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Sediment Flushing In Mystic Cave, West Virginia, Usa, In Response To The 1985 Potomac Valley Flood, James J. Van Gundy, William B. White Jan 2009

Sediment Flushing In Mystic Cave, West Virginia, Usa, In Response To The 1985 Potomac Valley Flood, James J. Van Gundy, William B. White

International Journal of Speleology

The great November 5, 1985 Potomac Valley flood was responsible for the release of 1800 m3 of alluvial and colluvial sediment from the walls of the entrance doline of Mystic Cave. Flood waters were sufficiently powerful to flush the entire mass of sediment not only into the cave but through the cave. Remnants of the sediment mass in the form of sand bars and a few cobbles wedged in speleothems were the only evidence in the cave that the huge mass of sediment had moved through. The sediment moved as a suspended mass in water moving at peak velocities …


Cottonballs, A Unique Subaqeous Moonmilk, And Abundant Subaerial Moonmilk In Cataract Cave, Tongass National Forest, Alaska, Megan D. Curry, Penelope J. Boston, Mike N. Spilde, James F. Baichtal, Andrew R. Campbell Jan 2009

Cottonballs, A Unique Subaqeous Moonmilk, And Abundant Subaerial Moonmilk In Cataract Cave, Tongass National Forest, Alaska, Megan D. Curry, Penelope J. Boston, Mike N. Spilde, James F. Baichtal, Andrew R. Campbell

International Journal of Speleology

The Tongass National Forest is known for its world-class karst features and contains the largest concentration of dissolutional caves in Alaska. Within these karst systems exist unusual and possibly unique formations exhibiting possible biological origin or influence. Cataract Cave is an example of such a system. This cave hosts a unique depositional setting in which so-called “cottonballs” line two permanent pools. The cottonballs are a calcitic deposit heavily entwined within a mass of microbial filaments. They are juxtaposed with extensive subaerial calcitic moonmilk wall deposit of a more conventional nature but of an extraordinary thickness and abundance. Both the cottonballs …


A Terminological Matter: Paragenesis, Antigravitative Erosion Or Antigravitational Erosion?, Giancarlo Pasini Jan 2009

A Terminological Matter: Paragenesis, Antigravitative Erosion Or Antigravitational Erosion?, Giancarlo Pasini

International Journal of Speleology

In the speleological literature three terms are utilized to designate the “ascending erosion”: paragenesis (= paragénésis, coined in 1968), antigravitative erosion (= erosione antigravitativa, coined in 1966) and antigravitational erosion (wrong English translation of the Italian term erosione antigravitativa, utilized later on). The term paragenesis should be abandoned because of the priority of the term erosione antigravitativa - on the ground of the “law of priority” – and because of its ambiguous etimology. On the other hand, the term antigravitational erosion should be forsaken in favour of the term antigravitative erosion, given the meaning that the terms gravitation and gravity …


Observations On The Cave-Associated Beetles (Coleoptera) Of Nova Scotia, Canada, Max Moseley Jan 2009

Observations On The Cave-Associated Beetles (Coleoptera) Of Nova Scotia, Canada, Max Moseley

International Journal of Speleology

The cave-associated invertebrates of Nova Scotia constitute a fauna at a very early stage of post-glacial recolonization. The Coleoptera are characterized by low species diversity. A staphylinid Quedius spelaeus spelaeus, a predator, is the only regularly encountered beetle. Ten other terrestrial species registered from cave environments in the province are collected infrequently. They include three other rove-beetles: Brathinus nitidus, Gennadota canadensis and Atheta annexa. The latter two together with Catops gratiosus (Leiodidae) constitute a small group of cave-associated beetles found in decompositional situations. Quedius s. spelaeus and a small suite of other guanophiles live in accumulations of …


Impacts Of Alterations Of Organic Inputs On The Bacterial Community Within The Sediments Of Wind Cave, South Dakota, Usa, Marisa K. Chelius, Guy Beresford, Howard Horton, Meghan Quirk, Greg Selby, Rodney T. Simpson, Rodney Horrocks, John C. Moore Jan 2009

