The Biology of Caves and Other Subterranean Habitats (Biology of Habitats Series)

Caves and other subterranean habitats with their often strange (even bizarre) inhabitants have long been objects of fascination, curiosity, and debate. The question of how such organisms have evolved, and the relative roles of natural selection and genetic drift, has engaged subterranean biologists for decades. Indeed, these studies continue to inform the general theory of adaptation and evolution. Subterranean ecosystems generally exhibit little or no primary productivity and, as extreme ecosystems, provide general insights into ecosystem function. __The Biology of Caves and other Subterranean Habitats__ offers a concise but comprehensive introduction to cave ecology and evolution. Whilst there is an emphasis on biological processes occurring in these unique environments, conservation and management aspects are also considered. The monograph includes a global range of examples from more than 25 countries, and case studies from both caves and non-cave subterranean habitats; it also provides a clear explanation of specialized terms used by speleologists. This accessible text will appeal to researchers new to the field and to the many professional ecologists and conservation practitioners requiring a concise but authoritative overview. Its engaging style will also make it suitable for undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in cave and subterranean biology. Its more than 650 references, 150 of which are new since the first edition, provide many entry points to the research literature. Cover The Biology of Caves and Other Subterranean Habitats - Second Edition Copyright Preface to the Second Edition Acknowledgements Contents List of Sites Plates 1 The Subterranean Domain 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Caves 1.2.1 Caves formed by dissolution of rocks 1.2.2 Caves formed by lava 1.2.3 Other caves 1.3 Small-cavity subterranean habitats 1.4 Shallow subterranean habitats 1.4.1 Seepage springs and the hypotelminorheic habitat 1.4.2 Epikarst: the soil–rock interface in karst 1.4.3 Intermediate-sized terrestrial shallow subterranean habitats 1.4.4 Calcrete aquifers 1.4.5 Hyporheic: interstitial habitats along rivers and streams 1.4.6 Soil 1.4.7 Lava tubes 1.4.8 Iron-ore caves 1.4.9 Overview of shallow subterranean habitats 1.5 Summary 2 Sources of Energy in Subterranean Environments 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Sources of energy 2.2.1 Chemoautotrophy 2.2.2 Percolating water 2.2.3 Flowing water 2.2.4 Wind and gravity 2.2.5 Active movement of animals 2.2.6 Roots 2.3 Summary 3 Survey of Subterranean Life 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Temporary subterranean visitors 3.3 Residents of cave entrances 3.4 Ecological and evolutionary classi ̃cations 3.5 Taxonomic review of obligate subterranean species 3.5.1 Microbes 3.5.2 Invertebrates 3.5.3 Vertebrates 3.6 Subterranean organisms in the laboratory 3.7 Collecting stygobionts and troglobionts 3.8 Summary 4 Ecosystem Function 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Scale and extent of subterranean ecosystems 4.3 Stream reaches 4.4 Caves 4.4.1 Caves with surface input 4.4.2 Sulfidic cave systems 4.5 Karst basins 4.6 Summary 5 Biotic Interactions and Community Structure 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Species interactions—generalities 5.3 Predator–prey interactions—beetles and cricket eggs in North American caves 5.4 Competition and other interactions in Appalachian cave streams 5.5 Morphological consequences of competition 5.6 Competition as a result of eutrophication 5.7 Community analysis—generalities 5.8 Epikarst communities 5.9 Interstitial groundwater aquifers 5.10 Overall subterranean community structure in the Jura Mountains 5.11 Summary 6 Adaptations to Subterranean Life 6.1 Introduction 6.2 History of concepts of adaptation in subterranean environments 6.3 Adaptation in amblyopsid cave fish 6.4 Adaptation in the amphipod Gammarus minus 6.5 Adaptation in the cave fish Astyanax mexicanus 6.6 Experimental studies of adaptation in other subterranean organisms 6.7 How long does adaptation to subterranean life take? 6.8 Revisiting the selection–neutrality controversy 6.9 Summary 7 Colonization and Speciation in Subterranean Environments 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Colonization of subterranean environments 7.3 What determines success or failure of colonizations? 7.4 Allopatric and parapatric speciation 7.5 Vicariance and dispersal 7.6 Cryptic speciation 7.7 Age of lineages 7.8 Phylogeography of three different subterranean lineages 7.8.1 Asellus aquaticus 7.8.2 Paroster in calcrete aquifers 7.8.3 Leopoldamys neilli in karst in Thailand 7.9 Summary 8 Geography of Subterranean Biodiversity 8.1 Introduction 8.2 The struggle to measure subterranean biodiversity 8.3 Caves as islands 8.4 Global species richness 8.5 Regional species richness 8.6 Summary 9 Some Representative Subterranean Communities 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Shallow subterranean habitats 9.3 Deep non-cave habitats 9.4 Cave habitats 9.5 Summary 10 Conservation and Protection of Subterranean Habitats 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Rarity 10.3 Other biological risk factors 10.4 Threats to the subterranean fauna 10.4.1 Alteration of the physical habitat 10.4.2 Water quality and quantity 10.4.3 Direct changes to the subterranean fauna 10.4.4 Global warming 10.5 Site selection 10.6 Protection strategies 10.7 Preserve design 10.8 Summary Glossary Literature Cited Index La 4e de couv. indique : "The second edition of this widely cited textbook continues to provide a concise but comprehensive introduction to cave and subterranean biology, describing this fascinating habitat and its biodiversity. It covers a range of biological processes including ecosystem function, evolution and adaptation, community ecology, biogeography, and conservation. The authors draw on a global range of examples and case studies from both caves and non-cave subterranean habitats. One of the barriers to the study of subterranean biology has been the extraordinarily large number of specialized terms used by researchers; the authors explain these terms clearly and minimize the number that they use. This new edition retains the same 10 chapter structure of the original, but the content has been thoroughly revised and updated throughout to reflect the huge increase in publications concerning subterranean biology over the last decade." This text offers a concise but comprehensive introduction to cave biology. The emphasis is on the organisms that dominate this unique environment, although conservation and management aspects are also considered. The book is intended for both graduate students and professionals and assumes no previous knowledge of cave biology Provides an accessible introduction to cave and subterranean biology and covers a range of biological processes including ecosystem function, evolution and adaptation, community ecology, biogeography, and conservation.