Ph.D.

Musa Snjezana
Foculty of Natural-Mathematic-Pedagogical Scientics
Mostar

STRUCTURAL-GEOMORFOLOGIC CHARACTERISTIC
MOUNTAINS OF NATURAL PARK BLIDINJE

Absrtract:
In a geomorphologic view, B&H belongs to Eurasian morfsystem younger Alp-
Himalayan system of mountain chains. Closely observed it belongs with its western, the so
called Mediterranean zone which differentiates into three geomorphostructural zones: Pirinei,
Apennines and Dinaridi. These geomorphostructural zones mainly match to big geotectonic
sections: Panonska Zavala, Jadranska Zavala and Dinarska geotectonic section. In accordance
with geotectonic characteristics, Dinarides can be divided into three zones: External, Middle and
Internal Dinaridi. External Dinaridi leans against the Adriatic pediment basin. Internal Dinarides
continues to Panonska pediment basin. The boundary between these two sections is Middle
Dinarides, whose features are being transitive.

The mountain observed as such would have features of pop up structure characterized
exactly by reverse folds and opposite vegetation. Cvrsnica Mountain, in a geomorphologic
sense has distinctive features of a plateau in top part which has been karsted and waterless.
National name for that part Plono speaks about it.
These tectonic-structural features had to form prerequisites for geomorphologic specialty
of this region.
A complex morph-tectonic development, characterized by epirogenic movements,
folding, faulting, covering, combined with external morphologic processes have conditioned the
forming of extremely differential relief structure.

Present relief characters are the result of complex interdependence activity and
influence of internal Earth forces and external morphologic processes. Different nature-
geographical and geological features in different phases of forming the B&H relief surely do not
show unique characteristics, so the differentiation of relief must be made from several
standpoints.
Key words: geomorphologic characteristics, relief section, pop-up structure
STRUCTURAL-GEOMORFOLOGIC CHARACTERISTICS OF NATURE PARK BLIDINJE

From the aspect of relief, the B&H territory can be divided into three or four regions. Surely, the
region being most north is Peripanonska Bosnia, the second is Dinaric region and the third is
Herzegovina. Some authors separate the territory of Visoki Kr as a transitive specific zone.
Geographical boundary between these regions is set with a line which goes along the relief
section contacts. However, the boundary between Herzegovina and Bosnia respects the results
of sciences related to geography. The boundary between these two provinces is pulled by the
ridges and mountain peaks at line Zavelim-Vran-vrsnica-Prenj-Bjelanica-Zelengora-Volujak.
The area that we have been exploring is located at this very boundary.

Both north and south from that line, geostructural, geomorphologic, hydrological and
other features have been strikingly located. North of that line, we can find high mountains, deep
canyons representing the parts of big river basins, but also fields in karst, plateaus and huge
river basins. By its orientation they are disorientated. South of this line, nearly regular shifting
appears of ridges, beds, valleys and fields in karst of Dinaric vegetation.
These two provinces, Herzegovina and Bosnia, also differ in hydrological way. North part of
Bosnia is mostly with well-formed surface water circulation, meaning it has normally formed
surface fluvial net. South part, where limestone has been in majority has underground
circulation of water. On surface, dry river basins appear, periodically also streams, sinks,
ravines and canyons. These underground flows can be followed, so, for example, the directions
have been determined leading the water flows from high fields of Bosnian Karst to both sea tract
territories of Black and Adriatic Sea. The area we are talking about is orographic hub of BiH
while the hydrographic hub is situated northwardly in Glamo Field.
If we discuss about relief as such, we have to observe that there are at least few spots which
can be relief hubs of BiH. Primarily it concerns a group of Maglica, Volujaka and Ioa, then
Prenj i Crvanj but also this zone hiding in itself three deepest canyons in the Europe. Globally
these are the contacts of high and lower relief entirety, but what has ben going on between
them, what kind of contacts they are, which are the consequenes of them are the answere
requiring more complex researches that this only problem phase of it. The top of BiH is in high
Karst. There, the direction line of mountain morfostructures extension is being changed; its
appereance is being changed, shape, geological structure but the other relief characteristics as
well. It is the result of neo-tectonic activity of lithosphere plates and the change of stress in neo-
tectonic stage of their development.
Geosynclines development of Dinaridi, as to geotectonic researchers, is being brought to the
phase of closing, when the Adriatic micro-plate slips under Dinaridi. That slipping results in
earthquakes, sinking, uplifting, clefting, folding, pulling on but also in the rotating of earlier
formed morfostructures or their parts. In that feature, geotectonic zones are noticeable: Adriatic,
Epiadrijatik, Dinarik i Subdinarik. Scientists observe and explain them as dynamic categories
with exceptional time complexity. Boundaries between them are hardly recognizable. Still,
somewhere, open profiles offer that posibility.Most geotectonic researchers divide Dinaridi into
three zones: Internal, Central and External. Northeast boundary of central Dinaridi are made of
flishes sedimented in a huge tectonic ditch, in which they have been formed. Internal Dinaridi
are pulled on them. External Dinaridi has few tectonic zones. Their morphostructural complex
shows domination of reverse clefting and squizeeing of masses towards southeast, convenient
for opening of negative relief shapes. Main ones are reversing clefts and features originated by
their influence, having the shape of stair-like-faulting relief
Based on recent researches, the territory of BiH is divided into a completely new way from the
point of geotectonic view. Our literature still uses old geologic maps which are good in
fragments but bad as a whole. Therefore it would be good to revise them as soon as possible
respecting the latest scientifistic results from related science. A good starting point could be the
work Tektonska graa teritorije SR BiH (Tectonic structure of SR BiH territory), by Dr. Josip
Papea, created in Sarajevo in 1988, deposited in FNIR Archive in Sarajevo. The work has
been supplemented with numerous profiles and drawings. As per the work of Pape and others,
the whole territory of BiH is divided into thirty tectonic zones and Neocene basins.

