Download or read book Microbial Life of Cave Systems written by Annette Summers Engel and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2015-10-16 with total page 407 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The earth's subsurface contains abundant and active microbial biomass, living in water, occupying pore space, and colonizing mineral and rock surfaces. Caves are one type of subsurface habitat, being natural, solutionally- or collapse-enlarged openings in rock. Within the past 30 years, there has been an increase in the number of microbiology studies from cave environments to understand cave ecology, cave geology, and even the origins of life. By emphasizing the microbial life of caves, and the ecological processes and geological consequences attributed to microbes, this book provides the first authoritative and comprehensive account of the microbial life of caves for students, professionals, and general readers.

Download or read book Microbial Roles in Caves written by Valme Jurado and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2024-07-17 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Caves are dark, underground hollow spaces with relatively constant temperature, high humidity, and limited nutrients. Many caves are associated with karst topography, which is formed by the dissolution of soluble bedrock, such as limestone, dolomite and gypsum, in areas where groundwaters are undersaturated with respect to the minerals in the host rock. Karst landforms spread widely, accounting for approximately 20% of the earth’s dry ice-free surface (Ford and Williams, 2007). As a typical feature of subsurface landscape, karst caves develop globally, with over 50,000 distributed in the United States (Barton and Jurado, 2007). China also has a large contiguous karst terrain, and the Yunnan–Guizhou plateau in the southwest developed most karst caves, among which the longest cave exceeds 138 km (Zhang and Zhu, 2012). Many caves are relatively shallow and form near the water table in karst terranes, although some caves develop by deep-seated hypogenic process at substantial depths and by process other than dissolution such as lava flows. Caves are oligotrophic ecosystems with less than 2 mg of total organic carbon per liter, yet host flourishing microbial groups (Figure 1A), with an average number of 106 microbial cells per gram of cave rock (Barton and Jurado, 2007). The study revealed a high diversity within Bacteria domain and Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were abundant in oligotrophic cave samples of air, rock, sediment and water. Chloroflexi, Planctomycetes, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Acidobacteria, Nitrospirae, Gemmatimonadetes, and Verrucomicrobia also accounted for large proportions of the total microbial community in caves (Wu et al., 2015; Zhu et al., 2019). In some organic cave samples such as biofilms in sulfur cave, bat guanos, spiders’ webs and earthworm castings, Mycobacterium was prevalently detected (Modra et al., 2017; Sarbu et al., 2018; Hubelova et al., 2021; Pavlik et al., 2021). Over 500 genera of fungi, such as Penicillium, Aspergillus and Mortierella have been reported in caves (Vanderwolf et al., 2013), and new fungal species were identified from cave air, rock, sediment and water samples (Zhang et al., 2017, 2021). These microbial communities contain novel diversity, and promote important biogeochemical processes. With no sunlight, microorganisms in cave environment cannot perform photosynthesis, and are intensively involved in the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and metals such as Fe and Mn to offset the lack of exogenous nutrients and energy.

