Table of Contents
Why are caves fragile?
Caves are among the world’s most remote and fragile places. Caves often carry water from the surface to underground aquifers, from which most of our drinking water originates. Human activities both above and below ground now threaten these hidden worlds.
What causes erosion in caves?
Erosional caves are those formed by the action of water or wind, carrying abrasive particles capable of carving rock. In fact erosion can be a very active process in caves originally formed by solution caves as well, but usually occurs after the cave has drained and surface streams are pirated into the cave.
Why do we need to conserve caves?
Cave conservation refers to the restoration and protection of caves to minimize and prevent the adverse effects of human activities on the fragile cave ecosystem. Therefore these caves require protection because a simple movement could destroy or stop what had taken thousands of years to grow.
How are caves formed?
Over time, erosion causes cracks to grow, which results in the collapse of rock into the water and the formation of a cave – the next stage in the erosive process. Further hydraulic action expands the size of the cave. In a location with multiple cracks in close proximity, multiple caves may form simultaneously and merge.
What causes caves to form on a headland?
Weathering and erosion can create caves, arches, stacks and stumps along a headland. Caves occur when waves force their way into cracks in the cliff face. The water contains sand and other materials that grind away at the rock until the cracks become a cave.
What happens when a cave collapses?
If the cave is formed in a headland, it may eventually break through to the other side forming an arch. The arch will gradually become bigger until it can no longer support the top of the arch. When the arch collapses, it leaves the headland on one side and a stack (a tall column of rock) on the other.
What causes rock to crack on a cliff face?
This may be caused by the continuous pounding of waves on the cliff face, or by wind, ice, or even human activity. Whatever the cause, the crack becomes a weak point in the rock, making it more susceptible to further erosion. Wave (i.e hydraulic) action compresses air along the cliff face, exerting pressure on the rock and causing splintering.