Glossary of Speleological and Caving Terms
A - Z
Complete
Copyright
© Australian Speleological Federation Inc. 1998
Contents
A B
C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
References
Revision
History
Copyright
Warning
AAA type of lava surface in which the
surface was too stiff to flow well, and so broke up into fragments. It is
characterised by broken material which can vary from simple lumps to very sharp
prickly fragments. It grades to pahoehoe.
ABNEY LEVEL A type of clinometer, having a bubble
tube.
ABSEIL Controlled descent on a rope using
friction obtained by passing the rope through any of various devices, eg rack,
descender, karabiners. Safety considerations in caving would preclude abseling
without a mechanical device.
ACCIDENTAL An animal accidentally living in a cave,
and not a normal resident. Usually
fallen or washed into cave. Could be drawn in by cave breathing. cf
Cavernicole, Troglobite.
ACETYLENE A flammable gas C2H2, produced by water
reacting with Calcium Carbide and burnt to yield light. See Carbide.
ACTIVE
CAVEA cave with a stream flowing in it. cf Live cave.
ADAPTATION An inherited characteristic of an
organism in structure, function or behaviour which makes it better able to
survive and reproduce. Visible examples of adaptations to cave life are:
lengthening of appendages, loss of pigments, modification of eyes.
ADVENTIVE Introduced accidentally, as most weeds
are.
AEOLIAN Pertaining to the wind. Used for
landforms generated by the
wind,
or sediments transported by the wind. Also as Eolian.
AEOLIAN CALCARENITE A limestone formed on land by solution
and redeposition of calcium carbonate in coastal dune sands that contain
calcareous sand from mollusc shells and other organic remains. Also as Eolian.
Syn Dune limestone, Aeolianite.
AEOLIANITE Also as Eolianite. A rock formed on land
by cementation of calcareous dune sands. syn Dune calcarenite, Dune limestone,
Aeolian calcarenite. See Calcarenite.
AFFINITY In biology, a similar but distinct
species, closely related
to
the given species. Also applies to interrelated minerals etc.
AGGRESSIVE A measure of the relative capacity of
water to dissolve rock material. In karst, this usually involves the
dissolution of limestone or dolomite by the action of dissolved carbon dioxide.
Although
other acids may be present.
AIR POCKET An enclosed air space above a lake water
surface in a cave. Only accessible by diving.
ALCOVE A side passage that is relatively short
(or appears to be so) and does not have an obvious continuation.
ALGAE Photosynthetic plants with a range of
pigments in addition to
chlorophyll.
No root, stem or leaves.
ALLOGENIC DRAINAGE Underground karst drainage
that is derived entirely from surface run off from adjacent non karstic and
generally impermeable rocks. Cf Autogenic drainage.
ALLUVIUM Sandy or silty matter deposited by
rivers or floods.
AMPHIBIOUS Living on land and in water. cf
Terrestrial, Aquatic, Arboreal.
ANASTOMOSIS A mesh of small hollow tubes (the result
of solution in the phreatic zone) in solid rock, or half tubes when exposed in
a fractured rock surface. Typically 1 to 4cm in diameter. The holes are not the
‘preserved’ tunnels of worm-like animals.
ANCHOR A fixed object used to secure a ladder,
rope or safety line used for climbing.
ANEMOLITE A speleothem (eg Helictite, stalagmite)
with a preferred orientation caused by air currents. Seen in some Nullarbor
caves.
ANTENNAE The feelers on the head of an insect,
crustacean or other invertebrates that function as sensory organs.
ANTHODITE Speleothem similar to Helictites,
composed of quill-like or feathery crystal clusters of long needlelike crystals
of aragonite or gypsum. Each crystal has a central canal.
AQUATIC Living in water. cf Terrestrial,
Amphibious, Arboreal.
AQUIFER A body of rock saturated with water, that
is capable of allowing the subterranean water to be stored, transmitted and is
capable of absorbing recharge water. It can yield water through a well or a
spring.
Hydrology
terms. Ref AC
ARAGONITE A less common crystalline form of calcium
carbonate CaCO3
than
calcite, being denser and orthorhombic. Typically occurring as many small
acicular needles. See Anthodite.
ARBOREAL Living in trees. cf Terrestrial,
Aquatic, Amphibious.
ARETE KARST Tropical landscape of near vertical
sided spires. Also as Pinnacle Karst.
ARKOSE A sandstone which contains 25% or more
feldspar grains, derived from granitic sources. Arkosic is the adjective.
ARMCHAIR CAVER An experienced caver who now
rarely if ever goes
caving,
but who may offer advice to those that do.
ARTEFACT An item of human manufacture, normally
applied only to the products of previous culture. Artefacts may or may not be
buried by sediment. Examples bone or stone tools, engraving, painting. [Advise
cave manager if such items are found.]
ARTESIAN Where water moves under pressure through
completely flooded
cavities.
Much of Australia is underlain by Artesian strata.
ARTHROPODS A Phylum of invertebrates, being very
widespread. They are the most common group of animals inhabiting caves, having
jointed bodies, many limbs and exoskeletons eg insects, crustaceans, spiders,
millipedes.
ASCENDER A mechanical device for ascending a
rope.
ASH Sand sized or finer-grained volcanic
ejecta. Coarser material is called lapilli.
Lava
Cave term. Ref KG
ASPHODILITES no definition (term mentioned in ASF
codes)
ASSOCIATION A stable community of different species
living in a specific habitat.
AUTOGENIC DRAINAGE Underground karst drainage
that is derived entirely by absorption of meteoric (atmospheric) water into the
karst rock surface.
AVEN A dome or vertical hole in a cave roof,
particularly that is difficult or impossible to free-climb. It does not reach
the surface. It may have a passage leading from it. cf Blind shaft.
AZIMUTH In surveying, the true bearing of a
survey line, obtained from an accurate survey or
Survey
& Mapping term. Ref JJ
BACON A thin, translucent sheet of dripstone
hanging from a cave wall or roof, and with streaks of colour suggesting bacon.
BACTERIA Unicellular microscopic plants. They are
autotrophs, ie make their own food. They sometimes form aggregations. Very
important in caves as decomposers causing high CO2 levels seen in some caves.
Probably
play a role in most speleogenesis.
BARE KARST Karst with much exposed bedrock. Syn.
Naked karst, Unmantled karst.
BASALT An igneous rock that typically underlies
oceanic basins. A dark coloured, generally fine grained rock that occurs widely
as lava flows of many different ages. Lava caves occur most commonly in
basaltic lava.
BASIN A segment of the earth’s crust which has
been downwarped. When filled with sediments they increase in thickness toward
the centre. cf Craton, Orogen.
Geology.
Ref MM
BAT A mammal of the order Chiroptera,
divided into several families. The only mammals capable of true flight, having
membranes between the toes of their forefeet.
BATHYPHREATIC Referring to water moving
with some speed through downward looping passages in the phreatic zone.
BEARING In surveying, the angle measured
clockwise that a line makes with north.
See
also Grid, Magnetic & True north.
BED A stratum or layer in a sedimentary rock
sequence, or unconsolidated sediment.
BEDDING GRIKE A narrow rectilinear slot in
a karst rock outcrop due to solution along a bedding plane.
BEDDING PLANE A surface separating 2 beds of rock,
usually planar.
BEDDING PLANE CAVE A cavity developed along a
bedding plane and elongate in cross section. May result from a difference in
solubility between the 2 beds.
BEDROCK(1) In a cave, a portion of the native rock
strata that has not undergone collapse. The walls and roof of caves are often
in bedrock. (2)
In karst, the rock that underlies the limestone strata.
BELAY
1 The attachment (often by a
separate rope) of a climber, or a ladder to a secure point.
2 The secure point itself.
3 The use of a belay as a life
line during ascent or descent of a climber.
see
On belay.
BELAY POINT A fixed point used to support the belay,
usually and ideally independent of the support point of the ladder or rope used
for climbing.
BELAY ROPE The rope used for belaying, separate
(usually) from the climbing rope.
BELOW Emergency call (often shouted) of
danger. Signal given to those below that something is falling. Only useful if
there is voice contact between the top and bottom of a pitch.
BENCH Some ‘benches’ form differently by the
rolling down of a long flap of wall lining. Gradations can occur, eg. where a
thin bench breaks free and starts to roll downwards.
BENCH A horizontal shelf along the wall of a
lava tunnel, generally close to floor level. It is formed at the edge of a lava
flow level, by cooling and solidification of the edge followed by a lowering of
the level.
BENTHIC Bottom dwelling. The ocean floor, from
the low water mark to the greatest depths. Some cave fauna would occur in this
zone in submarine or submerged caves. cf Littoral.
BIOCLASTIC Containing grains composed of fragmented
and transported organic material, eg. shell fragments.
BIOGENIC Of biological origin. eg most limestone
is biogenic.
BIOGEOGRAPHY The study of the geographical
distribution of animals and plants over the globe. cf Zoogeography,
Phytogeography.
BIOMASS The total mass or weight of living
matter, usually relates to a given area, habitat or community.
BIO-SPACE The separated or interconnected air or
water-filled spaces
that
are inhabited by living organisms. The spaces may be cracks, pipes, channels,
interstitial medium, saturated zone, tubes, voids, microcaverns, larger
cavities including caves.
BIOSPELEOLOGY The study of plant, animal and other
organisms living in caves.
