This homepage is a short english supplement to the written "Nachrichtenbrief" edited by István Eszterhás and colleagues. Is was the decision of our last meeting to publish the written version in German and English whereas this homepage is available in English only. The written "Nachrichtenbrief" is available from the chairman. Any donation will be appreciated (the commission does not have obtain a budget from the UIS)

We ask all colleagues interested in Pseudokarst to submit news, ideas, papers, pictures and other information to be included in the "Nachrichtenbrief" (please mail it directly to the chairman) as well as in this homepage (contact: speleo.austria@netway.at).

The Pseudokarst Commission (Commission du Pseudokarst) is a commission of the Union Internationale de Spéléologie (UIS), founded during the International Congress of Speleology in August 1997 in Switzerland, owing to the initiative and attempts of the Jiři Kopecký and István Eszterhás (now they are both the Honorary Presidents of the Commission). The main objectives of the Pseudokarst Commission is organisation of the international Symposia on Pseudokarst and other events and meetings dedicated to the pseudokarst, as well as promotion and stimulation of activeness in the exploration and scientific studies of the non-karst caves and pseudokarst features. The Pseudokarst Commission has publicated the “Newsletter” (“Nachrichtenbrief”) two times a year.

 The actual members of the “Pseudokarst” Commission, elected 1^st May 2008 in Gorizia, Italy,  are:

 Afrasiabian Ahmed, Iran – Member
Ayub Soraya, Brasil - Member
Eszterhás István, Hungary – Honorary President
Gaál Ludovit, Slovakia – Secretary
Kopecký Jiři, Czech Republic – Honorary President
Pavuza Rudolf, Austria – Vice-President
Simmert Hartmut, Germany – Member
Tavagnutti Maurizio, Italy – Member
Urban Jan, Poland – President
Vagueiro Marcos, Spain – Member
Vdovets Marina, Russia – Member

 (in preparation)

NEWSLETTERS

 The Newsletters (Nachrichtenbrief) of the Pseudokarst Commission have been published two times a year since 1998 and distributed among the members of the Commission and people interested in its activity by normal post. The copies of the no 1-17 are scanned below. The main Editor of these issues was István Eszterhás.

The next numbers will be published and distributed mainly by internet. The printed copies will be distributed by Centro Ricerche Carsiche “G. Seppenhofer”, Gorizia, Italy, as a part of ... (ask the name of the journal and link it to Maurizio)

PSEUDOKARST SYMPOSIA

The Symposia on Pseudokarst have had the tradition longer than 25 years. The idea was born in the former Czechoslovakia and one of the “fathers” of this idea was Jiři Kopecký, present Honorary President of the Pseudokarst Commission. The first Symposium was held in this country as a national meeting, but with the attendance of participants from abroad. The next Symposia have had also the international character and have been hold usually each 2 years.

1. Symposium o Pseudokrasu v CSSR (Symposium on Pseudokarst in Czechoslovakia) – Janovičky, Broumov Upland, former Czechoslovakia, 9-12 September, 1982

The materials were published in the issue of the “Stalagmit” journal in the Czech language

2. Symposium o Pseudokrasu – Janovičky, Broumov Upland, former Czechoslovakia, 3-6 October 1985
In the Symposium attended 73 participants, among them 34 came from abroad (Austria, East and West Germany, Poland, Sweden). The materials (volume containing short papers) were published after the Symposium as Publication no. 10 of the Czech Speleological Society in the languages of authors 

 3. Pseudokarstsymposium – Königstein, Sächsische Schweiz, former East Germany, 30 September-3 October1988  link to photos)

 
4. Pseudokarst Symposium with International Participation – Podolanky, Moravskoslezske Beskydy, former Czechoslovakia, 28-30 September 1990  

In the Symposium attended 61 participants from 9 European countries (Austria, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, USSR, Sweden, United Kingdom). The materials (volume of short papers) were published after the Symposium as Publication no. 23 of the Czech Speleological Society in English, as well as Czech and other languages with English summaries (scans 4a-d)

5. Pseudokarst Symposium with International Participation – Szczyrk, Beskid Śląski Mts., Poland, 23-25 September 1994
In the Symposium attended ca 30 participants from at least 5 countries (Czech Rep., Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia). The materials were published for the Symposium as a volume of short papers and abstracts in the languages of authors, but usually with English summaries 

6. International Symposium on Pseudokarst – Galyatető, Matra Mts., Hungary, 19-22 September, 1996 
In the Symposium attended 32 participants from 8 countries (Austria, Czech Rep., Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia). The Proceedings” containing full papers of presentations written in English or languages of authors were published after the Symposium 

