Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
3.1
2.4
Journals
Diversity
Special Issues
Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity
share announcement

Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Biogeography and Macroecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2021) | Viewed by 67865

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Tanja Pipan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Karst Research Institute Novi trg 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: biodiversity; biogeography; ecology; speleobiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. David C. Culver

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Science, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
Interests: biogeography; evolutionary ecology; speleobiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Louis Deharveng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, 45 rue Buffon (CP50), 75005 Paris, France
Interests: biogeography; evolutionary ecology; speleobiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Thousands of species are known exclusively from caves and associated subterranean habitats. Many of these species are without eyes or pigment, and have adaptations to life in darkness. Collectively, they are one of the best examples of convergent evolution known. Globally, the number of caves is in the thousands, but only a very few harbor more than a handful of species. We provide an update on these hotspot caves, first enumerated by David Culver and Boris Sket in 2000. After an overview by the editors, approximately ten of these hotspot caves will be described and the fauna enumerated. The included caves will have 25 or more stygobionts, 25 or more troglobionts, or will be one of the richest caves in a large region, especially the tropics.

Prof. Dr. Tanja Pipan
Prof. Dr. David C. Culver
Dr. Louis Deharveng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hotspot caves
  • karst
  • stygobionts
  • subterranean biodiversity
  • subterranean biogeography
  • troglobionts

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (17 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Other

8 pages, 744 KiB  
Editorial
An Overview of Subterranean Biodiversity Hotspots
by David C. Culver, Louis Deharveng, Tanja Pipan and Anne Bedos
Diversity 2021, 13(10), 487; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13100487 - 6 Oct 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2328
Abstract
Riding a wave of interest in biodiversity patterns in surface-dwelling communities, in 2000, Culver and Sket [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

5 pages, 221 KiB  
Editorial
Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity
by Tanja Pipan, Louis Deharveng and David C. Culver
Diversity 2020, 12(5), 209; https://doi.org/10.3390/d12050209 - 25 May 2020
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3634
Abstract
Worldwide, caves and groundwater habitats harbor thousands of species modified and limited to subterranean habitats in karst. Data are concentrated in Europe and USA, where a number of detailed analyses have been performed. Much less is known with respect to global patterns due [...] Read more.
Worldwide, caves and groundwater habitats harbor thousands of species modified and limited to subterranean habitats in karst. Data are concentrated in Europe and USA, where a number of detailed analyses have been performed. Much less is known with respect to global patterns due to a lack of data. This special issue will focus on and discuss the global patterns of individual hotspot caves and groundwater habitats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Other

17 pages, 3038 KiB  
Article
A Hotspot of Arid Zone Subterranean Biodiversity: The Robe Valley in Western Australia
by Huon L. Clark, Bruno A. Buzatto and Stuart A. Halse
Diversity 2021, 13(10), 482; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13100482 - 30 Sep 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2999
Abstract
Knowledge of subterranean fauna has mostly been derived from caves and streambeds, which are relatively easily accessed. In contrast, subterranean fauna inhabiting regional groundwater aquifers or the vadose zone (between surface soil layers and the watertable) is difficult to sample. Here we provide [...] Read more.
Knowledge of subterranean fauna has mostly been derived from caves and streambeds, which are relatively easily accessed. In contrast, subterranean fauna inhabiting regional groundwater aquifers or the vadose zone (between surface soil layers and the watertable) is difficult to sample. Here we provide species lists for a globally significant subterranean fauna hotspot in the Robe Valley of the Pilbara region, Western Australia. This fauna was collected from up to 50 m below ground level using mining exploration drill holes and monitoring wells. Altogether, 123 subterranean species were collected over a distance of 17 km, comprising 65 troglofauna and 58 stygofauna species. Of these, 61 species were troglobionts and 48 stygobionts. The troglofauna occurs in small voids and fissures in mesas comprised mostly of an iron ore formation, while the stygofauna occurs in the alluvium of a river floodplain. The richness of the Robe Valley is not a localized aberration, but rather reflects the richness of the arid Pilbara region. While legislation in Western Australia has recognized the importance of subterranean fauna, mining is occurring in the Robe Valley hotspot with conditions of environmental approval that are designed to ensure species persistence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

