Evaporite karst in Italy: a review

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Funding Acknowledgements

This paper has been made possible thanks to the continuous interest of cavers in gypsum karst and caves, and their discoveries have enabled researchers to investigate their world in increasing detail. The caving clubs of the Federazione Speleologica Regionale dell'Emilia-Romagna, and in particular the Gruppo Speleologico Bolognese/Unione Speleologica Bolognese (GSB/USB), the Gruppo Ambientale Mezzanese (GAM), and Gruppo Speleologico Faentino are thanked for logistical and financial support. The authors thank the Sicilian cavers of the ANS Le Taddarite (Palermo), Speleo Club Ibleo (Ragusa), GS Kamicos (S. Angelo Muxaro) for the support during cave activity. The staff of the "Grotta di Santa Ninfa", "Grotta di Entella" and "Grotta di S. Angelo Muxaro" nature reserves are acknowledged for the collaboration and permissions in the protected areas. Danilo Demaria prepared the Acquafredda-Spipola Cave system drawing in Fig. 8. The map of gypsum outcrops in Italy (Fig. 1) is based on data from Fabrizio Galluzzo and Marco Pantaloni of the Geological Survey of Italy - ISPRA (Rome) and modified by Maria Luisa Garberi of the Statistical and Geographic Information Service of Emilia-Romagna Region. Historical data have been obtained from the library Centro di Documentazione Speleologica "F. Anelli" at University of Bologna. The detailed comments of three reviewers have helped improving the paper substantially.