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Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity Redux

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Diversity 2022, 14(10), 794; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100794 - 24 Sep 2022

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Abstract

For most plants and animals the broad outlines of global species richness are well known, and often in some detail [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity II)

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Open AccessArticle

There and Back Again—The Igatu Hotspot Siliciclastic Caves: Expanding the Data for Subterranean Fauna in Brazil, Chapada Diamantina Region

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Jonas Eduardo Gallão

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Deyvison Bonfim Ribeiro

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Jéssica Scaglione Gallo

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Maria Elina Bichuette

Diversity 2023, 15(9), 991; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15090991 - 04 Sep 2023

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Abstract

The caves of Igatu, municipality of Andaraí, belonging to the region known as Chapada Diamantina represent a new hotspot of subterranean fauna. These caves are siliciclastic, which are sedimentary rocks where silica predominates, such as sandstones and (following metamorphism) quartzites, which makes them [...] Read more.

The caves of Igatu, municipality of Andaraí, belonging to the region known as Chapada Diamantina represent a new hotspot of subterranean fauna. These caves are siliciclastic, which are sedimentary rocks where silica predominates, such as sandstones and (following metamorphism) quartzites, which makes them even more relevant from the point of view of subterranean diversity. For five caves, which we named Igatu Cave System (ICS), thirty-seven obligate cave species were found, of which thirty-five were troglobitic and two were stygobitic. The troglobitic taxa for ICS belong to three phyla, nine classes, 18 orders, and 32 families, representing a high phylogenetic diversity. Some taxa were, for the first time, reported as troglobitic in Brazil and even worldwide, such as Acari and scutigeromorphans (Chilopoda). We started the studies in 2009 and continue trough long-term monitoring projects. Some threats, severe in the past, such as “garimpo’’ (illegal small-scale artisanal mining) continue nowadays in an incipient way; however, the urban expansion due to the touristic appeal is also considered a threat. Our data ranked ICS as the Brazilian hotspot with the highest number of troglobitic/stygobitic species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity II)

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Open AccessArticle

The Subterranean Species of the Vjetrenica Cave System in Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Diversity 2023, 15(8), 912; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15080912 - 06 Aug 2023

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Abstract

The Western Balkan’s Vjetrenica Cave in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina is renowned for high richness of subterranean species. However, the data on its fauna have been published only in monographs printed in a small number of copies, making them hardly accessible to the [...] Read more.

The Western Balkan’s Vjetrenica Cave in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina is renowned for high richness of subterranean species. However, the data on its fauna have been published only in monographs printed in a small number of copies, making them hardly accessible to the wider scientific community. To overcome this issue, we compiled the data from published monographs with the data from our own recent field surveys. Further, as they are connected via water channels or small crevices in bedrock, we defined the Vjetrenica Cave System as a system comprising Vjetrenica and Bjelušica Caves and Lukavac Spring. Altogether, 93 troglobiotic, i.e., obligate subterranean aquatic (48) and terrestrial (45), taxa were reported for the system, verifying the Vjetrenica Cave System as the second richest locality in subterranean biodiversity in the world. The global uniqueness of the system is also reflected in the fact that as many as 40 troglobiotic species were described from the system. Finally, we reviewed the factors endangering this unique subterranean community and questioned whether it will withstand human-induced changes and pressures due to infrastructural development in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity II)

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Open AccessArticle

Feihu Dong, a New Hotspot Cave of Subterranean Biodiversity from China

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Diversity 2023, 15(8), 902; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15080902 - 30 Jul 2023

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Abstract

China is a country with abundant karst landscapes, but research on cave biodiversity is still limited. Currently, only Ganxiao Dong, located in Huanjiang, Guangxi, has been reported as a hotspot for cave biodiversity. Many of the world’s most troglomorphic species in the major [...] Read more.

