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Highlights

  • Cave microclimates are spatially and temporally heterogeneous, not thermally uniform
  • Cave climate, microclimate, and meteorology are formally defined and linked
  • Monitoring strategies must distinguish temporal resolution from spatial design
  • Vertical microclimate structure requires three-dimensional monitoring designs
  • Hybrid monitoring integrates spot surveys with long-term continuous records

Abstract

Cave atmospheres are spatially confined but dynamical systems that influence subterranean ecosystems, geomorphological processes, registration and preservation of climatic signals in sedimentary archives, cultural heritage, and conservation management. Despite major advances in cave climatology, methodological approaches to microclimate monitoring remain fragmented and are in some cases still shaped by the long-standing assumption that cave air temperature simply reflects the mean annual surface temperature. This paper revisits that assumption and develops an experience- and literature-based methodological framework for cave microclimate research. Key terminology is addressed by distinguishing between cave climate, cave microclimate, and cave meteorology, and by situating microclimatic variability within established climatic and ecological zonation of caves. On this conceptual basis, a typology of cave microclimate measurements is introduced that explicitly separates temporal approaches from spatial designs. Instantaneous measurements are further differentiated according to their planning strategy, enabling systematic comparison between reconnaissance surveys, repeated campaigns, and targeted monitoring efforts. Methodological challenges related to high humidity, condensation, sensor drift, power autonomy, and conservation constraints are assessed, and the role of open-source, custom-built data loggers is discussed. By formalizing how cave microclimates are observed and interpreted, this work contributes to broader efforts in cave climate science, conservation, and environmental monitoring. The proposed approach supports more robust analysis of cave–surface coupling, ecological conditions, palaeoclimate proxy formation, and management practices, and highlights the importance of long-term, spatially resolved observations in the context of ongoing climate change, contributing to our understanding of how thermally buffered environments respond to external climatic forcing.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.ijs2595

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.

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Arduino CO2 data logger housing (for 3D printing)
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