A brief introduction to karst and caves in Brazil (UBSS Proceedings v.20(3))

Abstract: Karst terrains cover a large part of Brazil and form an important component in the country's landscape. As yet much of Brazil's karst areas have only been superficially studied and cave exploration is still in its infancy. Karst features are developed in a wide variety of lithologies, mainly in Proterozoic carbonates, but also in a number of other rocks, such as quartzite, sandstone and granite. About 81% of all known caves in Brazil occurs in four karst regions, defined by their lithology; the Bambuí, Una, Açungui and Corumbá Groups. This paper attempts to summarise and briefly describe the major karst areas and cave systems in these regions. A summary of the current status of karst science in Brazil is presented, together with an updated bibliography.