Download or read book Treatise on Geomorphology written by and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2013-02-27 with total page 6392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The changing focus and approach of geomorphic research suggests that the time is opportune for a summary of the state of discipline. The number of peer-reviewed papers published in geomorphic journals has grown steadily for more than two decades and, more importantly, the diversity of authors with respect to geographic location and disciplinary background (geography, geology, ecology, civil engineering, computer science, geographic information science, and others) has expanded dramatically. As more good minds are drawn to geomorphology, and the breadth of the peer-reviewed literature grows, an effective summary of contemporary geomorphic knowledge becomes increasingly difficult. The fourteen volumes of this Treatise on Geomorphology will provide an important reference for users from undergraduate students looking for term paper topics, to graduate students starting a literature review for their thesis work, and professionals seeking a concise summary of a particular topic. Information on the historical development of diverse topics within geomorphology provides context for ongoing research; discussion of research strategies, equipment, and field methods, laboratory experiments, and numerical simulations reflect the multiple approaches to understanding Earth’s surfaces; and summaries of outstanding research questions highlight future challenges and suggest productive new avenues for research. Our future ability to adapt to geomorphic changes in the critical zone very much hinges upon how well landform scientists comprehend the dynamics of Earth’s diverse surfaces. This Treatise on Geomorphology provides a useful synthesis of the state of the discipline, as well as highlighting productive research directions, that Educators and students/researchers will find useful. Geomorphology has advanced greatly in the last 10 years to become a very interdisciplinary field. Undergraduate students looking for term paper topics, to graduate students starting a literature review for their thesis work, and professionals seeking a concise summary of a particular topic will find the answers they need in this broad reference work which has been designed and written to accommodate their diverse backgrounds and levels of understanding Editor-in-Chief, Prof. J. F. Shroder of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, is past president of the QG&G section of the Geological Society of America and present Trustee of the GSA Foundation, while being well respected in the geomorphology research community and having won numerous awards in the field. A host of noted international geomorphologists have contributed state-of-the-art chapters to the work. Readers can be guaranteed that every chapter in this extensive work has been critically reviewed for consistency and accuracy by the World expert Volume Editors and by the Editor-in-Chief himself No other reference work exists in the area of Geomorphology that offers the breadth and depth of information contained in this 14-volume masterpiece. From the foundations and history of geomorphology through to geomorphological innovations and computer modelling, and the past and future states of landform science, no "stone" has been left unturned!

Download or read book Hypogene Karst Regions and Caves of the World written by Alexander Klimchouk and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-08-17 with total page 903 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book illustrates the diversity of hypogene speleogenetic processes and void-conduit patterns depending on variations of the geological environments by presenting regional and cave-specific case studies. The cases include both well-known and newly recognized hypogene karst regions and caves of the world. They all focus on geological, hydrogeological, geodynamical and evolutionary contexts of hypogene speleogenesis. The last decade has witnessed the boost in recognition of the possibility, global occurrence, and practical importance of hypogene karstification (speleogenesis), i.e. the development of solutional porosity and permeability by upwelling flow, independent of recharge from the overlying or immediately adjacent surface. Hypogene karst has been identified and documented in many regions where it was previously overlooked or misinterpreted. The book enriches the basis for generalization and categorization of hypogene karst and thus improves our ability to adequately model hypogene karstification and predict related porosity and permeability. It is a book which benefits every researcher, student, and practitioner dealing with karst.

Download or read book Cave Ecology written by Oana Teodora Moldovan and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-01-05 with total page 536 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cave organisms are the ‘monsters’ of the underground world and studying them invariably raises interesting questions about the ways evolution has equipped them to survive in permanent darkness and low-energy environments. Undertaking ecological studies in caves and other subterranean habitats is not only challenging because they are difficult to access, but also because the domain is so different from what we know from the surface, with no plants at the base of food chains and with a nearly constant microclimate year-round. The research presented here answers key questions such as how a constant environment can produce the enormous biodiversity seen below ground, what adaptations and peculiarities allow subterranean organisms to thrive, and how they are affected by the constraints of their environment. This book is divided into six main parts, which address: the habitats of cave animals; their complex diversity; the environmental factors that support that diversity; individual case studies of cave ecosystems; and of the conservation challenges they face; all of which culminate in proposals for future research directions. Given its breadth of coverage, it offers an essential reference guide for graduate students and established researchers alike.

Download or read book The Biology of Caves and Other Subterranean Habitats written by David C. Culver and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2019-04-01 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The second edition of this widely cited textbook continues to provide a concise but comprehensive introduction to cave and subterranean biology, describing this fascinating habitat and its biodiversity. It covers a range of biological processes including ecosystem function, evolution and adaptation, community ecology, biogeography, and conservation. The authors draw on a global range of examples and case studies from both caves and non-cave subterranean habitats. One of the barriers to the study of subterranean biology has been the extraordinarily large number of specialized terms used by researchers; the authors explain these terms clearly and minimize the number that they use. This new edition retains the same 10 chapter structure of the original, but the content has been thoroughly revised and updated throughout to reflect the huge increase in publications concerning subterranean biology over the last decade.

