Polygenesis of the Southern Baltic floor relief

Polygenesis of the Southern Baltic floor relief

W Florek
Piase<::ki, D., 1976: Doliny zloZoTle rzek zachodniegoPomorza.
Czasopismo Geograficzne 47 (I): 21-32.
Piasecki. D., 1982: Ewolucja dolin rzek Przymorza. Przeglqd
GeograficzllY 54 (1-2): 49-68.
Popiclas-Szuhka. B., 1990: Poczqlki miasl fla oh~·zarze
Pomorza Slllpsko-Slawieliskiego do polou)' XIV wiel.:u.
Wyisza Szkola Pedagogiczna w Slupsku.. Slupsk: 209 pp.
PoZatyski W. & Kalicki T._ 1995: Evolution of the gap section
of the Vistula valley in the Late Glacial and Holocene.
Geographical Stlldiel·. Special Issue 8: 111-137.
Rachocki. A., 1973: WSIl;pnc w)'niki badan tempa
zasypywania zbiomika w RUlkach. Pr=t'1Jlqd GeograJiany 45 (3): 613-618.
Rachocki. A., 1974: Przebieg i Ilatl;j:zcnie wSpOlczesnych
procesOw f'"lecznych w korycic Raduni. Dokllmelllacja
Geografic.-=.Iw IG PAN 4: 121 pp.
Rachocki. A .• 1981: Forms of sand-gravel slreaks in
contemporary river channels. Ql/ae.Hiol1e.~
Geographical." 7: 91-96.
Ralska-Jasiewiczowa. M. & Starkel. L.. 1988: Record oflhc
hydrological changes during the Holocene in the lake,
mire and nuvial deposits of Poland. Folia QlltUernaria
57:91-127.
R'lczkowski. W. Unpublished: Rola pradziejawych
i wczesllosredl/iowiecznych spoleczflosci dorzecza
lYieprzy \11 przemi{//U/ch form dolinnych. InSIYlut
Geogralii. Wyisza Szkob Pedagogiczna w Stupsku. 1987.
R'lczkowili. W.. 1989: Dzi3blnci.Cc-Dowit'ka wstrcficdolinySlupi
w pradziejach i wczc:snym Scedniowieczu. as.:)'t)' Nal/KOIn!
AktK/cmii G6mic-~HlItnit=ej. Gmll1,oi'l 15 (1-2): 114-128.
Rosa. B., 1964: 0 utworach aluwialnych i biogenicznych
wyscielajtlcych dna dolin rzck nadbahyckich. Ze....zyry
Naukowe Ulliwcr.lyt€1u MiKolty·a Kopernika. Gcogmjia
3 (10), 83·108.
Rotnicki. K., 1974: Stanowisko Mirkow kolo Wicruszowa !lad
Prosn~. Stratygralia osad6w holocenskich i glownc
tendencje proccs6w tluwialnych w dolinic Prosny podczas
holoccnu. I/!: Krajoll'e SympO:jll1lJ "RozlI',jj dell dolinnych... ". P'':e'.I'()(/,rik wycfec:ki, Wroclaw-Poznan: 49-55.
Rotnicki K. & Latalowa. M., 1986: Palacohydrology and
fossili7..ation of a lllc::mdcring channel of Younger Drya<;
age in the middle Prosna river valley. Qllatemm}' Swdies
ill Poland 7: 73-90.
Schinner. w., 1973: The I-Iolocene of the fomler periglacial
areas. Eis=t."iralter IlIId Gegelll\'art 23/24: 306-320.
Schumm, S.A.. 1981: Evolution and response of the fluvial
system. Sedimentological implications. Society of
£conomist.~. Palaeo"tologisl.~alld Millerologist~. Special
Publication 31: 19-29.
Slaski. K.. 1951: Zasi(g 1as6w Pomor7..a W ostatnim tysi:tcleciu.
Pr.:eglqd Zachodni 7 (2): 207-263.
Starkel, L.. 1977: Paleogeografia '1OIocenll. Panstwowe
Wydawnictwo I aukowc. Warszawn: 361 pp.