Cave -
Biota. Ref JJ
BIOTA The total assemblage of living organisms
of a district. Biotic.
BIVALVE A Mollusc. A soft bodied animal having a
shell in 2 halves. eg scallop, oyster. Often preserved (along with other
mollusc types)
as
fossils in limestone.
Fauna.
Ref MM
BLANKET A dripstone curtain, thicker than Bacon,
and not noticeably translucent.
BLIND SHAFT A vertical extension upwards in a cave
that does not reach the surface. cf Aven
BLIND VALLEY A valley which ends at its
lower point in a ridge or wall of limestone. It has (or had) either a perennial
or intermittent stream flow, that escapes underground at the lowest point.
BLISTER CAVE Strictly, a cave formed by
gas pressure pushing up a surface crust. True blisters are rare, &
generally too small to enter. Some large ones are known overseas. The term has
been misused for single simple chambers formed by drainage of liquid lava.
BLOWHOLE A hole to the surface in the roof of a
sea cave through which waves force air and water.
BLOWHOLE A vertical hole often circular, on the
surface in karst through which air blows in and out, often audibly. Common
feature of the Nullarbor Plain. Elsewhere in Australia known as a Pipe or
Solution pipe. In USA known as a Blowing cave.
BOBBIN A descender that opens to enclose the
rope around two fixed pulleys. May have a handle (“STOP”) which must be
squeezed to allow descent.
BOLLARD A projection of rock over which rope,
tape or wire can be placed to create an anchor.
BOLT A high tensile steel bolt used as an
anchor.
BOMB A large fragment of volcanic ejecta.
Some bombs show twisted forms indicating that they were still liquid when
ejected, but solidified before landing. ‘Breadcrust’ and ‘cowpat’ bombs are
named for their appearance.
BONE BRECCIA A breccia containing many
bone fragments. see Breccia.
[Advise
cave manager if such items are found.]
BOOBTUBE A clear plastic tube about a metre long,
used as a straw to
drink
water from crevices and otherwise inaccessible pools.
BOTRYOID A speleothem shaped like a bunch of
grapes. A variety of Coralloid, formed either in air or water.
BOULDER CHOKE A collapse of rock from floor
to roof which makes further progress difficult or dangerous.
BOXWORK A speleothem composed of intersecting
mineral blades. In Nullarbor caves they are formed by the filling of cracks
that form in dried out sediments with
calcite material then the sediment has been eroded away.
BRAKE BAR A round bar hinged to a karabiner or
rappel rack used for abseiling.
BRANCHWORK A dendritic system of underground
streams or passages that join successively to form larger and larger streams
and passages. cf Dendritic.
BREAKDOWN(1) Rock that has fallen from the
wall or roof of a cave. (2)
Enlargement of cave chambers by this process.
BRECCIA Rock that is composed of fragments of
other rocks cemented together, often in a matrix of finer sediment.
BRUNTON COMPASS A type of compass, with a
hinged mirror and including a clinometer. Designed for measuring rock dip &
strike.
BRYOZOAA Phylum of tiny colonial animals ‘Lace
corals’, that build calcareous structures of many kinds. A fossil that was
common in warm shallow
Tertiary seas.
Karst
- Kinds of. Ref KG
BURST See Flap.
Lava
Cave term. Ref KG
CACO3 Calcium carbonate.
CAINOZOIC The last of the geological eras,
includes the Tertiary and
Quaternary
Periods. Extending from about 65 million years ago up to the present.
CALCARENITE An indurated sand composed mainly of
detrital calcium carbonate fragments. A limestone or dolomite composed of coral
or shell sand, or of sand derived from the erosion of older limestones, with
sand sized particles. See Aeolianite.
CALCAREOUS Made of limestone or calcium carbonate.
CALCIFICATION Calcified. To become hard or
stony by being impregnated with calcium salts. May apply to tree roots etc in
caves.
CALCILUTITE A fine grained clastic (silt and clay
sized particles) limestone or dolomite.
CALCIRUDITE A coarse (gravel sized) limestone. The
clasts (broken fragments) making up the rock may be fossils or pieces of coral
or shells or fragments of limestone, with the interstices filled with calcite, sand or mud with the whole bonded
by a calcareous cement.
CALCITE The common (trigonal) crystal form of
Calcium carbonate mineral [CaCO3]and the main constituent of limestone, with
different crystal forms in the rhombohedral subsystem. Occurs in caves as
massive or finely crystalline speleothems or other crystal forms.
Mineral,
Rock and Chemical terms. Ref JJ
CALCIUM CARBONATE CaCO3. see Aragonite, Calcite
Mineral, Rock and Chemical terms. Ref MM
CALCRETE An indurated surface formed by
weathering process involving
cementation
of the surface soils and weathered rock by calcite, drawn to the surface by
capillary action. See Kankar, Oolite.
CALCSILTITE A limestone composed of calcareous
sediments of silt size
CAMBERING FISSURE A fissure that forms behind
and parallel to a cliff line, as a result of the outward rotation or sliding of
large blocks.
CANOPY A compound speleothem consisting of a
flowstone cover on a bedrock projection and a fringe of stalactites or shawls
on the outer edge.
CANYON A deep elongated cavity cut by running
water in the roof or floor of a cave, or forming a cave passage.
CANYON A deep valley with steep to vertical
walls. In karst, often formed by a river rising on impervious rocks outside the
karst area.
CAPROCK A surface composed of Calcrete,
especially where it is separated from the underlying rock by a clay or similar
layer..
CARABINER See Karabiner. Also Crab, Krab.
CARBIDE Calcium Carbide Ca2C. Reacts with water
to form Acetylene gas (and carbon dioxide & calcium oxide) and because of
impurities, also produces other noxious gases.
CARBIDE LAMP Produces light by burning
acetylene gas formed by reacting water and (calcium) carbide.
CARBON DIOXIDE CO2, a colourless odourless
gas, which when dissolved in water, forms Carbonic acid.
CARBONIC ACID H2CO3, an acid typical of
ground water systems. The agent responsible for dissolving most caves.
CARNIVOROUS Carnivore. An animal that feeds on any
other animal. cf Herbivorous, Insectivorous, Omnivorous.
CATCHMENT The area drained by a watercourse, or by
a system of watercourses. The subterranean catchment may well be larger than
the apparent surface one. eg as at Mole Creek & Jenolan. Dolines may form a
catchment, which may be crucial in their later development.
CAVE A natural cavity in rock, large enough
to be entered by people. May be water filled. May also be blocked partly or
fully by sediment or ice. Commonly formed by solution in Limestone. Caves also
form in many other rock types, and by many other processes.
CAVE COMPONENT Alcove, Aven, Cavern,
Chamber, Chimney, Crawlway, Decoration, Dome, Fissure, Flattener, Gallery,
Grotto, Hall, Passage, Pillar, Pitch, Pothole, Rift, Rock pendant, Room, Shaft,
Siphon, Speleogen, Speleothem, Squeeze, Sump, etc.
CAVE AGE Most karst cave passages are less than 1
million years old, though Relict Caves could be hundreds of millions of years
old. The most recently formed passages may be as little as 10,000 years old.
CAVE BLISTER A speleothem consisting of a
hemisphere shape of thin calcite. See also Cave postule.
CAVE BREATHING The movement of air in and
out of a cave entrance. May occur on a daily cycle. The associated air currents
within the cave. Breathing may be due to a number of causes: (1) Daily pressure
changes due to the sun heating the air outside the cave.
CAVE BREATHING,(CONT)(2) Barometric pressure changes
(approx weekly). (3)
Draught due to a cave with entrances on different levels. (4) Cold air sinking
into a cave displacing warmer air. (5) Wind blowing over cave entrance. (6) Streams entering
a cave may cause air flow.
CAVE COMMUNITY All the cavernicolous animals
(and plants) that live in a cave, bound together by food chains and other
processes.
CAVE CORAL Speleothems consisting of short stalks
with bulbous ends or nodular, prickly, globular, pop-corn or coral-like form.
Often occurring in large numbers, covering entire walls of chambers. See
Coralloid.
CAVE CRICKET An insect of the order
Orthoptera. Also known by the NZ name of Weta. Usually scavengers feeding on
plant detritus in caves, and fresh or dead plant matter outside of a cave
entrance.
CAVE DEPOSIT An accumulation of material
other than speleothems, such as charcoal, fossils, skeletal remains and flood
borne debris as well as clay, silt,
sand and gravel. See Cave Fill.
CAVE DEVELOPMENT Equates to cave genesis, the
processes that work together to produce caves.
Speleology
term. Ref EH
CAVE EARTH See Cave fill.
CAVE ECOLOGY The study of the interaction
between cave organisms and their environment. eg energy input from surface,
climatic influences.
CAVE ECOSYSTEM The interaction of the cave
community organisms with their subterranean biospace environment.
CAVE EXTENT The length, breadth and depth of the
smallest cube that will contain the entire cave. See Cave Length.
CAVE FILL Transported materials such as silt,
clay, sand, gravel and humus, deposited in a cave, and which may partly or
wholly block parts of a cave. Syn Cave earth.
Cave
- Erosional & Solutional Features. Ref JJ
CAVE FLOWER See Gypsum flower.
CAVE GROUP A number of caves, not interconnected,
but geographically associated in some relief feature or geological outcrop.
CAVE GUANO Accumulations of dung in caves, in some
places may be partly mineralised. Main source is bats and birds.
