Case Studies from the Dinaric Karst of Slovenia

Fig. 12: The Jelar Breccia is a massive, thick-beddedcarbonate rock, comprised predominantly of angular,poorly sorted debris; North Velebit (photo: N. Zupan Hajna).include Hajdučki and Rožanski kukovi nearZavižan (Northern Velebit National Park); Dabarskikukovi next to Baške Oštarije; Bojinac(Fig. 13) above Paklenica Canyon (NationalPark Paklenica) and Tulove grede on the southedge of the Velebit.The deepest explored caves in Croatia aredeveloped in Jelar Breccia (Garašič 2005), andare found north of Velebit. These caves areLukina jama-Trojama (-1,392 m), Slovačka jama(-1,320 m), Velebita cave system (-1,026 m)with a 513 m underground vertical shaft andMeduza (-679 m) (these data are from Lackovićet al. (1999) and the web pages of the CroatianSpeleological Federation (http://www.speleo.hr/deepest.htm); Fig. 30 on page 41).Several significant caves were also discoveredin the Jelar Breccia of Crnopac area (SouthVelebit). Their main morphological characteristicis a network of multiphase cave passages,some of them with very large cross-sectionaldimensions (Bajo et al. 2009). The most importantcaves of Crnopac massif are Munižaba(5,993 m long, -437 m) and Kita Gaćešina(10,603 m long, -456 m).The Promina Beds (Promina Formation)consist of two different lithological parts (Mc-Cann 2008). The lower part is characterized byan alternation of marls, sandstones, conglomerates,limestones and cherts. The upper partsare alluvial sediments– conglomerateswith marlybeds with coaland plant remains.Promina beds areEocene-Oligocenein age (Babić &Zupanič 2007).The Promina Bedscan be seen onPromina Mountain,at Kistanjskiravnik and RavniKotari (the areabetween Velebit,Novigradsko more(Novigrad Sea) andthe River Krka).Fig. 13: Karst in Jelar Breccia; Bojinac at South Velebit. In the distance is Adriatic Sea and levelledsurface around Novigradsko more (Novigrad Sea; photo: N. Zupan Hajna).19