedes the processes of karstification.The Alpineorogeny and the following epiorogenic movements in Turkey have become important factors in karstification.This type of karstification of carbonate rocks is distributed almost everywhere in Turkey.According to the structural characteristics,karst areas in Turkey can be divided into four units:the karst area of the Taurus mountains,the karst area of southeast Anatolia,the karst area of central Anatolia,and the karst area of northwest Anatolia.The region of the Taurus mountains is the largest and most developed karst area in Turkey and even in the entire Mediterranean region.Carbonate rocks developed from the Cambrian to the Neogene are mainly distributed in Mesozoic and Cenozoic strata,and are the most developed in the Jurassic and Cretaceous strata.In some places,the total thickness of carbonate rocks is more than 1,500 m.The most notable karst geomorphic features are karst caves,sinkholes,dissolution funnels,poljes,karst depressions,karst canyons,karst springs,underground rivers or lakes and submarine springs.From the Mesozoic to the Holocene,limestone was deposited by thrust-nappe effect on the strata with extremely low permeability such as schist,sandstone,shale,etc.Numerous fractures generated by tectonic movements became water channels.Many large-scale karst springs composed of Mesozoic limestone,Tertiary limestone and conglomerate were developed on the contact surface between limestone and impermeable strata,which made the area home to the world's largest karst aquifer and karst hot springs.Carbonate caves in Turkey are mainly concentrated in the Taurus mountains near the Mediterranean Sea,the central and western karst areas of the Black Sea,and the karst areas of Thrace.Although gypsum caves are developed in the central region of Anatolia,the number is limited and the scale is small.Due to differences in geological and climatic conditions,caves in the Mediterranean region and caves in the Black Sea region show different morphological characteristics.(1)The karst area of Thrace is dominated by ancient karst,with single-layer horizontal caves at altitudes of 40-60 m and multi-layer horizontal caves at altitudes of 240-450 m.(2)Dolomite and volcanic rocks are widely distributed in the karst area of the western Black Sea,in which karst is not developed vertically and multi-stage horizontal caves are mainly developed below the altitude of 350 m.(3)Vertical caves are mainly developed in the karst area of central Black Sea,some of which are more than 200-meter deep,but the deepest cave is less than 300 m,due to the thin limestone thickness.(4)In the karst area of the Taurus mountains near the Mediterranean Sea,overthrust faults are developed,and the thicknesses of carbonate rocks in some areas are more than 1,000 m,in which vertical caves are mostly developed.Both the longest cave and the deepest one in Turkey are located in this karst area.By the end of 2019,there were 52 caves in Turkey with a depth of more than 200 m,43 of which were located in the karst area of the Taurus mountains near the Mediterranean Sea,and 7 in the karst area of central Black Sea.There were 62 caves with a length of more than 1,000 m,34 of which were located in the karst area of the Taurus mountains near the Mediterranean Sea,16 in the karst areas of central and western Black Sea and Thrace.Turkey is rich in karst resources such as marble,geothermal,oil,natural gas,etc.,and it has abundant karst landscapes including large springs,caves,canyons,and travertine.The potential for development and utilization is vast,and there is an urgent need to conduct detailed karst hydrogeological surveys.
Turkeykarst geologykarst distributioncavekarst spring
万方数据
维普
