Pinnacle Syngenetic Karst in Nambung National Park, Western Australia

Simultaneous karstification and lithification of aeolian calcarenite in the southwest coastal part of Western Australia produced syngenetic karstic geomorphological features, such as solution pipes, maze caves, collapsed dolines and pinnacles. The formation of these geomorphological features was greatly influenced by the poor cementation and matrix porosity of the calcarenite. Pinnacles, calcarenite pillars up to 5 metres tall with one or more peaks and various types of sediment layers, are most numerous and densest in an area called the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park, Western Australia. $eir detailed characteristics and origin are still partially unknown and controversial. Theories suggest that the pinnacles are the final product of one or more of corrosive expansion and coalescence of solution pipes, cemented sediment surrounding the roots, cemented fill of solution pipes, products of focused cementation or remainders of tree-trunks. This article presents descriptions of pinnacles in Nambung National Park based on my fieldwork and suggests a polygenetic origin for the pinnacles, with roots playing a major role. The genesis of pinnacles is far more complex than the theories presented so far

Eogenetic caves in Pleistocene carbonate conglomerate in Slovenia

This paper focuses on caves in Pleistocene carbonate conglomerates in Slovenia and for the first time defines them as eogenetic. The conglomerates show no deep burial that would resemble the mezogenetic stage of diagenesis and are still in the phase of early diagenesis (i.e. eogenetic stage). Based on speleological analysis the eogenetic caves were grouped into four types; (1) linear stream caves, (2) shelter caves, (3) breakdown caves, and (4) vadose shafts. All four types of caves, described in this paper, can appear individually, however, complex cave systems are often a combination of passages of different types

The geochemistry of ice in the southeastern Alps, Slovenia

The Triglav Glacier in the Julian Alps and the Skuta Glacier in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps are among the south-easternmost glaciers in the Alps. Historical data show that ice masses are undergoing mass loss as the overall climate warms. Glacier ice and cave ice contain a wealth of paleoclimatic information, and rapid sampling is needed if any such information is to be saved before the ice is completely melted. We present the first comprehensive geochemical and water isotope data from glacier ice, meltwater, spring water, and cave ice in the Mount Triglav area and glacier ice from the Skuta Glacier. The samples primarily reflect the initial precipitation signal that has been greatly modified by the input of local CaCO3-rich dust with lesser amounts of marine aerosol and vegetation debris

DNA, spectroscopic and geochemical analyses of bone fragments and associated speleothems in Postojna cave, Slovenia

a loose/broken stalagmite containing small fragments of cemented bones were collected from the Postojna Cave to investigate whether deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) can be determined. The study is complemented by the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy - attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) analysis in order to determine the alteration of the bones and to test whether this analysis can be used as an indicator of possible DNA preservation. In addition, geochemical analyses were conducted in order to determine whether the associated flowstone/stalagmite is suitable for elucidating the timing of bone thanatocoenosis and further palaeoenvironmental analyses. The organic matter (collagen) is poorly preserved. However, we succeeded in amplifying a 94 bp long fragment of the cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for one sample, and in sequencing the amto that of the Cyt b of the cave bear (Ursus deningeri or Ursus spelaeus sensu lato). The uranium-thorium dating of the speleothem covering the bones revealed its thanatocoenosis occurred prior to 55 ka, most likely in the late marine isotope stage 4 or early marine isotope stage 3. High porosity and recrystallisation of the flowstone/stalagmite at this part of the cave prevent high-resolution palaeoclimatic interpretation; however, low-resolution stable isotope geochemistry suggests a steppe-like environment during the subsequent growth of the speleothem.Iz Postojnske jame so bili vzeti delci kosti, prevlečeni s kalcitno skorjo, vključno z odlomljenim stalagmitom, v katerem so zacementirani drobci kosti, da bi se ugotovilo, ali je mogoče določiti deoksiribonukleinsko kislino (DNA). Študijo dopolnjuje analiza s Fourierevo transformacijsko infrardečo spektroskopijo z zmanjšanim popolnim odbojem (FTIR-ATR), ki je bila izvedena, da se ugotovijo biokemične spremembe v kosteh in se preveri, ali je mogoče to analizo uporabiti kot kazalnik morebitne ohranjenosti DNA. Izvedene so bile tudi geokemijske analize, da bi ugotovili, ali je pripadajoča siga primerna za razlago časa kostne tanatocenoze in nadaljnje paleookoljske analize. Organska snov (kolagen) je slabo ohranjena. Pri enem vzorcu nam je z verižno reakcijo s polimerazo (PCR) uspelo pomnožiti 94 bp dolg fragment gena za citokrom b (Cyt b) mitohondrijske DNA (mtDNA) in pomnožene produkte smo uspešno sekvencirali. Dobljeno zaporedje dolžine 70 bp ustreza zaporedju Cytb jamskega medveda (Ursus deningeri ali Ursus spelaeus sensu lato). U-Th datacija sige, ki pokriva kosti, nakazuje, da se je tanatocenoza pojavila pred 55 ka, najverjetneje v fazi MIS 4 ali MIS 3. Visoka poroznost in rekristalizacija sige v tem delu jame preprečujeta paleoklimatsko interpretacijo visoke ločljivosti, geokemija stabilnih izotopov z nizko ločljivostjo pa nakazuje na stepi podobno okolje