12 pages, 4371 KiB  
Communication
Biodiversity of the Huautla Cave System, Oaxaca, Mexico
by Oscar F. Francke, Rodrigo Monjaraz-Ruedas and Jesús A. Cruz-López
Diversity 2021, 13(9), 429; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13090429 - 6 Sep 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3472
Abstract
Sistema Huautla is the deepest cave system in the Americas at 1560 m and the fifth longest in Mexico at 89,000 m, and it is a mostly vertical network of interconnected passages. The surface landscape is rugged, ranging from 3500 to 2500 masl, [...] Read more.
Sistema Huautla is the deepest cave system in the Americas at 1560 m and the fifth longest in Mexico at 89,000 m, and it is a mostly vertical network of interconnected passages. The surface landscape is rugged, ranging from 3500 to 2500 masl, intersected by streams and deep gorges. There are numerous dolinas, from hundreds to tens of meters in width and depth. The weather is basically temperate subhumid with summer rains. The average yearly rainfall is approximately 2500 mm, with a monthly average of 35 mm for the driest times of the year and up to 500 mm for the wettest month. All these conditions play an important role for achieving the highest terrestrial troglobite diversity in Mexico, containing a total of 35 species, of which 27 are possible troglobites (16 described), including numerous arachnids, millipedes, springtails, silverfish, and a single described species of beetles. With those numbers, Sistema Huautla is one of the richest cave systems in the world. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 4271 KiB  
Article
The Coume Ouarnède System, a Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity in Pyrenees (France)
by Arnaud Faille and Louis Deharveng
Diversity 2021, 13(9), 419; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13090419 - 31 Aug 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2190
Abstract
Located in Northern Pyrenees, in the Arbas massif, France, the system of the Coume Ouarnède, also known as Réseau Félix Trombe—Henne Morte, is the longest and the most complex cave system of France. The system, developed in massive Mesozoic limestone, has two distinct [...] Read more.
Located in Northern Pyrenees, in the Arbas massif, France, the system of the Coume Ouarnède, also known as Réseau Félix Trombe—Henne Morte, is the longest and the most complex cave system of France. The system, developed in massive Mesozoic limestone, has two distinct resurgences. Despite relatively limited sampling, its subterranean fauna is rich, composed of a number of local endemics, terrestrial as well as aquatic, including two remarkable relictual species, Arbasus caecus (Simon, 1911) and Tritomurus falcifer Cassagnau, 1958. With 38 stygobiotic and troglobiotic species recorded so far, the Coume Ouarnède system is the second richest subterranean hotspot in France and the first one in Pyrenees. This species richness is, however, expected to increase because several taxonomic groups, like Ostracoda, as well as important subterranean habitats, like MSS (“Milieu Souterrain Superficiel”), have not been considered so far in inventories. Similar levels of subterranean biodiversity are expected to occur in less-sampled karsts of central and western Pyrenees. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

24 pages, 7391 KiB  
Article
The Towakkalak System, A Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity in Sulawesi, Indonesia
by Louis Deharveng, Cahyo Rahmadi, Yayuk Rahayuningsih Suhardjono and Anne Bedos
Diversity 2021, 13(8), 392; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13080392 - 20 Aug 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2859
Abstract
The Towakkalak System located in the Maros karst of South Sulawesi is currently the richest of Southeast Asia in obligate subterranean species. It comprises several caves and shafts that give access to the subterranean Towakkalak river as well as many unconnected fossil caves, [...] Read more.
The Towakkalak System located in the Maros karst of South Sulawesi is currently the richest of Southeast Asia in obligate subterranean species. It comprises several caves and shafts that give access to the subterranean Towakkalak river as well as many unconnected fossil caves, stream sinks, and springs located within its footprint. The total length of the caves linked to the active system is 24,319 m and comprises two of the longest caves of Indonesia, Gua Salukkan Kallang and Gua Tanette. Studies of its fauna began in 1985. There are 10 stygobionts and 26 troglobionts that are known from the system. The smaller adjacent system of Saripa has 6 stygobionts and 18 troglobionts, of which 1 and 3, respectively, are absent from Towakkalak. Like all tropical cave inventories, our dataset has limits due to identification uncertainties, gaps in habitat (waters, guano) and taxonomic coverage (micro-crustaceans, mites), sampling methods (pitfall trapping, Karaman–Chappuis), and problems of ecological assignment. A number of additional species are therefore expected to be found in the future. The Towakkalak and Saripa cave systems are included in the Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park and are under efficient protection, but parts of the Maros karst outside the park are under serious threat, mainly from quarrying. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