Impacts Of Alterations Of Organic Inputs On The Bacterial Community Within The Sediments Of Wind Cave, South Dakota, Usa, Marisa K. Chelius, Guy Beresford, Howard Horton, Meghan Quirk, Greg Selby, Rodney T. Simpson, Rodney Horrocks, John C. Moore

International Journal of Speleology

Wind Cave (WICA) in the Black Hills of South Dakota, like many mostly dry caves in temperate regions is an energy-starved system. The biotic communities that reside in these systems are low in diversity and simple in structure, and sensitive to changes in external inputs of organic matter. Caves open to tourist traffic offer an opportunity to study the impacts of organic matter amendments in the form of human and rodent hair and dander, clothing lint, material from rodent activity (nesting materials and feces), and algal growth in and around artificial lighting. This study reports on the impacts of carbon …


Ultraviolet Radiation Sensitivity In Cave Bacteria: Evidence Of Adaptation To The Subsurface?, Jessica R. Snider, Caitlin Goin, Robert V. Miller, Penelope J. Boston, Diana E. Northup Jan 2009

Ultraviolet Radiation Sensitivity In Cave Bacteria: Evidence Of Adaptation To The Subsurface?, Jessica R. Snider, Caitlin Goin, Robert V. Miller, Penelope J. Boston, Diana E. Northup

International Journal of Speleology

We hypothesize that a reduced capacity to withstand or repair cellular damage from ultraviolet radiation may be present in cave-adapted microorganisms that never experience such conditions. However, a small number of previous studies have shown that some subsurface bacteria do not show greater sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) than surface bacteria. To estimate UVR sensitivity in cave bacteria, bacterial isolates were collected from Carlsbad Cavern, New Mexico, U.S.A., and percent survival following exposure to various UVC and UVA radiation doses was determined. Cave bacteria from Left Hand Tunnel in Carlsbad Cavern and surface bacteria from soil and rocks above Carlsbad …


Pidoplitchkoviella Terricola – An Interesting Fungus From The Domica Cave (Slovakia), Alena Nováková Jan 2009

Pidoplitchkoviella Terricola – An Interesting Fungus From The Domica Cave (Slovakia), Alena Nováková

International Journal of Speleology

The microfungus Pidoplitchkoviella terricola – until now it was known only as Kirilenko´s specimen isolated from Quercus robur rhizosphere in Ukraine - was found in earthworm casts in the Domica Cave, NP Slovak Karst, Slovakia. A description and microphotographs of this strain are provided in this article.


Productivity-Diversity Relationships From Chemolithoautotrophically Based Sulfidic Karst Systems, Megan L. Porter, Annette Summers Engel, Thomas C. Kane, Brian K. Kinkle Jan 2009

Productivity-Diversity Relationships From Chemolithoautotrophically Based Sulfidic Karst Systems, Megan L. Porter, Annette Summers Engel, Thomas C. Kane, Brian K. Kinkle

International Journal of Speleology

Although ecosystems thriving in the absence of photosynthetic processes are no longer considered unique phenomena, we have yet to understand how these ecosystems are energetically sustained via chemosynthesis. Ecosystem energetics were measured in microbial mats from active sulfidic caves (Movile Cave, Romania; Frasassi Caves, Italy; Lower Kane Cave, Wyoming, USA; and Cesspool Cave, Virginia, USA) using radiotracer techniques. We also estimated bacterial diversity using 16S rRNA sequences to relate the productivity measurements to the composition of the microbial communities. All of the microbial communities investigated were dominated by chemolithoautotrophic productivity, with the highest rates from Movile Cave at 281 g …


Exploring The Secrets Of The Three-Dimensional Architecture Of Phototrophic Biofilms In Caves, Mònica Roldán, Mariona Hernández-Mariné Jan 2009