CAVE LENGTH The total length of all the passages of
a cave. This normally exceeds the Cave extent. The exact method of determining
Cave length varies from cave to cave and from State to State. A universal
method should (ideally) be agreed on.
CAVE MINERAL A secondary mineral formed in
caves from a primary mineral, by a physico-chemical reaction. Examples are
minerals formed by reactions with guano.
CAVE PEARL A smooth polished and rounded speleothem
found in shallow hollows into which water drips. Consists of concentric layers
around a nucleus. Also as Pisolite, Pisolith.
CAVE POSTULE A white, hemispherical wall
and roof deposit of calcite.
See
also Cave blister.
Cave
- Depositional Features. Ref JJ
CAVE RAFT See Raft.
Cave
- Depositional Features. Ref HF
CAVE SHIELD See Shield.
CAVE SPRING A natural flow of water from rock or
sediment within a cave.
CAVE SYSTEM A collection of caves linked by
enterable passages, or linked hydrologically. Or a large cave with extensive
complex of chambers & passages.
CAVER A person who enters a cave for
recreation and or scientific purposes. Syn, potholer, spelunker.
CAVERN A large chamber within a cave. Also used
poetically to denote a larger than average size cave.
CAVERNICOLE An animal which normally lives in caves
for the whole or part of its life cycle. Most are invertebrates. cf Accidental,
Trogloxene, Troglophile & Troglobite and the aquatic equivalents Stygoxene,
Stygophile & Stygobite.
CAVES Unsatisfactory term. The plural CAVES
should not to be used when the meaning is the singular CAVE. eg “some caves are
big” is ok, “we went to Big Cave” is ok, “we took shelter in the caves” is NOT
OK. In the last case use CAVE, or use the cave name.
CAVING The entering and exploration of caves.
Also referred to as indoor mountaineering.
CENOTE A partly water filled doline, often
having vertical walls.
CHAMBER The name for the largest space in a
cave. Compared to other parts of the cave they generally have greater width,
length & height.
CHASM In caves, a deep, wide and elongated gap
in a cave floor.
CHERT Nodules commonly less than fist sized,
but may range up to 1m diameter. Flakes can be used as knife or scraper tools.
CHERT A hard flint like rock of fine
crystalline silica, from white through light grey to black or red or dark
brown. Insoluble in water. Fractures irregularly forming very sharp edges that
resist weathering. Occurs in limestone in discrete strata as nodules.
CHIMNEY A vertical opening in a cave that is
narrow enough to be climbed by chimneying.
CHIMNEYING Ascending or descending by means of
opposed body and or limb pressures
against 2 facing walls.
CHOCK A device, being a block of metal, for
use as a chockstone.
CHOCKSTONE A rock wedged between 2 fixed rock
surfaces and used as an aid in climbing.
CHOKE A cave passage that is blocked by
sediment or by local collapse of walls and or roof.
CLASS 3th rank in Taxonomic system. Kingdom,
Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.
CLASSIFICATION In biology, the scientific naming of all
life forms eg plants, animals, fungi, algae. See Taxon.
CLAUSTROPHOBIA An irrational fear of being
in a closed space.
CLINOMETER An instrument for measuring vertical
angles, or angles of dip.
CLOGGER A type of ascender without a handle,
used with a karabiner to keep it securely on the rope.
CLOSED DEPRESSION In karst terrain, a
depression having no outlet for surface water. see Doline, Uvala.
CLOSED TRAVERSE In surveying, a traverse
which forms a loop, thus enabling determination of a loop error.
COCKPIT KARST Karst of tropical areas, with
residual hills that are chiefly hemispheroidal and the closed depressions often
lobate. It grades up to Cone karst then Tower karst. Some geographers describe
a variety of other intermediate forms.
COFFEE AND CREAM A cave decoration caused by
salt exudation finely shattering base rock to the consistency of flour.
Deposits have colours resembling coffee and cream.
COL A saddle or low point on a ridge or
between adjacent peaks that gives (the easiest) access from one side to the
other.
COLLAPSE DOLINE A doline which has formed
chiefly by the collapse of rock strata. cf Solution doline, Doline.
COLLAPSE DOME A chamber formed by
progressive roof collapse until it reaches a stable dome-shaped form. A rubble
mound will generally be present on the floor. Collapse may initiate by the
removal of hydrostatic support when the water level falls.
COLLUVIAL Transported sediment deposited on a
slope.
COLUMN A speleothem joining floor to ceiling,
formed when a stalactite and stalagmite grow and join, or when either grow to
meet bedrock.
COMMON NAME In biology, the name used in
publications aimed at a wide audience as opposed to the specific name. see
Species.
COMPASS An instrument with a magnetic needle
that is free to point to magnetic north. Measures a bearing, the angle in
degrees clockwise from north.
CONDUIT 1 An underground stream course (often circular
or elliptical in cross section) completely water filled and under hydrostatic
pressure. 2
A dry passage inferred to have been such a stream course.
CONE KARST Karst of tropical areas, dominated by
its projecting residual relief rather than by its closed depressions.
Intermediate between Cockpit karst and Tower karst. Similar to Chinese term
Fengcong.
CONTIGUOUS KARST The interconnected air filled
or water filled solutional or
hydrological network of spaces in any area of karstified carbonate rock.
CONULITE A speleothem which is hollow and conical
and which forms in silt or other soft material, as a drill hole under a ceiling
drip. A “splash cup”. The drill hole sides may calcify, later erosion may leave
the crystalline lining free standing. cf Boxwork.
COPROLITE Fossilised large excrement of animals as
found in caves, especially those used as lairs.
COPROPHAGE A scavenger which feeds on animal dung,
including guano.
CORALLINE Limestone having the structure of or
composed of corals, as, coralline limestone.
CORALLOID A speleothem which is nodular, globular
or coral-like in shape and which forms from thin films of water. Cf Cave coral.
CORRASION The wearing away of bedrock or loose
sediment by mechanical action of moving agents, especially water, ie Corrosion
& Abrasion.
CORRIDOR An alternate name for a passage,
especially when of walking height.
Cave
- Parts of. Ref WM
CORROSION Syn. Solution.
COVERED KARST Karst where the bedrock is
mainly covered by soil or superficial deposits.
COW’S TAIL A length of rope used as a safety when
crossing a rebelay.
CRAB See Carabiner. Also, Krab, Karabiner.
CRATON A relatively large block of the earth.
Being immobile the rocks are often of great age.
CRAWL(WAY)A passage which, because of its low roof
height, must be negotiated on hands and knees. cf Flattener, Stooping, Walking.
CROSS BEDDING Sets of inclined layers or
beds, typically seen in dunes.
Geology.
Ref KG
CROSS SECTION The shape of a cave passage
across its width.
CRUST A speleothem composed of thin mineral
layers on bedrock or soil surfaces in caves.
CRYPTIC Animals that are inconspicuous either
because they are small, secretive in their habits, or well camouflaged. Applies
to many cavernicoles, due to their habit of living in darkness, as well as the
other reasons.
CRYPTOZOA The terrestrial animals that live in
darkness beneath stones, logs, bark etc, or in the soil. They are potential
colonisers of caves.
CRYSTAL POOL A cave pool, usually with
little or no overflow, containing well formed crystals.
CURRENT MARKING Shallow asymmetrical hollows
formed by solution by turbulent waterflow and distributed regularly over karst
rock surfaces. cf Scallop.
CURTAIN A speleothem of dripstone, in the form of
a wavy or folded sheet hanging from a cave wall or roof, often translucent
& resonant.
Cave
- Depositional Features. Ref JJ
DARK ADAPTATION Of eyes, a change in the
retina sensitising it to dim light. (becoming accustomed to the dark). The
reverse is ‘Light adaption’.
DARK ZONE The part of a cave in perpetual
darkness, that lies beyond the Twilight zone. see Transition zone.
DAYLIGHT HOLE An opening to the surface in
the roof of a cave.
DEAD CAVE A cave without streams or drips of
water.
DECLINATION The angle from true (or grid) north to
magnetic north, at a given time and place.
DECOMPOSERS Living things, chiefly bacteria and
fungi, that live by extracting energy from tissues of dead animals and plants.
DECORATION Cave features due to secondary mineral
precipitation, usually of calcite, but also Aragonite, Gypsum, Salt, Ice, Lava
and other rarer minerals. Also called Speleothem.
DECORATION TYPES Pendulite, Rimstone, R dam, R
pool, Roof crust, Shawl, Speleogen, Stalagmite, Stalactite, Stegamite, Straw,
Travertine.
DECORATION TYPES Column, Curtain, Dog tooth
spar, Drape, Driphole, Dripstone, Eccentric, Floe calcite, Flowstone, Gour,
Helictite, Heligmite, Karren, Moonmilk,
DEFLATION The removal of loose fine grained
material from a surface by wind action. One way of forming hollows that are not
karst.
DENDRITIC In caves, a network formed by the
merging of small channels which in turn merge to form larger ones. cf
Branchwork.
DESCENDER A mechanical device for descending
ropes.
DETRITIVORES
Pertaining to detritus-feeding invertebrates.
DETRITUS
1. Aggregate of fragments from organic structures as detached or broken down
tissues. Small pieces of dead and decomposing plants and animals. 2. Material
formed by mechanical
breakage or abrasion of parent rocks.
