Welcome to Cave Biology (Biospeleology) - Recent Researches
       
 

 

Any Biospeleologist can post his/her contribution. Recent Published/ Accepted Original Research works or Review of Literature on the subject with appropriate Photographs
(may be Experimental model are must).
(ONLY PAPER PUBLISHED WITHIN LAST 2 YEARS WILL BE ALLOWED)

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Biodiversity of groundwater oligochaetes from a karst unit in northern Iberian Peninsula: ranking subterranean sites for conservation management 09-Apr-2008
Ainara Achurra, Pilar Rodriguez
Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Apdo. 644,
Bilbao 48080 SPAIN (SPAIN)
ainara.achurra@ehu.es
 
Abstract : The present study suggests that the Santa Eufemia-Eren˜ozar karst unit in northern Iberian Peninsula is a biodiversity hotspot for groundwater oligochaetes, due to (1) the presence of a high number of stygobiotic species (corresponding to 18% of the total stygobionts known in southern Europe); (2) the comparatively high number of oligochaete species collected (corresponding to 35% of the total epigean and hypogean oligochaete species in the region); and (3) the presence of 5 species endemic to the region. A list of the oligochaete taxa found in the karst unit is presented and a conservation ranking of the cavities in the karst is proposed based on the application of four biodiversity indices (Species richness, Rarity, Vulnerability and Complementarity) to the oligochaete taxa. Vulnerability was evaluated for the first time for groundwater oligochaete taxa and it provided a useful tool to assess the protection status of oligochaetes in karstic systems. Groundwater conservation management strategies could incorporate biodiversity data from the present study.



Appeared in :   Hydrobiologia (2008) 605:159–171
Cave Coleoptera (Insecta, Coleoptera) from Estremenho Karstic Massif: an approach to its Biodiversity 21-Feb-2008
Ana Sofia Reboleira

Aveiro (PORTUGAL)
sreboleira@ua.pt
 
Abstract : Almost 7 decades separe this work from the first and only descripcion of troglobite coleoptera in Continental Portugal.
For a period of 6 months, 10 caves where monitorized, and the Coleopterological content was studied.
Two new troglobite Trechus species where found an described. Estremenho Karstic Massif is a Jurrasic limestone massif, divided into 3 major subunits separated by 2 depressions of tectonic origin. This strong compatimentation led to the geographical isolation of the cave Trechus species.
The occurence of these species seem to be confined to areas with high humidity and deep parts of the caves.
Appeared in :   MSc Thesis, Biology Department, Aveiro University, Portugal
Schistura papulifera, a new species of cave loach from Meghalaya, India (Teleostei: Balitoridae) 05-Feb-2008
MAURICE KOTTELAT1*, DANIEL R. HARRIES 2, & GRAHAM S. PROUDLOVE 2
Route de la Baroche 12, case postale 57, CH-2952 Cornol, Switzerland (address for correspondence); and School of Biological Sciences,
National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore 119260
Cornol (SWITZERLAND)
d.b.harries@hw.ac.uk
 
Abstract : Schistura papulifera, new species, is described from a cave of the Synrang Pamiang system, Meghalaya State, India. It is distinguished from all other known species of Schistura in having the lower half of the head covered by small skin projections and 5 pores in the supratemporal canal of the cephalic lateral-line system. In addition, it has a white body and vestigial eyes. The closest epigean relative of S. papulifera has not yet been identified due to the lack of survey and usable data. The identity of the cave nemacheiline from Siju Cave is briefly discussed, but this remains inconclusive, again due to the lack of material and usable data.
Appeared in :   ZOOTAXA, 1393: 35–44 (2007)
La Cueva de los Pocitos (El Hierro): descricpion y biocenosis. 11-Dec-2007
Salvador de la Cruz, Sofia Reboleira, Eduardo Muñoz, Nieves Zurita, & Pedro Oromí
GIET - Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
La Laguna (SPAIN)
sreboleira@ua.pt
 
Abstract : The survey and a geomorphological description of Cueva de los Pocitos lava tube is presented. The results of measuring the environmental parameters are provided, as well as those of
a faunistic study carried out in the spring and fall of 2000. A total of 552 arthropods were collected, belonging to at least 30 different species, 8 of them being troglobites. A comparison
with the faunistic richness of the other caves of El Hierro is also made.

