The Cyrenaica Karst Project: Karst Geomorphology and Caves, Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar, NE Libya
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Cyrenaica, Benghazi, Dolines, Karst caves, Karst Geosites, Libya
Abstract
This paper introduces the Cyrenaica Karst Project: a collaboration project between the University of Benghazi, Libya and the Hyblean Center of Speleo-hydrogeological of Ragusa, Italy. Among the objectives of the project there are: study the karst geomorphology and caves of Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar, construction of a speleological model consistent with the geodynamic evolution and climate changes taken place in the Tethyan-Mediterranean region; those with application fall-outs into the local socio-economic framework addressing the finding out and protection of new water resources, the mapping of man altered areas, potentially at risk of instability and/or sinking because of the presence of karst voids, and the institution of Karst Geosites and Geopark. The campaign of geospeleological investigations carried out in the 2007/2008/2009 years and most recently in 2022, 2023 and 2024 years, has concerned the karst area of the coastal belt of Benghazi, Sousa and the plateau of El-Marj, Al-Baydah, Dernah and Tobruk. In Benghazi area, the Lethe karst system with a large underground lake is of a particular interest. In the Sousa coastal area, a significant karst outcrop, was surveyed and documented, including Brak Notta karst system, which is constituted by a collapse doline and two large neighbouring doline-lake hydrologically connected by a recent tectonic structure. In the highly elevated areas of Al Baydah and Al Marj plateau, a very interesting geomorphologic and hydrogeologic studies show some large dolines and dip swallow-holes, inserted in the context of a typical cockpit relief, while in the plateau of Darnah the exploration of a complex labyrinthine cave has allowed the discovery of paleontologic and archaeological finds. Speleological/geological investigations of the above-mentioned karst areas are still being carried out in order to formulate a speleogenetic model linked to the tectonic phases and climatic changes that affected the Cyrenaica ridge during the Plio-Pleistocene to Recent.
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