Figure 1. Position of tectonic features in B&H as per Papes

Faults are the base for this division. For the first time a list of Mocho- discontinuity of arriving
clefts can be found at one place in the above mentioned work. So, based on the work of author
 Figure 2. Position of tectonic features in B&H

a conclusion could be brought that refractive area in that tectonic zone is Dinaride tectonic zone.
It extends south from Martin Brod through Livno Field, Kamenica, to Vran and vrsnica
Mountain up to the mountains Trusina and Snijenica. Its southwestern boundary is marked
along its whole length by the cleft which is actually frontal cover where the zone has been pulled
to the southwest. In the field, striking frontal cover can be clearly seen at several places. So it
reflects in sheep slopes of Zavelim in the area of Vinica to Mesihovina. Then the boundary of
this tectonic section less clearly extends most probably through Rosna Poljana, Buna, Snjenica
and Trusina towards the Montenegro border.
 Figure 3. Falling sinkholes from south side of Plocno

Figure 4. Shematic view of the possible origin of Vran mountain. Because of the presence of the
impacted reerse faults, the central part rises and creates a pop-up structure
 a

Figure 5. The geologic cross section whit azimuth 3540 across vrsnica (a) and azimuth of
300 or 400 along Dugo Polje

The mountain observed as such would have features of pop up structure characterized
exactly by reverse folds and opposite vegetation. Cvrsnica Mountain, in a geomorphologic
sense has distinctive features of a plateau in top part which has been karsted and waterless.
National name for that part Plono speaks about it.
Northeast boundary of this zone goes along southwestern edge of Livanjsko Field, along north
dislocation in Tunica, northeast edge of Duvanjsko Field, northwestern along the slopes of
Vran moutain. In the Dreanka valley, the boundary is a fascinating cleft opening the most
striking Mesozoic profile in the Europe, depth of more than thousand meters. Here is the
boundary between Dinarides and Glamoka tectonic zones. The boundary in cleft then goes
along the Neretva river up to Mostar, along Podveleje up to Nevesinje and hen through
Lukavako Field to Meka Gruda next to Bilea. Dinaric tectonic zone is made of Trias, Jurassis,
Cretaceous and Paleogenic sediments. Trias is found in deep Dreanka canyon as well as
Jurassis carbon so that with its depth of 1000 even up to 1500 meters, Dreanka canyon is the
only open profile of the Mesozoic in Europe. In this tectonic zone the features extend west-east
but also northwest-southeast. The very direction of features extending points at different
matters occurring here, so that, oposite to regular Herzegovinian faulting shape of relief, here
the folds appear, as well as clefts, pulling on and flakiness. That divides Dinaric tectonic zone
into few structural entireties: from the village Lipa through Kamenica towards the west, the
anticline extends, made of Jussasic dolomites, neocome limestone with nerineas and low-
carbon limestone. The anticline is pulled over paleogenic sediment on the south. This anticline
extends along the line of west-east. The mountain Vran makes also an anticline extending from
the mountain Lip to northeast. The southeast wing formed of litho dolomites, litho limestone,
daggers oolitic limestone and dolomites and of Cladokoropsis limestone and limestone with
clipeine. The mountains abulja and vrsnica make unique fold distracted by a cleft in the
Dreanka river valley. A part of Glamo section has preserved there as a cover. This anticline
 Figure 6. Sinkholes on Cvrsnica