DEVELOPED
SECTION A long section through a cave, usually from the entrance to the end of
the cave, with the centreline being along the usual path.
DIAGENESIS
Post-depositional modification to a sediment that converts it into rock.
Typically involves compaction, cementation and induration.
DIG
An excavation made (1) to discover a new cave (2) to extend an existing cave
(3) to uncover artifacts or animal bones.
DIKE A body of igneous rock that cuts across
the structure of adjacent rocks. Sometimes intruding into or exposed in cave
fissures and passages.
DIP In surveying, the angle above or below
horizontal of the current survey leg.
DIP The angle at which beds are inclined
from the horizontal, being the maximum angle of the bedding planes at right
angles to the strike.
DISCHARGE The outflow drainage of Aquifer waters.
DISJUNCT DISTRIBUTION The separate occurrences of
similar species in separate karst areas. These species are related to a (now
extinct) common ancestor that was widespread, & a surface dweller. cf:
Distributional relict, Phylogenetic
DISTRIBUTIONAL RELICT Relates to a species
surviving in an area isolated from the main or original distribution area.
Usually a result of broad scale environmental events such as glaciation,
continental drift. eg Gondwanan or Pangean relict species.
DOG TOOTH SPAR A speleothem, being calcite
with acute pointed crystals.
DOLINE Sides may be gently sloping to vertical
or overhanging. Size: a few metres to many hundreds of metres across, . See
also Cenote, Sinkhole, Polje, Uvala, Solution doline, Subsidence doline &
Collapse doline.
DOLINE A closed depression draining underground
in karst, formed by Solution and or Collapse of underlying rock strata. Shape
is variable, but often conical or bowl shaped.
DOLINE KARST Karst dominated by closed
depressions, chiefly dolines, perforating a simple surface.
DOLOMITE A mineral, or a carbonate rock
consisting of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg(CO3)2.
DOLOMITE CAVE A cave in dolomite rock.
DOMAIN A biological region of the earths crust.
DOME A hemispheroidal hollow in the roof of a
cave, formed by breakdown or salt weathering. Some caves end at a dome.
DOME SYNDROME The tendency for cavers to go
to the known end of a cave, especially when without due regard for the cave
itself nor for its contents. Term coined from a cave where the final chamber is
a dome and in which the practice was common.
DONGA In the Nullarbor plain, a closed
depression generally hundreds of metres across and often from 2 to 5 metres
deep. Dongas have very gentle slopes and flat clay-loam floors. Often contain
trees when the surrounding country is treeless.
DRIPHOLE A hole formed by water dripping onto a
cave floor. May be a metre deep or even deeper. May form in sediments or rock.
DRIPLINE A line on the ground at a cave entrance
formed by drips from the rock above. A dripline defines the beginning of a
cave.
Important
to archaeologists in both Rock Shelters and Caves.
DRIPSTONE A speleothem formed where water drips
fall from cave roofs and walls, usually of calcite.
DRY
CAVEA cave without a running stream or a lake. cf Dead cave, Wet
cave.
Cave -
Kinds of. Ref JJ
DRY
VALLEYA valley in karst terrain without a surface flow of water.
The
talweg of such a valley may undulate with many closed
depressions,
and there may no longer be a distinct channel.
DUCK(UNDER)A
place where water is at or close to the cave roof for a
short
distance so that it can be passed only by submersion.
DUNE
LIMESTONE Syn. Aeolian calcarenite.
DURICRUST
An indurated surface formed by weathering processes involving cementation of
the surface soils and weathered rock by calcite (calcrete), iron oxides
(ferricrete, or laterite), silica (silcrete) or other cements.
DYE
GAUGING Determining stream discharge by inserting a known quantity of dye and
measuring its concentration after mixing.
DYNAMIC
PHREAS A phreatic zone where water moves fast with turbulent flow under
hydrostatic pressure.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
EASTING (1) The distance of a point east of the point
of origin of a map or a grid. (2) The east-west
component of a survey leg (or of a series of legs). East is positive, west is
negative. See also Northing, Vertical.
ECCENTRIC A speleothem of abnormal shape or
attitude. cf Helictite.
EDAPHOBITE An animal (invertebrate) dwelling in the
soil.
EFFLUX Place of outflow for karst waters from
an aquifer. Applied to a place where a cave stream emerges. See Efflux cave,
Resurgence, Spring.
EFFLUX CAVE A cave entrance that has a stream flowing
out of it. cf Influx cave, Inflow cave, Outflow cave, Resurgence, Spring.
ENDEMIC Peculiar to a country or district, and
not native elsewhere. May be very limited in extent, eg to a single cave
system.
ENDOGEAN
Pertaining to the biological domain immediately beneath the ground surface. ie
in the soil or plant litter. cf Epigean, Hypogean.
ENDOKARSTIC Subterranean region in karst, below the
Epikarstic zone. ncludes the upper area with free draining water plus the area
below water table.
ENTRANCE ZONE The interface between surface
and subterranean environments, leading into the Twilight zone.
EOLIAN See Aeolian. Also Aeolianite.
EPIGEAN Pertaining to the biological domain at
the ground surface or above it. Includes streams. cf Endogean, Hypogean.
EPIKARSTIC Of the upper layer of karstified
carbonate rock in the unsaturated zone, immediately below the soil layer
Speleology term. Ref AC
EPIPHREAS,
EPIPHREATIC ZONEThe zone immediately above the permanently flooded Phreatic
zone. Referring to water moving with
some
speed during floods that are too large for the usual conduits.Hydrology terms.
Ref JJ EROSIONThe wearing away of bedrock or sediment by mechanical and
chemical actions of all moving agents. eg rivers, wind, glaciers.
ESCARPMENTA
steep face terminating high lands abruptly, frequently of stratified rocks.
Uplift is not implied.
EUSTATICPertaining
to world-wide (simultaneous) changes of sea levels.
Geology.
Ref KG
EVAPOTRANSPIRATIONA
process by which water is lost from a catchment or karst surface which includes
evaporation of water from wet surfaces and from plants.
Speleology
term. Ref AC
EXHUMED
KARSTKarst features reexposed by erosion from beneath former covering
strata.Karst - Kinds of. Ref WM
EXSURGENCEA
spring fed only by percolation water, and not by sinking streams.Karst -
Miscellaneous features of. Ref JJ
FACIES
Part of a rock body as differentiated from other parts by appearance or
composition, often as a result of changing depositional environments.
FALLINGEmergency
signal, given by a climber to the belayer, that the climber is falling (and to
expect the safety line to become taut).
FALSE
FLOORA remnant of a sheet of flowstone deposited on sediments that were later
eroded away. A false floor may span between passage walls or merely be
projecting ledges along the walls.
FAMILY5th
rank in Taxonomic system. Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order,
Family,
Genus, Species. Family names end in -aceae for plants, eg
Liliaceae
(lilies), and -idae for animals, eg Macropodidae (kangaroos).
Biology
- Flora & Fauna. Ref MM
FAULTA
fracture separating 2 parts of a once continuous rock body with relative
movement along the fault plane.
FAULT
CAVEA cave developed along a fault or fault zone, either by movement of the
fault or by preferential solution along it.
FAULT
PLANEA plane along which movement of a fault has taken place.
FENGCONGChinese
term equating to Cone karst.
FENGLINChinese
term for the isolated limestone hills known as Tower karst.
Karst
- Hill Features of. Ref EH
FISSUREAn
open crack in rock or soil.
FISSURE
CAVEA narrow vertical cave passage, often developed along a joint but not
necessarily so. Usually due to solution but sometimes to tension.
Cave -
Kinds of. Ref JJ
FLAPA
section of wall lining in a lava tube that has broken free and sagged or rolled
down away from the wall. Where only a small patch
has
been pushed off by gas pressure from behind it may be referred to as a ‘burst’.
Lava
Cave term. Ref KG
FLATTENERA
passage, often of considerable length which though wide, is so low that one has
insufficient room to stand or crawl. Movement along a flattener is only
possible in a prone position. cf,
Crawlway,
Stooping, Walking
Cave -
Parts of. Ref JJ
FLINTSee
Chert.
Geology.
Ref MM
FLOCCULANTSuspended
sediment.
Hydrology
terms. Ref AC
FLOE
CALCITEVery thin flakes of calcite floating on the surface of a cave pool, or
previously formed in this way.
FLOWSTONEA
speleothem. A deposit formed by precipitation from thin films or trickles of
mineralised water over floors or walls, usually of calcite. cf Travertine.
FLUORESCEINA
reddish-yellow organic dye C20H12O5 which gives a green fluorescence to water,
used in water tracing. Detectable in minute concentrations.
Survey
& Mapping term. Ref JJ
FLUOROMETERAn
instrument for measuring the fluorescence of water.
Used
in water tracing and dye gauging.
FLUVIALPertaining
to flowing water. Produced by the action of a stream or river. cf Lotic.
Hydrology
terms. Ref KG
FOIBEA
blind or dead-end shaft.
Cave -
Parts of. Ref KG
FOOD
CHAINA series of plants or animals linked together by their food relationships
or a specific nutrient and energy pathway. see
Food
web.
Fauna.
Ref AC
FOOD
WEBAn interlocking system of separate food chains in any (cave) community.
Fauna.
Ref AC
FORAMINIFERAA
subclass of Sarcodina, unicellular (mostly microscopic & marine) animals
that secrete tests of CaCO3. Their remains
accumulate
to form foraminiferous limestone.