Exploring The Secrets Of The Three-Dimensional Architecture Of Phototrophic Biofilms In Caves, Mònica Roldán, Mariona Hernández-Mariné

International Journal of Speleology

Caves with dim natural light, and lighted hypogean environments, have been found to host phototrophic microorganisms from various taxonomic groups. These microorganisms group themselves into assemblies known as communities or biofilms, which are associated with rock surfaces. In this work, the phototrophic biofilms that colonise speleothems, walls and floors in three tourist caves (Spain) were studied. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to study these organisms and acquire three-dimensional data on their biofilm structure. CLSM was used in a multi-channel mode whereby the different channels map individual biofilm components. Cyanobacteria, green microalgae, diatoms, mosses …


Lights And Shadows On The Conservation Of A Rock Art Cave: The Case Of Lascaux Cave, Fabiola Bastian, Claude Alabouvette Jan 2009

Lights And Shadows On The Conservation Of A Rock Art Cave: The Case Of Lascaux Cave, Fabiola Bastian, Claude Alabouvette

International Journal of Speleology

Lascaux Cave was discovered in 1940. Twenty years after the first microbial contamination signs appeared. In the last forty years the cave suffered different fungal invasions. Here we discuss the past, present and future of the cave and the conservation of its rock art paintings to the light of data obtained using culture-dependent and –independent methods.


Guanophilic Fungi In Three Caves Of Southwestern Puerto Rico, Ángel M. Nieves-Rivera, Carlos J. Santos-Flores, Frank M. Dugan, Thomas E. Miller Jan 2009

Guanophilic Fungi In Three Caves Of Southwestern Puerto Rico, Ángel M. Nieves-Rivera, Carlos J. Santos-Flores, Frank M. Dugan, Thomas E. Miller

International Journal of Speleology

Fifty species of guanophilic (bat guano-loving) fungi were isolated from field-collected samples within three caves in southwestern Puerto Rico; most were mitosporic fungi (23 species). The caves studied were Cueva La Tuna (Cabo Rojo), Cueva de Malano (Sistema de Los Chorros, San Germán), and Cueva Viento (El Convento Cave-Spring System, Guayanilla-Peñuelas). The most conspicuous fungus by far was the zygomycete Circinella umbellata (Mucorales). Circinella umbellata dominated the bat guano incubation chambers (Petri dishes lined with sterile filter paper moistened with sterile water) at ambient laboratory conditions. Nineteen species of basidiomycetes (e.g., Ganoderma cf. resinaceum, Geastrum cf. minimum, Lepiota …


Microbial Communities And Associated Mineral Fabrics In Altamira Cave, Spain, Soledad Cuezva, Sergio Sanchez-Moral, Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez, Juan Carlos Cañaveras Jan 2009

Microbial Communities And Associated Mineral Fabrics In Altamira Cave, Spain, Soledad Cuezva, Sergio Sanchez-Moral, Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez, Juan Carlos Cañaveras

International Journal of Speleology

Evidences of microbial colonizations were observed in Altamira Cave, Spain. These consisted of distinct small coloured colonies, both on walls and ceiling, mainly located in the area near the cave entrance, which progressed until reaching the Polychromes Hall. The colonizations were characterized by a high morphological and microstructural variability and related to biomineralization processes. Two main types of CaCO3 deposits were related to the colonies: rosette- or nest-like aggregates of rhombohedral calcite crystals, and spheroid to hemispheroid CaCO3 elements. Colonies distribution seems to be controlled by microenvironmental conditions inside the cavity. The areas of the cave showing higher …


The Association Between Bubble Trails And Folia: A Morphological And Sedimentary Indicator Of Hypogenic Speleogenesis By Degassing, Example From Adaouste Cave (Provence, France), Philippe Audra, Ludovic Mocochain, Jean-Yves Bigot, Jean-Claude Nobécourt Jan 2009

