Reconstruction of palaeoflow and depositional dynamics from the Merjasec unroofed cave, Laze Plain (central Slovenia)

Primož Miklavc; Matej Lipar; France Šušteršič; Andrej Šmuc

doi:10.3986/AGS.14446

Authors

Primož Miklavc University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Geology, Ljubljana, Slovenia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6140-4020
Matej Lipar Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Anton Melik Geographical Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4414-0147
France Šušteršič University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Geology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Andrej Šmuc University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Geology, Ljubljana, Slovenia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7883-4676

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.14446

Keywords:

karst, denuded cave, clastic cave deposits, facies, fluvial, depositional dynamics, palaeoenvironment

Abstract

Sparsely preserved unroofed cave deposits are ancient remains of cave systems. The Merjasec unroofed cave is a perfect example of poorly preserved cave deposits where conventional sedimentological study revealed a greater potential for the reconstruction of local to regional palaeoenvironmental conditions. Cave deposits are characterised by polymictic conglomerates, pebbly sandstones and flowstone belonging to five distinct sedimentary facies. Sedimentary features indicate deposition of channel-related bedforms in a narrow cave-connecting conduit, activated only during extreme pulsating floods under epiphreatic conditions. In this sense, it mimics the current hydrology of the regional system and shows that the hydrological history of the cave system is strongly dependent on climatic conditions. Moreover, this study demonstrates a methodological approach that can be successfully applied to similary exposed cave deposits elsewhere, showing that even fragmentary or eroded remnants, when analysed in detail, can significantly contribute to understanding of karst palaeohydrology.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Adams, N. F., Candy, I., Schreve, D. C., Barendregt, R. W. 2019: Deposition and provenance of the Early Pleistocene Siliceous Member in Westbury Cave, Somerset, England. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association 130-2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pgeola.2019.02.005

Bella, P., Gradziński, M., Hercman, H., Leszczyński, S., Nemec, W. 2020: Sedimentary anatomy and hydrological record of relic fluvial deposits in a karst cave conduit. Sedimentology 68-1. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.12785

Blatnik, M., Mayaud, C., Gabrovšek, F. 2019: Groundwater dynamics between Planinsko Polje and springs of the Ljubljanica river, Slovenia. Acta Carsologica 48-2. https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v48i2.7263

Boggs, S. 2009: Petrology of sedimentary rocks. Cambridge University Press.

Borenović, T. 1993: Razvoj jurskih plasti v profilu zahodno od Pokojišča. MS thesis. Univerza v Ljubljani.

Bosák, P. 2002: Karst processes from the beginning to the end: How can they be dated? In: Evolution of Karst: From Prekarst to Cessation. Carsologica 1. Založba ZRC.

Bosák, P., Knez, M., Otrubová, D., Pruner, P., Slabe, T., Venhodová, D. 2000: Palaeomagnetic research of fossil cave in the highway construction at Kozina, SW Slovenia. Acta Carsologica 29-2. https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v29i2.446

Bosch, R. F., White, W. B. 2007: Lithofacies and transport of clastic sediments in karstic aquifers. In: Studies of Cave Sediments. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5766-3_1

Buser, S. 1978: Razvoj jurskih plasti Trnovskega gozda, Hrušice in Logaške planote. Rudarsko-metalurški zbornik 25-4.

Caldeira, D., Uagoda, R., Nogueira, A. M., Garnier, J., Sawakuchi, A. O., Hussain, Y. 2021: Late Quaternary episodes of clastic deposition in the Tarimba Cave, Central Brazil. Quaternary International 580. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2021.01.012

Campaña, I., Benito-Calvo, A., Pérez-González, A., Álvaro-Gallo, A., Miguens-Rodríguez, L., Iglesias-Cibanal, J., Bermúdez de Castro, J. M., Carbonell, E. 2022: Revision of TD1 and TD2 stratigraphic sequence of Gran Dolina cave (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain). Journal of Iberian Geology 48. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41513-022-00200-8

Campaña, I., Benito-Calvo, A., Pérez-González, A., Ortega, A. I., Bermúdez de Castro, J. M., Carbonell, E. 2017: Pleistocene sedimentary facies of the Gran Dolina archaeopaleopological site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain). Quaternary International 433-A. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.04.023

Campaña, I., Benito-Calvo, A., Pérez-González, A., Ortega, A. I., Álvaro-Gallo, A., Miguens-Rodríguez, L., Iglesias-Cibanal, J., Bermúdez de Castro, J. M., Carbonell, E. 2023: Reconstructing depositional environments through cave interior facies: The case of Galería Complex (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain). Geomorphology 440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2023.108864

Čar, J. 2010: Geološka zgradba idrijsko - cerkljanskega hribovja: Tolmač h geološki karti idrijsko – cerkljanskega hribovja med Stopnikom in Rovtami 1 : 25 000/Geological structure of the Idrija - Cerkno hills: Explanatory book to the geological map of the Idrija - Cerkljansko hills 1: 25 000. Geološki zavod Slovenije.

