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CAVE DIVING AS A TECHNIQUE FOR INVENTORYING FLORIDA CAVE FAUNAS
Judith A. Bauer
National Association for Cave Diving
P. O. Box 14492
Gainesville, Florida, 32604 U.S.A.
Florida's aquifers are extremely rich in cavernicolous animals. This fauna includes
Ramasellus), 3]
1 hydrobid snail (NEW GENUS),]
GENUS). 3 asellid isopods Caecidotea. Ramasellus).
Crangonyx). 1 palaemonid shrimp Palaemonetes, 14
crangonycid amphipods Crangonyx},
Procambarus. Troglocambarus),
Troglocambarus). and 1 plethodontid
cambarid crayfishes (Cambarus, Procambarus,
salamander (Haideotriton). All but two of these cave species are endemic to
Florida. All have limited distributions, some of which are known only from single
morphological. as well as behavioral and
cave systems. All of these species show morphological,
physiological modifications of this unique environment. All are dependent on
organic detritus coming into the caves from the surface as a source of food.
long-lived. reproduce slowly, and maintain low population
Cave animals are long-lived,
levels, usually near a source of incoming food. As a result, populations of cave
animals are extremely susceptible to habitat alteration, ground water pollution,
and other human disturbances. Recently, all of Florida's obligate cavernicoles
have been proposed by the Florida Committee of Rare and Endangered Plants and
Animals (FCREPA) for protection. Cave divers not only playa major role in the
animals. but also in the conservation and monitoring of
discovery of new cave animals,
We. as cave divers.
the quality of their habitat. We,
divers, need to preserve the present
ecological balance within cave systems of the Floridan Aquifer in order to insure
the continued existence of these cave species.
INTRODUCTION
The Florida Nature Conservancy established the Florida Natural Areas Inventory
(FNAI) to identify exemplary or rare components of Florida's natural environment.
Examples of these components could include unique species, biological communities, or
bird rookeries. Each is listed in a state-wide data base, as "element occurrences of
natural diversity." These elements are used by state agencies, and private individuals or
groups, to identify environmentally sensitive lands. In many cases, this information has
lead to the purchase of unique or critically endangered biological communities of
Conseryation
excellent quality in Florida by The Nature Conservancy or by the state's Conservation
and Recreational Lands List (CARL) program.
In November, 1982, Richard Franz and I were contracted to provide FNAI with an
inventory of biologically significant caves, springs, and sinkholes in the state. At the
time of the contract signing, we were given a list of 36 sites to locate and to identify
their associated faunas. These sites included: Alachua County - Goat Sink, Hog Sink,
Squirrel Chimney, Protheroe Sink, Still Sink, Dudley's Cave, Chimney Sink, Devil's Hole,
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High Springs Cave, Pallidus
Pallidus Sink, Huggin's Cave, Seven Chimneys, Martin's Cave, Bat
Cave, and Cueva Fria. Citrus County - Sweet Gum Cave. Columbia County - River Bed
Cave. Gilchrist County-Robert's Cave. Hernando County - Cave 14 miles N of Weeki
Wachee Springs. Jackson County - Gerard's Cave, Pottery Cave, Soda Straw Cave, Washout Cave. Marion County - Orange Lake Cave, Indian Cave, Last Resort Cave, Eichelburger's Cave, Roosevelt Cave, Waldo Cave, and Sunday Sink. Seminole Countyunderground rivulet near Lake Brantley. Suwannee County - Hildreth Cave, Quarry Sink,
Sim's Sink, Bufo Pit, and an unnamed sink in the Peacock System. Five years later, we
gave the FNAI not only the data for the original 36 sites but also provided information
on an additional 110 subterranean sites.
We attempted to provide as much information as possible for each site-specific
species occurrence (e.g. ownership, cave description, etc.) and a list of species found
there. Data on troglobites included numbers of individuals, history of observations,
microhabitat, etc. These data were obtained from site visits, scientific literature, museum
specimens, knowledgeable persons and other pertinent sources. All information was
entered by site on a Site Survey Summary Sheet, with a copy of that portion of the 7.5
minute topographic
topographjc map which showed the cave location plotted as precisely as possible.
