Digital Commons Network^™

Book Review: Habitantes De La Obscuridad (Fauna Ibero-Balear De Las Cuevas) – Inhabitants Of The Darkness (Ibero-Baleric Fauna Of Caves), Oana Teodora Moldovan

International Journal of Speleology

NA

Worldwide Distribution Of Cave-Dwelling Chelodesmidae (Diplopoda, Polydesmida), Rodrigo Salvador Bouzan, Jackson C. Means, Kaloyan Ivanov, Rodrigo L. Ferreira, Antonio Domingos Brescovit, Luiz Felipe Moretti Iniesta

International Journal of Speleology

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 …

Cosmogenic Nuclide Dating Of Cave Sediments In The Eastern Alps And Implications For Erosion Rates, Philipp Häuselmann, Lukas Plan, Peter Pointner, Markus Fiebig

International Journal of Speleology

Karstic caves are created by water eroding and corroding rocks that can be dissolved. Since both the spring areas of caves (normally at the valley bottom) as well as the recharge is controlled by superficial processes, the morphology of the cave bears strong links to these influences. Lowering of local base levels promotes the development of horizontal phreatic cave passages at progressively lower elevations, resulting in the formation of multi-level karst systems. Upon the next lowering of base level, these upper systems become fossilized, and sediment trapped within them may remain preserved for millions of years. Dating these sediments gives …

Safe And Effective Disinfection Of Show Cave Infrastructure In A Time Of Covid-19, Hazel A. Barton

International Journal of Speleology

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has been responsible for over 650,000 deaths worldwide. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 occurs primarily through airborne transmission or direct human contact, demonstrating the importance of social distancing measures and the use of face masks to prevent infection. Nonetheless, the persistence of coronavirus on surfaces means that disinfection is important to limit the possibility of contact transmission. In this paper, the potential for various surfaces in show caves to serve as sources for SARS-CoV-2 infection is examined. Given the isoelectric potential (pI) of SARS and SARS-like coronaviruses, it is likely that they are …

Survey Of Histoplasma Capsulatum In Bat Guano And Status Of Histoplasmosis In Slovenia, Central Europe, Janez Mulec, Saša Simčič, Tadeja Kotar, Romina Kofol, Sanja Stopinšek

International Journal of Speleology

There have been increasing reports on the presence of Histoplasma capsulatum in some European countries. The study investigated the presence of Histoplasma in bat guanos, speleologists with records of visiting Histoplasma-endemic regions and patients with histoplasmosis. A commercial ALPHA Histoplasma Antigen enzyme immunoassay was tested as an alternative methodology to detect Histoplasma in environment and compared with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. The presence of Histoplasma antigen in bat guanos was not confirmed by PCR. Among 14 healthy speleologists, two were indicated as having the Histoplasma antigen in urine, but expressed negative PCR-specific results for the Histoplasma antigen. Five …

Screening The Cultivable Cave Microbial Mats For The Production Of Antimicrobial Compounds And Antibiotic Resistance, Jerneja Ambrožič Avguštin, Patricia Petrič, Lejla Pašić

International Journal of Speleology

The current work extends the phenotypic characterization of a bacterial culture collection obtained from white, yellow, grey or pink microbial cave wall colonies that are common in the caves of Slovenian Karst. We have determined antibiotic resistance to 22 natural and synthetic antibiotics in 69 isolates from the microbial mats. Thirty-eight isolates (52%) were resistant to 1-5 antibiotics; another 27 isolates (37%) were resistant to 6-10 antibiotics; and 7 isolates (0.1%) were resistant to 11-17 antibiotics. We screened for production of antimicrobial compounds by growing cave isolates on five different media and overlaying individual cultures with ten Gram-positive and Gram …

Cave Dripwater Isotopic Signals Related To The Altitudinal Gradient Of Mount-Lebanon: Implication For Speleothem Studies, Carole Nehme, Sophie Verheyden, Fadi H. Nader, Jocelyne Adjizian-Gerard, Dominique Genty, Kevin De Bont, Benedicte Minster, Ghada Salem, David Verstraten, Philippe Clayes

International Journal of Speleology

An important step in paleoclimate reconstructions based on vadose cave carbonate deposits or speleothems is to evaluate the sensitivity of the cave environment and speleothems to regional climate. Accordingly, we studied four caves, located at different altitudes along the western flank of Mount-Lebanon (Eastern Mediterranean). The objectives of this study are to identify the present-day variability in temperature, pCO₂, and water isotopic composition and to assess the possible influence of the altitudinal gradient on cave drip waters and cave streams. We present here an overview of the spatial variability of rainwater based on local and regional data, and …