FORAMINIFEROUS
LIMESTONEComposed chiefly of the remains of
Foraminifera.
Karst
- Kinds of. Ref MM
FOREDUNEA
dune ridge built up behind a coastline. Generally higher and more extensive
than a beachridge.
FORESTRY
COMPASSA lightweight tripod mounted compass which also functions as a
clinometer, and has a telescopic sight. Similar to a
theodolite.
Survey
& Mapping term. Ref JJ
FORMATIONIn
geology, the fundamental unit in rock stratigraphic classification, consisting
of a distinctive mappable body of rock.
FORMATIONAn
unsatisfactory term in speleology. Use KARST
GEOMORPHOLOGY,
referring to the creation of a cave. The term
FORMATION
is generally confused with FORMATIONS, which also should not be used. Formation
is a geologic term.
FORMATIONSAn
unsatisfactory term in speleology. Use DECORATION or SPELEOTHEM. The term
FORMATIONS is generally confused with FORMATION, which also should not be used.
Note the plural. The term invariably implies ‘pretty’ decorations especially
Stalactites.
FOSSILThe
remains or traces of animals or plants preserved in rocks or sediments.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
FOSSIL
CHAMBEROssuary, a place in a cave where there is a large number of fossil
bones.
Cave -
Parts of. Ref MM
FOUL
AIRIn a cave or mine, air with greater than 1% carbon dioxide (CO2) which
adversely affects respiration and metabolism.
FREE
PITCHWhere a rope or ladder hangs vertically and free of the walls.
Climbing
and SRT. Ref JJ
FREE
SURFACE STREAMA cave stream which does not normally fill its passage to the
roof.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
FRIENDA
mechanical caming device that is wedged into a rock crack and used as an anchor
point.
Climbing
and SRT. Ref RW
FROSTWORKA
speleothem consisting of radiating, acicular (needle like) crystal sprays
resembling a catus or thistle plant.
FUNGLINIsolated
limestone hill in an alluvial plain. (Chinese term).
FUNGUSPlu
Fungi, organisms that subsist upon dead or living organic matter, of glycogen,
fat, mannitol, but not starch. eg mushrooms,
moulds,
mildews, rusts, smuts.
Flora.
Ref MM
GALLERY
A cave chamber that is rather large and nearly horizontal. May be adorned with
natural decorations.
GARDENINGClearing
stones or other material from a route either to (1) moderate potential danger of falling stones (2) increase
accessibility.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
GASTROPOD’stomach
footed’, a class of molluscs eg snail, having a shell of a single valve,
usually spirally coiled.
GENUSA
group of species thought to have a fairly recent ancestor, but which do not
interbreed, or if they do, they form sterile
hybrids.
Biology
- Flora & Fauna. Ref MM
GENUS6th
rank in Taxonomic system. Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order,
Family,
Genus, Species. Genus + Species constitute a unique name for all known species
of living or extinct organisms.
GEOCONSERVATIONThe
conservation of geodiversity protecting natural values that encompass its
ecological and geoheritage values.
GEODIVERSITYThe
range or diversity of geologic (bedrock), geomorphic (landform) and soil
features, assemblages, systems and processes.
GEOLOGYThe
study of the earth, its rocks, and how it changes, or has changed. Includes
earth sciences, such as geology, geophysics, earth history, stratigraphy,
paleontology, mineralogy.
GIBBSAn
ascender with its cam operated by the weight of the climber.
Climbing
and SRT. Ref JJ
GLACIER
CAVEA cave formed within or beneath a glacier. Having walls, floor & roof
mainly of ice. May have have a floor at least partly of bedrock.
Cave -
Kinds of. Ref JJ
GLACIOKARSTKarst
landscape which has been glaciated during or since the Ice Ages.
Karst
- Kinds of. Ref TW
GLOBAL
POSITIONING SYSTEMGPS. Hand held device that computes position in
latitude/longitude or in map grid reference. Uses
Satellite
technology.
Survey
& Mapping term. Ref MM
GLOSSARYThis
Glossary (compiled by M Meth Feb 98) is the copyright property of the
Australian Speleological Federation inc (ASF).
Miscellaneous
terms. Ref MM
GOURSyn.
Rimstone dam.
Cave -
Depositional Features. Ref JJ
GPSSee
Global Positioning System.
Survey
& Mapping term. Ref MM
GRADEThe
class of a cave survey on the basis of the precision of the instruments and the
accuracy of the methods.
GRIDA
system of squares on a map formed by straight lines that denote distance east
and north of a fixed point of origin.
GRID
NORTHThe direction of a north-south grid line on a map. Only at the point of
origin is this equal to True north.
GRIKEA
solutional trench that may be deep, narrow, vertical (or nearly so) rectilinear
slot in a rock outcrop due to solution along a joint. Syn Kluftkarren.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
GROT
HOLEA small and insignificant cave with no leads, often tight and difficult to
maneuver in.
Speleology
term. Ref MM
GROTTOA
room of moderate dimensions in a cave, but richly decorated.
GROUND
TROGA search on the surface for cave entrances. Or merely the walk from car or
camp to a (known) cave, particularly if the terrain is difficult.
Speleology
term. Ref MM
GROUNDWATERWater
below the level at which all voids in the rock are completely filled saturated.
Syn. phreatic water in saturated zone
below
water table.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
GUANOThe
accumulation of dung from bats or birds. Often partly mineralised, and includes
rock fragments, animal remains eg bones.
Guano
also may contain products of reactions between the excretions and the rock.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
GUANOBIAAn
animal association feeding on guano. Not considered true cavernicoles? as guano
is not confined to caves.
GYPSUMThe
mineral hydrated calcium sulphate CaSO4.2(H2O)
GYPSUM
FLOWERAn elongated and curving deposit of gypsum on a cave surface.
Cave
- Depositional Features. Ref JJ
HABITAT
The immediate surroundings of a plant or animal, with everything necessary to
sustain life.
HALF
BLIND VALLEYA blind valley that overflows its threshold when the flow exceeds a
certain limit, beyond which the stream sink
cannot
accept all the water
HALF
TUBEExposed on a fractured rock surface. Often meandering or ‘anastomosing’.
see Anastomosis.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
HALITEThe
common salt sodium chloride NaCl as a mineral in the cubic crystalline system.
May form as decorations on dry caves as, dripstone, crust, flowstone,
stalactite, stalagmite and other forms.
Mineral,
Rock and Chemical terms. Ref JJ
HALLA
lofty chamber that is longer than it is wide.
HARNESSIn
climbing, an arrangement of tape, either the seat harness or chest harness for
the attachment of ascenders or descenders.
HELICTITEA
speleothem, appearing to defy gravity, being a curved or angular twiglike
lareral projection of calcim carbonate. Has a tiny
central
canal. See Anthodite.
HELIGMITEA
helictite that grows on a cave floor or a shelf. Usually thin, curved and
angular.
HELMETA
miners, climbers or other kind of non metallic protective helmet used in
caving. Australia does not have a standard for caving
helmets.
A chin strap is recommended for vertical work. A sun visor is generally an
inconvenience.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
HERBIVOREAn
animal that eats plants.
HISTOPLASMOSISA
lung disease usually mild in effect but known to be fatal. May be caught from
guano in caves, caused by fungus,
Histoplasmosis
capsulatum.
Miscellaneous
terms. Ref JJ
HOLOKARSTHaving
bare surfaces on thick deposits of limestone that extend below sea level and
little or no surface drainage. They have
karren,
dolines, uvalas and cave systems. cf merokarst.
HORIZONTAL
ANGLEThe difference in direction of two survey lines measured clockwise in a
horizontal plane.
HORNITOA
small spatter cone up to 5 m high which spits out red hot drops of lava.
Lava
Cave term. Ref KG
HUMIDITY,
RELATIVEThe ratio of the amount of water present in air to the amount present
at saturation. Most caves have high humidity
because
climatic conditions tend to be constant with very little evaporative moisture
loss. But caves can have low humidity.
HYDROSTATIC
PRESSUREThe pressure due to a column of water.
HYPOGEANPertaining
to the domain below the endogean, including the dark zone of caves. cf Epigean,
Endogean.
HYPORHEOSPertaining
to water flowing over streambeds. cf Lotic.
Speleology
term. Ref AC
[
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ICEA
mineral, H2O, which may form speleothems in ice caves as, stalactite,
stalagmite, drapery, crust, flower, flowstone, helictites and euhedral (having
well formed crystal faces) crystals.
ICE
CAVE(1) An otherwise normal cave with permanent (ie perennial) ice in it. (2) A
cave that only has ice in it on a seasonal basis. Note: A cave entirely in ice,
or under an ice sheet, is called a
Glacier
cave.
Cave -
Kinds of. Ref JJ
INDURATEDSoils
and sedimentary rocks which have become hardened or cemented.
Geology.
Ref KG
INFLOW
CAVEA cave into which a stream enters or is known to have entered formerly. The
stream cannot be followed downstream to the
surface.
Cave -
Kinds of. Ref JJ
INFLUX
CAVEA cave entrance that has a stream flowing into it. cf Efflux cave. See also
Inflow & Outflow caves.
INORGANICOf
non-biological origin.
INTERSTITIAL
MEDIUMThe spaces between grains of sand, fine gravel or detritus filled with
air or water which contains phreatobia.