21 pages, 1265 KiB  
Article
Mammoth Cave: A Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity in the United States
by Matthew L. Niemiller, Kurt Helf and Rickard S. Toomey
Diversity 2021, 13(8), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13080373 - 12 Aug 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 7968
Abstract
The Mammoth Cave System in the Interior Low Plateau karst region in central Kentucky, USA is a global hotspot of cave-limited biodiversity, particularly terrestrial species. We searched the literature, museum accessions, and database records to compile an updated list of troglobiotic and stygobiotic [...] Read more.
The Mammoth Cave System in the Interior Low Plateau karst region in central Kentucky, USA is a global hotspot of cave-limited biodiversity, particularly terrestrial species. We searched the literature, museum accessions, and database records to compile an updated list of troglobiotic and stygobiotic species for the Mammoth Cave System and compare our list with previously published checklists. Our list of cave-limited fauna totals 49 species, with 32 troglobionts and 17 stygobionts. Seven species are endemic to the Mammoth Cave System and other small caves in Mammoth Cave National Park. The Mammoth Cave System is the type locality for 33 cave-limited species. The exceptional diversity at Mammoth Cave is likely related to several factors, such as the high dispersal potential of cave fauna associated with expansive karst exposures, high surface productivity, and a long history of exploration and study. Nearly 80% of the cave-limited fauna is of conservation concern, many of which are at an elevated risk of extinction because of small ranges, few occurrences, and several potential threats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 8427 KiB  
Article
Ganxiao Dong: A Hotspot of Cave Biodiversity in Northern Guangxi, China
by Sunbin Huang, Guofu Wei, Hengsong Wang, Weixin Liu, Anne Bedos, Louis Deharveng and Mingyi Tian
Diversity 2021, 13(8), 355; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13080355 - 2 Aug 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2778
Abstract
Located in the core zone of Mulun National Nature Reserve in northern Guangxi, the limestone cave Ganxiao Dong harbours the richest cave fauna currently known in China. In total, 26 species of cave invertebrates have been recognized so far, in spite of limited [...] Read more.
Located in the core zone of Mulun National Nature Reserve in northern Guangxi, the limestone cave Ganxiao Dong harbours the richest cave fauna currently known in China. In total, 26 species of cave invertebrates have been recognized so far, in spite of limited sampling efforts. Of them, 20 are troglobionts or stygobionts, including one snail, four millipedes, three spiders, one harvestman, three isopods, two springtails, two crickets, one non-glowing sticky worm, and three trechine beetles. Six other species are troglophiles. The most remarkable characteristic of this fauna is its high number of troglomorphic species, especially among millipedes, crickets and beetles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 2303 KiB  
Article
Bermuda’s Walsingham Caves: A Global Hotspot for Anchialine Stygobionts
by Thomas M. Iliffe and Fernando Calderón-Gutiérrez
Diversity 2021, 13(8), 352; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13080352 - 30 Jul 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3854
Abstract
Bermuda is an Eocene age volcanic island in the western North Atlantic, entirely capped by Pleistocene eolian limestone. The oldest and most highly karstified limestone is a 2 km2 outcrop of the Walsingham Formation containing most of the island’s 150+ caves. Extensive [...] Read more.
Bermuda is an Eocene age volcanic island in the western North Atlantic, entirely capped by Pleistocene eolian limestone. The oldest and most highly karstified limestone is a 2 km2 outcrop of the Walsingham Formation containing most of the island’s 150+ caves. Extensive networks of submerged cave passageways, flooded by saltwater, extend under the island. In the early 1980s, cave divers initially discovered an exceptionally rich and diverse anchialine community inhabiting deeper sections of the caves. The fauna inhabiting caves in the Walsingham Tract consists of 78 described species of cave-dwelling invertebrates, including 63 stygobionts and 15 stygophiles. Thus, it represents one of the world’s top hotspots of subterranean biodiversity. Of the anchialine fauna, 65 of the 78 species are endemic to Bermuda, while 66 of the 78 are crustaceans. The majority of the cave species are limited in their distribution to just one or only a few adjacent caves. Due to Bermuda’s high population density, water pollution, construction, limestone quarries, and trash dumping produce severe pressures on cave fauna and groundwater health. Consequently, the IUCN Red List includes 25 of Bermuda’s stygobiont species as critically endangered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

