Slovak Karst
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The Slovak Karst (Slovak: Slovenský kras) is one of the mountain ranges of the Slovak Ore Mountains in the Carpathians in southern Slovakia. It consists of a complex of huge karst plains and plateaus. Since 1973 it has been a Slovak "Protected Landscape Area" (a nature park). It is also a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and its caves are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site.
[edit] Characteristics
The highest peak is the Jelení vrch (947 m), important rivers are: Slaná (Sajó), Štítnik, Turňa. The climate is warm, moderate continental. The area is composed of several layers of Mesozoic limestone and dolomite, beneath which there is non-permeable sandstone, limestone and slate. The plains are covered by oak-hornbeam forests, the slopes by oak forests and the karst pits by spruce forests. Beech forests are in the northern parts.
The plains (plateaus) have many karst formations, such as karst pits with diameters of up to 250 m and depths of about 45 m, conical hills, blind and half-blind valley and dales. The subterranean karst is known for its deep vertical abysses:
- Čertova diera (Devil's Hole; -186 m)
- Brázda (Furrow; -181 m)
- Malá železná priepasť (Little Iron Abyss; -142 m)
- Diviačia priepasť (Boar Abyss; -122 m)
Some of the abysses are collapsed, especially the Silická ľadnica (Silica Ice Abyss; -110 m)
The region is best known for its many caves, out of which the Domica Cave, Ochtinská Aragonite Cave, Gombasek Cave (Gombasecká jaskyňa) and Jasov Cave (Jasovská jaskyňa) are open to the public. Other noteworthy caves are the Krásnohorská jaskyňa and Hrušovská jaskyňa.
The region also includes karst lakes, the largest of which being the Lizard Lake (Jašteričie jazero).
The Slovak Karst also features rare plants, e.g.:
- Erythronium dens-canis (a Tertiary relict)
- Onosma tornensis (an endemite)
- Sesleria heufleriana (an endemite)
- Dianthus lumnitzerii' (an endemite)
and rare animals, e.g.:
- Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
- Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
- Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)
[edit] Subdivision
Parts (from the west to the east):
- Jelšavský kras (Jelšava Karst)
- Koniarska planina ("Koniarska" Plain)
- Plešivská planina (Plešivec Plain)
- Silická planina (Silica Plain)
- Turnianska planina (Turňa Plain) - see also Turňa
- Horný vrch ("Upper Mountain")
- Dolný vrch ("Lower Mountain")
- Zádielska planina ("Zádielska" Plain)
- Jasovská planina (Jasov Plain)
