Change in Perception of Karst from Morphology to Morpho-Hydrology: Turkish Experience in Comprehension of Karst

Abstract

Od uveljavitve krasoslovja kot znanosti ob koncu 19. stoletja so se metode proučevanja krasa razvile od klasifi kacije do sistemskega pristopa, ki omogoča napovedovanje v x, y, z in t. Zbiranju informacij, ki naj bi dale odgovor na vprašanje »kaj je to«, so sledila vprašanja »zakaj in kako« ter »kaj če«. Sprememba vprašanj je zahtevala zbiranje novih informacij, ki so spremenile način znanstvenega dojemanja krasa. Celotno vrednotenje razvoja v krasoslovnih študijah zahteva evolucijski pristop. Za sledenje sprememb v dojemanju krasa glede na razvoj uporabljane metodologije lahko defi niramo štiri glavne stopnje s prehodnimi mejami. Po razpravi o zgodovini krasoslovnih študij v Turčiji se avtor sprašuje o vzrokih, zaradi katerih napredek ni bil vzporeden splošnemu razvoju krasoslovnih študij v svetu. Ob upoštevanju dejstva, da je sprememba v dojemanju povzročila premike v pomenu pojmov in izrazov o krasu, predlaga defi nicijo izrazov ne le glede na obliko, temveč na osnovi procesov nastajanja in funkcije.

Since its establishment as a science in the end of 19th century, methods applied in the study of karst evolved from classification to a system approach providing prediction in x,v,z and t. Information collected to answer the question “what is it” followed by the questions “why and how” and “what if”. The change in questions required collection of new information which in turn changed perception of karst by related scientists. An overall evaluation of the progress in karst studies postulates an evolutionary character. Four major stages can be defi ned with transitional limits to track the change in perception of karst in accordance with the progress in the applied methodology. After discussing the history of karst studies in Turkey, the author questions the reason why the track did not progress parallel to the general evolution of karst studies in the world. Considering the fact that change in perception has caused shifts in meaning of the concepts and terms of karst, it is proposed to define terms not only on the basis of form but the processes of formation and function.