• Home
  • About
  • Publications
  • Photos & Videos
  • New taxa
  • Support
  • Blog
Ana Sofia Reboleira

Extension and limits of the subterranean ecosystem

13/9/2013

 
Extensión y límites del ecosistema subterráneo

ABSTRACT
A lo largo del artículo, los autores intentan que el lector, con unos mínimos conocimientos previos de biología, pueda conocer la dimensión del ecosistema subterráneo. El texto comienza por definir el conjunto diverso de hábitats bajo la superficie denominado dominio subterráneo, donde sus habitantes no reciben luz alguna.
Un mundo de perpetua oscuridad, donde la vida se abre camino en su interior. Hormigas, termitas, la fauna que habita el suelo, los organismos de las aguas intersticiales que deambulan por los estrechos espacios entre las gravas, son algunos de los habitantes subterráneos. Y por debajo de ellos, los cavernícolas se abren paso entre la red de grietas impracticables o las enormes galerías y salas de centenares de kilómetros visitables, formando el ecosistema subterráneo. En éste, sus moradores encuentran una vida de estabilidad pero con escasos recursos, donde los productores primarios que necesitan la energía solar no existen. Un elenco de invertebrados consumidores secundarios que permite la existencia de predadores, tanto invertebrados como algunos vertebrados, se alimenta sobretodo de la materia orgánica que se filtra con el agua desde el exterior.Toda esta fauna, denominada cavernícola, llega a extenderse desde las cavidades marinas hasta los acuíferos kársticos más profundos. La Sima Krubera-Voronya, la cavidad más profunda del mundo con sus más de dos mil metros desde la superficie, nos da una buena muestra de hasta donde son capaces de llegar los cavernícolas. Aunque esta extensión también tiene sus límites ya que la falta de entrada de energía del exterior en climas extremos (desiertos o tierras de suelos helados) limita o impide la existencia de vida en el ecosistema subterráneo. Por otra parte, como mostramos en la Cueva de la Autopista, las cavidades hipogénicas no poseen fauna cavernícola característica en su interior. En su formación no hubo contacto con la superficie del terreno y los conductos subterráneos permanecen aislados por una capa de litología adversa (impermeable) que impide la entrada de agua de filtración con nutrientes o simplemente la colonización de la fauna del dominio subterráneo.



Reference:
Sendra A. & Reboleira A.S.P.S. (2013). Extensión y límites del ecosistema subterráneo. Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Espeleología y Ciencias del Karst, 9: 30-41.

New paper published: Krubera-Voronja fauna

22/4/2012

 
The world’s deepest subterranean community - Krubera-Voronja Cave (Western Caucasus)


ABSTRACT
Subsurface biota extends over a wide variety of habitats that can be spatially interconnected. The largest communities of this subsurface biota inhabit cavities and are well known mainly in caves where biologists are able to have access. Data about deep subterranean communities and arthropods living under one thousand meters was unknown. 
An expedition to world’s deepest cave, Krubera-Voronja in Western Caucasus, revealed an interesting subterranean community, living below 2000 meters and represented by more than 12 species of arthropods, including several new species for science. This deep cave biota is composed of troglobionts and also epigean species, that can penetrate until -2140 m. Deep subterranean ecosystems should not be seen only as an evolutionary dead end towards the troglomorphic syndrome, but also as a shelter for epigean species populations, especially during long periods of time when surface conditions are severe for their survival. Most of the subsurface biota depends on allochthonous sources of organic carbon coming from: water percolating from the surface, sinking streams that enter caves, and activities of animals moving in and out of caves. 
The biocoenosis and the vertical distribution of invertebrate fauna of Krubera-Voronja are provided, from its entrance to the remarkable depth of 2140 meters, including the discovery of world’s deepest dwelling arthropod.


