Free Republic

Deep in the heart of China's karst landscapes, scientists have discovered immense sinkholes that appear to contain ancient forests that are teeming with life, according to the Debrief. These sinkholes are known as karst tiankengs — and they appear to be a hotbed of genetic diversity and home to endangered species like the Manglietia aromatica. A recent study was published in the March issue of Forests, which appeared to provide evidence that these sinkholes have conserved long lost DNA. In the introduction to the study, researchers stated: "China has the most extensive distribution of karst terrain globally, covering an area...

TAMPA – Officials in Hillsborough County reported that the sinkhole in Seffner, which gained national attention in 2013 after swallowing a man, reopened on Monday afternoon. This marks the third time the sinkhole has emerged. Jon-Paul Lavandeira, the Director of Hillsborough’s Code Enforcement Division, told ABC Action News there is currently no danger to individuals in the vicinity near the hole. County officials have informed nearby residents that they can safely remain in their homes. Lavandeira mentioned that the sinkhole measures approximately 12 feet by 12 feet, with no indications of overnight growth. The site is closed off to the...

The sinkhole is 630 feet (192 meters) deep, according to the Xinhua news agency, deep enough to just swallow St. Louis' Gateway Arch. A team of speleologists and spelunkers rappelled into the sinkhole on Friday (May 6), discovering that there are three cave entrances in the chasm, as well as ancient trees 131 feet (40 m) tall, stretching their branches toward the sunlight that filters through the sinkhole entrance. The discovery is no surprise, Veni told Live Science, because southern China is home to karst topography, a landscape prone to dramatic sinkholes and otherworldly caves. Karst landscapes are formed primarily...

AUSTIN, Texas— The Center for Biological Diversity and Save Our Springs Alliance today filed a notice of intent to sue the Texas Department of Transportation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over an Austin highway construction project’s threats to the federally endangered Austin blind and Barton Springs salamanders. The conservation groups recently learned that the MoPac Intersections Project has exposed at least 21 underground caves, sink holes and other karst features that provide habitat for the endangered salamanders. There is a high risk that construction will pollute the two species’ habitat by introducing silt and pollutants to the subsurface. The...

Years ago, the Tokarski family gathered with friends around a kitchen table in an old Indiana farmhouse. They were discussing the looming construction of Interstate 69 and how they could possibly stop it. The group suspected a project of such magnitude, an interstate route stretching across the southern half of Indiana, would cause severe environmental 
damage. “We really had the project almost at a standstill until Mitch Daniels came into office,” said Thomas Tokarski, now the president of Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads. “We still have huge amounts of support from the people in Indiana.” Since that farmhouse meeting, Tokarski...

Cheddar Gorge I heard about this place recently in a news article about a bicyclist that survived falling 80 feet off the Cheddar cliffs. I guess I had heard about it several years ago when they found "Cheddar Man" and genetically connected him to a local resident. I didn't realize it was an English scenic landmark. There are also some small caves, which is where "Cheddar Man" was found. For a satellite view, can't beat Google Maps. British teacher finds long-lost relative: 9,000-year-old man" click for larger click for larger click for larger Aerial More about Cheddar (the village, and...

I always enjoy it when you see a picture of a place that's remarkable and different and you never heard of it before. So that's what I've got here. One view from space and one from the ground. Click the source link to get the story; click the picture to see it full size. Same instructions for the second one, but what's shown below is 10x smaller than the original. (Easy to do the math!)

I've probably seen lots of pictures of this place/area, but I finally learned its name. Spectacular coastal karst. This is a World Heritage Site -- deservedly.

I read about Grand Gulf, Missouri in a recent "Natural History" magazine, and I admit to a minor fascination with small state-park size canyons and gulches and runs, typified by such places as Turkey Run in Indiana; Letchworth State Park (not so small) in New York; and the Flume in Franconia Notch State Park, New Hampshire -- places I've been to. This appears to be another interesting one that I've not been to. So here's a few pictures of Grand Gulf. I was away from my computer all last week and couldn't post my weekly "feature". The pictures are from...

According to the text of the page, this feature can be seen on a hike to Lexington Arch in Great Basin National Park. I actually was looking for pictures of Lexington Arch, and there are a few, but this one seemed more interesting. The site is nice if you like arches (I do).

Link post (provided to direct interested FReepers to this article in the FR "chat" section, where any discussion should take place): Geology Picture of the Week, September 7-13, 2003