Čar, J. 2018: Geostructural mapping of karstified limestones. Geologija 61-2. https://doi.org/10.5474/geologija.2018.010

Collinson, J. D. 1970: Bedforms of the Tana River, Norway. Geografiska Annaler 52-1.

De Waele, J., Gutiérrez, F. 2022: Karst hydrogeology, geomorphology and caves. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119605379

Fairchild, I. J., Baker, A. 2012: Speleothem science: From process to past environments. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444361094

Fairchild, I. J., Frisia, S., Borsato, A., Tooth, A. F. 2007: Speleothems. In: Geochemical Sediments and Landscapes. Blackwell Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470712917.ch7

Fairchild, I. J., Smith, C. L., Baker, A., Fuller, L., Spötl, C., Mattey, D. 2006: Modification and preservation of environmental signals in speleothems. Earth-Science Reviews 75-1,2,3,4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2005.08.003

Fambrini, G. L., Neumann, V. H. M. L., Menezes-Filho, J. A. B., da Silva-Filho, W. F., de Oliveira, É. V. 2017: Facies architecture of the fluvial Missão Velha Formation (Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous), Araripe Basin, Northeast Brazil: Paleogeographic and tectonic implications. Acta Geologica Polonica 67-4. https://doi.org/10.1515/agp-2017-0029

Ferk, M., Lipar, M., Šmuc, A., Drysdale, R. N., Zhao, J. 2019: Chronology of heterogeneous deposits in the side entrance of Postojna cave, Slovenia. Acta geographica Slovenica 59-1. https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.7059

Ford, D. C., Williams, P. 2007: Karst hydrogeology and geomorphology. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118684986

Gabrovšek, F., Häuselmann, P., Audra, P. 2014: ‘Looping caves’ versus ‘water table caves’: the role of base-level changes and recharge variations in cave development. Geomorphology 204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2013.09.016

Gabrovšek, F., Mihevc, A., Mayaud, C., Blatnik, M., Kogovšek, B. 2022: Slovene classical karst: Kras Plateau and the recharge area of Ljubljanica River. Folia Biologica et Geologica 63-2. https://doi.org/10.3986/fbg0097

Gabrovšek, F., Turk, J. 2010: Observations of stage and temperature dynamics in the epiphreatic caves within the catchment area of the Ljubljanica river. Geologia Croatica 63-2. https://doi.org/10.4154/gc.2010.16

Ghinassi, M., Colonese A. C., Di Giuseppe, Z., Govoni, L., Lo Vetro, D., Malavasi, G., Martini, F. et al. 2009: The Late Pleistocene clastic deposits in the Romito Cave, Southern Italy: A proxy record of environmental changes and human presence. Journal of Quaternary Science 24-4. https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.1236

Gillieson, D. 1986: Cave sedimentation in the New Guinea highlands. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 11-5. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3290110508

Hercman, H., Gąsiorowski, M., Szczygieł, J., Bella, P., Gradziński, M., Błaszczyk, M., Matoušková, Š. et al. 2023: Delayed valley incision due to karst capture (Demänová Cave System, Western Carpathians, Slovakia). Geomorphology 437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2023.108809

Herman, E. K., Toran, L., White, W. B. 2012: Clastic sediment transport and storage in fluviokarst aquifers: an essential component of karst hydrogeology. Carbonates and Evaporites 27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-012-0112-7

https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511626487

Jež, J., Otoničar, B. 2018: Late Cretaceous geodynamics of the northern sector of the Adriatic Carbonate Platform (W Slovenia). Newsletters on Stratigraphy 51-4. https://doi.org/10.1127/nos/2018/0439

Korbar, T. 2009: Orogenic evolution of the External Dinarides in the NE Adriatic region: a model constrained by tectonostratigraphy of Upper Cretaceous to Paleogene carbonates. Earth-Science Reviews 96-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2009.07.004

Laureano, F. V., Karmann, I., Granger, D. E., Auler, A. S., Almeida, R. P., Cruz, F. W., Strícks, N. M., Novello, V.F. 2016: Two million years of river and cave aggradation in NE Brazil: Implications for speleogenesis and landscape evolution. Geomorphology 273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2016.08.009

Miall, A. D. 1977: A review of the braided-river depositional environment. Earth-Science Reviews 13-1. https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-8252(77)90055-1

Miall, A. D. 1981: Analysis of fluvial depositional systems. AAPG Continuing Education Course Notes Series 20. American Association of Petroleum Geologists. https://doi.org/10.1306/CE20422

Miall, A. D. 1996: The geology of fluvial deposits. Sedimentary facies, basin analysis, and petroleum geology. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03237-4

Miall, A. D., 2014: Fluvial depositional systems. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00666-6

Mihevc, A. 1996: Brezstropa jama pri Povirju. Naše jame 38.

Mihevc, A. 1999: Unroofed caves, cave sediments and karst surface geomorphology – Case study from Kras, W Slovenia. Naš krš 32.

Mihevc, A., Zupan Hajna, N. 1996: Clastic sediments from dolines and caves found during the construction of the motorway near Divača, on the Classical Karst. Acta Carsologica 25.