China is a country with abundant karst landscapes, but research on cave biodiversity is still limited. Currently, only Ganxiao Dong, located in Huanjiang, Guangxi, has been reported as a hotspot for cave biodiversity. Many of the world’s most troglomorphic species in the major groups of cave animals have been recently discovered in China, making the existence of many more hotspots in the country likely. Feihu Dong, one of these potential hotspot caves, has been systematically investigated to complement a preliminary species list of 1995, leading to the discovery of 62 species of animals from the cave. Among them, 27 are considered troglobionts or stygobionts, 26 are considered troglophiles or stygophiles, and nine are classified as trogloxenes or stygoxenes. Research on the cave biodiversity of Feihu Dong has demonstrated that it currently holds the highest number of known cave animal species in China. Among the most remarkable features of this fauna is the co-occurrence of five species of cave-obligate beetles, all modified for cave life. The biological survey was limited to a small part of the cave. Several habitats (like guano) have not been investigated so far, and several important cave groups have been insufficiently or not sampled (like Ostracoda). Meanwhile, the system increases in length with each new caving expedition. Further discoveries of cave organisms in Feihu Dong are therefore expected. As Feihu Dong and Ganxiao Dong are the only caves in China that have been extensively studied for a large range of organisms, and as they are located in karstic areas that are similar in richness to other regions of southern China, it can be confidently assumed that several other caves of high biodiversity will be discovered in the coming years. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity II)

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Open AccessArticle

The Crystal-Wonder Cave System: A New Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity in the Southern Cumberland Plateau of South-Central Tennessee, USA

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Matthew L. Niemiller

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Kirk S. Zigler

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Amata Hinkle

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Charles D. R. Stephen

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K. Denise Kendall Niemiller

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Kelly Smallwood

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Jason Hardy

Diversity 2023, 15(7), 801; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15070801 - 23 Jun 2023

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Abstract

The Crystal-Wonder Cave System developed in the Western Escarpment of the southern Cumberland Plateau in the Interior Low Plateau karst region of south-central Tennessee, USA is a global hotspot of cave-limited biodiversity. We combined historical literature, museum accessions, and database occurrences with new [...] Read more.

The Crystal-Wonder Cave System developed in the Western Escarpment of the southern Cumberland Plateau in the Interior Low Plateau karst region of south-central Tennessee, USA is a global hotspot of cave-limited biodiversity. We combined historical literature, museum accessions, and database occurrences with new observations from bio-inventory efforts conducted between 2005 and 2022 to compile an updated list of troglobiotic and stygobiotic biodiversity for the Crystal-Wonder Cave System. The list of cave-limited fauna includes 31 species (23 troglobionts and 8 stygobionts) with 28 and 18 species documented from the Crystal and Wonder caves, respectively, which represents five phyla, ten classes, nineteen orders, and twenty-six families (six arachnids, three springtails, two diplurans, three millipedes, six insects, three terrestrial snails, one flatworm, five crustaceans, and two vertebrates, respectively). The Crystal-Wonder Cave System is the type locality for six species—Anillinus longiceps, Pseudanophthalmus humeralis, P. intermedius, Ptomaphagus hatchi, Tolus appalachius, and Chitrella archeri. The carabid beetle Anillinus longiceps is endemic to the Crystal-Wonder Cave System. Sixteen species are of conservation concern, including twelve taxa with NatureServe conservation ranks of G1–G3. The exceptional diversity of the Crystal-Wonder Cave System has been associated with several factors, including a high dispersal potential of cave fauna associated with expansive karst exposures along the Western Escarpment of the southern Cumberland Plateau, a high surface productivity, and a favorable climate throughout the Pleistocene. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity II)

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Open AccessArticle

The Água Clara Cave System in Northeastern Brazil: The Richest Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity in South America

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Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira

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Mylène Berbert-Born

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Marconi Souza-Silva

Diversity 2023, 15(6), 761; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15060761 - 09 Jun 2023

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Abstract

The Água Clara Cave System (ACCS) in Brazil is the richest hotspot of subterranean biodiversity in South America. In this study, we present an updated list of cave-restricted species in the ACCS and compare it with previously published hotspots in Brazil. Our list [...] Read more.

