International Journal of Speleology

• The biological relevance of caves changes dramatically according to their ecological attributes
• If used alone, certain indices may be inappropriate for subterranean ecological patterns
• Caves can be devalued for not taking into account their ecological attributes
• We recommend the conservation of an extremely relevant cave in the study region

• ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷CS dating techniques have been used to establish chronologies guano deposits
• Guano deposits may experience rapid decomposition resulting in low pH fluids in the guano
• ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷CS are shown to be highly mobile under moist, low Ph conditions
• ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs chronologies should be supported by an independent, concordant ¹⁴C date series

• Geochemistry explained stratigraphy in the Palaeolithic San Teodoro Cave site
• Study of phosphate nodules allows revision of palaeoenvironmental reconstructions
• Variscite and amorphous phosphate formed in nodules as result of acidification by bat guano and bone dissolution
• Taphonomical processes involving bone dissolution made sterile part of the deposit
• Enrichment in barium and rubidium resulted from interaction of bio and geological processes

• Inside barometric caves, air pressure signals are delayed, smoothed and damped
• These changes are caused by altitude differences and long response times of the caves
• In Wind Cave, the related processes take place primarily in the entrance area
• In Jewel Cave, the related processes take place primarily in the deep parts of the cave
• Thus induced compensating currents control the caves' microclimate

• Winds can enhance or diminish typical seasonal density-driven cave ventilation
• The wind-driven effect is generated by variations in the wind pressure field
• The effect depends on the cave configuration and its surface connections
• This study provides a better understanding of cave climate and karst processes

* Vermiculations are a major concern for painted caves

* We propose new tracks to elucidate the physical mechanisms producing these patterns

* Cohesion of natural cave sediment highly depends on water chemistry

* The sediment layer at cave wall can loose its cohesion and move to produce patterns

* A GIS has been developed to follow the evolution of vermiculations in Lascaux cave

• Molecular genetic analysis of stygobiotic shrimps revealed the connectivity among distant caves
• A new stygobiotic shrimp species is described
• The recent diversity of the genus Xiphocaridinella from Caucasus is increasing up to 13 species
• Karst hydrosystems can be identified with biospeleological methods (i.e. barcoding)

• Relationship between color and growth rate is described by an exponential function
• Color growth rate model is useful in guiding optimal locations for U-Th dating
• Color growth rate model may enable a better age model to be built with fewer dates
• Stalagmite color does not show consistent relationships with climate indicators