Karst Maturity and Development

This chapter introduces the concepts of maturity and karst development, which can span millions of years. The type of karst features present at a site can provide clues as to where in the process of development it is. Understanding the maturity of a site will aid in understanding the conditions that exist and aid in assessing the degree of their stability or instability. These concepts help us understand this complex geologic system and put it into the context of development from initiation to decay.