The Água Clara Cave System (ACCS) in Brazil is the richest hotspot of subterranean biodiversity in South America. In this study, we present an updated list of cave-restricted species in the ACCS and compare it with previously published hotspots in Brazil. Our list of cave-obligate fauna comprises 31 species, including 23 troglobionts and 8 stygobionts. The exceptional diversity of the ACCS can be attributed to factors related to the high dispersal potential of cave fauna within the system, high surface productivity, and the large size of the cave system size. Notably, we observed highly troglomorphic species in the ACCS, some of which are the most troglomorphic species in their respective groups in Brazil. The huge volume of galleries, high humidity, and trophic conditions prevailing in the ACCS may have played a role in shaping the strong troglomorphic traits observed in these species. However, all the obligate cave species in the ACCS require conservation attention and are at an elevated risk of extinction due to their limited ranges, few occurrences, and many potential threats. This study sheds light on the biodiversity and conservation status of cave-restricted fauna in the ACCS and highlights the importance of protecting these unique ecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity II)

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Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Subterranean Fauna of the Lukina Jama–Trojama Cave System in Croatia: The Deepest Cave in the Dinaric Karst

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Diversity 2023, 15(6), 726; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15060726 - 31 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1590

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The Dinaric Karst is a global hotspot for subterranean diversity, with two distinct peaks of species richness in the northwest and southeast, and an area of a lower species richness in the central part. In this article, we present a species list and [...] Read more.

The Dinaric Karst is a global hotspot for subterranean diversity, with two distinct peaks of species richness in the northwest and southeast, and an area of a lower species richness in the central part. In this article, we present a species list and describe the ecological conditions of the Lukina jama–Trojama cave system, located in the central part of the Dinaric Karst. This cave system is the deepest and one of the most logistically challenging cave systems sampled so far in the Dinaric Karst. Repeated sampling resulted in a list of 45 species, including 25 troglobionts, 3 troglophiles, 16 stygobionts, and 1 stygophile. Most of the recorded species are endemic to the Velebit Mountain, while three species are endemic to the Lukina jama–Trojama cave system. Within the system, species richness peaks in the deepest third of the cave, most likely reflecting the harsh ecological conditions in the upper parts, including ice, cold winds, and occasional waterfalls. Milder and more stable deeper parts of the cave contain a rich subterranean species community, part of which is associated with two very distinct aquatic habitats, the cave hygropetric and the phreatic zone. The newly recognized hotspot of subterranean biodiversity in the central Dinaric Karst, which has emerged between the two known centers of biodiversity, further highlights the species richness in large cave systems, but also challenges the diversity patterns in the Dinaric Karst overall. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity II)

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Open AccessArticle

Fern Cave: A Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity in the Interior Low Plateau Karst Region of Alabama in the Southeastern United States

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K. Denise Kendall Niemiller

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Steve Pitts

Diversity 2023, 15(5), 633; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15050633 - 06 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3263

Abstract

The Fern Cave System, developed in the western escarpment of the Southern Cumberland Plateau of the Interior Low Plateau karst region in Northeastern Alabama, USA, is a global hotspot of cave-limited biodiversity as well as home to the largest winter hibernaculum for the [...] Read more.

The Fern Cave System, developed in the western escarpment of the Southern Cumberland Plateau of the Interior Low Plateau karst region in Northeastern Alabama, USA, is a global hotspot of cave-limited biodiversity as well as home to the largest winter hibernaculum for the federally endangered Gray Bat (Myotis grisescens). We combined the existing literature, museum accessions, and database occurrences with new observations from bioinventory efforts conducted in 2018–2022 to generate an updated list of troglobiotic and stygobiotic species for the Fern Cave System. Our list of cave-limited fauna totals twenty-seven species, including nineteen troglobionts and eight stygobionts. Two pseudoscorpions are endemic to the Fern Cave System: Tyrannochthonius torodei and Alabamocreagris mortis. The exceptional diversity at Fern Cave is likely associated with several factors, such as the high dispersal potential of cave fauna associated with expansive karst exposures along the Southern Cumberland Plateau, high surface productivity, organic input from a large bat colony, favorable climate throughout the Pleistocene, and location within a larger regional hotspot of subterranean biodiversity. Nine species are of conservation concern, including the recently discovered Alabama cave shrimp Palaemonias alabamae, because of their small range sizes, few occurrences, and several potential threats. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hotspots of Subterranean Biodiversity II)

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