Slad:eL l., 1983: The: refl~tion of hydrological changes in
lhe fluvial cnvironmenl ofthe lemperate zone during the
last 15000 ye-.ITS.ln: KJ. Grcgory (Ed.) Background 10
palarohyJmlog.v. J. Wiley & Sons, Chichestcr: 213-237.
Slad:e1 L.. 1987: Long-dislance correlation of flu\'ial events
in the temperate zone. In: AbstraclS ofloclllll!S alld posl~.
IGCP 158 Symposium tll Hoor. /8-16 May. Lundqua
Repons 17. lund.
50
Starkel L., 1995: The pattern onhe Holocene climatic varialions
in Central Europe based on various geological records.
Qllae~tiolles Gwgrap"icae, Speciallssue 4: 259-264.
Sylweslrzak. J., 1969: Odplyw woo roZlopowych na tie recesji
~'ldo[odu we wschodniej czc;:ki Rowniny Slupskiej
I Wybrze:7..a Slowinskiego. Zes:yfy Geograjiczlle Uj6.:ej
S:koly Pcdagogiczllej '" Gdanskl' 11: 24-79.
Sylwestrzak J., 1973: RozlI'oj ,~ieci doJinnej IIQ tie recesjl
LandformAnalysis, Vol. 1: 51-54 (1997)
lqdoladll "' p61nocllo-",schodniej CZf.ki Pomorza.
Gdaitskie Towarzystwo Naukowe. Gdansk: 132 pp.
Sylwestrzak J.. 19783: Zagadnienia motfologii i Iypizacji dolin
polnocncgo sklonu Pomor7a. BilllclYII Inslytutu
Gcologicz/lego. 306. Z budan c.:wurfOrzrdll W
PoJ.fce. 21: 199-231.
SylweslrL3k J., 1978b: Ro.:woj sieci d"linnej nu Pomorw potl
koniec plejsloceml, Gdailskie Towarzystwo Naukowe.
Gdansk: 161 pp.
Szopowski. Z.. 1962: Male pony POn/or.:a Zachoolliego 11'
o*,l!.~ie da dTIIglej \1'ajIlY Swilllowe}. Panslwowe
WydawnicMO Naukowc. Warszawa: 260 pp.
Szumanski. A.. 1986: Postglacjalna ewolucja i mechanizm
uansfonnacji dna doliny Dolnego Sanu. Zeszyry Nallkowe
Alcademii Gtjrflic:.Q-J-llllllic:ej. Geologia 12 (I): 5-92.
Tobolski, K.. 1972: Wick i gene7'..a wydm przy pohtdnio....')'ITI
brzegu jeziora lcbsko. Badal/ia Fizjograjiczne /lud
Polskq ulchoolliq 25B: 135-146.
Tobolski, K., 1981: The Gardno-leha Plain. Ifl.- Symposium
··Poleollydrologl' vfrhe lempertlte zone ". Gl/ide-book of
t."Xcllr~'iOIl. Poznan: 89-115.
Tobolski. K.• 1987: Ilolocenc vcgctmional developmt:nt based
on the Kluki reference site: in thcGardno-!..eha Plain.Acw
Plllat!olH.)/(micll 27 (I): 179-222.
TOl1lczak. /\.,1982: The evolution of the Vistula river vallcy
between Tonln and Solcc Kujawski during the Late Glacial
and the Holocene:. Geographical Studies. Special
Issue 1: 109-130.
Vierke M .. 1937: Die Ostpolllmerschen Bandertone 'lIs
Zeitlllarken und Klimazeugen. AbJralltllllllg Geo{ogiKhPaliiolltologische II/Sli,ute 18. Ernst-Moritz-Arndt
Universitiit. Greifswald: 1-37.
Woldstedt. P., 1956: Die Geschichte des FluBnerzes in
Norddcutsehland und angrezcnden Gebicten. Ei.~zeitalre,.
IIlld Gegellll'cl"/ 7: 5-12.
Zachowicz, J.• 1989: larys postaglacjalllej hislOrii roslinnoSci
\\I obszarzc doliny Slupi. Zt!.~z)'ty Naukowe Akadl'lJIii
G,jrllic:.o-HlIlIlicl'j. Geologia 15 (1-2): 154~ 157. 209.
