Double Keyhole Spring is a unique coastal submarine spring with complex and dynamically changing hydrology and water chemistry. It periodically reverses direction of flow, with accompanying changes in water chemistry and microbial communities. Although these transient changes follow the tidal cycle, longer term seasonal changes have also been detected.
Špilja u uvali Vidrovača anchialine cave is situated within upper Cretaceous layered limestones, in the upper part of the Krka River Estuary and has a direct connection with estuary water. The main channel of the cave is almost horizontal, 42.2 m long and 8.7 m deep. Salinity in the cave varied from 4 to 17. Total concentrations of trace metals in its water were: Cd 23.8 ng/L, Pb 62.7 ng/L, Cu 387 ng/L, Zn 6731 ng/L, Ni 374 ng/L and Co 56.0 ng/L. The cave fauna consists of very tolerant species, physiologically well adapted to strong salinity variations. In this cave invasive tubeworm Ficopomatus enigmaticus (Fauvel, 1923) showed a tendency to form aggregations.
The Sumporače are anchialine caves of the Dinaric Karst in Mokošica near Dubrovnik, and they are special due to the presence of sulphur. As a result of the sulphur, they contain ecologically very important habitats and are part of the National Ecological Network CRO NEN. Out of three known sulphur anchialine caves, two smaller (Sumporača velika and Sumporača mala) have been speleologically and biospeleologically explored, while, unfortunately, the biggest one (Mokošička špilja) was completely destroyed thirty years ago. This paper gives climate and ecological data for the cave habitats, a preliminary check list of cave fauna and the results of chemical analyses of water and surface sediments.
Temporal and vertical distributions of dissolved and total ecotoxic trace metals Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in the water column of Urinjska špilja anchialine cave were studied by voltammetry. The physico-chemical parameters salinity (S), temperature (T) and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration were also measured. Although the cave is situated in the vicinity of the biggest Croatian oil refinery, no anthropogenic influence was observed.
The anchialine cave Aerolito de Paraiso is located in Cozumel Island, Mexico. It is unique because it is mainly inhabited by four classes of echinoderms. After reviewing all of the material collected for this location, we present a taxonomic list composed of 22 species of echinoderms. Ophiuroidea is the best represented class in the anchialine cave with 11 species.
Quantification of community structure aids in management practices by enabling objective population estimates of biota, comparisons between systems, and long-term monitoring to detect variations. In the Aerolito System, echinoderm richness and abundance are both very high, making this system possibly unique worldwide.
Zmajevo oko is a naturally eutrophicated saline lake situated on the Gradina Peninsula, close to the village of Rogoznica on the central Dalmatian coast. Since 1992 the Lake has been intensively studied and in 2011 hydrographic and water column stratification in relation with reduced sulfur species and microbial activity was investigated during two different seasons: the spring-summer stratification and autumn mixing period.
Subterranean estuaries formed within carbonate deposits in the paleodrainage systems of Western Australia are habitats for an great diversity of stygiobitic beetles, some of which are sympatric sister species. This study examines the metabolism of stygiobiont beetles using respiration and key metabolic enzymes to determine whether sympatric sister species differ in energy allocation and respiration.