Karst Topography
Karst Topography:
- Landforms produced by chemical weathering or chemical erosion of carbonate rocks.
- Calcium carbonate (CaCo3 or limestone) and magnesium carbonate (dolomites) are eroded by surface and subsurface water.
Requirement:
- Limestones must be massive, hard, well cemented and well jointed.
- Rocks should be non-porous and thickly bedded.
- Should be very close to the ground surface.
- Enough rainfall.
Depositional features of Karst topography:
- Sinkhole
- Swallow hole
- Doline
- Uvala
- Polje
Practice Question – Prelims
Consider the following statements with reference to Karst topography:
1. Highly fractured or folded limestone beds are one of the primary requirements for its development.
2. It is also called badlands topography.
3. Stalactites and stalagmites are its erosional landforms.
How many statements given here are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Landslide
Landslide:
- Large masses of earth, rock, or debris move down a slope.
- Vary in size from small localized slides to catastrophic events.
- Highly relevant - hilly or mountainous regions.
Causes
Natural causes
- Heavy rain.
- Deforestation.
- Earthquakes.
- Volcanic eruptions.
Anthropogenic causes
- Roads and construction in mountain regions.
- Shifting agriculture in North Eastern states.
- Increasing population and Urbanization.
Preventive measures
- Slope Stabilization. Retaining walls, terracing, or rock bolting to prevent slope failure.
- Vegetative Cover. Promoting the plantation of vegetation on slopes.
- Erosion Control. Silt fences and mulching prevent the removal of soil by water runoff.
- Land-Use Planning. Land-use regulations and restricting construction in landslide-prone areas.
Practice Question – Prelims
Which type of landslide is characterized by a slow, downslope movement of soil and rock material, often triggered
by heavy rainfall and saturation of the ground?
(a) Rockslide
(b) Debris Flow
(c) Mudslide
(d) Creep
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