How are cenotes related to sinkholes and past changes in sea level?
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Stalactites and stalagmites in the Queen's Chamber, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, southeastern New Mexico.
A cenote is a specific type of sinkhole formed in karst topography when the roof of an underground cave or cavern collapses, exposing the groundwater beneath.1
The relationship between these features and sea level changes is rooted in the Pleistocene Epoch. During periods of lowered sea levels in this epoch, the water table dropped, allowing for the dissolution of limestone bedrock at greater depths and the formation of extensive underground conduit systems. As sea levels subsequently rose, these previously dry or partially air-filled cavern systems became flooded. The resulting "half-drowned" sinkholes are what we identify today as cenotes.12