Pub Date : 2023-06-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2470
J. Wynne, Marisa Tellez, K. Hartwell, Stevan Reneau, Gilroy Welch, Kyle D. Voyles, Michael Cal, Reynold N. Cal, Denoy Castillo, Jane Champion
We provide the results on the first systematic effort to study cave-dwelling crocodiles in central Belize. For nearly three decades, managers at Runaway Creek Nature Reserve have frequently observed crocodile tracks and trackways in caves, while subterranean observations of crocodiles were less frequent. We surveyed five caves previously identified as crocodile habitat by wading (up to waist deep) and kayaking; we also deployed trail cameras in five of six flooded caves. Crocodiles were directly observed in two caves and trail camera footage was captured of a crocodile exiting a third cave. Given that introgression between Morelet’s Crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii (A.H.A. Duméril & Bibron, 1851)) and the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus Cuvier, 1807) is high throughout their sympatric range and none of the crocodiles were captured, all individuals were identified as Crocodylus acutus x C. moreletii?. Additionally, in the five caves previously identified as crocodile habitat, we identified at least 16 potential prey species including two invertebrate, four fish, one turtle, one bird, several bat, and eight non-bat mammal species via direct observation and trail cameras. Capture, examination, and stomach flushes of cave-dwelling crocodiles, as well as continued monitoring of vertebrates via trail cameras, additional prey species surveys, monitoring of cave temperatures, and developing detailed cave maps of crocodile caves are highly recommended to obtain the information to both characterize crocodile cave use and optimally manage cave resources.
{"title":"Cave-dwelling crocodiles of Central Belize","authors":"J. Wynne, Marisa Tellez, K. Hartwell, Stevan Reneau, Gilroy Welch, Kyle D. Voyles, Michael Cal, Reynold N. Cal, Denoy Castillo, Jane Champion","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2470","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2470","url":null,"abstract":"We provide the results on the first systematic effort to study cave-dwelling crocodiles in central Belize. For nearly three decades, managers at Runaway Creek Nature Reserve have frequently observed crocodile tracks and trackways in caves, while subterranean observations of crocodiles were less frequent. We surveyed five caves previously identified as crocodile habitat by wading (up to waist deep) and kayaking; we also deployed trail cameras in five of six flooded caves. Crocodiles were directly observed in two caves and trail camera footage was captured of a crocodile exiting a third cave. Given that introgression between Morelet’s Crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii (A.H.A. Duméril & Bibron, 1851)) and the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus Cuvier, 1807) is high throughout their sympatric range and none of the crocodiles were captured, all individuals were identified as Crocodylus acutus x C. moreletii?. Additionally, in the five caves previously identified as crocodile habitat, we identified at least 16 potential prey species including two invertebrate, four fish, one turtle, one bird, several bat, and eight non-bat mammal species via direct observation and trail cameras. Capture, examination, and stomach flushes of cave-dwelling crocodiles, as well as continued monitoring of vertebrates via trail cameras, additional prey species surveys, monitoring of cave temperatures, and developing detailed cave maps of crocodile caves are highly recommended to obtain the information to both characterize crocodile cave use and optimally manage cave resources.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42351624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-05-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2471
Lukas Plan, E. Kaminsky, P. Oberender, Clemens Tenreiter, Maximilian Wimmer
The Schönberg-Höhlensystem (SBH) is not only the longest cave system in the Eastern Alps (length 156 km, depth 1061 m), but a significant proportion of the passages have developed on or just below two surfaces that dip 1.7° to the NE. These so-called "speleogenetic phases" are rarely developed in caves of the Northern Calcareous Alps and have not yet been confirmed by detailed morphological mapping. Furthermore, the deep parts of the cave offer the possibility to study the active epiphreatic zone for a distance of 1.6 km. Detailed morphological mapping shows that the main level at about 1500 m a.s.l. and a second 140 m higher developed as distinct speleogenetic phases, and the dip of the planes to the NE is consistent with palaeo-flow. Isolated vadose trenches formed at saddle points are further evidence. Correlations with other caves at similar altitudes suggest an Upper Miocene to Lower Pliocene age. With few exceptions, a northeastern palaeo-flow can be observed down to about 1050 m a.s.l. However, 100 m above this there appears to have been a late phase with an opposite palaeo-flow direction, and below this altitude this SW palaeo-flow direction prevails. These morphological observations allow us to propose a complex model. During low and moderate flow there is drainage to the north. During floods, a restriction in the north causes backwater and an overflow threshold to the SW is exceeded, and then most of the water flows in this direction. This observation of dual flow behaviour can help to better understand the behaviour of the karst water table and to interpret complex results from tracer experiments. The almost ubiquitous paragenetic features in the SBH are due to sediments derived from the local Upper Jurassic Radiolarite Group. For the evolution of karst plateaus in the Northern Calcareous Alps, these observations support a local and rather radial palaeo-drainage of the Totes Gebirge, as opposed to a through-flow of allogenic waters as is likely for other karst massifs.