Interpreting The Origin And Evolution Of ‘Karst’ Features From A Siliceous Hydrothermal Terrane: A Case Study From The Upper Geyser Basin In Yellowstone National Park, Usa, Kevin W. Blackwood, Lainee A. Sanders, Stacy I. Gantt-Blackwood

International Journal of Speleology

The Upper Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park occurs over a siliceous hydrothermal terrane containing numerous hot springs and geysers. The pool and vent-conduit geometries of these hydrothermal features share a resemblance to conventional karst features known from other rock types, suggesting karst processes could be responsible for their origin and/or evolution. Hypogene speleogenesis is a cave-forming process in which the formation of caves is decoupled from and occurs independently of surface recharge. The geologic setting for hypogene speleogenesis typically occurs at the distal end of regional groundwater systems wherein the hydrogeology is manifested by ascending fluids and/or by geochemical …

A Review Of Fractals In Karst, Eulogio Pardo-Igúzquiza, Peter A. Dowd, Juan J. Durán, Pedro Robledo-Ardila

International Journal of Speleology

Many features of a karst massif can either be modelled using fractal geometry or have a fractal distribution. For the exokarst, typical examples include the geometry of the landscape and the spatial location and size-distribution of karst depressions. Typical examples for the endokarst are the geometry of the three-dimensional network of karst conduits and the length-distribution of caves. In addition, the hydrogeological parameters of the karst massif, such as hydraulic conductivity, and karst spring hydrographs may also exhibit fractal behaviour. In this work we review the karst features that exhibit fractal behaviour, we review the literature in which they are …

Martian Cave Air-Movement Via Helmholtz Resonance, Kaj E. Williams, Timothy N. Titus, Chris H. Okubo, Glen E. Cushing

International Journal of Speleology

Infrasonic resonance has previously been measured in terrestrial caves by other researchers, where Helmholtz resonance has been suggested as the plausible mechanism resulting in periodic wind reversals within cave entrances. We extend this reasoning to possible Martian caves, where we examine the characteristics of four atypical pit craters (APCs) on Tharsis, suggested as candidate cave entrance locations. The results show that, for several possible cave air movement periods, we are able to infer the approximate cave volumes. The utility of inferring cave volumes for planetary cave exploration is discussed.

Gypsum Speleogenesis: A Hydrogeological Classification Of Gypsum Caves, José-María Calaforra, Fernando Gázquez

International Journal of Speleology

This article reviews the state of the art of speleogenetic investigations in gypsum karsts from numerous studies carried out over the past 50 years in Spain. A classification of gypsum karsts is proposed based on the hydrogeological, tectonic and stratigraphic criteria that decisively control the evolution of gypsum karsts. In this respect, lithological aspects of Messinian and Triassic-Permian gypsum series in south-eastern Spain are considered, such as the alternation of rhythmic levels of marl and gypsum, as well as geodynamic aspects. The influence of the hydrogeological characteristics of evaporite aquifers on gypsum cave speleogenesis is discussed; this includes speleogenetic processes …

Mattes J., 2015. Reisen Ins Unterirdische. Eine Kulturgeschichte Der Höhlenforschung In Österreich Bis In Die Zwischenkriegszeit. [Travelling Into The Underground. A Cultural History Of Cave Exploration In Austria Through The Interwar Years], Monika Schöner

International Journal of Speleology

No abstract provided.

Airborne Microorganisms In Lascaux Cave (France), Pedro M Martin-Sanchez, Valme Jurado, Estefania Porca, Fabiola Bastian, Delphine Lacanette, Claude Alabouvette, Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez

International Journal of Speleology

Lascaux Cave in France contains valuable Palaeolithic paintings. The importance of the paintings, one of the finest examples of European rock art paintings, was recognized shortly after their discovery in 1940. In the 60’s of the past century the cave received a huge number of visitors and suffered a microbial crisis due to the impact of massive tourism and the previous adaptation works carried out to facilitate visits. In 1963, the cave was closed due to the damage produced by visitors’ breath, lighting and algal growth on the paintings. In 2001, an outbreak of the fungus Fusarium solani covered the …

Book Review: Caves Of The Democratic Republic Of The Congo: Exploration, Science And History, Arrigo A. Cigna

International Journal of Speleology

Jean G. Shaw.

Caves of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: exploration, science and history

Publisher: Michael Laumanns, Germany
ISSN: 1617-8572

152 pp.

Colonization Of Subterranean Habitats By Spiders In Central Europe, Vlastimil Růžička, Petr Šmilauer, Roman Mlejnek

International Journal of Speleology

Using data from the Czech Republic, we studied the distribution of spiders in soils, crevice systems, scree and caves, i.e. subterranean habitats at depths spanning from 10 cm to 100 m. In total, we found 161 species. The number of species declines with increasing habitat depth, with a major drop in species richness at the depth of 10 meters. Thirteen species exhibit morphological adaptations to life in subterranean habitats. At depths greater than 10 meters, spider assemblages are almost exclusively composed of troglomorphic species. We propose a hypothesis of evolution of troglomorphisms during Quaternary climatic cycles.

