© Biospeologica Bibliographia - Publications 2010-2

© Biospeologica Bibliographia
Publications 2010-1
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IKER (B. C.), KAMBESIS (P.), OEHRLE (S. A.),
GROVES (C.) & BARTON (H. A.), 2010. Microbial
Atrazine Breakdown in a Karst Groundwater System and
Its Effect on Ecosystem Energetics. Journal of
Environmental Quality 39(March/April):509-518. DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/jeq2009.0048. ABS: In the absence of
sunlight energy, microbial community survival in subterranean aquifers
depends on integrated mechanisms of energy and nutrient scavenging.
Because karst aquifers are particularly sensitive to agricultural land use
impacts due to rapid and direct hydrologic connections for pollutants to
enter the groundwater, we examined the fate of an exogenous pesticide
(atrazine) into such an aquifer and its impact on microbial ecosystem
function. Atrazine and its degradation product deethylatrazine (DEA)
were detected in a fast-flowing karst aquifer underlying atrazineimpacted
agricultural land. By establishing microbial cultures with sediments from
a cave conduit within this aquifer, we observed two distinct pathways of
microbial atrazine degradation: (i) in cave sediments previously affected
by atrazine, apparent surface-derived catabolic genes allowed the
microbial communities to rapidly degrade atrazine via hydroxyatrazine,
to cyanuric acid, and (ii) in low-impact sediments not previously exposed
to this pesticide, atrazine was also degraded by microbial activity at a
much slower rate, with DEA as the primary degradation product. In
sediments from both locations, atrazine affected nitrogen cycling by
altering the abundance of nitrogen dissimulatory species able to use
nitrogenous compounds for energy. The sum of these effects was that the
presence of atrazine altered the natural microbial processes in these cave
sediments, leading to an accumulation of nitrate. Such changes in
microbial ecosystem dynamics can alter the ability of DEA to serve as a
proxy for atrazine contamination and can negatively affect ecosystem
health and water quality in karst aquifers.
INGERSOLL (T. E.), NAVO (K. W.) & VALPINE (P. de),
2010. Microclimate preferences during swarming and
hibernation in the Townsend's big-eared bat, Corynorhinus
townsendii. Journal of Mammalogy 91(5, October):1242-
1250. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1644/09-MAMM-A-288.1.
ABS: Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) is a North
American bat that hibernates in caves and mines. These underground
habitats also are important roost sites during fall swarming, a period
during which bats undergo preparation for hibernation. During swarming
bats are very active at night, rousing frequently several times a night to
fly within and between roosts. During hibernation nighttime activity is
suppressed so that bats rouse and move infrequently. Daytime activity is
suppressed during both periods by daily torpor. Both hibernacula and
swarming roosts have particular thermal requirements associated with
energetic optimization. Swarming roosts tend to have a higher minimum
temperature than hibernacula, facilitating efficient arousal from torpor.
Both roost types have low maximum temperatures, facilitating
conservation of stored body fat resources. We explored and tested
preferences of C. townsendii for microclimates in these habitats. Our
results confirm that C. townsendii prefers habitats that are thermally
constrained such that temperatures and related microclimate variables are
optimum for swarming or hibernation activities. KW: Bat, caves, habitat
preference, hibernacula, hibernation, mines, swarming.
IPSEN (A.), 2010. How efficient are the non invasive
protection measures in the Segeberg Cave in Northern
Germany for the population of bats and subterranean
beetles:86. In: 20 th International Conference on
Subterranean Biology, Postojna, Slovenia, 29 August-3
September 2010, ICSB 2010 Abstract Book, edited by:
Ajda MOŠKRIČ and Peter TRONTELJ, ISBN 978-961-
269-286-5. ABS: The natural monument Kalkberg, which includes the
Segeberger Cave, the gypsum hill and the Small Segeberg Lake, is
intensively influenced by human. If measures of protection are necessary,
the Kalkberg Stadium, the show cave and the cave as a hibernating place
for more than 22000 bats and the habitat for the endemic cave beetle
Choleva septentrionis holsatica must be considered. During the last three
years such measures of protection and the modernization of the lighting
with participation of experts were planned in the underground gypsum
show cave, in cave passages not open for the public, and on the
overground rock faces of the hill. Most of these measures are already
realised. Thus it was possible to minimize the effects of primarily planned
geotechnical measures. The focus was on noninvasive techniques to
assure to protect the ecosystem. http://www.icsb2010.net/
Bernard LEBRETON & Jean-Pierre BESSON
Créé le : 01.01.2010
Modifié le : 30.06.2010
ISAIA (M.), 2010. Subterranean arachnids of the Western
Italian Alps (Arachnida: Araneae, Opiliones, Palpigradi,
Pseudoscorpiones):202-203. In: 18 th International
Congress of Arachnology, University of Podlasie &
International Society of Arachnology, Siedlce, Poland, 11-
17 July 2010, Book of Abstracts, editor: Marek ŻABKA,
ISBN: 978-83-7051-575-1, 507 p. ABS: The presentation shows
the results of five years of work dedicated to the Subterranean Arachnids
of the Western Italian Alps. The work, that has just been published by the
Natural Museum of Torino (NW-Italy), is based on unpublished material
collected by Enrico LANA and Marco ISAIA throughout an intense field
work from 2005 to 2010, on literature records and on the complete
revision of the material cited in the previous regional catalogue of the
cave-dwelling spiders of Piemonte. The work is the outcome of a fruitful
collaboration of several European arachnologists, who identified different
arachnid groups. A special mention to Axel L. SCHÖNHOFER
(Germany) and Erhard CHRISTIAN (Austria) for their contributions on
harvestmen and palpigrades, respectively. Scorpions and mites have not
been considered. The exclusion of scorpions is justified by the
trogloxenic life of the few species recorded in the studied area.