Schönberg-Höhlensystem（SBH）不仅是东阿尔卑斯山最长的洞穴系统（长156公里，深1061米），而且相当大一部分通道发育在向东北倾斜1.7°的两个表面上或正下方。这些所谓的“洞穴成因阶段”在北钙质阿尔卑斯山脉的洞穴中很少发育，也尚未通过详细的形态测绘得到证实。此外，洞穴的深处为研究1.6公里外的活动超临界带提供了可能性。详细的形态图显示，大约1500 m a.s.l.和第二个140 m高的主水位发育为不同的洞穴成因相，平面向东北方向的倾斜与古水流相一致。鞍点形成的孤立包气沟是进一步的证据。与海拔相似的其他洞穴的相关性表明，其时代为上中新世至下上新世。除了少数例外，可以观察到东北部古水流，其深度约为1050 m a.s.l。然而，在该高度以上100 m处，似乎存在一个具有相反古水流方向的晚期，而在该高度以下，则以西南部古水流方向为主。这些形态学观察结果使我们能够提出一个复杂的模型。在低流量和中等流量期间，向北有排水。在洪水期间，北部的限制会导致回水，并超过西南部的溢流阈值，然后大部分水朝着这个方向流动。对双流行为的观察有助于更好地了解岩溶地下水位的行为，并解释示踪剂实验的复杂结果。SBH中几乎无处不在的共生特征是由于来自当地上侏罗纪放射性物质群的沉积物。对于钙质阿尔卑斯山北部岩溶高原的演化，这些观测结果支持了Totes Gebirge的局部且相当放射状的古排水，而不是其他岩溶地块可能存在的同种水的贯通流。
{"title":"4D flow pattern of the longest cave in the Eastern Alps (Schönberg-Höhlensystem, Totes Gebirge)","authors":"Lukas Plan, E. Kaminsky, P. Oberender, Clemens Tenreiter, Maximilian Wimmer","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2471","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2471","url":null,"abstract":"The Schönberg-Höhlensystem (SBH) is not only the longest cave system in the Eastern Alps (length 156 km, depth 1061 m), but a significant proportion of the passages have developed on or just below two surfaces that dip 1.7° to the NE. These so-called \"speleogenetic phases\" are rarely developed in caves of the Northern Calcareous Alps and have not yet been confirmed by detailed morphological mapping. Furthermore, the deep parts of the cave offer the possibility to study the active epiphreatic zone for a distance of 1.6 km. Detailed morphological mapping shows that the main level at about 1500 m a.s.l. and a second 140 m higher developed as distinct speleogenetic phases, and the dip of the planes to the NE is consistent with palaeo-flow. Isolated vadose trenches formed at saddle points are further evidence. Correlations with other caves at similar altitudes suggest an Upper Miocene to Lower Pliocene age. With few exceptions, a northeastern palaeo-flow can be observed down to about 1050 m a.s.l. However, 100 m above this there appears to have been a late phase with an opposite palaeo-flow direction, and below this altitude this SW palaeo-flow direction prevails. These morphological observations allow us to propose a complex model. During low and moderate flow there is drainage to the north. During floods, a restriction in the north causes backwater and an overflow threshold to the SW is exceeded, and then most of the water flows in this direction. This observation of dual flow behaviour can help to better understand the behaviour of the karst water table and to interpret complex results from tracer experiments. The almost ubiquitous paragenetic features in the SBH are due to sediments derived from the local Upper Jurassic Radiolarite Group. For the evolution of karst plateaus in the Northern Calcareous Alps, these observations support a local and rather radial palaeo-drainage of the Totes Gebirge, as opposed to a through-flow of allogenic waters as is likely for other karst massifs.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43633547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-02-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2446
F. Howarth
“Nothing could possibly live there!” They believed. Indeed, until recently, few specialized cave- adapted animals were known from volcanic, tropical, or oceanic island caves, and plausible theories had been put forward to explain their absence. But assume nothing in science! One must illuminate, explore, and survey habitats before declaring them barren. Our understanding of cave biology changed dramatically about 50 years ago following the serendipitous discovery of cave-adapted terrestrial arthropods in Brazil and on the young oceanic islands of the Galápagos and Hawai‘i. These discoveries and subsequent studies on the evolutionary ecology of cave animals have revealed a remarkable hidden fauna and created new sub- disciplines within biospeleology. Biological surveys of caves in other regions have continued to expand our understanding of the evolution, adaptation, and ecology of the subterranean biome. We now predict that, rather than being relicts trapped in caves by changing climate, many animals actively colonized caves and adapted to exploit food resources wherever there were suitable subterranean voids. The physical environment in caves can be determined with great precision because the habitat is buffered by rock. Furthermore, the bizarre adaptations displayed by obligatory cave animals are similar across many taxonomic groups. These two characteristics make caves nearly ideal natural laboratories for studying evolution and ecology. However, to the untrained researcher, caves can appear hostile and dangerous, and in fact, fieldwork in caves requires a unique marriage of athletic ability and science. In other words, cave research is exciting! In this contribution, I describe the exploration, discovery, and research in tropical caves and describe the factors that delayed the recognition of a significant tropical cave fauna.