INVERTEBRATEAn
animal without a backbone. eg Annelid (worm), Mollusc (snail) & Arthropods.
The main life forms found in caves.
INVERTED
SIPHONA siphon of U-profile.
ISOPODAn
animal of the order of Crustaceans having 7 pairs of legs.
Includes
slaters. Commonly found in caves.
Fauna.
Ref MM
[
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JOINTA
planar or gently curving crack separating two parts of once continuous rock,
without relative movement along its plane.
JOINT
PLANEThe plane in which a joint has formed.
JOINT
PLANE CAVEA cavity developed along a joint, which is often steeply dipping, and
thus high in relation to width.
JUG
HANDLEA small loop of rock shaped like a handle, used as an anchor point or
hand hold to aid in climbing.
JUMARAn
ascender with a simple finger operated safety catch, a handle and several
attachment points.
Climbing
and SRT. Ref JJ
[
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KAMENITZASerbian
word for a type of Karren. Literally means Pool in the stone. Syn Solution pan.
Karst
- Minor Forms of. Ref EH
KANKAR(pronounced
kunkar) A deposit, often nodular, of calcium carbonate formed in soils of semi
arid regions by evaporation of
mineralised
water at the surface.. Can form cave roof. see Oolite,
Calcrete,
Caprock.
Karst
- Kinds of. Ref JJ
KARABINERA
steel or other alloy, oval or D-shaped link with a spring loaded gate on one
side to admit a rope, or to clip to a ladder etc.
Also
known as See Karabina. Also Carabiner, Crab, Krab.
KARRENGerman
word for the surface occurring minor forms of karst. Solution grooves cut into
bare or covered limestone surfaces by
running
water. Also occur underground. Several types exist eg: Rillenkarren,
Rundkarren, Kamenitza.
KARSTTerrain
with special landforms & drainage characteristics due to greater solubility
of certain rocks in natural waters than is
common.
Name derived from a province in Slovenia, where this type of landform was first
described. Several types described.
KARST
GEOMORPHOLOGYThe scientific study of karst landforms (both on the surface and
underground) and the processes which contribute to their development.
Speleology
term. Ref EH
KARST
HYDROGRAPHIC ZONESThe 3 vertically aligned subterranean divisions of karst:
upper unsaturated zone, intermittently saturated epiphreatic (or floodwater)
zone and lower saturated (phreatic) zone.
Speleology
term. Ref MM
KARST
HYDROLOGYThe scientific study of the movement of water through a karst system,
and the storage of water in it.
KARST
TYPESBuried karst, Cone karst, Covered karst, Exhumed karst, Halbkugelkarst,
Holokarst, Kegelkarst, Merokarst, Microkarst, Naked karst, Paleokarst,
Pseodokarst, Spitzkegelkarst, Subjacent karst,
Syngenetic
karst, Thermokarst, Tower karst.
KARST
WINDOWA closed depression, not a polje, which has a stream flowing across its
bottom.
KARST,
FEATURES OFThe special landforms of a karst area include:
Caves,
Dolines, Karren, Rill, Rillenkarren, Rundkarren, Solution pan and underground
drainage.
Cave -
Kinds of. Ref JJ
KARSTICPertaining
to karst.
Speleology
term. Ref MM
KARSTIFICATIONA
periodic or cyclic process where phases of active solutional development of
karst are followed by infilling of karst
conduits
and voids.
Processes.
Ref AC
KERNMANTELA
rope with a plaited sheath around a core of parallel or twisted strands.
Climbing
and SRT. Ref JJ
KEYHOLEA
small passage or opening in a cave having a keyhole shaped cross section, round
above and narrow below.
KINGDOM1st
and highest rank in Taxonomic system. Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family,
Genus, Species.
KNOBBY
PAHOEHOEA form of pahoehoe lava in which the smooth surface is broken by
numerous small knobs and lumps.
KRABShort
for Karabiner. A steel or aluminium alloy snap link used in rope work. Also
known as Karabina, Carabiner, Crab.
Climbing
and SRT. Ref JJ
[
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LABYRINTHSyn,
Maze cave, Network.
LADDERIn
caving, a flexible lightweight ladder of galvanised or stainless steel wires
and aluminium alloy rungs.
LAKEIn
caving, a body of standing water (no matter how small) in a cave.
Cave -
Parts of. Ref JJ
LAPIESA
synonym for Karren, used mainly in the special case of Marine Lapies which form
on limestone surfaces exposed to the sea,
or
to sea spray. See also Phytokarst.
LAPILLIA
general term for pebble to granule sized volcanic ejecta. Angular frothy
fragments are called scoria. Finer material is ash and coarser fragments are
called bombs or blocks.
LARVA(Plu
larvae). The young of insects, eg grub, caterpillar, maggot that metamorphose
into adult forms eg beetle, moth, fly.
Larvae
are active, self sustaining and independent life forms, and many inhabit caves.
Fauna.
Ref AC
LATERITEAn
iron rich deep weathering profile. Lateritised means containing laterite.
Geology.
Ref KG
LAVAMolten
rock that is capable of flowing on the surface or in lava tubes. Also volcanic
rock solidified from magma. See ‘pahoehoe’ and
‘aa’
for specific types.
Lava
Cave term. Ref KG
LAVA
CAVEA cave in a lava flow, usually a tube formed by flow of liquid lava through
a solidified mass, or by roofing over of an open channel. Small lava caves may
form as gas blisters.
LAVA
DRIBBLESDrips and associated runs of smooth surfaced lava on a vertical or
sloping wall in a lava tube. Formed from a molten lining.
Lava
Cave term. Ref KG
LAVA
DRIPSShort smooth-surfaced drips of lava on a ceiling or upper wall, formed
from a molten lining. Grades to flatter ‘lava dribbles’ on the walls.
Lava
Cave term. Ref KG
LAVA
HANDSGroups of elongated finger or grape-like extrusions formed on a wall or
roof where pasty lava has been forced out through a crack or hole in the
lining. Matching ‘lava stalagmites’ may occur on the floor below. See also
‘lava turds’.
LAVA
STALACTITESLonger and thicker than ‘lava drips’. Rare straw-like lava
stalactites have been recorded overseas.
LAVA
STALAGMITESMounds or columns of lava built up on a floor. Some may resemble
‘lava turds’, others are built up of numerous small semi-solid droplets to form
agglutinated stalagmites.
LAVA
TUBEA cave in lava formed by removal of liquid material from beneath a solid
roof.
Lava
Cave term. Ref KG
LAVA
TURDSA descriptive term for small lava extrusions. A thick pasty lava has been
forced out of a small orifice in the wall lining or floor. Analogies to dog,
sheep, cow, etc. have been seen. aka ‘Lava hands’. aka (less politely)
‘Stoolite’ and ‘faecicles’
LAVACICLESmall
round-tipped lava stalactites, formed where molten lava has dripped from the
roof, or dribbled down the walls of the cave.
Lava
Cave term. Ref KG
LAYThe
way in which strands of a rope or cable are twisted.
LEADA
cave passage noticed but as yet unexplored.
LEAD
ACID BATTERYA rechargeable acid battery used as a light source in caving,
usually worn on a waist strap and with a lamp fitted to the helmet.
Lighting
term. Ref JJ
LEADERIn
caving, the person directing the activities of a caving party, and with responsibility
for the safety of the group.
LEGA
survey leg, the measurement between 2 adjacent survey stations in a cave
survey.
Survey
& Mapping term. Ref JJ
LEUCOPHORA
colourless water tracer, which fluoresces blue.
LEVEEAn
outward sloping raised area on each side of a lava channel. Analogous to a
river levee, it is built up by successive lava layers whenever the channel
overflows.
Lava
Cave term. Ref KG
LEVELIn
caves, the height relation of a point in a cave to the entrance or a datum eg
sea level.
Survey
& Mapping term. Ref WM
LEVELA
group of cave passages developed in the same horizontal plane, especially in
caves that are developed on 2 or more planes.
LIFE
LINEA safety device additional to the main support in climbing. May be an
additional rope, or merely an additional attachment to the main system
Climbing
and SRT. Ref MM
LIMESTONEA
sedimentary rock consisting mainly of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) derived from
the deposition of the calcareous remains of animals. Usually of marine origin
but can be of freshwater origin. eg Oolitic, Coralline, Foraminiferous. See
Dolomite, Magnesite.
LIMESTONE
CAVELimestone is relatively soluble and is the most common rock type in which
caves develop.
Cave -
Kinds of. Ref MM
LIMESTONE
PAVEMENT(1) A bare plane surface of bedded limestone, commonly divided into
blocks (clints) by solutionally widened joints (grikes). (2) On the Nullarbor,
an area of calcrete built up in an otherwise soil covered area.
Karst
- Minor Forms of. Ref WM
LINTEL
LINEA line on the ground at a cave entrance directly below the outer edge of
the rock above. May or may not coincide with the dripline.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
LIQUID
MEDIUMContains the Stygofauna or aquatic Cavernicoles.
LITHIFICATIONHardening
of sediment to form a rock.
LITTORALShoreline.
Between high and low tide marks, Intertidal. cf
Benthic.
Most sea caves occur in this zone.
LIVE
CAVEA cave containing flowing water or active speleothems. Cf
Active
cave.
Cave -
Kinds of. Ref JJ
LONG
SECTIONA cave map showing a cross section along the length of a
cave
or of a single passage or chamber.