Concerning mites, records of an extremely specialized species of
Troglocheles (Prostigmata: Rhagidiidae) will be published separately.
The work covers 366 subterranean cavities, most of them located in
province of Cuneo (166), followed by Torino (69), Biella (38), Vercelli
(30), Aosta (22), Novara (21), Verbania (15), and Alessandria (5). We
present 104 species (74 spiders, 14 harvestmen, 2 palpigrades, and 14
pseudoscorpions). Twelve (4 spiders, 2 palpigrades, and 6
pseudoscorpions) are considered as troglobiont on the basis of obvious
troglomorphy, 28 as troglophilic (20 spiders, 6 harvestmen, and 2
pseudoscorpions). For each species identification aids are provided,
including several illustrations of diagnostic features (original drawings),
in situ photographs, maps of the hypogean localities in the Western
Italian Alps, large-scale distribution and considerations from the
ecological and faunistic points of view. Spiders represent the major order
of arachnids recorded in the study area, with Meta menardi and Metellina
merianae being the most abundant, followed by Nesticus eremita,
Malthonica silvestris, Pimoa rupicola and Troglohyphantes lucifuga. The
latter two are endemic to the southern and northern sectors of the Western
Alps respectively. Most remarkable are the troglobiont species of the
genus Troglohyphantes (T. konradi, T. pedemontanus, T. lanai) that also
show, together with the troglophilic T. bornensis, T. nigraerosae and T.
pluto, the most restricted distributions. Another interesting species is the
troglobiont Nesticus morisii, only known from the type locality in the
Maritime Alps. Meta bourneti, a troglophilic and markedly thermophilous
species of Turanic-European-Mediterranean corotype, is confined, in NW
Italy, to one cave in the province of Cuneo and a few caves in Susa
Valley (province of Torino). Among opilionids, the most interesting taxa
are Holoscotolemon oreophilum, three species of Ischyropsalis, and
Leiobunum religiosum. All of these species show restricted distribution
and a strong relation with subterranean habitats. Palpigrades represent the
flagship of this work and of the entire arachnological fauna of the
Western Italian Alps. The data presented in the book are of outstanding
significance. According to current knowledge, the south-western part of
the Alpine chain houses Eukoenenia bonadonai and E. strinatii. Both
species belong to the spelaea/austriaca complex and show highly
developed troglomorphic features. Records are from three caves in the
province of Cuneo. Despite the lack of details and the difficulty in finding
updated information on the Western Alpine species, the pseudoscorpion
section is mainly based on literature data. Several species such as
Pseudoblothrus peyerimhoffi, P. ellingseni, Chthonius italicus, C.
troglophilus, and Neobisium zoiai deserve special attention for their
pronounced troglomorphy and the restricted distribution. With respect to
overall arachnid species richness, the most important caves are located in
the Alpine districts of Alpi Marittime and Alpi Liguri (province of
Cuneo) which may thus be considered as a hot-spot of biodiversity.
Curiously, the most interesting assemblage is found in an artificial cave,
the abandoned military bunker of Vernante (province of Cuneo), that
houses 9 species of subterranean arachnids. Among these, at least 6 taxa
are extremely specialized and some of them, like Troglohyphantes
konradi and Nesticus morisii (for which the bunker is the locus typicus),
show restricted or punctual distribution. The current state of conservation
policy in the Western Italian Alps is also discussed. Nearly one third
(122) of the recorded caves are situated in Protected Areas, but only in
five cases the cave habitat ("8310, Caves not open to public" according to
92/43 Habitat Directive) is mentioned in the official document. Despite
the presence of extraordinary biocoenoses and the proximity to protected