Nehme, C., Verheyden, S., Noble, S. R., Farrant, A. R., Sahy, D., Hellstrom, J., Delannoy, J. J., Claeys, P. 2015: Reconstruction of MIS 5 climate in the central Levant using a stalagmite from Kanaan Cave, Lebanon. Climate of the Past 11-12. https://doi:10.5194/cp-11-1785-2015

Opluštil, S., Martínek, K., Tasáryová, Z. 2005: Facies and architectural analysis of fluvial deposits of the Nýřany Member and the Týnec Formation (Westphalian D – Barruelian) in the Kladno-Rakovník and Pilsen basins. Bulletin of Geosciences 80-1.

Palmer, A. N. 2007: Cave geology. Cave Books.

Placer, L. 2008: Principles of the tectonic subdivision of Slovenia. Geologija 51-2. https://doi.org/10.5474/geologija.2008.021

Pleničar, M., Buser, S., Ferjančič, L., Grad, K., Kerčmar-Turnšek, D., Mencej, Z., Orehek, S., Pavlovec, R., Prestor, M., Rijavec, L., Šribar, L. 1970: Tolmač za list Postojna L 33-77: Osnovna geološka karta SFRJ 1: 100.000. Zvezni geološki zavod.

Prelovšek, M., Turk, J., Gabrovšek, F. 2008. Hydrodynamic aspect of caves. International Journal of Speleology 37-1. https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.37.1.2

Ramos, A., Sopeña, A. 1983: Gravel bars in low-sinuosity streams (Permian and Triassic, central Spain). In: Modern and Ancient Fluvial System. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444303773.ch24

Reading, H. G. 2001: Clastic facies models, a personal perspective. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Denmark 48. https://doi.org/10.37570/bgsd-2001-48-05

Scherer, C. M. S., Goldberg, K., Bardola, T. 2015: Facies architecture and sequence stratigraphy of an early post-rift fluvial succession, Aptian Barbalha Formation, Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil. Sedimentary Geology 322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2015.03.010

Sierpień, P., Pawlak, J., Hercman, H., Pruner, P., Zupan Hajna, N., Mihevc, A., Bosák, P. 2021: Flowstones from the Račiška Pečina Cave (SW Slovenia) Record 3.2-Ma-Long History. Geochronometria 48-1. https://doi.org/10.2478/geochr-2021-0004

Simms, M. J. 1994: Emplacement and preservation of vertebrates in caves and fissures. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 112-1,2. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1994.tb00320.x

Stepišnik, U., Ferk, M. 2023: Morphogenesis and classification of corrosion plains in Slovenia. Acta geographica Slovenica 64-1. https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.11774

Šebela, S. 1999: Morphological and geological characteristics of two denuded caves in SW Slovenia. Acta Carsologica 28-2. https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v28i2.491

Šebela, S., Sasowsky, I. 2000: Paleomagnetic dating of sediments in caves opened during highway construction near Kozina, Slovenia. Acta Carsologica 29-2. https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v29i2.468

Šušteršič, F. 1994: Classic dolines of classical site. Acta Carsologica 23.

Šušteršič, F. 1996: Poljes and caves of Notranjska. Acta Carsologica 25.

Šušteršič, F. 1998: Interaction between a cave system and the lowering karst surface; Case study: Laški Ravnik. Acta Carsologica 27-2. https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v27i2.506

Šušteršič, F. 2002: Where does underground Ljubljanica flow?. RMZ - Materials and Geoenvironment 49-1.

Trappe, M. 2010: Actualistic approaches to the systematics and facies relations of clastic karst deposits. Geodinamica Acta 23-1,2,3. https://doi.org/10.3166/ga.23.41-48

Vlahović, I., Tišljar, J., Velić, I., Matičec, D. 2005: Evolution of the Adriatic carbonate platform: Palaeogeography, main events and depositional dynamics. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 220-3,4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2005.01.011

White, W. B. 2007: Cave sediments and paleoclimate. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies 69-1.

Zhang, C., Song, X., Wang, X., Wang, X., Zhao, K., Shuang, Q., Li, S. 2020: Origin and depositional characteristics of supported conglomerates. Petroleum Exploration and Development 47-2. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1876-3804(20)60047-7

Zupan Hajna, N., Bosák, P., Pruner, P., Mihevc, A, Hercman, H., Horáček, I. 2020: Karst sediments in Slovenia: Plio–Quaternary multi–proxy records. Quarternary International 546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2019.11.010

Zupan Hajna, N., Mihevc, A., Bosák, P., Pruner, P., Hercman, H., Horáček, I., Wagner, J. et al. 2021: Pliocene to Holocene chronostratigraphy and palaeoenvironment records from cave sediments: Račiška pečina section (SW Slovenia). Quaternary International 605,606. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2021.02.035

Zupan Hajna, N., Pruner, P., Bosák, P., Mihevc, A. 2024: Temporal insights into karst system evolution: A case study of the unroofed cave above Škocjanske Jame, NW Dinarides. Geomorphology 461. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109282