Survey
& Mapping term. Ref JJ
LOOPSee
Closed traverse.
Survey
& Mapping term. Ref MM
LOOP
ERRORThe error in easting, northing & vertical that results when a survey,
in forming a loop, closes on itself.
LOTICPertaining
to the aquatic environment of running water.
Geology.
Ref AC
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MACROCAVERNIncludes
all cavities in rocks greater than 20 cm in diameter. This includes all the
cave passages that are accessible to people. Cf Mesocavern, Microcavern.
MACROINVERTRBRATEAn
invertebrate large enough to be easily visible to the naked eye.
Fauna.
Ref AC
MAGNESITEMagnesium
carbonate rock. Usually considered as a mineral, and may have various
impurities such as Calcium or Iron and may be susceptible to karst solution
processes. (cf dolomite).Example is the magnesite karst at Savage River in NW
Tasmania.
MAGNETIC
NORTHThe direction to the north magnetic pole. The position of the north (and
south) magnetic poles undergoes continuous change year by year.
Survey
& Mapping term. Ref JJ
MARBLELimestone
recrystallised and hardened by pressure and heat.
MARLA
calcareous clay, or impure fine grained limestone.
MASS
MOVEMENTDislodgment and downslope transport of soil and bedrock under the
influence of gravity.
Geology.
Ref MM
MASSIVEA
rock mass that is not obviously fractured, or with individual strata more than
100mm in thickness.
MAZE
CAVEA complex pattern of connecting passages often on two or more levels in a
cave. Syn Labyrinth, Network.
MEANDERAn
arcuate curve in a river course due to the stream eroding sideways.
Geology.
Ref JJ
MEANDER
NICHEA hemispherically roofed part of a cave formed by a stream meandering and
cutting down at the same time.
MEROKARSTHaving
bare surfaces on thick deposits of limestone that extend below sea level and
little or no surface drainage. They have
karren,
dolines, uvalas and cave systems. cf holokarst.
MESOCAVERNIncludes
all cavities in rock that are smaller than 20 cm in diameter and larger than
0.1 cm in diameter. Not large enough to
be
considered as a cave in the usual sense. Cf Microcavern,
Macrocavern.
Cave -
Kinds of. Ref EH
METABOLIC
RATEThe rate at which an organism transforms food into energy and body tissue;
most cave animals, particularly the obligates in the dark zone have a reduced
metabolic rate.
MICROCAVERNAll
cavities in rock that are smaller than 0.1 cm in diameter down to and including
microscopic size. Whislt not considered a cave, such caverties may be important
biological niche sites. Cf Mesocavern, Macrocavern.
MICROCLIMATEThe
climate (temperature, humidity, air movement etc) of a restricted space, eg of
a cave, or of a portion of a cave. see
Microhabitat.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
MICROGOURMiniature
rimstone dam with associated tiny pool of the order 10mm wide and deep. Most
commonly occurs on flowstone, but may occur in other situations.
MICROHABITATThe
individual faunal habitat or niche within a larger (cave) environment.
Fauna.
Ref AC
MICROKARSTKarst
topography in which all surface features are small.
An
area dominated by minor karst features.
MOONMILKOften
a cauliflower shaped mass of soft, white, moist, plastic speleothem consisting
of calcite, and hydrated minerals such as hydrocalcite, hydromagnesite or
huntite. May become hard or powdery if they dry out. Syn Rockmilk.
MORPHOLOGYThe
study of the physical form of lands or regions. Also the form and structure of
any natural phenomena, eg of plant or animal design.
Geology.
Ref MM
MOTTLINGBlotchy
or patchy colour patterning.
MUD
PENDULITEA pendulite with the knob coated in mud.
Cave
- Erosional & Solutional Features. Ref JJ
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NAKED
KARSTSyn. Bare karst.
NATURAL
ARCHAn arch of rock formed by weathering.
NATURAL
BRIDGEA bridge of rock spanning a ravine or valley and formed by erosive
agents.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
NECROPHAGEA
scavenger feeding on animal carcasses rather than live prey.
Cave -
Biota. Ref JJ
NETWORKA
complex pattern of repeatedly connecting passages in a cave. Syn Maze, cave,
Labyrinth.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
NICHEAn
organism’s place in the cave ecosystem. Where it lives and eats, and what eats
it. How it interacts with all biotic and abiotic factors.
Fauna.
Ref AC
NIFE
CELLA rechargeable alkaline battery for use with an electric cap lamp.
Lighting
term. Ref JJ
NORTHING1.
The distance of a point north of the point of origin of the grid of a map. 2.
The south-north component of a survey leg, or of a series of 2 or more legs.
North is positive, south is negative.
cf
Easting.
Survey
& Mapping term. Ref JJ
NOTHEPHREATICReferring
to water moving slowly in cavities in the phreatic zone.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
NUMBERINGAssigning
an alphanumeric identity number to a cave entrance, such that no 2 entrances
have the same number.
NYMPHSome
insect young or juveniles are called nymphs. Esp. those with no or incomplete
wings.
Fauna.
Ref AC
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OBLIGATEInvariably.
A species which is unable to live outside of a given environment. Applied to
animals living in the dark zone of caves that may display Troglomorphic
adaptions.
ON
BELAYSignal given to a climber by the belayer, that the manually
operated
belay system is ready for use.
OOLITEOolitic
limestone. A type of rock, often calcareous which grows by radial or concentric
means around a nucleus. The term Oolite formerly referred to cave pearls.
OPEN
TRAVERSEA survey traverse which does not form a loop.
ORDER4th
rank in Taxonomic system. Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order,
Family,
Genus, Species.
Biology
- Flora & Fauna. Ref MM
ORGANICOf
biological origin. (Strictly includes all carbon compounds, some of which are
NOT biological).
ORIENTATIONThe
relationship of a survey line to true, grid or magnetic north.
Survey
& Mapping term. Ref JJ
OROGENOro
= mountain. A belt of deformed rocks, making up a portion of the continental
crust.
Geology.
Ref MM
OUTFLOW
CAVEA cave from which a stream flows or formerly did, and which can not be
followed upstream to the surface.
OVERHANGA
simple cave or rock shelter in which no part is in the dark zone.
Cave -
Kinds of. Ref MM
OVERHANGA
ladder or rope that hangs over a ledge or shelf of rock that projects past the
rest of the rock face below, & thereby hangs free.
Climbing
and SRT. Ref MM
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PAHOEHOEA
type of lava in which the surface was relatively fluid and so formed smooth or
porridge-like surfaces. Variants include wrinkled or ‘ropy’ surfaces, like
flowing pitch, and surfaces with small rounded knobs.
Lava
Cave term. Ref KG
PALAEOKARSTA
‘fossil’ karst, being a remnant of a previous period of Karstification.
Characterised by old deposits, as lithified cave fills or breccias
Karst
- Kinds of. Ref RW
PALAEOSOLAncient
soils.
Geology.
Ref KG
PALEO
SOILSSee Palaeosol.
Geology.
Ref MM
PARASITEDeriving
food from a host, to which it is attached, and harming the host. In caves the
Acarina (ticks & mites) are parasites on other invertebrates or
vertebrates. (Note that some mites are free living in caves. cf Endophyte
Epiphyte Holozoic Saprophytic
PARIETAL
ASSOCIATIONAnimals found on walls around cave entrances.
PASSAGEA
cavity in a cave that is longer than it is wide or high. A passage normally
leads to other places in a cave, and is not a dead end.
Cave -
Parts of. Ref JJ
PENDANTSee
Rock pendant.
Cave -
Erosional & Solutional Features. Ref JJ
PENDULITEA
kind of stalactite which has been partly submerged with that part covered with
Dog tooth spar, giving the appearance of a drumstick.
PERCOLATION
WATERWater moving mainly downwards through pores, cracks & fissures in the
unsaturated Epikarstic zone and Vadose zone. Also relates to water draining
underground from a Swallet or Streamsink.
PERMEABILITYThe
property of rock or soil permitting water to pass through it. Primary
permeability depends on pores between the grains of material. Secondary
Permeability depends on solutional widening of joints & bedding planes
& on other solution cavities.
Hydrology
terms. Ref JJ
PHREASSyn.
Phreatic Zone.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
PHREATIC
WATERWater below the level at which all voids in the rock are completely filled
with water.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
PHREATIC
ZONEThe zone that is below the Water table (except at times of drought) where
voids or tubes in the rock are completely saturated with water.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
PHREATOBIAAn
animal association found in water separating grains of sand or fine gravel.
Speleology
term. Ref JJ
PHYLOGENETICPertaining
to an evolutionary development of a species. Usually this would involve a long
history of development, but it could conceivably be relatively short.
PHYLUMSecond
rank in Taxonomic system. Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus,
Species. In Plant Classification Phylum can be known as a Division.
Biology
- Flora & Fauna. Ref MM
PHYTOKARSTA
type of small scale solutional sculpturing or Karren which forms with the
assistance of certain algae and other micro-organisms that secrete acid
solutions. Commonly occurs as a part of Marine lapies, and also as light
oriented features in Cenotes.
Speleology
term. Ref KG
PILLARA
bedrock column from roof to floor left by removal of surrounding rock.
Cave -
Parts of. Ref JJ
PINNACLE
KARSTTropical landscape of near vertical sided spires. Also as Arete Karst.
