There are a number of terms that are used in connection with caves, caving and speleology. The following is an incomplete list.
Main article: Anthodite
A speleothem (cave formation) composed of long needle-like crystals situated in clusters which radiate outward from a common base.Main article: Biospeleology
A branch of biology dedicated to the study of organisms that live in caves and are collectively referred to as troglofauna.Main article: Boulder choke
A collection of large rocks or rubble that obstructs the passage of a cave or mine. In order to progress through passages, cavers often need to negotiate or clear boulder chokes.Main article: Cave conservancy
A specialized land trust that primarily manages caves or karst features in the United States.Main article: Cave digging
The practice of enlarging undiscovered cave openings to allow entry.Main article: Cupola (cave formation)
Recess, indentation, or cavity in the ceiling of a lava tube, a kind of cave formation.Main article: Karst
A landscape formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks.Main article: Pseudokarst
Similar to karsts, but created by different mechanisms.Main article: Cave rescue
A highly specialized field of wilderness rescue in which injured, trapped or lost cave explorers are medically treated and extracted from various cave environments.Main article: Resurgence (spring)
The point where water emerges from an aquifer.Main article: Speleogen
A geological formation within a cave that has been created by the removal of bedrock, rather than as a secondary deposit.Main article: Speleogenesis
The origin and development of caves, the primary process that determines essential features of the hydrogeology of karst and guides its evolution.Main article: Speleothem
Geological formation by mineral deposits that accumulate over time in natural cavesMain article: Spelunking
Exploring caves as a hobby,[2] a synonym for cavingMain article: Stygofauna
Small aquatic animals living in caves and aquifers.Main article: Sump (cave)
A cave that is submerged under water. A sump may be static, with no inward or outward flow, or active, with continuous through-flow. Static sumps may also be connected underwater to active stream passage. When short in length, a sump may be called a duck.Main article: Suspension trauma
Also known as harness hang syndrome (HHS), or orthostatic intolerance, is an effect which occurs when the human body is held upright without any movement for a period of time.Main article: Swallow-hole
The point where water drains from the surface into a cave system.See also: List of troglobites
An animal that lives entirely in the dark parts of cavesMain article: Troglofauna
Small, non-aquatic cave-dwelling animals.|
Cave topics
| |
|---|---|
| Main topics |
|
| Types and formation processes |
|
| Speleothems and Speleogens (Cave formations) |
|
| Dwellings |
|
| Popular culture |
|
| Incidents |
|
| |