Zwolinski. Z.• 1985: Sedymentacja osadow przyrostu
pionowego na terasie 'lalewowej Pars~ty. Bat/al/ia
Fi.:jograjicr.IIl' /lad Polskq Zuchodmq 35A: 205-238.
Zwoliriski. z.. 1986: Morphogenetic aclivity ofo\'erbank flows
on the Pa~ta river floodplain. the Pomerania Lakeland;
gener.t[ outline. ACla Unil'f!rsirall Nieolao Copemici.
Geografia 21 (67): 81-86.
Zwolinski. Z.• 1987: Stan hawn rzek PrzyrnOI7..a waspekcie
geomorfologii fluwialncj. KO.l":tllitW:ic Smdiu i Material)'
3-4: 125-150.
Zwoliltski. Z.. 1989. G~lIlUrlic:aK:closlO!>Owywanic Sll;j: koryla
P~y do aklualnego reiimu rzecznego. Dokwnelltacja
Goograficzlla IG i PZ PAN 3-4. Wuszawa: 144 pp.
Polygenesis of the Southern Baltic floor relief
J6zef Edward Mojski
Polish Geologleallnstitllte. Marine Geology Brallch.
ul. Poll/a 61. 81-740 Sopot, Poland
LA
-'"'
,lbSlrlle,: On the basis of ifS balb)'meuy. llIo"O plains, one d«p. !he other shallo\l,'. may be m:ognised on !be floor of the
Southern Bailie Su. Sintt the disappcara~e oflhe last Plelstocene Ice sheet about 12.2 kll BP in the west and 125 Ir:a BP
10 !he cast IInd oonh. me deep plain has remainckd dro.....ned, either b)' ,he sea or by lakes. In coonst. the relief of the
shallo.... plain IS a reflechOll of thr« different co\ironmems· (I) glaCial and f1u\'ioglacial (m the period 14.2-12_5 ka BP):
(2)subaerial (12.5-75 ka BP) ....hen weathnlng and stagnant or dead Ice condihons predominated and (3) manne
(sillCe 7.5 ka BP), i.e. since the shallow plain was co\"ered by the LlIOmlQ transgresSion. The processes operating during the
later evolullonasy phases considerably dcstroyed the older landfonns, u:. toose ofglacial, f1uvioglacial and subaerial origin.
This much modiefied relief was then covered by linoral sediment whIch accumulated when the Baltic allained ifS present
shorclmc.l1iespits, abraslOD platforms and steps and cliffs present in tile modem landscape have been created by ncar--bol:tom
and shore CUrrl'flts.
Kry lI'ords: late P1cistocenc. Holocene. morphogencSlS. marinc transgreSSIOn
Introduction
Much new evidence for our understanding of the
morphogenesis of the Southem Baltic (Polish Economical
Zone) floorhas bl..-en published in recent years. mainly in respect
of the publication by the Polish Geological Institute of two
cartographic/text publications which coverthe Southern Baltic,
The first is Ihe 1:200 {)()() Geological Map of the Southern
Baltic Boltom. published in the period 1989-1995; the second
is the 1:500 000 Gr..-ological Atlas of the Southern Baltic,
publisht:d in 1995. In both of them much allention is given to
the bottom relief. Each sheet of the Map contains a
geomorphological sketch and. in the Atlas. one orthe 34 tables
is a geomorphological map, and anotber table pre,'ienl'i a
synthesis ofrecent sedimentary processes. In the tcxts of both
publ ications there are separale chapteTS devoted to the analysis
ofbottom relief and to its morphogenesis and evolution.
1be new data pennit new avenues of Investigation. e.g.
of the imerpretations concerning the origins of thc Southern
Baltic bonom relief. It has long been known that a significant
part of the Southern Baltic area was land dwing the e:nly
Holocene and also partly during the Late Glacial period. The
utorina transgression in the Atlantic period (the Flandrian
transgression along the weslern coasts of Europe) converted
this area into a sea floor, this resulted in a change ofthe subaerial
reliefinlO a marine underwater relief. The whole complex of
these phenomena and processes has recently been finnly dated.
using the radiocarbon method. and in some ca<;es also the
TL Illclhod.
General infonnationon the Southern Baltic bottom relief
has earlier been given by Rosa (1967, 1987), Pikies (Geological
Atlas..., 1979), Mojski (1989,1991.1995). UScinowicz(I996).
