The KARREN and KARREN formation of bare slopes

Abstract

The karren formation and karren features of bare slopes is studied. The occurrence of various karren features was measured on slopes with different inclination. The occurrence of various karren features on slopes has been presented according to slope inclination values. The slopes were put into slope categories and their karren features were given. Thus, the karren formation of the bare slopes of various karst types and karst features (glaciokarst, coastal karst, tropical karst, mediterranean karst, collapse dolines, gorges, caves etc.) can be described. It can be stated that on limestone with the increase of the inclination of the bearing slope, the diversity of karren features decreases and those of flow origin will be increasingly dominant. However, with the increase of slope inclination, features of flow origin will be increasingly simpler. On limestone, on slopes with a smaller dip and on slopes of less soluble rocks, the distribution of karren features of seepage origin increases. On glaciokarst, where bare slopes are widespread and of various inclination, karren are diverse and the distribution of various types is also considerable. In other karst areas, small-inclined slopes (coastal karst, tropical karst) or very large-inclined slopes (tropical karst, collapse dolines) are predominant and thus, the distribution of some karren features (e.g. rinnenkarren) is limited. The change of slope inclination may result in the change of karren formation. On glaciokarst, bare and subsoil karren formation are separated from each other, on mediterranean and tropical karst, they are less separated from each other and the latter prepares the former. On halite, the effect of slope inclination on karren formation may be modified by intensive dissolution. The karren formations of halite and tropical karst are partly similar which can be explained by intensive dissolution in both cases.