Preglacialny lapiez w Szaflarach na Podhalu

Abstract

PERIGLACIAL LAPIEZ AT SZAFLARY IN PODHALEIn 1957, there was uncovered at Szaflary near Nowy Targ in Podhale (Western lnterior Carpathians), from under Pleistocene deposits, a karst surface built of numerous ribs, calcareous domes, and outletless depressions Underneath this surface, the so-called lapiez, the author discovered fragments of a well preserved cave extending in W-E direction; in the walls of this cave there have been preserved, safe from destroying, wall pockets, meander semicones, tubes and flutes.On the basis of his detailed analysis of the climate during the Postglacial, the author claims that the karst development at Szaflary must have taken place in the Upper Pliocene at a time, when in the warm forest climate (with temperature at about 12°C and about 600 mm. precipitation) there started to develop, on the surface of the klippen zone, karts ribs and domes, of up to 4 m. height; in between them residual clays were deposited outletless depressions.Penetrating through fissures into the calcareous rocks, surface waters formed extensive caves; the eastern part of these caves was later destroyed, due to intensive surface corrosion. All this took place before the Günz, - since, both the karst forms on the surface and part of the cave have been covered by clays sedimented during the first Tatra glaciation.The discussed fossil lapiez has meanwhile been declared a monument of inanimate nature, and is by law subject to conservation.