Karst
- Kinds of. Ref WM
PIPEA
tubular cavity projecting down from the surface into karst rocks. Often filled
with earth etc.
PIT(Looking
for a definition)
Cave -
Parts of. Ref MM
PITCHA
vertical or nearly vertical part of a cave for which a ladder or rope is
normally used for ascent or descent.
PITONA
solid or folded metal spike driven into a crack in a rock to form an anchor.
Climbing
and SRT. Ref JJ
PLANA
cave map at a reduced scale showing the details projected vertically onto a
horizontal plane..
PLUNGE
POOLA swirlhole, generally of large size. occurring at the foot of a waterfall
or rapid, on the surface or underground.
POLJEA
large closed depression draining underground, with a flat floor across which
there may be an intermittent or perennial stream. The polje may be liable to
flood and become a lake, and its floor makes a sharp break with parts of surrounding
slopes.
POLYGONAL
KARSTKarst completely pitted by closed depressions so that divides between them
form a crudely polygonal network.
POOL
DEPOSITAny sediment which accumulates in a pool in a cave.
Crystalline
deposits precipitated in a cave pool, usually of crystalline shape as well as
structure.
POPULATIONIndividuals
of a species that form an interbreeding group, separated by physical barriers
from other such populations.
POROSITYPrimary:
intergrannular porosity. Secondary: porosity arising from fractures and joints
etc in the rock mass. Tertiary: posoity arising from the development of karstic
conduits.
POROSITYThe
property of rock or soil of having small voids between the constituent
particles. The voids may or may not interconnect. If they conect, the
Permeability of the rock will be higher. 3 classes of prosity are recognised:
Hydrology
terms. Ref JJ
POTSee
Pothole.
Karst
- Depression Features of. Ref JJ
POTHOLEA
vertical or nearly vertical shaft or chimney open to the surface.
PREDATORAn
animal which captures other animals for its food.
PRISMATIC
COMPASSA compass with a prism that enables the viewing angle to be read whilst
sighting a distant object.
PROJECTED
SECTIONIn mapping, a vertical section along the main trend of a cave.
Horizontal distances may be distorted, so that slope angles are reduced.
Survey
& Mapping term. Ref JJ
PRUSIK
KNOTA friction knot which can slide along a rope when no weight is applied, but
grips when a pull is applied. Used in
climbing.
Climbing
and SRT. Ref JJ
PRUSIK
SLINGA sling fastened by a prusik knot to a rope
Climbing
and SRT. Ref JJ
PRUSIKINGAscent
on a rope using prusik knots as ascenders.
PSEUDOKARSTTerrain
with landforms (and caves) which resemble those of karst but are not the
product of karst solution processes.
PUDDINGSA
local term for small tumuli within lava tubes, but also applied to porridge
like mounds of pahoehoe that have been squeezed up through an opening in a
crusted floor.
PUPA(Plu
Pupae) The inactive stage of certain insects when the larva undergoes
metamorphis and becomes an adult.
Fauna.
Ref AC
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QUATERNARYThe
youngest geological period, extending from the end of the Tertiary 1.6 million
years ago to the present. Divided into Pleistocene, and Holocene which is the
last 10,000 years. A time of great ice ages with widely fluctuating climates
and sea levels.
Geology.
Ref KG
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RADONA
radioactive inert gas (Rn86 half life 3.8 days) formed continuously in the
earth’s interior by radioactive decay. Densest of all known gases, tends to
collect in caves as well as man made cellars etc. Concentration varies greatly
between localities.
RAFTA
speleothem consisting of a thin layer of crystalline material which forms and
floats on the surface of a cave pool. Sinks if water surface is disturbed. May
form many layers in a dried out pool.
RAPPELSyn.
Abseil.
Climbing
and SRT. Ref JJ
RAPPEL
RACKA descender consisting of a frame mounting 5 or 6 brake bars.
Climbing
and SRT. Ref JJ
REBELAYThe
placing of an additional belay on a rope so as to avoid a rub point on a pitch.
Or merely to split long pitches. Syn.
Deviation,
Redirection.
Climbing
and SRT. Ref JJ
RECHARGEThe
process involving the input or intake of water into the saturated zone in karst
aquifers. Relates to the quantity of water added.
Hydrology
terms. Ref AC
REGRESSIONA
withdrawal of the sea from the land, due to uplift or a eustatic drop in sea
level. See transgression.
REGRESSIVE
EVOLUTIONReduced body pigmentation (or no pigment); Loss of wings (in insects,
such as carabid beetles); Elongated appendages including antennae; Longer and
greater density spines or setae (hairs); Reduced metabolic rate.
Fauna.
Ref MM
REGRESSIVE
EVOLUTIONConcept used to describe the adaptive traits or troglomorphies of
obligate cavernicoles, particularly those species that only live in the dark
zone. eg Reduced eye size; Loss of visual ability or loss of eyes;
Fauna.
Ref MM
RELATIVE
HUMIDITYSee Humidity.
Speleology
term. Ref MM
RELICTSee
Distributional Relict.
Fauna.
Ref MM
RELICT
KARSTOld cave forms produced by earlier geomorphic processes within the present
phase or period of karstification and open to modification by present day
processes. Such as deposition of speleothems, sediments or skeletal deposits.
RESURGENCEA
Spring where a stream, which has a course higher up on the surface, reappears
lower down at the surface.
RHIZOMORPHA
calcareous structure formed around roots, and preserving the form of the root.
Speleology
term. Ref KG
RHODAMINEA
red organic dye detectable in very dilute solutions. Used in water tracing and
dye gauging.
Survey
& Mapping term. Ref JJ
RIFTA
long narrow high and straight cave passage controlled by planes of weakness in
the rock. cf Fissure.
RIGGINGIn
climbing, the process of establishing the belays for ropes and or ladders.
Climbing
and SRT. Ref RW
RILLSmall
solution groove on surface exposures of limestone. Most common in arid or
semiarid areas.
Karst
- Minor Forms of. Ref WM
RILLENKARRENA
type of Karren, runnels about 20mm wide with sharp ridges between them. Usually
solutional, formed by air currents with airborne moisture forming closely
situated often parallel to sub-parallel vertical grooves on a sloping limestone
surface.
RIMSTONEA
deposit formed by precipitation from water flowing over the rim of a pool.
RIMSTONE
DAMA ridge or rib of rimstone, often curved convexly downstream.
Cave
- Depositional Features. Ref JJ
RIMSTONE
POOLA pool held up by a rimstone dam.
RIPARIANPertaining
to the banks of a river or stream. And expanded to include the perimeter area
around dolines, particularly those which act as swallets.
Geology.
Ref MM
RISINGAnother
term for a spring. A feature where water returns to the surface from an
underground body of water.
ROCKA
warning given (shouted) when a rock is seen to be falling, or is about to fall,
and which could endanger those below. See also “Below”.
Climbing
and SRT. Ref MM
ROCKAny
naturally formed coherent and relatively hard mass of mineral matter.
Geology.
Ref MM
ROCK
PENDANTA smooth surfaced projection from the roof of a cave due to solution.
Usually occur in groups.
ROCK
SHELTERA cave, often at a cliff base, with more or less level floor extending
only a short distance so that no part is beyond daylight.
Cave -
Kinds of. Ref JJ
ROCKHOLEA
shallow small hole in rock outcrops, often rounded in form and holding water
after rain. A feature of the Nullarbor Plain.
Karst
- Minor Forms of. Ref JJ
ROCKMILKSee
Moonmilk.
Speleology
term. Ref MM
ROCKPILEA
heap of rocks in a cave, usually formed by local collapse, roughly conical in
overall shape.
Cave -
Parts of. Ref JJ
ROOF
CRUSTA thin speleothem on a cave precipitated from water films exuding from
pores or cracks.
ROOF
SNIFFINGDescribes progress in a water filled passage with only sufficient air
space for the nose to be above the water.
ROOMA
wider part of a cave than a passage, but not considered as large as a chamber.
Cave -
Parts of. Ref JJ
ROPE
PROTECTORA length of fabric or plastic hose etc placed around a rope where it
may rub against rock.
ROPY
LAVAAnother term for pahoehoe, especially the type with curved and twisted
ridges.
Lava
Cave term. Ref KG
RUNDKARRENA
type of karren. Generally about 200mm wide with rounded profile. Surface karst
solution feature consisting of rounded
grooves
in eg, limestone, normally formed under soil or under heavy litter or moss
layers. cf Rillenkarren.
Karst
- Minor Forms of. Ref MM
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SAFETY
LINEA safety rope attached to a climber in addition to the main rope or ladder.
Climbing
and SRT. Ref JJ
SALT
WEATHERINGDetachment of particles from a rock surface by the growth of crystals
from salt solutions. A feature of the Nullarbor and other desert caves.
Processes.
Ref JJ
SANDSTONE
CAVEA cave formed in sandstone.
SAPROPHAGEA
scavenger feeding on decaying organic material.
SATURATEDWater
which has dissolved as much limestone or other material as it can under the
prevailing conditions.
SATURATED
ZONEThe zone below the water table, composed of shallow, deep (bathyphreatic)
and stagnant phreatic zones. Syn. Phreatic zone.
Hydrology
terms. Ref AC
SCALEThe
ratio of the length between any 2 points on a map to the actual distance
between the same points on the ground or in a cave.
Survey
& Mapping term. Ref JJ
SCALING
CHIPA smal