Separate element data forms for each spec::ies
species that occurred at a site were also prepared,
copies of all pertinent literature, and Repository Log Sheets for each museum specimen
examined were also submitted.
The compilation of Florida cave data revealed that there were at least 7 distinct
karst regions with respect to cave faunas in Florida. Each fauna had a distinctive
combination of cave species associated with them. Data on these faunal regions are
summarized below. A more detailed analysis of these cave faunas will appear elsewhere
a!., unpubl. ms.).
(Franz et al.,
FAUNAL REGIONS
1.
MARIANNA LOWLANDS KARST. Located in Jackson County. This faunal region
extends northward into the Dougherty Plain of southwestern Georgia. This area of
Eocene and Oligocene limestones is separated by areas of younger clastic sediments
and the Appalachicola River and its floodplain.
Crayfish - Cambarus cryptodytes
Isopod - Caecidotea hobbsi
Salamander - Haideotriton wallacei
2.
ECONFINA CREEK KARST. In southern Washington County, north of Panama City,
in the Econfina Creek drainage. Small springs emerge from sandy Miocene limestone.
Snail - New genus, new species
Isopod - Caecidotea new species
3.
WOODVILLE KARST. Located south of Tallahassee in Jefferson, Leon, and Wakulla
counties. Extensive cave systems in Eocene and Oligocene limestones.
Crayfishes - Procambarus horsti. Procambarus orcinus
Amphipods - Crangonyx hobbsi. Crangonyx new species
Isopod - Ramasellus parvus
ISQPod
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NORTHERN PENINSULA KARST. This is the largest of the Florida karst regions, and
includes the Suwannee River drainage, south through western Alachua and Marion
counties, to Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, and northern Pinellas counties. This karst area
was large enough to subdivide into seven areas.
(a) Upper Suwannee River Area.
Crayfishes - Procambarus erythrops. Procambarus pallidus.
pallidus, Troglocambarus maclanei
Amphipods - Crangonyx hobbsi. Crallgonyx
Crangonyx grandimanus
Isopod - Ramasellus parvus
(b) Lower Suwannee River Area.
Crayfishes - Procambarus lucifugus alachua. Troglocambarus maclanei
maclallei
Amphipods - Crallgonyx
Crangonyx hobbsi. Crangonyx grandimanus
(c) Santa Fe River Area.
pallidus, Troglocambarus
Crayfishes - Procambarus lucifugus alachua.
alachua, Procambarus pallidus.
mac/anei
maclanei
Amphipods - Crangonyx hobbsi. Crangonyx grandimanus
Isopods - Caecidotea hobbsi,
hobbsi. Ramasellus parvus
Shrimp - Palaemonetes cummingi
(d) Orange Lake Area.
mac/anei
Crayfishes - Procambarus franzi. Troglocambarus maclanei
Amphipod - Crangonyx hobbsi
(e) Ocala Area
alachua. Troglocambarus maclanei
Crayfishes - Procambarus lucifugus alachua,
hobbsi. Crangonyx grandimanus
Amphipods - Crangonyx hobbsi,
(f) Withlacoochee River Area.
Crayfishes - Procambarus lucifugus lucifugus. Troglocambarus maclanei
Amphipod - Crangonyx hobbsi
(g) Gulf Coast Area.
leitheuseri. Troglocambarus maclanei
Crayfishes - Procambarus leitheuseri,
Amphipods - Crangonyx hobbsi,
hobbsi. Crangonyx grandimanus
5.
S.
MIDDLE ST. JOHNS RIVER KARST. Located in the central portion of the St.
S1. Johns
River valley in Lake and Marion Counties.
Crayfish - Procambarus delicatus
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6.
ORLANDO KARST. Located in the upper St. Johns River valley in the vicinity of
Orlando and Apopka in Orange and Seminole counties.
Crayfishes - Procambarus acherontis, Troglocambarus new species
7.
