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Nullarbor

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Australian Caves and Karst Systems

Part of the book series: Cave and Karst Systems of the World ((CAKASYWO))

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Abstract

The Nullarbor Plain, the largest karst area in Australia (~190,000 km2), slopes very gently seawards, terminating abruptly in an 820 km long continuous cliff line. The semi-arid to very arid climate means the vast majority of the plain is treeless. The surface is covered by low parallel bedrock ridges believed to be the etched footprints of an extensive linear dune system. Some of the ~50 deep caves in the Nullarbor reach the water table and contain lakes of clear, salty, blue-green water, from which lead flooded collapse passages. Shallow caves are much more abundant (there may be perhaps 20,000), and are mostly narrow, smooth-walled vertical tubes called blowholes, because air blows in and out of them as the caves respond to changes in atmospheric pressure. Some of the larger shallow caves contain abundant dark brown to black calcite stalactites. Initial development of the deep caves probably occurred during the Oligocene; the blowholes are younger flank margin caves that formed along the mid-Miocene shoreline on the low gradient limestone platform.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Discipline of Ecology and Environment, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia

    John A. Webb

  2. 41 Northwood Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia

    Julia M. James

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  1. John A. Webb
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  2. Julia M. James
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Correspondence to John A. Webb .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environment and Genetics, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    John Webb

  2. Department of Environment and Genetics, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Susan White

  3. Newcastle and Hunter Valley Speleological Society, Broadmeadow, NSW, Australia

    Garry K. Smith

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Webb, J.A., James, J.M. (2023). Nullarbor. In: Webb, J., White, S., Smith, G.K. (eds) Australian Caves and Karst Systems. Cave and Karst Systems of the World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24267-0_11

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