{"title":"Why the delay in recognizing terrestrial obligate cave species in the tropics?","authors":"F. Howarth","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2446","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2446","url":null,"abstract":"“Nothing could possibly live there!” They believed. Indeed, until recently, few specialized cave- adapted animals were known from volcanic, tropical, or oceanic island caves, and plausible theories had been put forward to explain their absence. But assume nothing in science! One must illuminate, explore, and survey habitats before declaring them barren. Our understanding of cave biology changed dramatically about 50 years ago following the serendipitous discovery of cave-adapted terrestrial arthropods in Brazil and on the young oceanic islands of the Galápagos and Hawai‘i. These discoveries and subsequent studies on the evolutionary ecology of cave animals have revealed a remarkable hidden fauna and created new sub- disciplines within biospeleology. Biological surveys of caves in other regions have continued to expand our understanding of the evolution, adaptation, and ecology of the subterranean biome. We now predict that, rather than being relicts trapped in caves by changing climate, many animals actively colonized caves and adapted to exploit food resources wherever there were suitable subterranean voids. The physical environment in caves can be determined with great precision because the habitat is buffered by rock. Furthermore, the bizarre adaptations displayed by obligatory cave animals are similar across many taxonomic groups. These two characteristics make caves nearly ideal natural laboratories for studying evolution and ecology. However, to the untrained researcher, caves can appear hostile and dangerous, and in fact, fieldwork in caves requires a unique marriage of athletic ability and science. In other words, cave research is exciting! In this contribution, I describe the exploration, discovery, and research in tropical caves and describe the factors that delayed the recognition of a significant tropical cave fauna.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44917011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2440
D. Riechelmann, K. Jochum, D. Richter, D. Scholz
Two stalagmites from B7-Cave in northwest Germany, which is part of the same cave system as the intensively studied Bunker Cave, were re-dated by multi collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) 230Th/U-dating. Furthermore, the concentration of Mg, Sr, Ba, P, Y, Zn, and Al were determined at high-resolution by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS). Stalagmite B7-1 grew from 10.8 to 5.8 ka BP. Stalagmite B7-7 grew during three growth phases from 11.0 to 6.2, 3.13 to 2.86 (late Bronze Age), and 1.27 to 1.15 ka BP (early Medieval Period). Aluminium is a proxy for detrital material and corresponds very well with the visible detrital layers in stalagmite B7-1 and the oldest growth phase of stalagmite B7-7. The two younger growth phases of stalagmite B7-7 are very clean and show very low Al concentrations. Phosphorus, Y, and Zn show positive correlations in both stalagmites and all growth phases, but do not show a relationship to temperature or precipitation. This may be related to the elevated detrital content in both stalagmites. Barium and Sr also show a positive correlation in both stalagmites and all growth phases, which is related to their dependency on growth rate. Magnesium is most probably influenced by prior calcite precipitation and therefore a proxy for past precipitation/infiltration. The Mg records of stalagmite B7-1 and of the oldest growth phase of stalagmite B7-7 show decreasing Mg concentration with time reflecting decreasing prior calcite precipitation and therefore increasing precipitation during the Early to Mid-Holocene. This is consistent with other climate reconstructions from Central Europe.
