Le vore di Barbarano: note descrittive e speleogenesi

Abstract

It
Le Vore di Barbarano sono due delle più ampie cavità carsiche, a prevalente sviluppo verticale, del Salento. Esse risultano morfologicamente più complesse di altre cavità analoghe, quali le Vore di Spedicaturo e le Grotte della Poesia. Le osservazioni speleologiche, geomorfologiche, stratigrafiche, idrogeologiche e biologiche, permettono di individuare i meccanismi speleogenetici all'origine delle vore.Sono state così individuate le fasi evolutive dalla formazione delle protogrotte sino alle aperture degli accessi.
En
In the Salento peninsula several karst systems of mainly vertical cave are present. These caves are locally called "Vore" and can be described like collapse dolines (with the depth usually higher than the base diameter) or solution chimney due to developments of drain system in closed depressions. The "Vore di Barbarano" ("Vora Piccola" and "Vora Grande") are two of the biggest vertical caves of the Salento peninsula, about 35 and 25 m deep. Although they show some similarities with other dolines of the Salento, they are morphologically more complex, being formed by two superimposed chambers. The entries are sub-elliptical, irregular due to rockfalls and anthropic activity of quarry. The spelaelogical, geomorphological, stratigraphic, hydrogeological and biological observations carried out in the studied area may give us information about the spelaegenetic mechanism causing karst systems evolution. This survey suggests a evolutionary hypothesis which may be described through the following steps: identification of the basal karst level; formation of the early caves; evolution of the bottom chambers towards the "tension dome" shape; formation of the upper chambers caused by vault collapses of the lower chambers; evolution of the upper chambers; opening of the sinkholes.