Cyclic and noncyclic mechanisms in the formation of travertine

Abstract

The chemistry of carbonate deposition in freshwater is relatively well understood. Chemical processes in nature, however, often occur combined in complex mechanisms. A variety of the fossil and recent sediment formations can thus be explained only within the context of particular ecological situations. The development of travertine dams causes the differentiation of a river profile into a series of lakes and waterfalls. Some mechanisms in the formation of travertine will be presented here as examples: one from the waterfalls and one from the lakes. The third section will deal with a complex of interactions within this entire ecosystem.