 7. International Symposium for Pseudokarst – Arad-Moneasa, Romania, 6-10.10.1999
The Symposium gathered less than 10 participants from abroad (Austria, Hungary, Germany, Netherlands, Poland) and several representatives of Romania. The volume of abstract and guidebook was prepared for the Symposium , whereas the volume of “Proceedings of the 7^th International Symposium for Pseudokarst” was prepared several years later in several copies only

 8. International Symposium on Pseudokarst - Teplý Vrch, Slovakia, 26-29 May 2004 
In the Symposium attended 51 participants from 10 countries (Austria, Czech Rep., Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Slovakia). The volume of abstracts and guidebook was published for the Symposium (scans 8a), whereas the volume of the “Proceedings of the 8^th International Symposium for Pseudokarst” was published later in English or languages of authors with English abstracts 

 9. International Symposium on Pseudokarst – Bartkowa, Beskidy Mountains, Poland, 24-26 May.2006 

a) scientific papers – in “Nature Conservation” No 63 , a journal issued by the Institute of Nature Conservation PAS, Kraków, Poland;
b) more popular papers – in “Zacisk”, Special Issue , a journal of the Speleoclub Bielsko-Biała, Poland.

 10. International Symposium on Pseudokarst – Gorizia, Italy, 20.04-2.05.2008.
In the Symposium attended about 60  participants representing 11 countries (Austria, Brasilia, Czech Rep., Germany, Hungary, Italy, Iran, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Slovakia ...). The volume of abstract was prepared for the Symposium. The volume of proceedings is in preparation.

CLUB, INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER GROUPS ACTIVE IN PSEUDOKARST EXPLORATIONS AND RESEARCHES

Many speleoclubs, scientific centers and other groups explore and/or investigate the non-karst caves, as well as landforms and phenomena resembling karst or partly related to karst. Every these groups should have possibilities to change data, views and opinions on these specific objects, so as to developed their knowledge and experience. This is why, we ask all of you to present your groups and results of your activeness here. Please send your “CV” to ...

Beskidy Caving Club, Dębica, Poland 

The activeness of members of the Club has been concentrated mainly on systematic exploration, inventory and protection of pseudokarst caves in the Beskidy Mts. (Outer Carpathians) and Carpathian Foothills. They have discovered and documented more than 500 caves in this area, among them several belonging to the group of the longest in the Beskidy Mts.: Jaskinia Słowiańska-Drwali (599 m), Jaskinia Zbójecka w Łopieniu (433 m) and Oblica (436 m). Moreover the Club members discovered some 60 caves in the Pieniny Mts., Inner Carpathians (Jameriskowa Jama – 58 m), and investigated ca 10 caves in the Roztocze region of South-Eastern Poland. They have also conducted exploration in Slovakia documenting several pseudokarst caves in the Slovak part of the Beskid Niski Mts. and Vihorlat.

The Beskidy Caving Club has been active in exploration and investigation of anthropogenic underground forms: mine galleries, bunkers and fortress. To the most interesting such forms explored by the Club belong: Przemyśl Fortress, underground stone exploitation galleries near Węglówka and Czarnorzeki, and mine galleries in the Pieniny Mts.

Observation and protection of bats have also been important elements of the activity of the Beskidy Caving Club. The cavers discovered and protect many sites of bat hibernation and roosting. Since 2003 the Club has been a member of the Polish Agreement for Bats Protection.

The results of explorations and investigations of caves and bats, reports on expeditions and other notices concerning activity of the Club and its members have been published in the Club bulletin “Jaskinie Beskidzkie” and on its homepage. The Beskidy Caving Club has also organised cyclic meetings of cavers as Speleocamps or Meetings of Explorers of the Beskidy Caves, as well as touristic excursions in Poland or abroad. It was one of the main organiser of the 9^th International Symposium on Pseudokarst (Bartkowa, Beskidy Mts, Poland 24-26.05.2006)

 
Bielsko-Biała Alpine Caving Club “Speleoklub” 

Since the beginning there has been a team of explorers of the pseudokarst caves in the nearby Beskidy Mountains who, among other achievements, have discovered and explored the Jaskinia Miecharska cave and the other systems in the Western Beskidy. As a matter of fact the club coordinates the exploration of the Carpathian Flysch from the Silesian Beskid to the Bieszczady, regularly updating the list of caves on our website. The exploration team is involved in the work of the Speleological Section of the Polish Naturalists' Association. We also cooperate with the Babiogórski National Park exploring the Babia Góra massif.

In Poland we explore the caves of  the Tatra National Park in the Wielka Snieżna system where our members have many achievements recorded in the bulletin “Zacisk”. In the Sudety Mts we have been exploring area in the vicinity of the Jaskinia Niedźwiedzia cave for a long time. For the last few years some of our members have been exploring the Prądnik Valley within the Ojcowski National Park.

