Disciplines
Speleology
spee-lee-OL-uh-jee
Branch of Geology
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The scientific study of caves and other karst features: their composition, structure, physical properties, history, ecology and the processes of speleogenesis and speleomorphology by which they form and change over time. It is a cross-disciplinary field combining chemistry, biology, geology, physics, meteorology and cartography to build portraits of caves as complex, evolving systems.
Facts
Central QuestionSpeleology is a cross-disciplinary earth science specializing in the scientific study of caves and other karst features, including their formation, structure, physical properties, ecology and history. 1 ScopeSpeleology studies caves and karst landscapes, including their formation, hydrology, mineral deposits and the fossil and climate records they preserve. 1 SignificanceSpeleology's cave deposits, especially stalagmites, supply some of the most precisely dated paleoclimate records available to science. 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
Most caves speleology studies form through the dissolution of limestone and other soluble karst rock.
Sources
1. Speleology (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLead sectionQuote, Lead section
Speleology is a cross-disciplinary field that combines the knowledge of chemistry, biology, geology, physics, meteorology, and cartography to develop portraits of caves as complex, evolving systems.
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