1.1 Geology and Sampling
The Za Hájovnou Cave (49° 40´ N, 16° 55´E) is a former sinkhole located
in Javoricko Karst, Moravia Region of the Czech Republic (Lundberg et
al., 2014; Musil, 2014) (Figure 1). The Javoricko Karst is formed by
light-grey-coloured massive Devonian limestone that overlies
Pre-Cambrian phyllite (Lundberg et al., 2014; Musil, 2014). Spranek and
Javoricka are two rivers that flow through the Jarovicko karst. While Za
Hájovnou Cave is situated on the north-western bank of the Javoříčka
river on the southern slope of a Pani Hora hill (Lundberg et al., 2014;
Musil, 2014; Zak et al., 2018;), both Spranek and Javoricka watershed
may have contributed to the sediment development in this cave (Figure
1).
The Za Hajovnou cave is approximately 500 m long system (Babek et al.,
2015; Musil, 2005). The cave’s corridors were expored previously in a
total length of ~200 m (Musil, 2014) (Figure 2). The
cave currently consists of two main parallel corridors with slightly
different sedimentological record (Musil et al., 2014); the first
corridor (local name is “Excavated Corridor”) used to be sinkhole
entrance) and the other corridor (local name is “Birthday Corridor”)
has separate entrance and is connected with the Excavated Corridor by
the Connecting Passage Corridor (Figure 2). Sediments from the Excavated
Corridor continue to Birthday Corridor and partially filled the
Connecting Passage Corridor (Musil et al., 2014) (Figure 2).