利用多收集器电感耦合等离子体质谱(MC-ICPMS) 230 / u定年技术，对德国西北部b7洞穴的两根石笋进行了重新定年，该洞穴与被广泛研究的邦克洞穴属于同一洞穴系统。此外，采用激光烧蚀电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-ICPMS)高分辨率测定了Mg、Sr、Ba、P、Y、Zn和Al的浓度。石笋B7-1生长于10.8 ~ 5.8 ka BP。石笋B7-7的生长经历了11.0 ~ 6.2、3.13 ~ 2.86(青铜时代晚期)和1.27 ~ 1.15 ka BP(中世纪早期)三个生长阶段。铝作为碎屑物质的代用品，与石笋B7-1可见碎屑层和石笋B7-7最老生长期对应良好。石笋B7-7的两个年轻生长阶段非常干净，Al浓度很低。磷、Y、Zn在石笋各生长阶段均呈显著正相关，但与温度、降水关系不显著。这可能与两种石笋中较高的碎屑含量有关。在石笋的各个生长阶段，钡和锶也表现为正相关，这与它们对生长速率的依赖性有关。镁最有可能受到先前方解石降水的影响，因此是过去降水/入渗的代表。B7-1石笋和B7-7石笋最老生长期的Mg记录显示，在全新世早期至中期，Mg浓度随时间的变化呈递减趋势，反映了方解石前期降水的减少，从而导致降水的增加。这与中欧的其他气候重建结果一致。
{"title":"Mg records of two stalagmites from B7-Cave (northwest Germany) indicating long-term precipitation changes during Early to Mid-Holocene","authors":"D. Riechelmann, K. Jochum, D. Richter, D. Scholz","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2440","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2440","url":null,"abstract":"Two stalagmites from B7-Cave in northwest Germany, which is part of the same cave system as the intensively studied Bunker Cave, were re-dated by multi collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) 230Th/U-dating. Furthermore, the concentration of Mg, Sr, Ba, P, Y, Zn, and Al were determined at high-resolution by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS). Stalagmite B7-1 grew from 10.8 to 5.8 ka BP. Stalagmite B7-7 grew during three growth phases from 11.0 to 6.2, 3.13 to 2.86 (late Bronze Age), and 1.27 to 1.15 ka BP (early Medieval Period). Aluminium is a proxy for detrital material and corresponds very well with the visible detrital layers in stalagmite B7-1 and the oldest growth phase of stalagmite B7-7. The two younger growth phases of stalagmite B7-7 are very clean and show very low Al concentrations. Phosphorus, Y, and Zn show positive correlations in both stalagmites and all growth phases, but do not show a relationship to temperature or precipitation. This may be related to the elevated detrital content in both stalagmites. Barium and Sr also show a positive correlation in both stalagmites and all growth phases, which is related to their dependency on growth rate. Magnesium is most probably influenced by prior calcite precipitation and therefore a proxy for past precipitation/infiltration. The Mg records of stalagmite B7-1 and of the oldest growth phase of stalagmite B7-7 show decreasing Mg concentration with time reflecting decreasing prior calcite precipitation and therefore increasing precipitation during the Early to Mid-Holocene. This is consistent with other climate reconstructions from Central Europe.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42098713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-01-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2416
B. Onac, D. Cleary, O. Dumitru, V. Polyak, I. Povară, J. Wynn, Y. Asmerom
Cryogenic cave carbonates have been described from several formerly or presently glaciated karst caves. In most of these occurrences, they precipitated as loose grains or aggregates with various morphologies and sizes. Here, we report on a new speleothem type (cryogenic ridges) identified in Sohodoalele Mici Cave (SW Romania) within a large chamber near the entrance shaft. This study was motivated by the presence of a network of calcite ridges over the stalactites’ surface and by the observation that during winter, these speleothems are covered by a thin ice layer. The higher δ18O (−3.5 to –1‰) and δ13C (0 to 7‰) values found in the calcite ridges relative to δ18O (–7.5 to –4‰) and δ13C (–9 to –2‰) values of calcite from the inner stalactite indicate that the ridges are of cryogenic origin and formed during relatively rapid carbonate precipitation associated with evaporative cooling and freezing of the water. Four U-series ages suggest that the stalactites with ridges formed during cold winters of the Holocene, when cave air temperatures dropped below freezing.