The evolution of lhe contemporary coaslal zone was
invesl'igated comprehensively by Tomczak (1993. 1995,
Geological Atlas.... 1995): therefore lhis wne is nOI discussed
in this paper.
Overview of glacial relief generated after the
decay of the last Pleistocene ice-sheet
Bathymelrically. the Southern Baltic area cort.'iists oftwo
parts, the so-<:alled shallow plain and thc deep plain. These
are separated by a more or less well defined shallow plain
slope. The latter is located at depths nOI exceeding 40 m.
whereas the deep plain lies below 60 m. Such a division was
proposed by Czekaitska (1927), and is still used today because
it reflects very well the principal bathymetric features.
Glacigenic relief, fonncd essentially by the decay of the
\asl Pleistocene ice-sheet. has developed somewhal differ-enliy
in both parts of the bonom. In the deep plain, in the bottoms of
the presenl day basins. i.e. the Bomholm. Gdaitsk and Gotland
Basins (Fig. 1), the ice-sheet decayed in the presence of
51
Pofygenesis of the Southern Baltic floor relief
J.E. Mojski
.
~
OORABANI(
0"
• 10-25k. VISTUllAN Gl.
• 115-170k. WARTA Gl.
0
"-ig. I. Bathymeuy, sites location and Ihennoluminescencc dating. mainly oftiIJ and nuvioglaeial deposits
(after Kramarska & Zachowlez in: Geological AlIas.... 1995. Plates XVII and XVIII).
extensive water bodies. The postglacial relieftherc was fonned
(Pikies - GL"Ological Atlas.... 1995) by subaqucous moraine
plains, and, 10 a smaller extent. by low hills fonnL-d ITom that
moraine. The single end moraine. present in the western part
of the Gdansk Basin is quite exceptional. The several dozen
kilometres long sandy esker in the southern part of the
Bomholm Basin is a distinct fonn. Its azimuth is about 240°.
which corresponds well with the direction ofmovement ofthe
last Pleistocenc: ice-sheet in this area suggested by many
authors.
Nearly the whole area of the glacial relief of the deep
plain is covered by Late Glacial and Holocene marine and
laeustrine deposits. with no trace of hiatuses. In general. this
cover does not pentlit us to obtain a more accurate knowledge
of the glacigenic reliet: which, additionally. is made more
difficult due to its atypical development (the cover was fonnL-d
in subaqueous conditions). An example of this marine and
lacustrine sequence is shown in Figure 2.
The glacial relieffonns in the shallow plain area, i.e. those
on the Odra. Slupsk. South Central and the Stilo Banks are
much bcner developed and clearly visible, though very much
degraded. The relief in the Odra Bank area is that most
degraded. Hillocks of the marginal zone occur on the Slupsk.
Bank. which are traces of cnd moraincs of the Slupsk Bank
phase. They are up to 5 m high. and fann an elongaled zone
with azimuth 2200 (they an.: pamllel with the present Baltic
coastline). They are bullt from sand. grnvcland boulders. Low
hillocks of old end moraincs also occur in the lower pan of
the shallow plain slope al the southern edge ofthe Bomholm
Basin. End ffiOmines arc relatively easily distinguished in the
relief and in the geological !>trueture of the bonom.
52
The flat morainic plain is quite extensive. In the lower
lying places it was at least partly fonned by subaqueous
processes. Small mominic mounds are sometimes present in
Ihis area.
Outwash fans and ice-marginal lake plains occur in the
!>hallow plain area. OUlwash fans arc present on the surface of
the South Central Bank. most probably in two horizons,
separated by a distinct sill which is several metres high. The
surfaces of the outwash fans slope to the south and cast. In the
Slupsk Bank area. the outwash fan fonns the south-easl
forcficld of the end moraines of the Slupsk Bank phase, and
denotes the traces ofeastward oUTWash 110w from this marginal
zone.
Ice-marginal lake plains were fonnedon the southern slope
ofthe Stupsk Bank. and on the Stilo Bank. ThL.OSC are flat plains
with undulations not larger than 10 m.