Download or read book Geomicrobiology Molecular and Environmental Perspective written by Alexander Loy and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-07-23 with total page 445 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The interaction of microorganisms with geological activities results in processes influencing development of the Earth’s geo- and biospheres. In assessing these microbial functions, scientists have explored short- and longterm geological changes attributed to microorganisms and developed new approaches to evaluate the physiology of microbes including microbial interaction with the geological environment. As the field of geomicrobiology developed, it has become highly interdisciplinary and this book provides a review of the recent developments in a cross section of topics including origin of life, microbial-mineral interactions and microbial processes functioning in marine as well as terrestrial environments. A major component of this book addresses molecular techniques to evaluate microbial evolution and assess relationships of microbes in complex, natural c- munities. Recent developments in so-called ‘omics’ technologies, including (meta) genomics and (meta)proteomics, and isotope labeling methods allow new insights into the function of microbial community members and their possible geological impact. While this book summarizes current knowledge in various areas, it also reveals unresolved questions that require future investigations. Information in these chapters enhances our fundamental knowledge of geomicrobiology that contributes to the exploitation of microbial functions in mineral and environmental biotechn- ogy applications. It is our hope that this book will stimulate interest in the general field of geomicrobiology and encourage others to explore microbial processes as applied to the Earth.

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Caves and Karst Science written by John Gunn and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2004-08-02 with total page 1971 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Encyclopedia of Caves and Karst Science contains 350 alphabetically arranged entries. The topics include cave and karst geoscience, cave archaeology and human use of caves, art in caves, hydrology and groundwater, cave and karst history, and conservation and management. The Encyclopedia is extensively illustrated with photographs, maps, diagrams, and tables, and has thematic content lists and a comprehensive index to facilitate searching and browsing.

Download or read book Cave Biology written by Aldemaro Romero Díaz and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2009-07-23 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A critical examination of current knowledge and ideas on cave biology, with emphasis on evolution, ecology, and conservation.

Download or read book Cave Microbiomes A Novel Resource for Drug Discovery written by Naowarat Cheeptham and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-10-06 with total page 143 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book details recent findings in the field of cave microbiology and builds on fast-paced efforts to exploit an unconventional and underexplored environment for new microorganisms which may provide an untapped source of drugs: microorganisms from caves.

Download or read book Speleogenesis written by Aleksandr Borisovich Klimchuk and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 527 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Tufas and Speleothems written by H. M. Pedley and published by Geological Society of London. This book was released on 2010 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our understanding of calcium carbonate precipitation within freshwa-ter carbonate systems is being revolutionized by new quantitative ap-proaches at both field and laboratory scale. These systems cover a di-verse range of topical research areas including tufas, speleothems, stro-matolites and microbial processes. Progress by various international research groups has been impressive, with major contributions to such areas as climate change, absolute dating, carbon sequestration, and biofilm construction and precipitation. A diverse sample of interrelated research is presented that provides a tantalizing glimpse of the inter-play between microbial, geochemical and physical processes that con-trol the development of tufas and speleothems. This volume will provide a cross-disciplinary platform that will stimu-late further exchanges about new concepts, methodologies and interpre-tations associated with freshwater carbonates. In particular, it will help reinforce the importance of cross-discipline research: the driving force behind the new field of Geobiology

Download or read book Karst Management written by Philip E. van Beynen and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2011-06-21 with total page 490 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Focusing specifically on the management of karst environments, this volume draws together the world’s leading karst experts to provide a vital source for the study and management of this unique physical setting. Although karst landscapes cover 12% of the Earth’s terrain and provide 25% of the world’s drinking water, the resource management of karst environments has only previously received indirect attention. Through a comprehensive approach, Karst Management focuses on engineering issues associated with surface karst such as quarries, dams, and agriculture, subsurface topics such as the management of groundwater, show caves, cave biota, and geo-archaeology projects. Chapters that focus on karst as an integrated system look at IUCN World Heritage sites, national parks, policy and regulation, measuring systematic disturbance, information management, and public environmental education. The text incorporates the most up-to-date research from leading karst scientists. This volume provides important perspectives for university students, educators, geoengineers, resource managers, and planners who are interested in or work with this unique physical landscape.

