Cave geology / Карстовая геология

Cave geology, as treated in this book, concerns not only the geology and origin of caves, but also related aspects such as hydrology, geochemistry, and microbiology. All cave sciences are combined in the field otspeteolag)'. More than any other science, speleology is closely tied to exploration and adventure. Anyone can participate in it. For that reason, 1 have tried to make this book accessible to non-scientists, but at the same time to provide details that arc useful at all levels. My main concern is to introduce topics that can be applied in the field, in hopes that this book will sen e as a bridge between exploration and science, and between observation and interpretation.
There are many books with strong coverage of surface karst — the distinctive landscape that forms on soluble rock. This one focuses specifically on the underlying caves. Surface processes and landscapes are described here too, but mainly in terms of how they influence the subsurface features.
There are several reasons for this emphasis. To understand surface karst, it is necessary to have a thorough knowledge of the underlying cave-forming processes. Familiarity with caves is also important if we are to deal effectively with groundwater supply, contaminant transport, and land stability in karst regions, and to understand the origin and distribution of certain petroleum reservoirs and ore deposits. Most researchers in these fields prefer not to venture into caves, and this book can provide background to support their work. <...>