{"title":"Cryogenic ridges: a new speleothem type","authors":"B. Onac, D. Cleary, O. Dumitru, V. Polyak, I. Povară, J. Wynn, Y. Asmerom","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2416","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.52.1.2416","url":null,"abstract":"Cryogenic cave carbonates have been described from several formerly or presently glaciated karst caves. In most of these occurrences, they precipitated as loose grains or aggregates with various morphologies and sizes. Here, we report on a new speleothem type (cryogenic ridges) identified in Sohodoalele Mici Cave (SW Romania) within a large chamber near the entrance shaft. This study was motivated by the presence of a network of calcite ridges over the stalactites’ surface and by the observation that during winter, these speleothems are covered by a thin ice layer. The higher δ18O (−3.5 to –1‰) and δ13C (0 to 7‰) values found in the calcite ridges relative to δ18O (–7.5 to –4‰) and δ13C (–9 to –2‰) values of calcite from the inner stalactite indicate that the ridges are of cryogenic origin and formed during relatively rapid carbonate precipitation associated with evaporative cooling and freezing of the water. Four U-series ages suggest that the stalactites with ridges formed during cold winters of the Holocene, when cave air temperatures dropped below freezing.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43628418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.51.3.2448
R. S. Bouzan, J. Means, K. Ivanov, Rodrigo S. Ferreira, A. Brescovit, L. F. Iniesta
Chelodesmidae is one of the most species rich families within the Myriapoda. However, little is known regarding their association with caves. We provide a list of all Chelodesmidae taxa reported from caves, map their worldwide distribution, and discuss the troglomorphic features of the group. A total of 25 species and subspecies from 20 genera and 2 subfamilies have been recorded from 59 caves and cave systems in 11 countries. These numbers represent a surprisingly modest proportion (~3%) of the approximately 800 described species in the family. Records of cave-dwelling chelodesmids appear to be geographically biased with most taxa reported from the Neotropics, likely due to the greater diversity of the group in the region. The lack of published records from the Afrotropics can undoubtedly be attributed to low sampling efforts. In addition, many studies focusing on cave invertebrates, especially in the tropics, often fail to identify chelodesmid taxa to the species level, thus precluding their inclusion on checklists. The majority of the Chelodesmidae reported from caves do not display obvious adaptations to a subterranean lifestyle and are not troglomorphic. The five troglobitic taxa indicated in this study may represent relictual lineages suggesting that few, if any, radiations of chelodesmids within caves have occurred in the past. Increased efforts are needed to bridge the gap between our current understanding and the true diversity of the group in these fragile and threatened habitats, which is necessary to allow policy makers to prioritize appropriate and effective conservation efforts, including the protection of environments severely impacted by human activities.
