The effects of substrate moisture on survival of adult cave beetles (Neaphaenops tellkampfi) and cave cricket eggs (Hadenoecus subterraneus) in a sandy deep cave site
Griffith DM. 1991. The effects of substrate moisture on survival of adult cave beetles (Neaphaenops tellkampfi) and cave cricket eggs (Hadenoecus subterraneus) in a sandy deep cave site. The NSS Bulletin: Quarterly Journal of the National Speleological Society. 53(2):98-103
The effect of slight fluctuations in substrate moisture potential on the distribution and abundance of adult carabid cave beetles (Neaphaenops tellkampfi), adult and nymphal cave crickets (Hadenoecus subterraneus), and cave cricket eggs was investigated in a sandy, deep cave site in Great Onyx Cave, Mammoth Cave National Park, KY. The distribution and abundance of adult cave beetles and cave cricket eggs were correlated with field assays of substrate moisture potential on three different spatial scales, and field enclosure experiments demonstrated the strong effects of substrate moisture on the survival of cricket eggs and adult beetles. These results suggest that abiotic variations may be more important than implied under the 'constant cave environment' paradigm. Methodology, results and a discussion will be found in this paper.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Griffith, David
- Units
- MACA
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Caves, Common Cave Cricket (Hadenoecus subterraneus), Distribution, Great Onyx Cave Mammoth Cave National Park Ky, Impacts, Neaphaenops tellkampfi (Ground Beetle), Population, Soil Moisture, Substrate