25 pages, 5290 KiB  
Article
Undara Lava Cave Fauna in Tropical Queensland with an Annotated List of Australian Subterranean Biodiversity Hotspots
by Stefan M. Eberhard and Francis G. Howarth
Diversity 2021, 13(7), 326; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13070326 - 16 Jul 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4134
Abstract
The lava tubes at Undara became internationally recognised in the late 1980s, when 24 species of terrestrial cave-adapted invertebrates (troglobionts) were recorded from Bayliss Cave, making it one of the 20 richest known cave communities in the world at the time. Over the [...] Read more.
The lava tubes at Undara became internationally recognised in the late 1980s, when 24 species of terrestrial cave-adapted invertebrates (troglobionts) were recorded from Bayliss Cave, making it one of the 20 richest known cave communities in the world at the time. Over the last decades, several of the Undara species have been taxonomically described and a great deal of research has been undertaken in other parts of Australia, which has revealed additional subterranean hotspots. It is therefore timely to update the list of Undara cave fauna, and to evaluate the Undara cave system in relation to other subterranean hotspots in Australia. The updated species list was compiled from the published literature and museum databases. Minimally, 78 species of arthropods have been recorded from 17 lava tube caves in the Undara Basalt. Sixteen species have been taxonomically described; 30 identified to genus and/or morpho-species; and 32 remain unidentified to species or genus level. Thirty troglobionts and one stygobiont species were recorded. Seven caves harboured obligate subterranean species; Bayliss Cave harboured the most obligate subterranean species: 23 troglobionts and one stygobiont. All these caves contained deep zone environments with high humidity, of which three also contained ‘bad air’ (CO2). The unique combination of geomorphic structure and environmental parameters (high humidity) and multiple energy sources (tree roots, bats and guano, organic material wash-in) are the main factors responsible for Bayliss Cave’s extraordinary local richness. Further research is needed to investigate CO2 as a factor influencing troglobiont richness and distribution in ‘bad air’ caves. Undara remains the richest subterranean hotspot in humid tropical Australia; however, significantly richer subterranean assemblages are found in arid and semi-arid calcrete aquifers, karst and iron-ore terrains, mostly in Western Australia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