{"title":"Worldwide distribution of cave-dwelling Chelodesmidae (Diplopoda, Polydesmida)","authors":"R. S. Bouzan, J. Means, K. Ivanov, Rodrigo S. Ferreira, A. Brescovit, L. F. Iniesta","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.51.3.2448","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.51.3.2448","url":null,"abstract":"Chelodesmidae is one of the most species rich families within the Myriapoda. However, little is known regarding their association with caves. We provide a list of all Chelodesmidae taxa reported from caves, map their worldwide distribution, and discuss the troglomorphic features of the group. A total of 25 species and subspecies from 20 genera and 2 subfamilies have been recorded from 59 caves and cave systems in 11 countries. These numbers represent a surprisingly modest proportion (~3%) of the approximately 800 described species in the family. Records of cave-dwelling chelodesmids appear to be geographically biased with most taxa reported from the Neotropics, likely due to the greater diversity of the group in the region. The lack of published records from the Afrotropics can undoubtedly be attributed to low sampling efforts. In addition, many studies focusing on cave invertebrates, especially in the tropics, often fail to identify chelodesmid taxa to the species level, thus precluding their inclusion on checklists. The majority of the Chelodesmidae reported from caves do not display obvious adaptations to a subterranean lifestyle and are not troglomorphic. The five troglobitic taxa indicated in this study may represent relictual lineages suggesting that few, if any, radiations of chelodesmids within caves have occurred in the past. Increased efforts are needed to bridge the gap between our current understanding and the true diversity of the group in these fragile and threatened habitats, which is necessary to allow policy makers to prioritize appropriate and effective conservation efforts, including the protection of environments severely impacted by human activities.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47329944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.51.3.2428
Tomislav Kurečić, Valentina Hajek Tadesse, L. Wacha, M. Horvat, Nina Trinajstić, Ivan Mišur
Clastic sediments deposited at the bottom of the vertical, nearly 1000 m deep Njemica Cave (Biokovo Mountain, Croatia) were analysed. Owing to the vertical morphology of the cave, the occurrences of clastic sediments are sparse. Small, up to decimetre-thick, undisturbed sediment accumulations situated near the siphon lake revealed interesting palaeontological and mineralogical data. These data are used as a useful proxy for discussing depositional processes, the provenance of the sediments and paleo-habitats of the subterranean fauna. The sub-recent assemblages of ostracods were discovered within the sediment, and they were shown to be correlative to the known endemic species in the wider Dinaric Karst area (Pseudocypridopsis sywulai and Phreatocandona cf. motasi). The well-preserved sediment archive indicates the allogenic origin of the sediment and defines it as an allochthonous infiltrate of the Quaternary. The detritus originates from Pleistocene–Holocene deposits in the surrounding area, whose composition was influenced by volcanic activity in the wide Adriatic region. Sedimentation occurred in a calm aquatic environment by settling from suspension. Therefore the sediments are defined as slackwater deposits.
{"title":"Sub-recent microfauna within allogenic sediments at the bottom of a deep cave, Njemica (Biokovo Mt., Croatia)","authors":"Tomislav Kurečić, Valentina Hajek Tadesse, L. Wacha, M. Horvat, Nina Trinajstić, Ivan Mišur","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.51.3.2428","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.51.3.2428","url":null,"abstract":"Clastic sediments deposited at the bottom of the vertical, nearly 1000 m deep Njemica Cave (Biokovo Mountain, Croatia) were analysed. Owing to the vertical morphology of the cave, the occurrences of clastic sediments are sparse. Small, up to decimetre-thick, undisturbed sediment accumulations situated near the siphon lake revealed interesting palaeontological and mineralogical data. These data are used as a useful proxy for discussing depositional processes, the provenance of the sediments and paleo-habitats of the subterranean fauna.\u0000 The sub-recent assemblages of ostracods were discovered within the sediment, and they were shown to be correlative to the known endemic species in the wider Dinaric Karst area (Pseudocypridopsis sywulai and Phreatocandona cf. motasi). The well-preserved sediment archive indicates the allogenic origin of the sediment and defines it as an allochthonous infiltrate of the Quaternary. The detritus originates from Pleistocene–Holocene deposits in the surrounding area, whose composition was influenced by volcanic activity in the wide Adriatic region. Sedimentation occurred in a calm aquatic environment by settling from suspension. Therefore the sediments are defined as slackwater deposits.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42984081","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.51.3.2422
Najla Baković, T. Pipan, Robert Baković, R. Ozimec, J. Rubinić, R. Matoničkin Kepčija
