Geomorphologic Model of Gunungsewu Karst, Gunung Kidul Regency, Yogyakarta Special Territory, Indonesia: The Role of Lithologic Variation and Geologic Structure

Abstract

Gunungsewu is a karst terrain that shows unique geomorphologic phenomena. The area is mainly composed of limestone of Wonosari Formation. Interaction of tectonic, erosion, denudation, and deposition occurred since Miocene period brings about diversity of landforms that supporting the development of this area as a natural laboratory, specific interest, scientific and educational tourisms. In general the geomorphology of Gunungsewu can be classified into two groups of landforms, the first is positive relief and the second is negative relief. The positive relief includes hills of conical, dome, convex-cone, convex and ridge. The negative relief involves cave, shaft, doline, uvala, locva and polje. This diversity is influenced by variation of physical properties of rock composing the landforms, such as hardness, internal friction angle, and geologic structures including thickness and position of bedding plane as well as joint pattern.