Peat and post.lacustrine plains of varying size are present
on the Odra Bank and also in the bottom of me Puck Lagoon.
lbey comprise fine mineral deposits. gyuja and peat. These
plains started to form almOSI immediately after lhe ice-sheet
receded from the area (Fig. 3): much earlier, on the Odra Bank
(14.06 ka BP. Jurowska & Kramarska - Geological Map...
1995) in the present coastal zone (e.g. on the Gardno-Lebskl
Lowland, 13.8 ka BP, Romieki & Borowka, 1994). ant
somewhal later - 12.2 ka BP (Uicinowicz & Zachowicz
Geological Atlas..., 1995) along the southern edge of the Gul
ofGdansk. where lacusmne formations lie in the Late Glaela
deltaic cover ofan earlier Vtstula channel. About a dozen othe
geological stations document other areas of peat and
post-laeustrine plains. daled using the radiocarbon method as
fonning between 12.01 ka BP and 7.24 ka BP (Kramarska-
Geological Atlas.... 1995). i.e. taking at least 4 800 years to
fonn. The upper age limit. i.e. the 7.24 ka BP dale. was obtained
from peat from the Pomeranian Bay floor near Wolin Island.
This peat is covered by fossiliferolL~ marine sand. Therefore,
with some approximation. it may be reasoned that this date is
the extreme upper age limit for when subaerial conditions
prevailed in the Southern Baltic area. The sea entered onto
the new land pan ofthe coastal zone a little later. for example
in the northern pan ofthe Vistula delta after 6.33 ka BP.
inundation of the Southern Baltic land by the sea started
a consecutive cycle of sediment accumulation and of Iinoral
relief foooation. The distribution of these fonns depended to
a large degree on the distribution of the older glacigenic and
subaerial forms of relief. Accretiona!' erosionallaecretional
and erosional plains began to be formed on the sea bottom.
Today. they form al least 50010 ofthe Southern Baltic shallow
plain and there is a distinct predominance of erosional!
accretional plains. These plains are present not only on the
surface of the shallow plain. but also on its slopes to 60 m
WlUerdepth, and in SOlne places e\'Cn deeper. Erosional terraces
were fonned in many places, marking consecutive steps which
maybe reflect older fooos of glacigenic origin and younger
forms of unknown genesis. These are grouped mainly at the
southern edge ofthe Bomholm Basin. in depths of 15 to 50 m.
Traces ofaccumulative coasts. probably coastal embankments
and small spits. are much Iex.<; common. At present. they are
much eroded owing to progressive transgression by the sea.
Their occurrence at depths between 20 and 40 m on the Odra
Bank and Slupsk Bank slopes. as faras the southern bound<try
of the floor of the Gulf of Gdansk, may indicate a longer
stabilisation of the coasfline althis depth zone of 100ay.
SpL.ocialllUcotion should be given to the eXlensive landfonn
which was created by the LilorillG transgression along the
south-western boundary of the Gdansk Basin - the Hel Spit.
This WaS fanned at a depth of at least 50 m; it marks the
northernmost reach of the coastal zone, which is presently al
least 20 km offshore at the base of the spit. It is the product of
accumulation predominantly of Upper Holoecne age. and is
at least lOOm thick in its south-eastern part. The calculated
rate of sea level rise was then 1.7 cma- I (Tomezak, 1993;
Tomczak - Geological Atlas.... 1995).
The main characteristics ofthe genesis ofthe deposits. as
described above. and of the fonns of Southern Baltic bottom
relief (especially those of the shallow plain) lead to the
conclusion that the main hiatuses in sediment deposition and
in the generation offorms of the relief occurred in the period
from 14.2 ka PB to about 7.24 ka BP (Fig. 3), and also from
14.2 ka and 12.5 ka BP. when freshly-shaped glacigenic relief
was being dcstroyed by wash-oul water. The second oceured
after 7.24 ka BP. when small fonns of bottom relief were
generated. conditioned by near-bottom and coastal currents.
Larger fomls developed at that time only as spits along the
present coastal zone.
m,..-,14Cdates
SA
1
2
SILT
CL,>;
It would appear that th~re were two main stages of
destruction of the glacial reliefon the shallow plain: an older
episode, ocewring directly afierthe reliefappeared from under
yrs SB ---:
3040
-.