Reference:
Sendra A. & Reboleira A.S.P.S. (2012). The world’s deepest subterranean community - Krubera-Voronja Cave (Western Caucasus). International Journal of Speleology, 41 (2), 221-230. http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.41.2.9

Fauna of Krubera-Voronja cave

Read about it:
La Razon (Spain), Nuevas especies: hallan la comunidad de animales terrestres ubicados a mayor profundidad
Público (Portugal), Há uma comunidade de invertebrados na gruta mais profunda do mundoNaturlink (Portugal), Investigadora portuguesa descreve a fauna da gruta mais profunda do mundo
See Sofia talking about it to SIC

Plutomurus ortobalaganensis

23/2/2012

 
 Imagem
Plutomurus ortobalaganensis, discovered during the biospeleological works of Sofia Reboleira and Alberto Sendra in Krubera-Voronja CAVEX Team expedition 2010, is now the deepest terrestrial animal ever found above the surface of the Earth.

Read about it in:
Science Daily (USA), Deepest Terrestrial Arthropod Ever Found
Live Science (USA), Primitive and Eyeless, World's Deepest Land Animal Discovered
New Scientist (USA), World's deepest land animal discovered
El Mundo (Spain), El animal terrestre mas profundo del mundo
Sverige Radio (Sweden), Hoppstjärten tar världsrekord i livsdjup
(Russia) Описаны новые виды сухопутных членистоногих, живущих на рекордной глубине 

Four new species of springtails from Krubera-Voronja cave

22/2/2012

 
 Imagem
Anurida stereoodorata, a new species of springtails from Krubera-Voronja cave
Reviews of the genera Schaefferia Absolon, 1900, Deuteraphorura Absolon, 1901, Plutomurus Yosii, 1956, and the Anurida Laboulbène, 1865 species group without eyes, with the description of four new species of cave springtails (Collembola) from Krubera-Voronya cave, Abkhazia


ABSTRACT
Krubera-Voronya cave and other deep systems in Arabika Massif are being explored during many speleological expeditions. A recent Ibero-Russian exploration expedition (summer of 2010) took place in this cave with the aim of providing a study of the biocenosis of the deepest known cave in the world. Four new species of Collembola were found at different depths: Schaefferia profundissima n. sp., Anurida stereoodorata n. sp., Deuteraphorura kruberaensis n. sp., and Plutomurus ortobalaganensis n. sp., the last one at -1980 m deep. The identification and description of the new species have required the careful study of all congeneric species, implying a revision of each genus. As a result of this work tables and keys to all significant characters for each species are presented.

Reference:
Jordana R., Baquero E., Reboleira S. & Sendra A. (2012). Reviews of the genera Schaefferia Absolon, 1900, Deuteraphorura Absolon, 1901, Plutomurus Yosii, 1956, and the Anurida Laboulbène, 1865 species group without eyes, with the description of four new species of cave springtails (Collembola) from Krubera-Voronya cave, Abkhazia. Terrestrial Arthropod Reviews, 5(1), 35-85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/187498312X622430

Krubera-Voronja Cave Expedition

30/8/2010

 
 Imagem
See some photos of our expedition to Western Caucasus at CAVEX Team Facebook page.
    Dimidium facti qui coepit habet: sapere aude

    Archives

    October 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    November 2021
    August 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    June 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    August 2010
    May 2010
    March 2010
    December 2009
    September 2009
    May 2009
    March 2009
    June 2007

    Categories

    All
    Algarve Karst Massif
    Andalusia
    Arrábida
    Azores
    Brazil
    Canary Islands
    Catalogue
    Cave
    Cave Beetles
    Coleoptera
    Congresses
    Crustacea
    Cylindroiulus
    Diplopoda
    Domene
    Estremenho Karst Massif
    Events
    Expedition
    Groundwater
    Humor
    Hypogene Karst
    Hypogenetic Karst
    Iberian Peninsula
    Iran
    Krubera Cave
    Laboulbeniales
    Larva
    Litocampa
    Lusoblothrus
    Madeira
    Millipede
    Millipedes
    Montejunto Karst Massif
    Mss
    New Genus
    New Species
    Oniscidea
    Outreach Activity
    Popular Science
    Pseudoscorpion
    Sico Karst Massif
    Sireuma
    Squamatinia
    Timor
    Titanobochica
    Trechus
    Video
    World's Deepest Cave

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.