A Protocol on Sampling Designs and Methodologies for Selective and Adaptive Monitoring in Caves of Air Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Cross-Sectional Air Velocity throughout the Cumberland Piedmont Network
Woodman RL, Jernigan JW, Carson BC, Moore BJ. 2012. A Protocol on Sampling Designs and Methodologies for Selective and Adaptive Monitoring in Caves of Air Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Cross-Sectional Air Velocity throughout the Cumberland Piedmont Network. Natural Resource Report. NPS/CUPN/NRR—2012/491. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
The protocol provides methodologies for assessing cave environmental parameters in the contexts of supporting long-term cave system monitoring. The protocol also supports biotic sampling and monitoring being performed in caves as addressed by other CUPN monitoring protocols. Parameters addressed by this protocol are cave air temperature, relative humidity, and cross-sectional airflow. In contrast to most monitoring protocols, which include sampling locations and schedules, this protocol is designed to provide general guidelines for design and application dependent upon user needs. The cave atmosphere is influential upon many cave resources. Many animals, for example, often need air temperature to be within a specific range in order to flourish or even survive. Wooden cultural artifacts are also in need of appropriate atmospheric conditions. A moist, high-humidity environment can cause mold and mildew to grow on such artifacts and ultimately result in their biodegradation. Since this is the case, it is important that cave atmospheric parameters remain within desired bounds. In most caves, keeping air temperature and relative humidity within their desired limits means that air velocity must be manipulated (frequently by blocking or enlarging cave entrances to modify ventilation from the outdoors). Therefore, sampling designs and methodologies are provided for monitoring air temperature, relative humidity and air velocity in cave systems. A list of sampling sites is not provided. Instead, the sampling designs and methodologies are generic and can be applied to many situations. The data collected may support management in determining courses of action that will either maintain atmospheric conditions in their present state or alter them in some desired way. The data may also be used simply to establish baseline conditions in caves.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Woodman, Robert; Jernigan, Johnathan; Carson, Bobby; Moore, Bill
- Date of Issue
- 2012-02
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- CUPN , IMDP , MACA , NRSS
- Keywords
- CAVE, cave air flow, cave air temperature, cave meteorology, Cave Meteorology Protocols, cave monitoring, cave relative humidity
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Geology and Soils | Subsurface Geologic Processes | Cave/Karst Features and Processes