I,tonna
3
AT
6870
7590
4
mastoglaia
8130
5
BO
CL,>;
ancylus
- - -
- -- -
yoldia
6
Fig. 2. Limnic and marin~ sequence in Gdansk Basin (afler
Witkowski and Zachowicz in: Geological Alias·...• 1995,
Plate XVIII).
the ice-sheet, and a younger one, from the beginning of the
LitorillG Sea IJansgression in the Atlantic period.
The older stage was characterised by the destructive action
of outwash. At many locations, it led 10 at least panial. and
somelimes 10 complete destruction ofthe glacial deposits and
relief. Only the coarse, b'l'3.velly and grave1lboulder deposits
wilh S1Th11l additions ofsand remained in some place.... Locally,
only sand remained. Postglacial morainic plateaux ofthat time
were probably destroyetl through the retreat oflhe eliffed coaSts
14
Wport
C
AGE tN ko BP
o
South Baltic Nond E ports
floor
environment
I
14097B
W4
5
1
11
R 74
AGGRADATION. EROSIOtoI AND
EROSION_AGGRADATION PLAINS.
EROSION TERRACES. RELICTS
Of AGGRAOATlON COASTS. SPIT
SLOPE
--
...... __ ...
I
I
M
A R IN E
--mo~·l!l'~
I
01
I
L,.or,,,,,
I
"Dnsg<e...on
I
I
Itoe ....1
L,lorono
lr<r<5g'~
I
10
lPEATY-llMNIC
.
LAtHS
.. ----
15
SUBAERIAl
lSMAll lIEP'OS!Tl()N
LOCM.lYI
I
~dlIl1ng
The degree of destruction of glacigenic relief
on the shallow plain
pastlitarina
lond ~
cl Iht ""
__ ..... ........ sl'..t
~CI')l'
GLACIAL AND FlUV10GL"CIAL
TOPOGRAPHY
GLACIAL
Fig. .1. Schematic picture of the deposition and break sequence
in the Southern Baltic banks.
W4. 140978 and R74· borchole profiles. location at Figure I.
53
J.E. Mojski
through marine erosion, and, finally. lhe remaining parts of
lhe plateaux were inundated. Lower lying places. e.g. valley
bottoms. were covered by water earlier. Sites where the till
which is older than 20-15 ka BP (such as the till of
Pre-Grudz~stadiaL e.g. profile W4 on the Odra Bank.
acc. to JW'Owska and Krnmarska - Geological Map.... 1995.
or ofWana age, e.g. profile 14097 B. acc. to UScIDowicz &
lachowicz - Geological Map.... 1995) is overlain by organic,
or organic-mineral deposits of lacustrine origin which still
fonned in Late Glacial times are the evidence of destruction
processes. Profiles in which marine Liton'na deposits rest on
the eroded surface ofpeat and lacustrine deposits are another
example (e.g. profile R74 on the Odro Bank; Jurowska &
Kmmarska· Geological Map.... 1995). The youngest dates
from these last profile... therefore indicate the lower age limit
for the beginning of the transgression.
It should also be noted that there is a distinct differentiation
in the age of the youngest glacigenic fonns which remained
after periods of shallow plain destruction. Over most of the
Slupsk Bank, both glacial horizons ofthe last glaciation were
destroyed, i.e. of the Wisla stage. and. because of this, lhe
near-surface till still present there is of the Warta stage age.
i.e. 17-11.5 ka BP. On the South Central Bank. the youngest
till was fonned during the last advance of the \rlStulian icesheet. because its age is 25-10 ka BP (Fig. I). The question
then arises as to why there is such a large difference in the age
of tills comprising the surface of the two banks. The answer
should be sought in a possible g1acio-isostatic rising of the
South Central Bank. During the development ofthe LilO/ilia
trans!.'f"Cssion. that bank was at firsl in a much lower position
than the Slupsk Bank. Therefore it became inundated earlier
and during a shorter time than the surface ofthe Shlpsk Bank.