extends from west towards east. In the Dreanka river valley, the top of anticlines has been
detected made of Trias dolomites and litho, dagger and malm limestone. In the anticlines wing
which represents the plateau of abulja there are loe-arbon and upper-carbon limesone, while
in Goranci secundary synclinal there are opalogenic sediments. North anticlines wing is
represented by the mountain vrsnica and it transits into mild syncline having in its core low-
carbon limestone and orbitoline dolomite.
Vran and vrsnica with Dugo polje is a sentence which geographers use when they want to say
Nature Park Blidinje. What does it imply?! It implies the mountain Vran which has distinctive

Figure 7. The view from Kobilja Glava to the frontal moraine on the south-west side of Blidinje
Lake, which enters a part of Dugo Polje. On the right Cvrsnica, left southeast dolomite part of
Vran.

features of mountain summit oriented straight to dinaric direction. It was formed along clefts by
which the southeast part of mountain has been uplifted above Dugo polje Field.
Mountain vrsnica represents huge area from Doljanka to Dreanka, from Rama valley,
Doljanka, Neretva, Dreanka to Dugo Field. The main direction line of extending is dinaric, but
there are severalparts which are ridges, crests, plateaus, canyons The last north part is called
Muharnica, east from Muharnica Plasa is located, on the west, toward the Dreanka canyon
Mala vrsnica is located and in the vicinity of Dugo Field, in an ridge arch bended towards
south Velika vrsnica is located.
In a geotectonic view the mountain represents a mild wing of anticline, so it is understandable
that dominating shape is plateau. Differently orientated ridges are uplifting from it. Plateaus of
the middle flow of Neretva, as written by Cviji, Milojevi, Rogli, Bognar, are divided by the
Neretva. So, the plateau Glogova remained on Prenj Mountain while the plateaus of vrsnica
are split by canyons of right tributary streams of the river Neretva: between Doljanka and Diva
Grabovica, Plasa plateau is situated, having the average height of 1400 meters. Between Diva
Grabovica and Dreanka is Gvozd. Its height is about 1400 meters above sea-level. Gvozd
represents a dry river basin hanging above the Neretva canyon. Sinkholes are on the bottom of
basin. West from Gvozd the plateau of Mala vrsnica is located. Its height is about 1600
meters. At the edge toward Dreanka this plateau is formed of dolomites, so the falling and
dispersal are constantlyresent processes. Backwards moving of the river source also
contributes to strengthening of slopes processes. On the basin of plateau there are numerous
sinkholes in which the snow stays. They are called ice-pits. Cracks are second feature of relief
in Karst of plateau. Plasa is bordered by deepest canyons in BiH. Sinkholes on Plasa are big.
Their diameter is up to 80 meters and depth of up to 40 meters. Muharnica is bordered on the
north side by Doljanka canyon which settles 600 meters. The site Podi made of limestone with
numerous sinkholes speaks about character of plateau.

Upon the mid of Muharnica a dry river valley goes called Vala. There are three wells on Vala:
Pitet, Gruak and Korita. Middle crest of vrsnica extends from Plono towards northeast and
it is represented by mountain ridge Vilinica. Southern sides are mildly sloping. North side of
Vilinica has many wells ending in the plateau of Poda.

