1. CHAPTER 7 MARCH 26 TH, 2015 Terrestrial Caves Solution Holes and Sinkholes

2. Terrestrial Caves and Sinkholes Limestone still dominates Occur all over Florida 1) Terrestrial Caves 2) Sink Communities

3. Terrestrial Caves Air filled spaces Form below the water table as water-filled spaces.  As groundwater levels drop (usually because sea level drops), they fill with air. If cave’s roof strong enough, can hold up overlying earth for centuries, a dry cave. If caves in, forms a sink.  Sink, or sinkhole = a circular depression on the land surface caused by dissolution of underlying limestone  More on SINKS later…

4. Terrestrial Caves 100’s of caves and tunnels in FL’s limestone Predominantly in Woodville, Marianna, and Ocala Karst Plains: Many just West of TLH Vary in size, tiny pockets, to room, to concert halls 100 years of dissolution = 1 in 3 of cavern formation

5. Caves Outside/Entrance  Entrance covered in plants usually  Many animals found around and deep in caves. Inside  Humid atmosphere  Constant 65-70 deg. F  Little to No Light

6. Life in a Cave No light-No photosynthesis, no plants except entrance FOOD WEB: Most nutrients brought in from outside the caves  Surface water runoff, plant litter washed in  Forage outside of cave, bring inside  Bats, woodrats can come and go Inside  Predators prey on other cave inhabitants  Droppings, bat guano!  Carcasses  Decomposers: Fungi and Bacteria

7. Inside: Darkness Stable environment, constant temp. Trade off of stability is darkness Adaptations:  Loss of eyesight  Loss of pigmentation  Enhanced Chemo sensors:  Enhanced smell and taste Adaptive because:  Energy not consumed to develop unnecessary pigment or sight

8. Genetic Isolation: Unique Species Evolve Millipedes Spiders Mites Crayfish BATS! Arthropods Salamanders

9. Specialized animals Rely on other senses  Long limbs for probing in dark  Chemical sensors-finely tuned  Motion detecting organs  Colorless & blind  Genes lots—invest resources for reproduction

10. Florida Bats: Misunderstood 12 species still exist in FL 3 cave roosters  Gray Bat  Southeastern Bat  Eastern Pipistrelle Not blind, rely on Hearing/Echolocation Do not attack humans Rarely carry rabies Mammals 2 offspring a year Weigh > 1 ounce Pollinators, seed dispersers Also insect eaters  500 insects per hour!  Equal to their body weight each night  Effective as insectiside except non-toxic!

11. Florida Bats

12. Sinkhole A circular depression on the land surface caused by the dissolution of underlying limestone 4 types:  Wet sink  Dry Sink  Solution Hole  Funnel Sink Water table = the level at which groundwater rests

13. Types of Sinkholes 1. Wet Sink Deep conical hole in ground that intersects the water table Water at bottom = Aquifer water “Window into Aquifer” Collapsed limestone fell into the groundwater

14. Types of Sinkholes 2. Dry Sink A shallower conical hole in ground that is dry all the way to bottom Collapsed limestone remained ABOVE groundwater

15. Types of Sinkholes 3. Solution Hole A water holding hole in the surface limestone that does not intersect with water table Can usually tell difference between Wet sink and solution hole by color of water  Blue = Wet sink, Aquifer water  Green = Solution hole, rainwater Water at bottom = rainwater Bottom may have been open at one point, now “plugged”

16. Types of Sinkholes 4. Funnel Sink A sinkhole with water swirling down to a lowered water table. When water table rises, the funnel sink becomes a spring, propelling water upward with force. Ex: Leon Sinks field trip “Disappearing stream”