Abstract:

Coastal exokarstic landforms are quite common features at the Balearic Islands, owing to the presence of extensive coastal limestone outcrops as well as to the suitable hydrodynamic and bioclimatic environment that promotes the development of karst processes. Pinnacles, basin pools, pits and notches, among others, can be seen, especially in the south and southeastern coast of Mallorca, the southern coast of Menorca and all around Formentera. Otherwise the presence of coastal karren in northern Mallorca, Menorca and Eivissa is less prominent due to lithology. Coastal karren at Balearic Islands are quite remarkable because of their morphological variety and occurrence on different rock types, but also as a subject of study on the effect of hydrodynamic gradients and the precipitation and temperature settings or on the biological influence in karst processes. Coastal karren together with plunging cliffs and Quaternary aeolianites exploited as rock quarries are the foremost representative feature of Balearic Islands coastline