Feature Diversity of Zonal Karsts

The determination of karst types by their environment through their feature diversity is described here. Based on their characteristics, karst areas can be categorized as karst types. Researchers have distinguished and described various karst types [1-6]. Karst types can be classified as zonal and azonal groups [7]. Zonal karsts are climate dependent (e.g., tropical karst). Azonal karsts occur in the area of zonal karsts, but they are more or less independent due to any of their characteristics (for example according to rock quality karst can be of evaporate type or carbonate karst type under any climate).
The characteristics, the features, and the processes of a karst type are more or less different from other types. Table 1 includes the above-mentioned characteristics of various zonal karst types. It can be established that on the Earth, the feature diversity on zonal karst types being closer to the Equator is greater than farther from it. However, the number of processes and effects being present in their area first increases farther from the Equator (Temperate Belt) then it decreases (Cold Climate Zone).
The reason for the increase of feature diversity is that dissolution intensity increases towards the Equator which can be traced back to the increase of biogenic CO2 production. Since under temperate climate the larger number of processes and effects does not change this fact either, this indicates that dissolution is the predominant process which is responsible for the development and state of the phenomena of karst areas prevails over other geomorphic process on the karsts [8].

Table 1: Solution and partly solution surface karst features and processes on zonal karst types.

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