Table of Contents

1 Introduction.- 1 Introduction.- I Basic Principles from Physics and Chemistry.- 2 Chemistry of the System H2 O-CO2 -CaCO3.- 3 Mass Transport.- 4 Chemical Kinetics.- 5 Hydrodynamics of Flow.- II Principles of Dissolution and Precipitation of CaCO3.- 6 Dissolution and Precipitation of Calcite: The Chemistry of the Heterogeneous Surface.- 7 Modelling the Kinetics of Calcite Dissolution and Precipitation in Natural Environments of Karst Areas.- III Conceptual Models of Karst Processes.- 8 Karst Systems.- 9 Models of Karst Development from the Initial State to Maturity.- 10 Precipitation of Calcite in Natural Environments.- 11 Conclusion and Future Perspective.- References.