MIAMI KARST. Located in the Miami oolite in the Miami metropolitan area of Dade
County.
milleri
Crayfish - Procambarus mille';
Amphipods - Crangonyx hobbsi, Crangonyx grandimanus
DISCUSSION
Prior to the initiation of the FNAI by The Florida Nature Conservancy, there was
little documentation for Florida's obligate cavernicoles. With the increase in numbers of
scientific-oriented cave divers, there has been a tremendous surge in new information
available to the scientist and conservation groups. Cave divers have supplied us with
information on specific sites, including the numbers, as well as the depths and penetrations, of troglobites seen. They also have placed baited traps deep within cave systems to
attract more elusive specimens. These types of activities have resulted in many new
discoveries, including the collection of several cave crustaceans that were new to
science. Because of the types of sites that cave divers explore, these new animals would
probably have never been found using more conventional techniques.
By their involvement in the inventory, cave divers can not only protect the cave
itself, but also preserve pieces of Florida history. Caves and their associated faunas are
the products of a long evolutionary history. Franz and Lee (1982) suggests that many of
the present sinks are ancient. Webb (1974) documents that some sinks have existed at
their present location and remained open for at least 2 million years. Other sinkholes
having terrestrial Miocene and even late Oligocene vertebrate fossils associated with
them suggest that sinkholes have characterized Florida for millions of years.
Hobbs (1942) and others postulated that there were at least three separate invasions
in the past of surface invertebrates into subterranean retreats which resulted in Florida's
modern troglobitic faunas. These intrusions into the Floridan and other aquifers in the
state may.have
may .have occurred as early as the late Miocene for some species, and as late as
the Pleistocene for others. Mohr and Poulson (1966) speculated that some of northcentral Florida's cave crayfishes evolved primarily through avoidance of competition with
larger, more recent invaders which dominated areas of food abundance. In any event, the
distribution of Florida's cave crayfishes and other cavernicolous animals is clearly related
to the availability of food. This food consists of either plant or animal debris washed in
through sinks from surface environments or from guano under bat roosts. Disruption in
the passage of food from the surface can result in the decline of cave species and
deterioration of these specialized biological communities.
Scientific involvement by cave divers has helped to bring the sport out of the past's
"death defying" image to become a valuable tool for scientific research. More of the cave
diving population has come to view this new use of man-power resource as a chance to
become aware of the valuable and fragile habitat that exists for these species. Cave
divers have become aware that they can play an important role in science while fulfilling
their social needs for recreation.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Safety is of the utmost importance in cave diving. Fellow cave and cavern divers
helped me fulfill my obligations to FNAI while maintaining the safety standards of cave
diving. I want to thank Paul Smith, Larry Collins, Buford Pruitt, Orlando Lanni, Paul
Heinerth, Terry Leitheuser, Steve Gerrard, William Fehring and numerous other friends
for their assistance. I particularly wish to thank Mr. Robert Barnes of Ocoee whose cave
diving expertise enabled me to have exploratory courage and who provided me with much
assistance, particularly in the beginning stages of this study.
Data on site locations were collected with the help of Allen Mosler and the Florida
Speleological Society. The Society's cave files were a great resource which provided key
data for many sites. I want to also thank the rangers of the Florida Parks and Recreation Department who provided help in locating other important sites.
Finally, I want to express my gratitude to Richard Franz of the Florida State
Museum for his cooperation throughout the project. I knew very little about Florida's
obligate cavernicoles upon accepting this monumental task. Through his assistance I have
not only gained considerable knowledge on the subject but also have come to appreciate
the delicate nature of the environment and its inhabitants.
LITERATURE CITED
Florida Nature Areas Inventory (FNAI). 1983. Element occurrences record code identification profile. The Nature Conservancy.
Franz, R., and D.S. Lee. 1982. Distribution and evolution of Florida's troglobotic crayfishes. Bull. FI.
Ft. St. Museum, BioI.
Biot. Sci. 28(3):53-78.
Franz, R., J.A. Bauer, A.T. Leitheuser. 1986. Review of the cavernicolous animals of
Florida. Unpubl.
Unpubt. ms.
Hobbs, RH., Jr. 1942. The Crayfishes of Florida. Univ. Fl.
Ft. Press, BioI.
Biot. Sci. Ser. 3(2),
179 pp.
Mohr, C.E. and T.L. Poulson. 1966. The Life of the Cave. McGraw-Hill Book Co., New
York. 232 pp.
Webb, S.D. 1974. Chronology of Florida's Pleistocene Mammals. Florida Univ. Press,
Gainesville, 270 pp.