When the Southern Baltic area becamc inudated by the
Litorilla transgression. the process ofdl,..ostruction ofthe bottom
became slower, and gradually an incrca:;ing role ill that process
WlIS tllken over by near-bottom cum.:nts. However. we do not
know enough about them to be able toevaluatc quantitatively
their influence on the shaping ofthe bottom relief. Assessments
by UScinowicz (Geological Atlas.... 1995) indicate thal. at
present, in the s.hallow plain area redeposition of sand and
sand-gravel sediments prevails. Such processes are not
favourable to the survival of foons of the older relief. Much
of the shallow plain surface has become covered with fine
sand. and, in effect. the older relief J:,'l"adually disappears. On
the Shlpsk Bank and along the coast, an eastward direction of
sand transport predominates. In places on the deep plain. clay
and sill are deposited al a rate of 0.15 to 2.04 mma· 1
(Pempkowiak, 1991; Szczepailska & UScinowicz, 1994). This
has lead to a further smoothing of the seabed_
The whole complex ofmorphogenetic processes.. all active
at present on the seabed, leads to the generation ofincreasingly
distinctive small forms ofunderwaterrcliefin the 1inoralzone,
shaped in lhe environment ofthe very shallow non-tidal basin
of the Baltic Sea.
54
References
Cz.ekaitska M.. 1927: Podzial i charaktetystyka gl~koSciowa
Bahyku Poludniov.'ego. Badania Geografu:::ne YJ: 15-25.
Mojski, lE. rEd.), 1995: GeologIcal Atlas of the Soulhern
Baltic 1:500 000. Panstv.'owy Instytut Geologiczny,
Sapot- Warszawa.
Mojski. lE. rEd.), 1989-1995: Geological Mapafthe Southern
Balric 1:200 000. Pat'tstwowy Instytut Geologiczny.
Warszawa.
Mojski, J.E.. 1989: Nicktore problcmy oodawcze morfogenezy
polnocnej Polski i poludniowego Ballyku. Swdin
i M{jferialy Oceanologiczne 56: 73-82.
Mojski. J.E., 1991: Ewolucja poludniowego Baltyku w
Czw3rtorz<;.dzie. Ill: L. Starket rEd) Geogl'(Jfia Po/ski.
Snxloll'i.~ko przylTxlllic=e. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
Warszawa: 554-558.
Mojski. lE., 1995: Anoutlineofthe evolution ofthe Southern
Baltic area at the end ofthe Last Glaciation and beginning
of the Holocene. Biuletyll Perygl(J(.jalny 34: 167-176.
Pempkowiak. J.• 1991: Enrichment factor ofheavy metals on
the Southern Baltic surfacesedimcnts dated with IOPband
l11Cs. Em'ironmelltalllltemaliUlluI17: 421-428.
Rosa. B.. 1967: Analiza moifologiczna cina poIlldniowego
Bu/tyku. Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Adama
Mickiewicza. Poman: 132 pp.
Rosa. 8.. 1987: Pokrywa osadowa i r.t:eZha dna. Ill: Baf/yl<
Poludniouy. Ossolineum. Wroctaw: 75-172.
Rotnicki. K. & BorOwka. R.K .. 1994: Stratigraphy.
p.1laeogeography and dating oflhe Nonh Polish Stage in
the Gardno-Leba coa..tal plain. 11/: Guide-Buol-.· of ,he
Symposium 01/ Change of Coaslal lulles. Uniwcrsytct
Ad:una Mickiewicz.a. Poznat't: 84-88.
Szczcpanska.1". & UScinowicz. Sz., 1994: Alias geochclI1iczlI.l'
pO/lIdnioll'ego Ba/fyku (Geochemiccll alias ofthesowhem
Baflie) 1:500 000. Pailstwowy lnstytut GeologicZllY,
Warszawa.
Tomczak. A., 1993: The Hel Peninsula: relief. geology.
evolution. Ill. The Bailie. Third Marine Geologiccll
Conference. Gllide-Book ofExcur.rion. Sopot: 17-20.
Tomc7.ak, A.. 1995: Geolugical structure and Holocene
evolution ofthe Polish coastal zone. Prace Palisrwowego
II/.stytlllll Geologiczllego 149: 90-102.
UScinowicz. Sz.. 1996: Deglacjacja obszaru poIudniowego
Baltyku.
Biulelyn
PUlistwawego
Inslytu/ll
Geologicnego 373: 179-193.