Key words: lava tube, survey, cave fauna, species richness, abundance, Canary Islands.
Appeared in :   Vulcania 8: 55 - 64 (2007)
Kotumsaridae, a new family of subterranean amphipod crustaceans from India, with description of Kotumsaria bastarensis, new genus, new species 21-Sep-2007
MOHAMMED MESSOULI (1), JOHN R. HOLSINGER (2) & Y. RANGA REDDY (3)
(1) UCAM, Faculté des Sciences Semlalia, Département de Biologie, LHEA, BP2390 Marrakesh, Morocco.
(2) Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529-0266, USA
Nagarjunanagar (INDIA)
(1) messouli@ucam.ac.ma (2) jholsing@odu.edu (3) yrangareddy@yahoo.com
 
Abstract : Kotumsaridae, a new family of amphipod crustaceans is described from Kotumsar Cave in the state of Chhattisgarh, India. The family is based on Kotumsaria bastarensis, new genus and species, which is the only known member of the new family recorded to date. Although the new family appears to share some morphological characters with several other taxa from the southern hemisphere considered members of the superfamily Crangonyctoidea, including the New Zealand endemic genus Paracrangonyx, both its taxonomic and phylogenetic affinities remain unclear. Specimens of the new taxon, measuring just over 2 mm in length, were collected from the sediments of a pool in Kotumsar Cave but are believed to have migrated from deeper interstices. Kotumsaria bastarensis is only the third subterranean amphipod recorded to date from the Indian subcontinent.

Key words: stygobiotic, amphipods, Kotumsaridae, India, Kotumsar cave, subterranean groundwater
Appeared in :   Zootaxa 1589: 33 - 46 (2007)
Timed-feeding synchronizes circadian rhythm in vertical swimming activity in cave loach, Nemacheilus evezardi 13-Aug-2007
Jayant Biswas and Anil Ramteke
School of Life Sciences, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University,
Raipur 492001 (INDIA)
jayant@cave-biology.org
 
Abstract : Subterranean cave ecosystem is characterized by perpetual darkness, almost constant ambient temperature, limited source of food supply with relatively high humidity. The occurrence of circadian rhythms in organisms living in such an ecosystem always attracts chronobiologists to understand the phenomenon of time-measuring mechanisms. Few attempts have been taken yet to correlate such rhythmic patterns of the organism with the putative periodicities in weak zeitgebers. In the present study, the effects of periodic feeding schedules on the characteristics of circadian rhythm in vertical swimming activity of the cave loach, Nemacheilus evezardi were examined. Results reveal that periodic feeding at 18:00 has an ability to synchronize the vertical swimming activity rhythm. It seems that periodic restricted feeding could act as a powerful zietgeber of circadian rhythms in subterranean organisms.

Keywords: Subterranean organism, Circadian rhythm, Restricted feeding, Nemacheilus evezardi, Swimming activity, Cave fish, Biospeleology

Appeared in :   Biological Rhythm Research (The Netherlands)
Description of the Conduit Flow Process (CFP) for MODFLOW-2005 25-Jun-2007
W. Barclay Shoemaker and Eve L. Kuniansky, U.S. Geological Survey, Hydrologists
3110 SW 9th Ave

Fort Lauderdale, Flo (UNITED STATES)
bshoemak@usgs.gov
 
Abstract : The U.S. Geological Survey is developing a Conduit Flow Process (CFP) for the modular finite-difference ground-water flow model, MODFLOW-2005. The CFP is designed to simulate subsurface groundwater flow in systems with relatively large voids by (1) coupling the traditional ground-water flow equation with formulations for a discrete network of cylindrical pipes (CFPM1), (2) inserting a high-conductivity layer that can switch from laminar to turbulent flow (CFPM2), or (3) simultaneous coupling a discrete-pipe network while inserting a high-conductivity layer that can switch from laminar to turbulent flow (CFPM3). Pipes may represent dissolutional caverns or burrowing features, and fractures, that are fully or partially saturated under laminar or turbulent flow conditions. Conduit flow layers may represent either (1) a single secondary porosity subsurface feature, such as a well-defined laterally extensive underground cave (Woodville Karst Plain, Florida) or (2) a horizontal preferential flow layer consisting of many interconnected tubes, such as a burrowed limestone with interconnected vuggs of greater than 10 millimeter diameter (Biscayne aquifer, Florida). In this second case, the input data are effective parameters, such as a very high hydraulic conductivity, representing multiple features.

Data preparation is more complex for CFPM1 than for CFPM2. For CFPM1, pipe locations, lengths, diameters, tortuosity, internal roughness, critical Reynolds numbers, and exchange permeability are required. CFPM1 solves the pipe network equations in a matrix independent of the porous media equation matrix, which may avoid numerical instability for some problems. However, large pipe networks sometimes result in systems of equations that are slow to converge or will not converge. For both CFPM1 and CFPM2, the Reynolds number is calculated to determine if flow is laminar or turbulent. With CFPM1, the Hagen-Poiseuille equation is used when flow is laminar, and the Darcy-Weisbach equation is used when flow is turbulent. With CFPM2, turbulent flow is approximated using the product of a turbulent conductance and head difference, rather than the product of a laminar conductance and head difference as assumed by Darcy’s law.


