1. Caves
A cave is defined as an underground passage large enough for a person to crawl into, naturally formed, and in complete darkness.

2. How does a cave form? Rain dissolves Carbon Dioxide into Carbonic acid
Carbonic acid dissolves minerals in rock
Rock is sculpted in weak spots
Water seeps through rocks and makes underground waterways
When the water level drops, the waterway exits the rock through the exiting hole (resurgence)
Collections of water creates deep gaps in caves.
When the water level outside the cave drops, the cave empties and dries out.

4. Stalactites Stalactites
Formed by water that drops from the top of the cave that contains calcite
The calcite is left when the water drops
Constant winds blowing cause stalactites to grow in crooked.
Occasionally, stalactites will grow together with the stalagmites and will create a column.

5. Stalagmites Stalagmites: Form from the bottom of the cave
They grow about 1 cm every 1000 years because it is hard for water to evaporate in the moist cave

6. Types of Stalactites
Types of
Stalactites
Icicle Straw Drape

7. Types of Stalagmites
Dish Stack Fir Cone

8. Others

9. Cave Sections Cave environments fall into three basic categories:
Endogean: parts of cave that come into contact with the surface
Example: cracks, rock seams, groundwater seepage, and root protrusion
Parahypogean: regions near cave mouths that extend to the last penetration of sunlight.
Hypogean: deep in the cave, only come into contact with the surface through wind, underground rivers, or the migration of animals.
Considered to be “true” cave environments
The deeper the cave becomes, the less biodiversity is found.

10. Types of Caves
Erosional- formed by the action of water or wind, carrying abrasive particles capable of carving rock

11. Types of Caves
Lava Tube- lava travels beneath the surface and is expelled by a volcano during an eruption

12. Types of Caves
Sea Caves- form from wave actions along the coast where areas are weak in sea cliffs

13. Types of Caves
Solution Caves- form where rock is dissolved away

14. Cave Organisms Cave organisms fall into three basic classes:
Troglobites: “cave dwellers” animals that are specialized for cave life.
Can leave for short periods of time
Can complete parts of their life cycles above ground
Can’t live entire lives outside of the cave
Examples: some bacteria, some flatworms, and blindfish

15. Cave Organisms
2. Troglophiles: “cave lovers” can live part or all of their lives in caves
Can complete a life cycle in certain environments on the surface
Examples: cave crickets, millipedes, pseudoscorpions, and spiders

16. Cave Organisms 3. Trogloxenes: “cave guests” Frequents caves
May require caves for a portion of it’s life cycle
Must return to the surface
Examples: Hibernating reptiles and mammals

17. Cave Organisms Troglophobes: “cave haters”
Can’t survive in caves for any time period
Example: organisms that fall through sinkholes or frogs swept into caves by flash floods

18. Adaptations of Things that Live in Caves
Loss of pigment
Loss of eyes
Blue eyes (can absorb light better)
Elongation of appendages
Enhancement of other senses (can sense vibrations in water)
Echolocation

19. Bats
Nocturnal
They sleep in the back of caves to keep from being eaten
Are found everywhere except Antarctica and the Artic
Hibernate in caves
When weather is warm, the bats leave the caves at night to find food
They are the only mammals that can fly
Wings are a membrane of skin that stretches from their body to their fingertips.

20. Horse-shoe Bats
Have horseshoe shaped structure around their nostrils to help direct sound for echo location
They wrap their wings around themselves to keep warm during hibernation
When they are asleep, they tuck their wings to their sides

21. Bat Communication and Pregnancy
Pregnant bats move to a warmer area in the cave to give birth
When the baby is young, it goes with the mother to get food
When it is older, it is left behind and calls to the mother so she can find her way back

22. Where do cave dwellers get food?
Some get food from outside the cave
Some eat things inside
Guano (Bat Poo) falls to the ground where millipedes, beetles, and fungi get their nourishment
Dead animals
Organic debris washes in from streams
Cave crayfish
Cave shrimp
Flatworms

23. Cave Studies Speleology- the scientific study of caves.
Spelunking- recreational exploring of caves.
Cave cartography- creating cave maps
Cave geology- study of cave rock.
Cave Hydrology- study of water features in caves.

24. Endangered Species
Tooth cave spider

25. Endangered Species
Trapdoor spider

26. Endangered Species
Gray Bat