GEOGRAPHIA NAPOCENSIS AN. V, nr. 2/2011 http://geographianapocensis.acad-cluj.ro GEOGRAPHIA NAPOCENSIS Anul V, nr. 2/2011 51 PATTERNS AND TOURIST ACTIVITIES INDUCED BY THE UNDERGROUND RIVERS AND LAKES IN THE ARIEŞ BASIN UPSTREAM OF BURU Marius CIGHER 1 ABSTRACT. - Patterns and tourist activities induced by the underground rivers and lakes in the Arieş basin upstream of Buru – The presence of carbonate deposits in the Arieş basin, upstream of Buru induced certain organization of groundwater resources. Depending on local genetic factors – geological, climatic, biotic, temporal, etc – the extension and characteristics of karst aquifers engenders exploitable hydro units in terms of tourism: underground rivers and lakes. Identification and analysis of morphometrical, morphological, quantitative, qualitative, dynamic and biotic characteristics have provided the approach to ranking the hydro entities. Forms and tourism activities are subsumed to the established typological categories: recreational and pleasure tourism and multipurpose tourism. Keywords: karst aquifers, recreational and pleasure tourism, cave river trekking, multipurpose tourism 1. General considerations Groundwater bodies have emerged in the Triassic and Jurassic deposits of limestone belonging to Gârda Seacă Basin, and there are three important karst aquifers outlined: Zgurăşti – Poarta lui Ioanele, Ocoale – Coteţul Dobreştilor and Coibe – Tăuz. Also correlated with carbonate deposits – Paleozoic crystalline limestone – are two major bodies of groundwater located in Poieni Plateau and Vulturese Ridge. In the Jurassic limestone of Bedeleu Massif from Trascău Mountains we can find Vânătara – Huda lui Papară, a karst aquifer (fig. 1). 1 ”Dimitrie Cantemir” University, Faculty of Geography, 540545, Târgu Mureş, Romania, cighermarius@yahoo.com