Velika vrsnica consists of two parallel ridges extending along northwest- southeast direction.
In its highest ridge there are peaks over 2000 meters high: Plono (2228m), Veliki Vilinac
(2118m), Drinaa (2038m).
So, the territory of Nature park Blidinje encopasses three geomorphologic zones: the
mountain Vran, Dugo Field and the mountain vrsnica. In a structural way, Vran Mountain is
anticline, extending from the mountain Lip towards northeast. abulja and vrsnica make a
unique fold whose top has been detected in faulting valley of Dreanka. Analyzing dominating
clefts a chaotic condition can be observed. On big dislocations of straight line northwest-
southeast the regional ones are placed straightly directed at it. Along these transversal the
uplifting of Vran occurred but in a specific way. Determining of clefts character on Vran
mountain we notice opposite vegetation apart from its reverseness.
Plateaus are well dissected because they have been many times uplifted, faulted,
crumbling, cracking, creating huge falling sinkholes on the southeast side of very Plono.
Between Vran and vrsnica mountains a field in Karst is located also in opposite direction than
Dinaric. They continue to sub-mountain valley Risovac, being of tectonic- accumulating type and
morphologically represents the ending of Dugo Field.
These tectonic-structural features had to form prerequisites for geomorphologic specialty
of this region.
In a geomorphologic view, B&H belongs to Eurasian morfsystem younger Alp-
Himalayan system of mountain chains. Closely observed it belongs with its western, the so
called Mediterranean zone which differentiates into three geomorphostructural zones: Pirinei,
Apennines and Dinaridi. These geomorphostructural zones mainly match to big geotectonic
sections: Panonska Zavala, Jadranska Zavala and Dinarska geotectonic section. In accordance
with geotectonic characteristics, Dinarides can be divided into three zones: External, Middle and
Internal Dinaridi. External Dinaridi leans against the Adriatic pediment basin. Internal Dinarides
continues to Panonska pediment basin. The boundary between these two sections is Middle
Dinarides, whose features are being transitive.
 From morph-climate aspect, B&H belongs to fluvial-erosion territory of Temperate Zone
and in dependence of litho-statigraph structure it has well- developed karst, fluvial-karst, fluvial-
denudation and fluvial-accumulating morpho-structure. In some of its regions, where local
conditions were favourable, some other kinds of relief have been developed, like for example
glacier-fluvial and peri-glacial and even glacial relief.

A complex morph-tectonic development, characterized by epirogenic movements,

folding, faulting, covering, combined with external morphologic processes have conditioned the
forming of extremely differential relief structure.

Present relief characters are the result of complex interdependence activity and influence of
internal Earth forces and external morphologic processes. Different nature-geographical and
geological features in different phases of forming the B&H relief surely do not show unique
characteristics, so the differentiation of relief must be made from several standpoints.
Morphographicaly, five relief types can be detected: lowlands, (low-lying and plateau),
mountainous or highland and costal relief type.
In a morph structural way the following an be noticed on the territory of Nature park Blidinje:
denudation-tectonic, implying the mountainous and highland relief
denudation-accumulating, implying lowlands and upland relief and
accumulating- tectonic relief.

In such morph structures, different morphogenetic kind of egzogene relief have been
formed: fluvial, sloping, glacial, karst, eolic, abrasion relief, but also the one of a little bit more
complex genesis like fluvial-karst, fluvial-denudation, peri-glacial and other reliefs.

Literature:

Bognar: Basic structural-morphological characteristics of the Dinarides, 195-201.

Geomorphology and sea, Zagreb, 1992.
Bognar: Reljef i geomorfoloke osobine Jugoslavije, Veliki geografski atlas Jugoslavije, Liber,
1987. Zagreb
Bognar: Tipovi reljefa Hrvatske, Zbornik II znanstvenog skupa geomorfologa, 21-42, 1987.
Zagreb
D.Mihljevi, E. Prelogovi: Structural-geomorphological characteristics of the mauntain ranges
Uka &iarija, 13-26.,Geomorphology and sea, Zagreb, 1992.
J. Pape: Tektonska graa teritorije SR Bosne i Hercegovine, Fond NIR, Sarajevo, 1988.
M. Saletto: Geomorphological characteristics of the Velika Paklenica river basin, 145-153,
Geomorphology and sea, Zagreb, 1992.
S. Musa: Kartografske metode u morfostrukturnoj analizi reljefa zapadne Hercegovine,
Geografsko drutvo FBiH, 2004. Sarajevo
S. Zdilar: Reljef zavale Imotskog polja i njegovo geoekoloko vrednovanje, Augustini, 2001.
Zagreb
T.egota: Morska razina u holocenu i mlaem dijelu virma, Geografski glasnik 30, Geografsko
drutvo Hrvatske, 1968. Zagreb