GeologyRocks

Karst landscape was first named after an area of the former Yugoslavia (which may well now be Slavonia - not sure).  But it also occures worldwide - China, South America, North America, Europe, Russia.

The ones we know best are the Pennines  in England and The Burren in Ireland (just south of Galway).

It is also called 'limestone pavement' being generally of limestone (but occassionally of gypsum, although they weather away much quicker).  However the word 'pavement' is misleading. It is real ankle-breaking stuff with  grikes and clints incised across them producung a micro-climate and allowing the growth of stunted trees and ferns in the harshest of conditions.  These incisions are weathered out weaknesses caused by exploitation of the joints, faults and general cracks of the limestone beds.

I hope your boss visited Plitvice Lakes - stunningly beautiful and an example of this erosion on a grand scale.

Just to the north, near Ljubljana, are the Škoccjan Caves and the Posttojna Cave, both part of this amazing karst landscape.

This is actually only a couple of hours drive from Triest.  Well worth seeing back in 1975, so it will be much better for tourists now. 

 John

“Civilisation exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.” -  Will Durant

I dont know if he did. They spent a few days in Dubrovnik and then went island hopping by sail boat that they hired. I beleive they got to see some of  the caves on some of the islands. 

 I understand there is a fair bit of oil in the limestone out that way....

 Anyway, I am still left wondering if the Chocolate Hills in the Philippines are formed from Karst developement.

We do have a few clints and grykes in some limestone pavements over here in Castletown IOM, by the way.  

Thanks for the tip. Just googled it. Looks fantastic. 

Just  found out that they didnt visit this place, but he is an engineer so  he isnt quite so geologically savy as some. 

I've done quite a lot of research on karst and cave development.  Is there anything specific you want to know? 

If it's just general information there are a number of good books which have been written on the subject, the classic being Karst Landforms by Marjorie Sweeting

Yes indeed Gus. I am interested in the Chocolate Hills on the island of Bohol in the Philippines. The hills are a great tourist attraction and have been declared the "country's third National Geological Monument and proposed for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List"

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate_Hills

 Trouble is from all the images I have seen of these hills they dont look like typical Karst that I have seen. Too regular in shape to my way of thinking and I suspect they are ancient burial mounds. Do you happen to know anything about them?

 I have been googling and I came across this document on a large number of Karst regions in the Philippine, some of which are world class:

http://carsologica.zrc-sazu.si/downloads/351/restificar.pdf

 Though I remain suspicious of the origin of the Chocolate Hills   

Your Chocolate Hills are indeed classic examples of tropical cone karst.  These form where dolines coalesce due to the extremely aggressive solutional qualities of tropical climates to form cones or towers.  An alternative term is "cockpit karst" from a region of Jamaica where they are also seen.

Ah. It was the regularity in shape of the cones that threw me. My thinking was that thy ought to be more irregular. 

So they arent made by Herschey after all! :) 

Apparently runaway slaves in Jamaica used to head for the Cockpit Country.  Its a killer of a place 

Then army commanders used to send in regiments of Red Coats to bring them back.  They wondered why they were loosing so many soldiers!

 John

“Civilisation exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.” -  Will Durant