LandformAnafysis, Vol. 1: 55-71 (1997)
Karst areas in Poland and their changes by human impact
Marian Pulina
Uni....er.l·ityafSilesia. Depar/menl of GeomorpllOfogy.
11/. B~d=i1iska 60. 4 f-200 SQS!lolI'iec. Poland
AIJSlruet: The lar.;l areas of Poland occur mainly in lhe uplllllds of lht southern parts oftlle counlry. Tht karst is tvidentl)'
LA
-'M'
polygcl1(tic. with fonns produced in the tropical climates oflht: Terlial). side by side lOoilh those: produced in the P1cistocene
cold periods. The kantificd lilTll:Stoncs all: olkn mincralised and lhey produce large amounlS of reliable drinking ....-ater and
other resources Ilohich an: c.'(tcnsi\·cl} e.'(ploilcd (mineral mining. rock qUatT}·ing.. groundwattt abstraction. etc.) Many of
PoIand's tUSls lie wilhin or adjacent to the largc in<luslrial conurbations: in such regions. the karwi are under constant
anthropogenic pressure. This paper discusses the: dfeclS o(this human impact on lhe prtStnl c\'olution oflhc tarsi s}'Stcms.
K~'
IO'orb: C3\·C. harst. human impact
Introduction
TIle karst arcasofPoland have fonned in various limestone
formations. Precambrian and Palaeozoic marbles are karstilied
in the SudelY and Holy Cross Mountains. Mesozoic linlCStones
and dolomites in the CrJ.cow-C7~stochowa Upland. Tatra and
Pieniny Mountains. Mesozoicchalk in the Lublin Upland and
Teniaryhalitcand gypsum in the Nida Basin and the Wiciiczka
and Bohniaareas oftheCurpathian Foreland. The outcrops of
these fonnations are not collectively very large (about 3% of
the tOlal area of Poland). but those areas where carbonates are
covered by only thin unconsolidated sediments ofTeniary or
Quaternary are much nlore important in respect of the
preservalion of karslic features (20%). Moreover. the Sllmc
formations have fOfmed the foundation for palaeokarst
developments at othertimcs when a continental regime aft'"e<:ted
Poland. in the Upper Keuper and Upper Cretaceous, for
example. There is no doubt that much of the modem karst
,'
Fig. I. Karst phcnnmena in Poland (aner Glazek.
el af.. 1982}.
A _ Tam MountalM. B - PIl:mn) Mountallls. C . Nllia
Basin. D· Slles.;lI1 Upland. E - Craoow·Wtel...ii
Upland. F • HoI)' Cro:.s MOlIntallls. I - J'r~-N('()genc
IICln·lalSI alCti. 2 - NcogCTK cla)-sand dcposllS
m-.;,r1)'m~ 1..at5l mcl..s and OIhcf ro<:l..s, J . t.:at5l rocks.
-4 • sUlfau caroooalc t.:UiI. 5 • surf:lllX gypsum larst.
6 - gypsum-§a!1 dlaplrs, 7· Ihe more Importalll c.I\CS
III the WeSI Tatras SIlIe1JIa, MI~tl.'ila, MrW.na and
Mylna (bOlh opened for tounslSl. lA Ikst.:ld~
Mounlalll.'i.
\V
Trzech Kopcach Ill)"sch cave). mthc
ElISl Carpalhiall Foreland Kl)Ulalowa ill Wlclic/J..a
(developed III rock·sall). III Nlda lJasin' Skmoclcka
(Ill gypsum). in SUdCIY Mountatns Nied:i:\\icdzia ill
Klelllo (open for tourists), Kadocholl"ska. Jasna in
Wojdes7.Ow. in Cmcow-Wiclull Upland:
WieJZclouwsl..a GOIl1K (UIICIl till lUUllSb). Lol..klka
(~11 fOltourists). Ul~bot.:a, Ewy lopen for toodsls);
In Hol)' Cross Mounlains; Raj (open for toorists).
g - bound al)' of Carpathian overthrust. 9· outline of
karsl rock limIts under Neogern: §cdimcllls.
10 • n.a,imaJ eXIt:nt of PICISlocene glacialion
0lID ,!!:d' "
g ~ 1
,DB
g,G
,E;3
,~
55