Speleologists biological treasure caves capture the imagination of people since time immemorial. Already the ancient Greeks saw guarded the entrance to hell by a three-headed dog Monster. But the denizens of the Underdark are rather small and inconspicuous, surprise but with a very rich biodiversity. The cave fauna is 20 years ago still considered boring and species-poor, researchers discover since countless new ways: spiders, beetles, scorpions, worms, fish, fungi or bacteria and an end is not in sight. While about 90 percent of all caves remain hidden, because they have no access to the surface of the Earth and of those, you know, only a measly 10 percent have been examined on their biological contents back. With the exception of deep water there are no Habitat, which is so alien to the people and unknown”, regrets Frank Howarth, entomologist of the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Hawaii, who was at investigations deemed to be uninhabited lava tubes suddenly on a feature eyeless 8 inches big spider met, the Kauai cave Wolf spider, one of the largest yet discovered cave species. Life under the earth while offering protection from the Inclemency of the weather, is but riddled with unpleasantness such as darkness, space and lack of food, endless labyrinths, toxic gases, radioactive rocks or catastrophic flooding.
In addition to the well-known Ms of eyes and skin pigmentation cave dwellers by extremely long sensory organs or a slow metabolism have adapted to life in the shadows. Credit: Danone-2011. So, multiply the small American crayfish in the crayfish of of kind of australis from the Shelta cave in Alabama until at the age of 35 years and can be over 100 years old. If not just bats leave organic usable with their excrement, then constant food shortages in the darkness, so you ate to each other. There are unusually many predator species, equipped with spikes, scissors and other fishing tools. Other ways pursue micro-organisms, the of methane gases in water dissolved iron and manganese and in some cases even from the bare rock feed.
Even under extremely hostile and dangerous for people and environmental conditions, the cave life flourishes downright gorgeous. In the mentioned also the cavern of death Cueva de Villa Luz in southern Mexico dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and sulphur materials pollute the air. Without breathing apparatus, no researchers dare the descent. And yet is well worth the trip. Mucus-like threads of acidic, eating sulfur bacteria, snot flags hang from the rock walls in the poison kitchen”called. Here, escaping from underground sources of hydrogen sulfide is the basis of all life. Of the bacteria, fungi, flies and spiders live. Spider webs and nests with Spider eggs sometimes completely cover the slimy bacterial layer, there are here more spiders than you would imagine,”reported the Penelope Boston microbiologist from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. But there are just the high-grade specializations of some species 100 individuals who make extremely sensitive ecosystem cave. During a one-hour only visit, leaves everyone about 60,000 skin, hair, 24 litres of carbon dioxide, emits approximately 170 Watts of heat energy, or brings foreign organisms such as bacteria or fungal spores. Even switching on of lights allows to conquer this Habitat photo-synthesizing algae. The precisely coordinated system collapses rapidly. Additional hazards mountains reduction or pollution of groundwater, mining projects for the exploitation of minerals or an invasion of adaptable foreign organisms. Countless species are so already extinct or are about. So also the Kauai caves Wolf spider, against the American cockroaches advancing in their shadow realm has no chance.