Abstract photo of tourists entering Fish River Cave near Yangshuo, China, taken by Eve L. Kuniansky, U.S. Geological Survey.
Appeared in :   U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods Report (in review)
Evidences of the early human occupation in the limestone caves of Bastar, Chhattisgarh 23-May-2007
M.G.Yadava*!, Sarswat K.S.**, I. B. Singh*** and Ramesh, R*
*Physical Research Laboratory, Navrangpura, Ahemedabad-380 009, India.
**Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotony, 53, University Road, Lucknow 226 007, India. ***Department of Geology, University
Ahmedabad (INDIA)
myadava@prl.res.in
 
Abstract : We record the preservation of burnt earth, charcoal and plant remains (both wild and domesticated) in Kotumsar and Dandak caves in the Kanger Valley National Park, Bastar district, Chhattisgarh. Radiocarbon dates of the charcoal remains suggest that these caves were dwelling sites for the prehistoric man during 6940 to 4030 yr BP. The presence of grains and seeds at ~7000 yr BP indicates the domestication of plants and initiation of agricultural activity by the prehistoric man in the region. The preliminary results reveal that the caves were abandoned around 4000 yr BP coinciding with the weakening of the Southwest monsoon.
Appeared in :   Current Scienece, vol. 92, no.6, 25 March 2007
Use of heart rate to measure intrinsic state of blind cave crayfish during social interactions 22-May-2007
Li, H., Listerman, L., Doshi, D., and Cooper, R.L.
675 ROSE ST., Dept. of Biology, Univ. of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky,
40506-0225 (United S (UNITED STATES)
RLCOOP1@email.uky.com
 
Abstract : Most animals continually asses the environment in which they live and alter their behavior according to various stimuli. As an observer, one looks for changes in behavior indicating that an animal responded to a particular event. When the animal does not make significant behavioral changes as measured by bodily movements, the animal may be characterized as unresponsive to a given stimulus. This study demonstrates that when behavioural body movements can not be observed an internal physiological measure of heart rate (HR) shows dramatic changes following presentation of defined stimuli. This study used the blind cave crayfish and examined their responsiveness to the following stimuli light (infrared, dim red, and white), water borne vibrations, removal of water, olfactory cues, and social interaction with partners. This study demonstrates that there is substantial individual variation of HR at basal levels and with the intensity of an social interaction. We find HR is a reasonable measure of the responsiveness of blind crayfish to given stimuli even in the absence of observable behavioural changes. This enables the observer to determine if an individual is responsive to and making an assessment of particular cues.



see www page: http://www.as.uky.edu/Biology/faculty/cooper/COOPER-PUBLICATIONS.htm
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Appeared in :   Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A 127 (2000) 55–70
Anatomical comparisons of neural systems in sighted epigean & troglobitic crayfish species. 22-May-2007
Robin L. Cooper, Hao Li, Ling Yun Long, John L. Cole, and Hilary L. Hopper
675 Rose St, Dept of Biology, Univ of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
405060225 (UNITED ST (UNITED STATES)
RLCOOP1@email.uky.edu
 
Abstract : The activity of visual systems is known to affect development of the neural tissue associated with vision in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Three species of crayfish were compared for variations in the gross structures of the eye and of the underlying neural tissue of the optic system that were associated with environmental adaptation. The troglobitic crayfish Orconectes australis packardi and two epigean crayfish, Cambarus tenebrosus and Procambarus clarkii, were used. Cambarus tenebrosus raised in the cave are functionally blind although ommatidia develop, indicating that the primary sensory structures still develop without normal input. Troglobitic crayfish have lost the genomic ability to form a functional visual system. Electrophysiological records from neurons within the optic stalk of O. australis packardi showed no response to light. The neuronal ganglia within the eye stalk of C. tenebrosus are disorganized which could be the reason for the lack of a behavioral response related to sight. Second order neurons associated with olfaction arise in the central brain and send processes to lobula within the eye stalk via the protocerebral tract. Cross sections of this tract revealed that the troglobitic crayfish have more olfactory projection neurons and fewer large axon profiles than the other two crayfish, suggesting that O. australis packardi has more neural processing devoted to olfaction as an adaptation to cave life.


see www page: http://www.as.uky.edu/Biology/faculty/cooper/COOPER-PUBLICATIONS.htm
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Appeared in :   Journal of Crustacean Biology (2001) Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 360–374.