18 pages, 3101 KiB  
Article
Postojna-Planina Cave System in Slovenia, a Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity and a Cradle of Speleobiology
by Maja Zagmajster, Slavko Polak and Cene Fišer
Diversity 2021, 13(6), 271; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13060271 - 15 Jun 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3933
Abstract
The Postojna-Planina Cave System (PPCS) in central Slovenia is a globally exceptional site of subterranean biodiversity, comprised of many interconnected caves with cumulative passage length exceeding 34 km. Two rivers sink into the caves of the PPCS, called the Pivka and Rak, and [...] Read more.
The Postojna-Planina Cave System (PPCS) in central Slovenia is a globally exceptional site of subterranean biodiversity, comprised of many interconnected caves with cumulative passage length exceeding 34 km. Two rivers sink into the caves of the PPCS, called the Pivka and Rak, and join underground into Unica River, which emerges to the surface. The studies of fauna of PPCS began in the 19th century with the first scientific descriptions of specialized cave animals in the world, making it “the cradle of speleobiology”. Currently, the species list of PPCS contains 116 troglobiotic animal species belonging to eight phyla, confirming its status as the richest in the world. Of these, 47 species have been scientifically described from the PPCS, and more than 10 await formal taxonomic descriptions. We expect that further sampling, detailed analyses of less studied taxa, and the use of molecular methods may reveal more species. To keep the cave animals’ checklist in PPCS up-to-date, we have supplemented the printed checklist with an online interface. As the revised checklist is a necessary first step for further activities, we discuss the importance of PPCS in terms of future research and conservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 2658 KiB  
Article
Stygobiont Diversity in the San Marcos Artesian Well and Edwards Aquifer Groundwater Ecosystem, Texas, USA
by Benjamin T. Hutchins, J. Randy Gibson, Peter H. Diaz and Benjamin F. Schwartz
Diversity 2021, 13(6), 234; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13060234 - 26 May 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3403
Abstract
The Edwards Aquifer and related Edwards-Trinity Aquifer of Central Texas, USA, is a global hotspot of stygobiont biodiversity. We summarize 125 years of biological investigation at the San Marcos Artesian Well (SMAW), the best studied and most biodiverse groundwater site (55 stygobiont taxa: [...] Read more.
The Edwards Aquifer and related Edwards-Trinity Aquifer of Central Texas, USA, is a global hotspot of stygobiont biodiversity. We summarize 125 years of biological investigation at the San Marcos Artesian Well (SMAW), the best studied and most biodiverse groundwater site (55 stygobiont taxa: 39 described and 16 undescribed) within the Edwards Aquifer Groundwater Ecosystem. Cluster analysis and redundancy analysis (RDA) incorporating temporally derived, distance-based Moran’s Eigenvector Mapping (dbMem) illustrate temporal dynamics in community composition in 85 high-frequency samples from the SMAW. Although hydraulic variability related to precipitation and discharge partially explained changes in community composition at the SMAW, a large amount of temporal autocorrelation between samples remains unexplained. We summarize potential mechanisms by which hydraulic changes can affect community structure in deep, phreatic karst aquifers. We also compile information on 12 other Edwards and Edwards-Trinity Aquifer sites with 10 or more documented stygobionts and used distance-based RDA to assess the relative influences of distance and site type on three measures of β-diversity. Distance between sites was the most important predictor of total dissimilarity and replacement, although site type was also important. Species richness difference was not predicted by either distance or site type. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 14461 KiB  
Article
Biodiversity in the Cueva del Viento Lava Tube System (Tenerife, Canary Islands)
by Pedro Oromí and Sergio Socorro
Diversity 2021, 13(6), 226; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13060226 - 23 May 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3206
Abstract
Cueva del Viento and Cueva de Felipe Reventón are lava tubes located in Tenerife, Canary Islands, and are considered the volcanic caves with the greatest cave-dwelling diversity in the world. Geological aspects of the island relevant to the formation of these caves are [...] Read more.
Cueva del Viento and Cueva de Felipe Reventón are lava tubes located in Tenerife, Canary Islands, and are considered the volcanic caves with the greatest cave-dwelling diversity in the world. Geological aspects of the island relevant to the formation of these caves are discussed, and their most outstanding internal geomorphological structures are described. An analysis of the environmental parameters relevant to animal communities is made, and an updated list of the cave-adapted species and their way of life into the caves is provided. Some paleontological data and comments on the conservation status of these tubes are included. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 13845 KiB  
Article
The Subterranean Fauna of Križna Jama, Slovenia
by Slavko Polak and Tanja Pipan
Diversity 2021, 13(5), 210; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13050210 - 15 May 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2847
Abstract
The karstic cave Križna jama in the South Western part of Slovenia is one of the largest, well known and most beautiful Slovene water caves. The cave consists of more than 8 km of corridors with impressive halls, colossal dripstone formations, a subterranean [...] Read more.
