6.13 Stone Forests and Their Rock Relief

Abstract

Stone forests are unique karst surface landforms which range from several dozen to hundreds of square kilometers, and their distinctiveness is reflected in the number of denominations in different parts of the world including, for example, shilin, tsingy, and assegai. Diverse examples of stone forests show that the shape of the pillars, as tall as up to 100 m, is mainly the consequence of the distribution and density of fissures in the rock, its stratification, and different rock strata composition. We currently divide stone forests into three types: subsoil forests, uncovered forests, and bare forests. The rock forms on the pillars are according to their development divided into subcutaneous forms, forms shaped by rainwater and composed rock forms. The largest stone forests occur in tropical and subtropical conditions where corrosion of rock is the dominant factor and mechanical weathering is not pronounced. The Lunan stone forests developed from underground karren.