In Europe we have explored such regions as the Picos de Europa and the Cantabrigian mountains, the Pyrenees on the French-Spanish border including the Pierre Saint Martin cave, the Gouffre Berger cave in the Vercor massif in France and the Mediterranean Alps.

“Speleoklub” organized the 5^th Pseudokarst Symposium (Szczyrk, Beskidy Mts, Poland, 23-25.09.1994 and was one of the main organiser of the 9^th International Symposium on Pseudokarst (Bartkowa, Beskidy Mts, Poland 24-26.05.2006)

Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland 

PUBLICATIONS ON PSEUDOKARST

Although the internet is now the medium commonly used for getting information, the publicationa have been still the most reliable “hard copies” gathering and preventing our knowledge and results of scientific achievements. Snce the half of the 20^th century a lot of materials concerning non-karst caves and other pseudokarst or “close-to karst” forms have been publised, and they are (will be) noticed on this page. Please, share your information on books, papers and other materials on pseudokarst on this page .

PSEUDOKARST – PROBLEMS, DISCUSSIONS

 
In 2006, the term “pseudokarst” celebrated its one hundredth anniversary, as it (strictly the term “pseudokarstification”) was first used by W. Knebel in 1906 (Bella 1995). The term “pseudokarst” is commonly used in some countries of Central Europe (for example in Slovakia, Czech Republic), but quite a number of scientists (e.g. in the neighbouring Poland) do not accept it, arguing that it is not precisely defined and that the process of dissolution (thus karstification) plays a crucial role also in the weathering of the rocks, which were previously considered to be not-karstified, as sandstones and granites. This first argument is true - many people use the term “pseudokarst forms”, although they adopt different definitions of “pseudokarst”. And great number of geologists, geographers and speleologists have tried to define this term in various ways or have simply rejected this term (see e.g. Kunsky 1957; Otvos 1976; Panoš1978; Bella 1995; Self, Mullan 1997). The authors differ in usage of the terms “pseudokarst” and “karst” even when they describe the same processes (compare: Čilek 1998 and Self, Mullan 2005).

Commenting on this second argument – regarding the dissolution of “not-karstified rocks” – it should be emphasized, that process of karstification consists not only in dissolution, but also the transport of rock material as a solution plays a significant role in it, so enabling efficient rock destruction deep underground. This second phenomenon is responsible for the development of vast underground hydrological systems typical for karst. In the case of sandstones or granites, a majority of the weathered material is transported in a detrital form and therefore, the term “karst” can be used only for processes occurring in microscale; whereas for meso- and macroscale the terms “pseudokarst” or “clastokarst” (this second one was introduced and defined by V. Panoš, 1978) still seem to be valid.

For this reason the term “pseudokarst”, although not enough clear, is very convenient for a general determination of forms and phenomena similar to karst, but originated due to (partly) non-karst processes, especially caves, sinkholes, swallow holes and other mesoforms. And the motto “pseudokarst” has been adopted by people interested in these specific, often unique forms on the International Symposia on Pseudokarst for a quarter of a century! The year 2007 is the 25th anniversary of the international symposia on pseudokarst.

Anyway, the discussion on the principles, definitions and terminology may be very profitable for our better understanding of processes and forms, which are unique, specific or even amazing and are very often described as “pseudokarst”. So, all of you are invited to this discussion.

Jan Urban

References:

Bella P. 1995 - Kras and pseudokras – fundamental terminological problems (English sum.). In: Gaal L. (ed.). Proc. of Intern. Working Meeting "Preserving of Pseudokarst Caves". Rimavska Sobota-Salgótarján, SAŽP Banska Bystrica: 68-76.

Čilek V. 1998 – The physical and chemical processesof sandstone pseudokarst genesis (English sum.). In: Čilek V., Kopecký J. (eds), Das Sandsteinphanomen – Klima, Leben und Georelief. Libr. Czech Spel. Soc. v. 32: 134-153.

Kunský J. 1957 – Typy pseudokrasových tvarů v Československu. Českoslov. Kras 10, 3: 108-125.

Otvos E. G. 1976 – “Pseudokarst” and “pseudokarst terrains”, problems of terminology. Gdeol. Soc. Amer. Bull. 87, 7: 1021-1027.

Panoš V. 1978 – Krasové typy podle hledisk geologických. Acta Univ. Palackine Olom., Facult. Rer. Nat. 58, Geogr.-Geol. 17: 83-101. 

Self C., Mullan G. 1997 – Karst and pseudokarst. In: Chabert C., Courbon P., Atlas des cavités no calcaires do monde. Un. Intern. Spéléol.: 14-15.

Self C., Mullan G. 2005 – Rapid karst development in an English quartzitic sandstone. Acta Carsol. 34, 2: 415-424.