The karstic cave Križna jama in the South Western part of Slovenia is one of the largest, well known and most beautiful Slovene water caves. The cave consists of more than 8 km of corridors with impressive halls, colossal dripstone formations, a subterranean river and numerous lakes. Considering the subterranean fauna, Križna jama has been identified amongst the richest caves in the world. So far, 60 troglobionts, the obligate subterranean species among them 32 aquatic and 28 terrestrial taxa have been recorded and documented. Križna jama has scientific importance, as well as ten subterranean taxa, which have been described based on specimens from this cave. Despite Križna jama is relatively well-studied, new recent unexpected findings are promising. Thus, further discoveries of specialized subterranean species in the cave are expected. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 18138 KiB  
Article
Ojo Guareña: A Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity in Spain
by Ana Isabel Camacho and Carlos Puch
Diversity 2021, 13(5), 199; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13050199 - 8 May 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2428
Abstract
Ojo Guareña Natural Monument in Burgos (Spain) is an important and large karstic system. It consists of more than 110 km of surveyed galleries, and it has rich sources of organic material from the surface and permanent water circulation. It is the fourth [...] Read more.
Ojo Guareña Natural Monument in Burgos (Spain) is an important and large karstic system. It consists of more than 110 km of surveyed galleries, and it has rich sources of organic material from the surface and permanent water circulation. It is the fourth largest cave system in the Iberian Peninsula, and one of the 10 largest in Europe. Ojo Guareña also ranks 23rd among the world’s largest caves. To date, only volcanic caves in the Canary Islands, in which between 28 and 38 subterranean species occur, are considered subterranean diversity hotspots in Spain. Here, we provide the first list of subterranean taxa present in Ojo Guareñ, which is comprised of 54 taxa that includes 46 stygobiotic and eight troglobiotic species (some still unidentified at the species level), revealing Ojo Guareña as the largest known subterranean biodiversity hotspot in Spain and Portugal. In addition, we provide a list of an additional 48 taxa, 34 stygophiles and 14 troglophiles, found in the system, whose ecological status could change with detailed biological studies, which may change the number of strictly subterranean species present in the system. Indeed, at present, these numbers are provisional as they correspond to a small part of this sizeable cave system. The biodiversity of large areas of the system remains unknown as these areas have yet to be explored from the biological point of view. In addition, a large number of samples of both terrestrial and aquatic fauna are still under study by specialists. Furthermore, evidence of cryptic species within Bathynellacea (Crustacea) indicates an underestimation of biodiversity in the karstic system. Despite these limitations, the data available reveal the typical uneven distribution of subterranean aquatic fauna, and suggest that the great heterogeneity of the microhabitats in this wide and highly connected karstic extension led to the great richness of aquatic subterranean species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1576 KiB  
Article
The Chemoautotrophically Based Movile Cave Groundwater Ecosystem, a Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity
by Traian Brad, Sanda Iepure and Serban M. Sarbu
Diversity 2021, 13(3), 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13030128 - 17 Mar 2021
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 12015 | Correction
Abstract
Movile Cave hosts one of the world’s most diverse subsurface invertebrate communities. In the absence of matter and energy input from the surface, this ecosystem relies entirely on in situ primary productivity by chemoautotrophic microorganisms. The energy source for these microorganisms is the [...] Read more.
Movile Cave hosts one of the world’s most diverse subsurface invertebrate communities. In the absence of matter and energy input from the surface, this ecosystem relies entirely on in situ primary productivity by chemoautotrophic microorganisms. The energy source for these microorganisms is the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide provided continuously from the deep thermomineral aquifer, alongside methane, and ammonium. The microbial biofilms that cover the water surface, the cave walls, and the sediments, along with the free-swimming microorganisms, represent the food that protists, rotifers, nematodes, gastropods, and crustacean rely on. Voracious water-scorpions, leeches, and planarians form the peak of the aquatic food web in Movile Cave. The terrestrial community is even more diverse. It is composed of various species of worms, isopods, pseudoscorpions, spiders, centipedes, millipedes, springtails, diplurans, and beetles. An updated list of invertebrate species thriving in Movile Cave is provided herein. With 52 invertebrate species (21 aquatic and 31 terrestrial), of which 37 are endemic for this unusual, but fascinating environment, Movile Cave is the first known chemosynthesis-based groundwater ecosystem. Therefore, Movile Cave deserves stringent attention and protection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Editorial, Research

3 pages, 183 KiB  
Correction
Correction: Brad et al. The Chemoautotrophically Based Movile Cave Groundwater Ecosystem, a Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity. Diversity 2021, 13, 128
by Traian Brad, Sanda Iepure and Serban M. Sarbu
Diversity 2021, 13(10), 461; https://doi.org/10.3390/d13100461 - 24 Sep 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1327
Abstract
The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-17
Back to TopTop