The term karst refers to a set of surface features in areas of relatively soluble rock types, such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. Florida has the first two. Karst regions are characterized by many caves, springs, sinkholes, solutionÊlakes (sinkhole lakes), solutionÊvalleys, and solutionÊprairies, as well as a few natural bridges (entirely different from the sandstone bridges of Utah). Karst depends on many factors, such as solubility of the rocks, thickness of soluble materials, physical relief, depth to the water table, and age of the materials. Extreme southern Florida has poor karst development, because it has very low relief, a shallow water table, and relatively young rocks.
