Role of Hypogenesis in The Evolution of Karst in the Taurus Mountains Range, Turkey

Abstract

Field observations and laboratory data collected from the Taurus Mountains Range, Turkey during the last two decades provided evidence for the link between the evolution of hypogene karst and the geodynamic history. Major evidence includes; carbonate-hosted secondary ore deposits that are converted from primarily hypogene minerals by epigene, oxygen-rich groundwater circulating at local to intermediate depths. Another piece of evidence of hypogene karst in the Tauride is the Kırkgöz Springs’ huge submerged cave/conduit system, which formed the Antalya Travertine Plateau, which is the world’s largest deposit precipitated by cool karst groundwater. The obruks in central Tauride are giant collapse dolines formed by ascending hypogene fluids in the upper continental crust, rich in volcanogenic carbondioxide. The groundwater’s noble gas and carbon isotope data are helpful in determining the existing but asymptomatic hypogene activity in the upper crust. Hypogene karst development seems common in parts of the world with current or past geodynamic activity. However, a hydrogeological overview of the geodynamic history is essential to assess the hypogene processes and their reflections on the land surface.