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 first time offered to work on a research project to study on 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. In April 2008, a major portion of Mawmluh cave get collapsed due to heavy mine extraction in that area. The fact was already threatened by me in NSS convocation 2007, held at Indiana, USA by the help of a poster Presentation.
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 viewer as a layman; to a great cave-biologist has 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.
In this site in few pages few relevant advts. by google could be apparent, it doesn't mean the site is for commercial purpose, the advertisement materials, focusing in such pages are meant to naviagte the layman about cave site seeing, where to get cave related stuff etc.
Hope the site will be helpful and serve as a complete package for the cave study.
-Regards Dr. Jayant Biswas
National Cave Research and Protection Organization, India
Understanding of
the organization of cavernicoles, in space and time, is one of the
fascinating areas in biology that falls in the domain of Biospeleology.
Study of physiological, metabolic and behavioural adjustments in tropical
cave organisms including the loach (fish),To know scientifically and concomitantly to protect the subterranean Biome a full fledged National level organization has been organized. At the initial level the organization initiated the Research work on Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya, Uttarakhand etc. and generating awareness to know better the subterranean caves and taking measures to protect them from anthropogenic pressures and other unscientific means.
In the initial stage we are generating interest among the students of post-graduation level to study on cave biodiversity and or speleology for their dissertation work.
We are raising voice against unscientific quarrying and mining which are indeed spoiling the subterranean caves. Today several internationally known caves of the state Meghalaya are in peril due to the same.
We invite Naturalist, Environmentalist, Academicians, Students, Wildlife/Nature Photographer/ Cinematographers to join us and to work with us for the mission “SAVE CAVES”.
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.