Abstract:

Barz Polje is located in the region where the Western Taurus Mountains meet the Menderes massif. The Barz Polje, located in the inner part of the Mediterranean Region, is a large karstic depression that is well developed in the vertical and lateral directions under the influence of the Mediterranean semi-humid climatic conditions. Due to the tectonic, lithostratigraphic and geomorphological features of the region, various and dense karstic shapes at different levels in the polje basin are observed one within another or side by side. The main ones are; Barz Polje is fluvio-karstic depressions connected to polje, elongated dolines and narrow-long fluvio-karstic valleys that characterize the karst in karst at the base of the polje, young uvalas connected to the polje with short and deep valleys and closed dolines. These macro karstic shapes were developed within the Upper Triassic-Lower Cretaceous neritic and crystallized limestones. In addition, all of these shapes were formed on fossil topographic surfaces. Lithostratigraphic and tectonic features of the region and tectonic and geomorphological evolution have been determinant on the karstification in the field. Barz Polje is a tectono-karstic polje as it develops with karstification in tectonic and structural weak lines. With these geotectonic properties, Barz is a "polygenic" polje. Polje, which contains more than one morphological shape, is a "polycyclic" polje due to its influence from neotectonic movements and its geomorphological evolution. Recently opened to external drainage from the surface, the polje is in the "open polje" group according to its drainage and morphological features. According to another classification made according to morphological and hydrological properties, polje is in the "structural-border polje" class. Matured fluvio-karstic depressions with mature soles connected to the Barz Polje and elongated dolines with narrow-long fluvio-karstic valleys developed on the conglomerates at the base of the polje gave the polje "karst in karst" character.