Microphototrophs (algae and cyanobacteria) in karst environments have been intensively studied in aquatic epigean habitats. In recent decades knowledge about the communities inhabiting cave entrances and lampenflora has grown substantially, but the data about the communities in aphotic cave zone are scarce. This study aimed to investigate spatio-temporal presence of microphototrophs in the aphotic zone of Veternica Cave (Mt. Medvednica karst) and to present additional preliminary data from 22 caves of the Dinaric karst. The data were collected over ten years, in parallel with research on cave phagotrophic protists. In addition to the remains of microphototrophs, living algae and cyanobacteria were found in the cave aphotic zone. Diatoms (Bacillariophyta) were the most frequent group found, followed by green algae (Chlorophyta), golden-brown algae (Chrysophyta) and the filamentous cyanobacteria (Cyanobacteria). The presence of microphototrophs was detected throughout the year but showed spatio-temporal variations. Microphototrophs were absent in the parts of Veternica Cave with seeping and dripping water, while they were occasionally present in the hydrologically active parts of the cave. The presence of diatoms in the aphotic zone of Veternica Cave was related to hydrological conditions, and was not affected by the distance from the cave entrance. The presence of microphototrophs in caves of the Dinaric karst has been associated with caves subject to various types of flooding by endogenous and exogenous water. Despite the fact that microphototrophs are passively transported to the caves from the surface habitats, the presence of live individuals in the cave aphotic zone implies that they should not be neglected in discussions about cave food webs. Future research of microphototrophs should be focused on the species identification, their abundance, survival time, and detail description of conditions that determine their presence in caves.
{"title":"Algae and cyanobacteria in the aphotic habitats of Veternica Cave (Medvednica Mt., Croatia) and selected caves of the Dinaric karst (South-Eastern Europe)","authors":"Najla Baković, T. Pipan, Robert Baković, R. Ozimec, J. Rubinić, R. Matoničkin Kepčija","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.51.3.2422","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.51.3.2422","url":null,"abstract":"Microphototrophs (algae and cyanobacteria) in karst environments have been intensively studied in aquatic epigean habitats. In recent decades knowledge about the communities inhabiting cave entrances and lampenflora has grown substantially, but the data about the communities in aphotic cave zone are scarce. This study aimed to investigate spatio-temporal presence of microphototrophs in the aphotic zone of Veternica Cave (Mt. Medvednica karst) and to present additional preliminary data from 22 caves of the Dinaric karst. The data were collected over ten years, in parallel with research on cave phagotrophic protists. In addition to the remains of microphototrophs, living algae and cyanobacteria were found in the cave aphotic zone. Diatoms (Bacillariophyta) were the most frequent group found, followed by green algae (Chlorophyta), golden-brown algae (Chrysophyta) and the filamentous cyanobacteria (Cyanobacteria). The presence of microphototrophs was detected throughout the year but showed spatio-temporal variations. Microphototrophs were absent in the parts of Veternica Cave with seeping and dripping water, while they were occasionally present in the hydrologically active parts of the cave. The presence of diatoms in the aphotic zone of Veternica Cave was related to hydrological conditions, and was not affected by the distance from the cave entrance. The presence of microphototrophs in caves of the Dinaric karst has been associated with caves subject to various types of flooding by endogenous and exogenous water. Despite the fact that microphototrophs are passively transported to the caves from the surface habitats, the presence of live individuals in the cave aphotic zone implies that they should not be neglected in discussions about cave food webs. Future research of microphototrophs should be focused on the species identification, their abundance, survival time, and detail description of conditions that determine their presence in caves.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45279528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.51.3.2438
J. Lundberg, D. McFarlane, Guy Van Rentergem
A better understanding of the role of bat caves as nitrogen sinks in tropical moist forest ecosystems can be expected to shed light on regional and spatial variability in nutrient recycling studies. We measured the nitrogen flux (in air and water) associated with a very large Chaerephon plicata bat colony in Deer Cave, Borneo, in the process generating a new, quantitative, estimate of the total bat population (774,828 ±48,320), and the first detailed modelling of an ammonia plume in a cave. Long-term storage of N does not occur in this wet cave. Our final budget numbers indicate that, of the daily input of N (i.e., ecologically-useful fixed-N in guano) to this cave, ammonia production is minor (and most of it is exported in water rather than air). The conclusion is that the export budget is dominated (perhaps as large as 94.4%) by microbial denitrification of fixed-N to diatomic N exported in air. Deer Cave thus acts as a nitrogen sink, potentially removing up to 39% of the ecologically-useful fixed-N from the total forest nitrogen budget over an area of hundreds of square kilometers.
