Caves and karst of the Bahama Islands

Abstract

The Bahama Islands provide the simplest setting for expression of island karst as described by the Carbonate Island Karst Model (CIKM). The rocks are carbonates of mid to late Quaternary age, relief is low, climate is stable, and tectonics non-existent. As a result, there are significant constraints in time (a few thousand years) and space (a few hectares) for cave and karst development. Despite these constraints, cave development is prolific, and caves of large size are common across the entire archipelago. The Bahamas demonstrate the complex interaction between deposition and dissolution, with syndepositional caves forming as the carbonates they are in are still being deposited in immediately adjacent areas. Despite all the time and spatial constraints, the cave variety and morphology is complex and well represents the special ground-water flow conditions and geochemistry that exist within the fresh-water lens. The Bahamas were the site of origin for both the flank margin cave model, and the subsequent CIKM, as the conditions present allowed establishment of the fundamental theoretical controls of cave and karst development in coastal settings.