Dear Friends,
My concept regarding the caves was not much than a burrow or cavity existing somewhere in the wall of the mountain, when I was offered to work on a research project to study some physiological aspects of a cave fish with respect to its ambient ecosystem (cave). And thus, it was 1987 when I got the 1st. opportunity to visit and to understand a true natural subterranean cave.
During the course of my study I realized that a subterranean biome itself is sufficient to understand the every aspects of Life sciences with live evidences. Just for example, how a distinct type of ecosystem exert a physiological adaptations in the cavernicoles (cave organisms), resultant to their morphological modifications (eyeless, pigmentless etc.) and also behavioural divergences. In other words direct evidence of evolution.
In most of the cases, the cavernicoles succeed to gain a separate taxonomical status than its nearest (epigean) ancestors and become a rare species either exclusive for that particular cave or for the number of caves existing in that particular region. Caves are thus can be said a harbour of rare species.
In most of the countries the caves are focused as a unique tourist spot and it serve as a big source of revenue collection. Globally too attract the tourism various caves have been nicely decorated by colourful lights and also impart sound affects, which ultimately spoiled the complete ecosystem of the cave as well biodiversity of the same. In addition to it, in developing countries, for running cement factories limestone extractions are also seen to damage the caves.
By keeping all the above facts this site has been created by me to generate awareness among people for save caves and to provoke the biologists to take interest in research in this field cave-biology (biospeleology). While constructing this site the interest of a layman to a great cave-biologist have been kept in mind. 1st our home page is to know the subject. 2nd page is for Cave Discussion; it works as a Forum, the Registered Members of this section share views as well as interesting articles on the cave studies. 3rd section is Image gallery, it is the most popular section, as one can see and share here the images of caves from all over the world. The photographs of world level photographers have also shared the cave and cavernicoles images in this section. 4th section is Recent Researches, the researchers working on this field use to upload the abstracts of their recent Research contributions. 5th section is Newsletter, time-to-time we use to focus the News related to relevant conferences and the position (temp. / perm.) available with the Universities / Research organizations.
And now we are introducing for the 1st time in net services the Profiles of Eminent Researchers of the field. It is also wiki type the Researchers themselves will upload the information about themselves, their list of relevant publications, about ongoing relevant projects alongwith interested photographs. The persons interested in Research can directly contact them via this section of the site.
Hope the site will be helpful and serve as a complete package for the cave study. -Regards
Dr. Jayant Biswas

List of Publications:
Biswas J. , Pradhan R.K. and Pati A.K. (1990) Studies on burying behaviour in epigean and hypogean fish: an example of behavioural divergence. Mem. Biospeleol. (France) 17, 33-41.

Biswas J. Pati A.K., Pradhan R.K. (1990) Circadian and circannual rhythm in air-gulping behaviour of a cave fish. J. Interdisc. Cycle Research (The Netherlands) 21, 257-268.

Biswas J. Pati A.K., Pradhan R.K. and Kanoje R.S. (1990) Comparative aspects of reproductive phase dependent adjustments in behavioural rhythms in epigean and hypogean fish. Comp. Physiol. Ecol. (India) 15, 134-139.

Biswas J. (1991) Annual modulation in diel motor activity rhythm of a dusk active loach Nemacheilus evezardi (Day): a correlation between day length and circadian parameters. Proc. Indian Nat. Sci. Acad. (India) B57, 339-936.

Biswas J. Kanoje R.S. (1991) Seasonal and photoperiodic control of the activity and daily exodus of a colony of a cave dwelling bat. J. Ravishankar University (India) 3-4, 7-13

Biswas J. (1991) Metabolic efficiency and regulation of body weight: a comparison between life in hypogean and epigean ecosystems. Int. J. Speleol. (Rome) 20, 15-22.

Biswas J. (1992) Kotumsar Cave ecosystem: an interaction between geophysical, chemical and biological characteristics. NSS Bulletin (USA) 139, 7-10.

Biswas J. (1992) Influence of epigean environmental stress on a subterranean cave ecosystem: Kotumsar. Biome (India) 5, 39-43.

Biswas J. (1993) Constructive evolution: phylogenetic age related visual sensibility in the hypogean fish of Kotumsar Cave. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., (India) 62, 47-53.

Pradhan R.K. & Biswas J. (1994) The influence of light and dark schedule on the air-gulping behaviour of a cave fish Nemacheilus evezardi (Day). Proc. Nat. Sci. (India) 64B(IV) 373-380.

Pradhan R.K. & Biswas J. (1994) Towards regressive evolution: the periodic colour change behaviour of a troglophilic fish Nemacheilus evezardi (Day). Int. J. Speleol., 23, 3-4 , 191-201.

Biswas J. Ramteke A. (2007) Timed-feeding synchronizes circadian rhythm in vertical swimming activity in cave loach, Nemacheilus evezardi: Biol. Rhythm Res. (in press)