{"title":"The nitrogen dynamics of Deer Cave, Sarawak, and the role of bat caves as biogeochemical sinks in Tropical Moist Forests","authors":"J. Lundberg, D. McFarlane, Guy Van Rentergem","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.51.3.2438","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.51.3.2438","url":null,"abstract":"A better understanding of the role of bat caves as nitrogen sinks in tropical moist forest ecosystems can be expected to shed light on regional and spatial variability in nutrient recycling studies. We measured the nitrogen flux (in air and water) associated with a very large Chaerephon plicata bat colony in Deer Cave, Borneo, in the process generating a new, quantitative, estimate of the total bat population (774,828 ±48,320), and the first detailed modelling of an ammonia plume in a cave. Long-term storage of N does not occur in this wet cave. Our final budget numbers indicate that, of the daily input of N (i.e., ecologically-useful fixed-N in guano) to this cave, ammonia production is minor (and most of it is exported in water rather than air). The conclusion is that the export budget is dominated (perhaps as large as 94.4%) by microbial denitrification of fixed-N to diatomic N exported in air. Deer Cave thus acts as a nitrogen sink, potentially removing up to 39% of the ecologically-useful fixed-N from the total forest nitrogen budget over an area of hundreds of square kilometers.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46334802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-01DOI: 10.5038/1827-806x.51.3.2437
Annika Gomell, A. Pflitsch
Recent research on air pressure propagation through barometric caves has revealed various speleoclimatological processes, which cause a more complex relationship between surface air pressure changes and resulting pressure gradients between cave and surface air than previously assumed. So far, however, studies on barometric cave airflow have only been based on surface air pressure measurements. Thus, this study investigates and compares airflow at the openings of Wind Cave and Jewel Cave – two major barometric cave systems in South Dakota, USA – as a response to surface air pressure changes and air pressure gradients. Based on high-resolution long-term air pressure measurements from the surfaces and several locations inside the caves, as well as ultra-sonic airflow measurements at the openings, the analysis proves that for both caves, cave airflow velocity can be predicted more accurately by air pressure gradients than by previous surface air pressure changes. An inter-cave comparison also reveals substantial differences in cave airflow dynamics between Wind Cave and Jewel Cave, with the relevant period of surface air pressure variations for cave airflow velocity and the cave reaction times being significantly longer at Jewel Cave compared to Wind Cave. Therefore, the findings of this study demonstrate the effects of cave morphology on airflow and significantly contribute to a better understanding of the speleoclimatological mechanisms and dynamics of compensating airflow at the openings of barometric caves.
{"title":"Airflow dynamics in Wind Cave and Jewel Cave: How do barometric caves breathe?","authors":"Annika Gomell, A. Pflitsch","doi":"10.5038/1827-806x.51.3.2437","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.51.3.2437","url":null,"abstract":"Recent research on air pressure propagation through barometric caves has revealed various speleoclimatological processes, which cause a more complex relationship between surface air pressure changes and resulting pressure gradients between cave and surface air than previously assumed. So far, however, studies on barometric cave airflow have only been based on surface air pressure measurements. Thus, this study investigates and compares airflow at the openings of Wind Cave and Jewel Cave – two major barometric cave systems in South Dakota, USA – as a response to surface air pressure changes and air pressure gradients. Based on high-resolution long-term air pressure measurements from the surfaces and several locations inside the caves, as well as ultra-sonic airflow measurements at the openings, the analysis proves that for both caves, cave airflow velocity can be predicted more accurately by air pressure gradients than by previous surface air pressure changes. An inter-cave comparison also reveals substantial differences in cave airflow dynamics between Wind Cave and Jewel Cave, with the relevant period of surface air pressure variations for cave airflow velocity and the cave reaction times being significantly longer at Jewel Cave compared to Wind Cave. Therefore, the findings of this study demonstrate the effects of cave morphology on airflow and significantly contribute to a better understanding of the speleoclimatological mechanisms and dynamics of compensating airflow at the openings of barometric caves.","PeriodicalId":56286,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Speleology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2022-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43942632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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