Bihourly temperature and humidity measurements in blowhole 6N-2137 on the Nullarbor Plain, Australia

We provide continuous bihourly temperature and humidity data (November 2019 to March 2021) of four caves and three blowholes from arid and one of the largest contiguous karst areas in the world, the Nullarbor Plain in south Australia. The data were recorded with ten TGP-4500 Tinytag Plus 2 self-contained temperature (resolution ±0.01°C or better with reading range from -25°C to +85°C) and relative humidity (resolution ±3.0% or better with reading range from 0% to 100%) data loggers, and are available in a spreadsheet form. We also provide reported (but rare) visits to the caves, so that the data for particular day and/or hour can be treated as anthropogenically influenced. The data have great potential to provide insight into karst underground processes, air mass movements, hydrogeology, speleothems and (palaeo)climate, current climatic changes, and biology. Additional funding: Australian Speleological Federation Karst Conservation Fund (https://www.caves.org.au/conservation/karst-conservation-fund)

Bihourly temperature and humidity measurements in the Thylacine Hole on the Nullarbor Plain, Australia

We provide continuous bihourly temperature and humidity data (November 2019 to March 2021) of four caves and three blowholes from arid and one of the largest contiguous karst areas in the world, the Nullarbor Plain in south Australia. The data were recorded with ten TGP-4500 Tinytag Plus 2 self-contained temperature (resolution ±0.01°C or better with reading range from -25°C to +85°C) and relative humidity (resolution ±3.0% or better with reading range from 0% to 100%) data loggers, and are available in a spreadsheet form. We also provide reported (but rare) visits to the caves, so that the data for particular day and/or hour can be treated as anthropogenically influenced. The data have great potential to provide insight into karst underground processes, air mass movements, hydrogeology, speleothems and (palaeo)climate, current climatic changes, and biology. Additional funding: Australian Speleological Federation Karst Conservation Fund (https://www.caves.org.au/conservation/karst-conservation-fund)

Bihourly temperature and humidity measurements in the Abracurrie Cave on the Nullarbor Plain, Australia

We provide continuous bihourly temperature and humidity data (November 2019 to March 2021) of four caves and three blowholes from arid and one of the largest contiguous karst areas in the world, the Nullarbor Plain in south Australia. The data were recorded with ten TGP-4500 Tinytag Plus 2 self-contained temperature (resolution ±0.01°C or better with reading range from -25°C to +85°C) and relative humidity (resolution ±3.0% or better with reading range from 0% to 100%) data loggers, and are available in a spreadsheet form. We also provide reported (but rare) visits to the caves, so that the data for particular day and/or hour can be treated as anthropogenically influenced. The data have great potential to provide insight into karst underground processes, air mass movements, hydrogeology, speleothems and (palaeo)climate, current climatic changes, and biology. Additional funding: Australian Speleological Federation Karst Conservation Fund (https://www.caves.org.au/conservation/karst-conservation-fund)

Bihourly temperature and humidity measurements at the front of the Mullamullang Cave on the Nullarbor Plain, Australia

We provide continuous bihourly temperature and humidity data (November 2019 to March 2021) of four caves and three blowholes from arid and one of the largest contiguous karst areas in the world, the Nullarbor Plain in south Australia. The data were recorded with ten TGP-4500 Tinytag Plus 2 self-contained temperature (resolution ±0.01°C or better with reading range from -25°C to +85°C) and relative humidity (resolution ±3.0% or better with reading range from 0% to 100%) data loggers, and are available in a spreadsheet form. We also provide reported (but rare) visits to the caves, so that the data for particular day and/or hour can be treated as anthropogenically influenced. The data have great potential to provide insight into karst underground processes, air mass movements, hydrogeology, speleothems and (palaeo)climate, current climatic changes, and biology. Additional funding: Australian Speleological Federation Karst Conservation Fund (https://www.caves.org.au/conservation/karst-conservation-fund)

Eogenetic caves in conglomerate: an example from Udin Boršt, Slovenia

Udin Boršt is a karstified terrace of carbonate rock, which is of fluvioglacial origin, and is situated in the north-western part of Slovenia. There are 15 registered caves, which have been interpreted as caves in conglomerate, while karst of Udin Boršt itself was interpreted as conglomerate karst, shallow karst or isolated karst. In this article, caves in Udin Boršt have been interpreted as eogenetic caves. Based on porosity and bedding material, different types of caves and cave passages have developed. Four general types of eogenetic caves found in Udin Boršt are; linear stream caves, shelter caves, breakdown caves and vadose shafts