Diversity And Biosynthetic Potential Of Culturable Aerobic Heterotrophic Bacteria Isolated From Magura Cave, Bulgaria, Iva Tomova, Irina Lazarkevich, Anna Tomova, Margarita Kambourova, Evgenia Vasileva-Tonkova

International Journal of Speleology

Biocapacity of bacteria inhabiting karstic caves to produce valuable biologically active compounds is still slightly investigated. A total of 46 culturable heterotrophic bacteria were isolated under aerobic conditions from the Gallery with pre-historical drawings in MaguraCave, Bulgaria. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that most of bacterial isolates affiliated with Proteobacteria (63%), followed by Actinobacteria (10.9%), Bacteroidetes (10.9%), and Firmicutes (6.5%). A strong domination of Gram-negative bacteria (total 81%) belonging to nine genera: Serratia, Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Sphingobacterium, Stenotrophomonas, Commamonas, Acinetobacter, Obesumbacterium, and Myroides, was observed. Gram-positive isolates were represented by the genera Bacillus, Arthrobacter, and Micrococcus. One isolate …

Comparative Microbial Sampling From Eutrophic Caves In Slovenia And Slovakia Using Rida ®Count Test Kits, Janez Mulec, Václav Krištůfek, Alica Chroňáková

International Journal of Speleology

RIDA®COUNT test plates were used as an easy-to-handle and rapid indicator of microbial counts in karst ecosystems of several caves in Slovakia and Slovenia. All of the caves had a high organic input from water streams, tourists, roosting bat colonies or terrestrial surroundings. We sampled swabs, water and air samples to test robustness and universality of the RIDA®COUNT test kit (R-Biopharm AG, Germany, http://www.r-biopharm.com/) for quantification of total bacteria, coliforms, yeast and mold. Using data from swabs (colony-forming units per cm²) we proposed a scale for description of biocontamination level or superficial microbial load of cave niches. Based …

Active Tectonics And Earthquake Destructions In Caves Of Northern And Central Switzerland, Arnfried Becker, Philipp Häuselmann, Jost Eikenberg, Eric Gilli

International Journal of Speleology

The present publication focuses on the study of caves in northern and central Switzerland in order to detect and date historical earthquakes and active tectonic displacements by investigations of broken and resealed or displaced speleothems datable by U/Th and ¹⁴C. While it can be shown that these methods are potentially suitable, the ages obtained are often beyond the range of historically recorded earthquakes, and it cannot be proved that the observed and dated events are related to a seismic event. Particularly this is true for the caves in central Switzerland, where most ages in the Melchsee-Frutt region were beyond …

Chemoorganotrophic Bacteria Isolated From Biodeteriorated Surfaces In Cave And Catacombs, Filomena De Leo, Agnese Iero, Gabrielle Zammit, Clara E. Urzi

International Journal of Speleology

The main objective of this work was the comparative analysis of a large number of bacterial strains isolated from biodeteriorated surfaces in three different sites, namely the catacombs of St. Callistus in Rome, Italy, the catacombs dedicated to St. Agatha in Rabat, Malta and the Cave of Bats in Zuheros, Spain. Our results showed that even considering only culturable chemoorganotrophic bacteria the variability is very high, reflecting the great variety of microhabitats present. Hence any strategies to prevent, control or eliminate the biofilm-embedded microbiota from an archeological surface should take into account a number of considerations as stipulated in our …

Bacterial Community Survey Of Sediments At Naracoorte Caves, Australia, Eric M. Adetutu, Krystal Thorpe, Esmaeil Shahsavari, Steven Bourne, Xiangsheng Cao, Ramin Mazaheri Nezhad Fard, Greg Kirby, Andrew S. Ball

International Journal of Speleology

Bacterial diversity in sediments at UNESCO World Heritage listed Naracoorte Caves was surveyed as part of an investigation carried out in a larger study on assessing microbial diversity in caves. Cave selection was based on tourist accessibility; Stick Tomato and Alexandra Cave (> 15000 annual visits) and Strawhaven Cave was used as control (no tourist access). Microbial analysis showed that Bacillus was the most commonly detected microbial genus by culture dependent and independent survey of tourist accessible and inaccessible areas of show (tourist accessible) and control caves. Sediment bacterial groups were assigned to the Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria. The survey …

The Subterranean Fauna Of A Biodiversity Hotspot Region - Portugal: An Overview And Its Conservation, Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira, Paulo A.V. Borges, Fernando Gonçalves, Artur R.M. Serrano, Pedro Oromí