Download or read book Caves and Karst of the Upper Midwest USA written by Greg A. Brick and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-12-01 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book discusses the karst and pseudokarst of the Upper Midwest, USA, consisting of the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois—the first regional synthesis in 40 years. Starting with an overview of the regional geology of what is largely glaciated fluviokarst and paleokarst developed on Paleozoic carbonates, but including other lithologies such as the St. Peter Sandstone and the Ft. Dodge Gypsum, the caves, springs, sinkholes, and karst hydrogeology of each state are described. Special attention is devoted to the region’s longest caves: Coldwater Cave, Mystery Cave, and the Minnesota Cave Preserve caves. Application of tools such as data loggers and LiDAR, with new conceptual models such as hypogenic speleogenesis, has been transformative here. Special topics include lead and zinc mining in the Driftless Area, vertebrate and invertebrate cave fauna near the Laurentide ice limit, the impact and policies of nutrient and herbicide intensive modern agriculture on karst, and paleoclimate studies. The discovery, exploration, institutional history of caving organizations, and show caves of the Upper Midwest, from the year 1700 onwards, are brought up to date. The top 10 historical paradigms of cave and karst science in the Midwest are reviewed. Perspectives on paleontology, archeology, and Native American rock art are included.

Download or read book Diversity and Benefits of Microorganisms from the Tropics written by João Lucio de Azevedo and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-06-10 with total page 441 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book addresses the diversity of tropical microorganisms and its applications in agriculture, renewable energy production and environmental protection. It covers several tropical habitats such as rain forests, mangroves, sea and river waters and describes how microorganisms isolated from these regions can be used to control insects and plant diseases, to improve sugar cane and biofuels production among other applications. The book also aims to bring researchers’ attention to the potential of tropical microorganisms for biotechnological purposes, an area that is still far from being well explored.

Download or read book Life at Extremes written by Elanor Bell and published by CABI. This book was released on 2012 with total page 576 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From arid deserts to icy poles, outer space to the depths of the sea, this exciting new work studies the remarkable life forms that have made these inhospitable environments their home. Covering not only micro-organisms, but also higher plants and animals such as worms, fish and polar plants, this book details the ecological, biological and biogeochemical challenges these organisms face and unifying themes between environments. Equally useful for the expert, student and casual scientific reader, this book also explores the impact of climate change, rapid seasonal changes and pollution on these extraordinary creatures.

Download or read book Reading Prehistoric Human Tracks written by Andreas Pastoors and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021 with total page 437 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Open Access book explains that after long periods of prehistoric research in which the importance of the archaeological as well as the natural context of rock art has been constantly underestimated, research has now begun to take this context into focus for documentation, analysis, interpretation and understanding. Human footprints are prominent among the long-time under-researched features of the context in caves with rock art. In order to compensate for this neglect an innovative research program has been established several years ago that focuses on the merging of indigenous knowledge and western archaeological science for the benefit of both sides. The book gathers first the methodological diversity in the analysis of human tracks. Here major representatives of anthropological, statistical and traditional approaches feature the multi-layered methods available for the analysis of human tracks. Second it compiles case studies from around the globe of prehistoric human tracks. For the first time, the most important sites which have been found worldwide are published in a single publication. The third focus of this book is on firsthand experiences of researchers with indigenous tracking experts from around the globe, expounding on how archaeological sciencecan benefit from the ancestral knowledge. This book will be of interest to professional archaeologists, graduate students, ecologists, cultural anthropologists and laypeople, especially those focussing on hunting-gathering and pastoralist communities and who appreciate indigenous knowledge.--