Paleomagnetic research of karst sediments: paleotectonic and geomorphological implications

Karst functions as trap of the geological past. Karst sediments (surface and cave) conserve unique records, which can miss outside the karstland. Caves mostly contain record of the last infilling (fossilisation) events, in favourable conditions record of more events. Resulting from polycyclicity of most of karsts, karst sediments can cover long time-spans. The application of broad variety of geochronologic methods (magnetostratigraphy, magnetosusceptibility stratigraphy, standard paleontology and biostratigraphy, stable isotopes, isotopic dating methods) can therefore represent a tool for the reconstruction of Cenozoic history in respective karst region. The karst record includes not only data for solution of geomorphic evolution itself (speleogenesis, karst landscape evolution), but also for reconstruction of tectonic events in mobile regions. Karst regions for the test of such kind of reconstructions were carefully selected (Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia).