What is Speleology?
scientific discipline that is concerned with all aspects of caves and cave systems. Exploration and description of caves and their features are the principal focus of speleology, but much work on the chemical solution of limestone, rates of formation of stalagmites and stalactites, the influence of groundwater and hydrologic conditions generally, and on modes of cave development has been accomplished within this discipline. Speleology requires, essentially, the application of geological and hydrological knowledge to problems associated with underground cavern systems. Amateur exploration of caves, as a hobby, is called spelunking. http://www.britannica.
Speleology is a scientific discipline that is concerned with all aspects of caves, cave systems and other karst features, their make-up, structure, physical properties, history, life forms, and the processes by which they form (speleogenesis) and change over time (speleomorphology). Speleology is the scientific study of caves which term derived from the Latin ‘speleum’ meaning “cave.” Speleology requires a knowledge of geology and hydrology. Cave explorers are commonly known as “cavers” or “potholers”. It is also considered as the sports or pastime of exploring caves. People who explore caves as a hobby are called cavers or spelunkers. Speleology is a cross-disciplinary field that combines the knowledge of chemistry, biology, geology, meteorology and cartography to develop portraits of caves as complex, evolving systems. Speleology is a systematic exploration of caves, popularly called spelunking. It includes the measuring and mapping of caves and reporting on the flora and fauna found
Speleology is a branch of the sciences which focuses on the study of caves. A number of scientific disciplines are involved in speleology, including biology, hydrology, and geology, among others. The study of caves has a number of practical and theoretical implications, with professionals in this field being known as speleologists. People who want to pursue careers in this discipline can choose to study at universities with a speleology department, or look for colleges with branches of the sciences which would be relevant to speleologists. Caves have held a great deal of fascination for humans for centuries. They have served as sites for shelter, religious rituals, and punishment, and many societies have superstitions or beliefs about caves. It wasn’t until the 19th century, however, that people really started taking the study of caves seriously, looking at it as a science rather than a hobby. Many researchers realized that the study of caves had very real scientific, economic, and cul
Look in the dictionary and you will probably find the definition: the scientific study of caves [syn: spelaeology]. That’s a bare bones answer, but really doesn’t give one the scope that studying caves encompasses. Speleology uses many of the sciences such as archeaology, biology, geography, geology, hydrology and paleantology.
