A natural resource condition assessment for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks: Appendix 18 – cave invertebrates

Panek, Jeanne; Despain, Joel

To date, 275 caves have been found in Sequoia and Kings Canyon Parks (SEKI). The number continues to rise, making the parks home to one of the most extensive cave-rich landscapes in the western United States. Caves are found primarily in the western one-third of the parks in narrow northwest-to-southeast-trending bands of marble. They are found at a diversity of elevations, from 1,640 feet to more than 9,800 feet (500 m - 3,000 m). As a result, cave temperatures range from just above freezing to over 60 ºF. Cave temperatures are often constant and reflect adjacent surface temperatures. Some caves have active stream systems, but many are the dry and abandoned remnants of ancient, water-flow patterns. Areas where caves are found include the South Fork of the Kaweah, Mineral King, Paradise Ridge, Deep Canyon, Yucca Creek and Redwood Canyon. Caves are host to a diversity of animals. In SEKI, scientists have discovered at least 40 new invertebrate species since 1965—a large number for such a small area. Observations of cave species rise as caves continue to be inventoried. Some of these species may be endemic to the parks and indeed endemic to individual caves or watersheds within the parks. Caves provide a unique environment, isolated from their surroundings, difficult to access, harder to survive in. That life could flourish in them is remarkable. That species could evolve within individual caves is exceptional. That these species have been documented is a result of the intense scientific effort of highly specialized and uniquely skilled cave biologists. The protection of these rare species requires a wholly new perspective in park management, an awareness and appreciation of caves as a vast underground resource. In SEKI, an active cave management program starting in 1992 and the Cave Management Planning efforts started in 1994. In general, cave climates (temperature and humidity) vary little, but there is enough change in these parameters that the seasonal activity levels of the animals do vary. Many cave invertebrate populations have been shown to have a high annual variability based on annual food availability and changing conditions. This has been seen, for example, in Clough Cave (Daryl Ubick, pers. comm.). This effect may be muted in the cave environment where annual conditions generally change far less compared to surface environments. Because of their sensitivity to the environment, cave-adapted invertebrates can act as indicators of environmental problems or changes. If park cave animals decline, it may point to other problems in the park environment. Caves also often act as an environmental refuge, providing a cool wet environment for animals that are intolerant of dry, hot surface conditions. Often, the closest relatives of cave dwelling animals may be found hundreds of miles away where surface conditions more closely match those found within the cave. Today a significant percentage of animals on the Endangered Species list are cave dwelling invertebrates and bats (Despain 2007). This report will focus on assessing condition of invertebrates from 6 caves in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks: Clough Cave, Overhang Cave, Kaweah Cave, Lost Soldier’s Cave, Crystal Cave and Lilburn Cave (Figure 1). South Fork caves (the first three) and their inhabitants are located close to each other and to the Kaweah River at elevations between 750 and 1300 m. They are within 2 kilometers of the western boundary of Sequoia Park. Lilburn and Crystal Caves are in the North Fork drainages of the Kaweah (Figure 1) while Kaweah Cave is found in the Middle Fork watershed. This assessment is restricted to SEKI–endemic, cave-adapted invertebrates and does not include animals known to be found in park caves outside of this area.

A natural resource condition assessment for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks: Appendix 18 – cave invertebrates

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