The Association Between Bubble Trails And Folia: A Morphological And Sedimentary Indicator Of Hypogenic Speleogenesis By Degassing, Example From Adaouste Cave (Provence, France), Philippe Audra, Ludovic Mocochain, Jean-Yves Bigot, Jean-Claude Nobécourt

International Journal of Speleology

Bubble trails are subaqueous features in carbonate caves, which are made by the corrosion of ascending carbon dioxide bubbles. Folia are calcite deposits resembling inverted rimstone dams in saturated pools. Based on morphological studies in Adaouste Cave (Provence, France) and on studies elsewhere in the world, we propose a new genetic model for folia, close to the model of Green (1991). The association of bubble trails and folia, occurring on overhanging walls, is interpreted to be an indicator of hypogenic degassing occurring just below the water table. The association is the result of juxtaposed processes composed of corrosion along bubble …


Microscopic Fungi Isolated From The Domica Cave System (Slovak Karst National Park, Slovakia). A Review, Alena Nováková Jan 2009

Microscopic Fungi Isolated From The Domica Cave System (Slovak Karst National Park, Slovakia). A Review, Alena Nováková

International Journal of Speleology

A broad spectrum, total of 195 microfungal taxa, were isolated from various cave substrates (cave air, cave sediments, bat droppings and/or guano, earthworm casts, isopods and diplopods faeces, mammalian dung, cadavers, vermiculations, insect bodies, plant material, etc.) from the cave system of the Domica Cave (Slovak Karst National Park, Slovakia) using dilution, direct and gravity settling culture plate methods and several isolation media. Penicillium glandicola, Trichoderma polysporum, Oidiodendron cerealis, Mucor spp., Talaromyces flavus and species of the genus Doratomyces were isolated frequently during our study. Estimated microfungal species diversity was compared with literature records from the same …


Cryogenic Cave Carbonates From The Cold Wind Cave, Nízke Tatry Mountains, Slovakia: Extending The Age Range Of Cryogenic Cave Carbonate Formation To The Saalian, Karel Žák, Helena Hercman, Monika Orvošová, Ivana Jačková Jan 2009

Cryogenic Cave Carbonates From The Cold Wind Cave, Nízke Tatry Mountains, Slovakia: Extending The Age Range Of Cryogenic Cave Carbonate Formation To The Saalian, Karel Žák, Helena Hercman, Monika Orvošová, Ivana Jačková

International Journal of Speleology

Cold Wind Cave, located at elevations ranging between 1,600 and 1,700 m a. s. l. in the main range of the Nízke Tatry Mountains (Slovakia), is linked in origin with the adjacent Dead Bats Cave. Together, these caves form a major cave system located within a narrow tectonic slice of Triassic sediments. Both caves have undergone complex multiphase development. A system of sub-horizontal cave levels characterized by large, tunnel-like corridors was formed during the Tertiary, when elevation differences surrounding the cave were less pronounced than today. The central part of the Nízke Tatry Mountains, together with the cave systems, was …


Annual And Transient Signatures Of Gas Exchange And Transport In The Castañar De Ibor Cave (Spain), Angel Fernandez-Cortes, Sergio Sanchez-Moral, Soledad Cuezva, Juan Carlos Cañaveras, Rafael Abella Jan 2009

Annual And Transient Signatures Of Gas Exchange And Transport In The Castañar De Ibor Cave (Spain), Angel Fernandez-Cortes, Sergio Sanchez-Moral, Soledad Cuezva, Juan Carlos Cañaveras, Rafael Abella

International Journal of Speleology

The large microclimatic stability is a basic characteristic of the subterranean karst systems and causes a high sensitivity to changes in environmental conditions. High-accuracy monitoring of Castañar de Ibor cave (Spain) determined the temporal evolution of the aerodynamic processes and ventilation rate by tracking CO2 and 222Rn levels over a twelve-month period. This cave is characterized by a very stable microclimate, with high and relatively constant radon content (the mean value is 32200 Bq/m3, roughly, and the standard deviation is 7600 Bq/m3) and a moderate and quite stable CO2 concentration (the mean value is …