The White Limestone Karst of Cockpit Country

A thick sequence of platform limestones and dolostones was deposited in the late Eocene to early Miocene with combined thicknesses of 1,000 to 1,500 meters. A layer of early- to mid-Miocene ash from volcanos in Central America accumulated on the limestone plateau during its early emergence and underwent extensive leaching to form bauxitic soils. Uplift from the late Miocene to present has seen extensive karst formation characterized by the production of conical residual hills up to 100 meters high separated by star-shaped to linear depressions hosting bauxite deposits. Two mechanisms of karst formation are generally recognized. The first is due to solution following rainfall. The second is by collapse. The distinct land forms include conical residual hills (cockpit karst), steep-sided hills of limestone and dolostone (tower karst), isolated to star-shaped depressions (dolines or sinkholes), and larger more complex depressions with multiple dolines (uvalas). The resulting landscape lacks surface drainage. Despite the lack of surface drainage there is a tremendous network of underground streams that form part of an intricate caving system. The area is internationally recognized for its karst scenery and its tropical wet-limestone forests, which give rise to its high endemism and biodiversity.