International Journal of Speleology

An overview of the obligate hypogean fauna in Portugal (including Azores and Madeira archipelagos) is provided, with a list of obligated cave-dwelling species and subspecies, and a general perspective about its conservation. All the available literature on subterranean Biology of Portugal since the first written record in 1870 until today has been revised. A total of 43 troglobiont and 67 stygobiont species and subspecies from 12 orders have been described so far in these areas, included in the so-called Mediterranean hotspot of biodiversity. The subterranean fauna in Portugal has been considered moderately poor with some endemic relicts and it remains …

Eogenetic Caves In Conglomerate: An Example From Udin Boršt, Slovenia, Matej Lipar, Mateja Ferk

International Journal of Speleology

Udin Boršt is a karstified terrace of carbonate rock, which is of fluvioglacial origin, and is situated in the north-western part of Slovenia. There are 15 registered caves, which have been interpreted as caves in conglomerate, while karst of Udin Boršt itself was interpreted as conglomerate karst, shallow karst or isolated karst. In this article, caves in Udin Boršt have been interpreted as eogenetic caves. Based on porosity and bedding material, different types of caves and cave passages have developed. Four general types of eogenetic caves found in Udin Boršt are; linear stream caves, shelter caves, breakdown caves and vadose …

In Situ Acetylene Reduction Activity Of Scytonema Julianum In Vapor Cave (Spain), Antonia Dolores Asencio, Marina Aboal

International Journal of Speleology

Nitrogen fixation was measured in situ for the first time by acetylene reduction for a greyish mat composed of Scytonema julianum in cave-like environments. Mat-specific rates (129.9-215.7 nmol C2 H4 m-2 s-1 for daytime fixation and 65.1-120.6 nmol C2 H4 m-2 s-1 for nighttime fixation) recorded in the Vapor cave differed considerably due to the energy reserves stored during photosynthesis being exhausted and used in the dark phase. The most influential environmental parameter for nitrogen fixation in the Vapor cave is temperature in the daytime and nighttime fixations. Nitrogen fixation by cyanobacteria may contribute considerably to the overall nitrogen cycle …

Pathogenic And Opportunistic Microorganisms In Caves, Valme Jurado, Leonila Laiz, Veronica Rodriguez-Nava, Patrick Boiron, Bernardo Hermosin, Sergio Sanchez-Moral, Cesareo Saiz-Jimenez

International Journal of Speleology

With today’s leisure tourism, the frequency of visits to many caves makes it necessary to know about possible potentially pathogenic microorganisms in caves, determine their reservoirs, and inform the public about the consequences of such visits. Our data reveal that caves could be a potential danger to visitors because of the presence of opportunistic microorganisms, whose existence and possible development in humans is currently unknown.

Karst Geology And Cave Fauna Of Austria: A Concise Review, Erhard Christian, Christoph Spötl

International Journal of Speleology

The state of cave research in Austria is outlined from the geological and zoological perspective. Geologic sections include the setting of karst regions, tectonic and palaeoclimatic control on karst, modern cave environments, and karst hydrology. A chapter on the development of Austrian biospeleology in the 20th century is followed by a survey of terrestrial underground habitats, biogeographic remarks, and an annotated selection of subterranean invertebrates.

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

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 …

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 …

Some Applications Of Geochemical And Isotopic Techniques To Hydrogeology Of The Caves After Research In Two Sites (Nerja Cave-S Spain And Fourbanne System-French Jura), Jacques Mudry, Bartolomé Andreo, Arnaud Charmoille, Cristina Liñán, Francisco Carrasco

International Journal of Speleology

Caves constitute privileged sampling spots to investigate the hydrochemical behaviour of infiltration, but the representative nature of samples can limit their reach. Taking this into account many results can be obtained from chemistry of water sampled in the caves. Carbonate tracers enable to reconstruct the ‘history’ of drip water water, including rainfall and temperatures. Moreover, permanent drip waters prove durability of water stored in the unsaturated zone over the cave, and lags between rain inputs and drip output enable to evaluate transit time through the unsaturated zone. The comparison of input/output concentrations can also contribute to estimate the local water …

Bomb-Spike Dating Of A Mummified Baboon In Ludwig Cave, Namibia, Greg Hodgins, George A. Brook, Eugene Marais

International Journal of Speleology

In 1982 a mummified adult female baboon was discovered on a ledge in Ludwig Cave in Namibia. A toe bone was removed for dating in July 1995. AMS radiocarbon dating of bone collagen, tendon, and skin indicates a post-modern age. Application of the atomic bomb-spike calibration curve suggests death in late 1977 and an age at death of around 19 years. Baboons roost in the cave and the mummified female, along with a mummified juvenile male discovered in 2002 and three rotting corpses discovered in 1995, were probably chased by other baboons or by leopards down a ca. 6 m …