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\"To enter a cave is to venture beyond the realm of the everyday and discover what lies beneath the earth's surface. From huge vaulted caverns to impassable water-filled passages, tiny remote pilgrimage sites to massive tourism enterprises, caves are sites of mystery. Dark spaces that remain largely unexplored, caves are astonishing wonders of nature and habitats for exotic flora and fauna. Cave investigates the natural and cultural history of caves and considers their impact on the human imagination and experience of the natural world. This book explores the long history of human interest with caves, across countries and continents, examining their dual role as spaces of wonder and fear. We encounter the adventurers and 'cave hunters' who pioneered cave science, and the explorers and cave divers still searching for new routes deep into the earth. This book examines the allure of the subterranean world, from caving to cave tourism, and its place in mythology, literature and art. This unique, lavishly illustrated book provides fascinating insight into cave systems and cave lore, the ecology and use of caves, and the extraordinary artistic responses earth's dark recesses have evoked over the centuries.\"--Page 2 of cover.

Speleogenesis is the development of well-organized cave systems by fluids moving through fissures of a soluble rock. Epigenic caves induced by biogenic CO2 soil production are dominant, whereas hypogenic caves resulting from uprising deep flow not directly connected to adjacent recharge areas appear to be more frequent than previously considered. The conceptual models of epigenic cave development moved from early models, through the “four-states model” involving fracture influence to explain deep loops, to the digital models demonstrating the adjustment of the main flow to the water table. The relationships with base level are complex and cave levels must be determined from the elevation of the vadose-phreatic transitions. Since flooding in the epiphreatic zone may be important, the top of the loops in the epiphreatic zone can be found significantly high above the base level. The term Paragenesis is used to describe the upward development of conduits as their lower parts fill with sediments. This process often records a general baselevel rise. Sediment influx is responsible for the regulation of long profiles by paragenesis and contributes to the evolution of profiles from looping to water table caves. Dating methods allow identification of the timing of cave level evolution. The term Ghost-rock karstification is used to describe a 2-phase process of speleogenesis, with a first phase of partial solution of rock along fractures in low gradient conditions leaving a porous matrix, the ghost-rock, then a second phase of mechanical removing of the ghost-rock mainly by turbulent flow in high gradient conditions opening the passages and forming maze caves. The first weathering phase can be related either to epigenic infiltration or to hypogenic upflow, especially in marginal areas of sedimentary basins. The vertical pattern of epigenic caves is mainly controlled by timing, geological structure, types of flow and base-level changes. We define several cave types as (1) juvenile, where they are perched above underlying aquicludes; (2) looping, where recharge varies greatly with time, to produce epiphreatic loops; (3) water-table caves where flow is regulated by a semi-pervious cover; and (4) caves in the equilibrium stage where flow is transmitted without significant flooding. Successive base-level drops caused by valley entrenchment make cave levels, whereas baselevel rise is defined in the frame of the Per ascensum Model of Speleogenesis (PAMS), where deep passages are flooded and drain through vauclusian springs. The PAMS can be active after any type of baselevel rise (transgression, fluvial aggradation, tectonic subsidence) and explains most of the deep phreatic cave systems except for hypogenic.The term Hypogenic speleogenesis is used to describe cave development by deep upflow independent of adjacent recharge areas. Due to its deep origin, water frequently has a high CO2-H2S concentration and a thermal anomaly, but not systematically. Numerous dissolution processes can be involved in hypogenic speleogenesis, which often include deep-seated acidic sources of CO2 and H2S, “hydrothermal” cooling, mixing corrosion, Sulfuric Acid Speleogenesis (SAS), etc. SAS particularly involves the condensation-corrosion processes, resulting in the fast expansion of caves above the water table, i.e. in an atmospheric environment. The hydrogeological setting of hypogenic speleogenesis is based on the Regional Gravity Flow concept, which shows at the basin scales the sites of convergences and upflows where dissolution focuses. Each part of a basin (marginal, internal, deep zone) has specific conditions. The coastal basin is a sub-type. In deformed strata, flow is more complex according to the geological structure. However, upflow and hypogenic speleogenesis concentrate in structural highs (buried anticlines) and zones of major disruption (faults, overthrusts). In disrupted basins, the geothermal gradient “pumps” the meteoric water at depth, making loops of different depths and characteristics. Volcanism and magmatism also produce deep hypogenic loops with “hyperkarst” characteristics due to a combination of deep-seated CO2, H2S, thermalism, and microbial activity. In phreatic conditions, the resulting cave patternscan include geodes, 2–3D caves, and giant ascending shafts. Along the water table, SAS with thermal air convection induces powerful condensation-corrosion and the development of upwardly dendritic caves, isolated chambers, water table sulfuricacid caves. In the vadose zone, “smoking” shafts evolve under the influence of geothermal gradients producing air convectionand condensation-corrosion.Likely future directions for research will probably involve analytical and modeling methods, especially using isotopes, dating, chemical simulations, and field investigations focused on the relationships between processes and resulting morphologies.Nova področja speleogenetskih raziskav: Povezava med hidrogeološkimi razmerami, prevladujočimi procesi in tipi jamSpeleogeneza je razvoj dobro (samo)organiziranih jamskih sistemov, ko podzemna voda vzdolž toka raztaplja stene razpok. Najbolj poznane so epigene jame v karbonatih, kjer je poglavitni vir kemične agresivnosti pedogeni CO2. Bolj pogoste, kot se je v preteklosti domnevalo, so hipogene jame, ki nastanejo z dviganjem globokega toka in niso neposredno povezane z lokalnim napajalnim območjem. Prvotni konceptualni modeli razvoja epigenih jam so se preko modela štirih stanj, ki speleogenezo pojasnjuje s frekvenco prevodnih razpok, razvili do računalniških modelov, ki pojasnijo prilagoditev glavnega toka freatični površini. Povezava jamskih sistemov s položajem erozijske baze ni enostavna, saj moramo pri interpretaciji upoštevati višino prehoda iz freatične v vadozno cono. Zaradi visokih poplav v epifreatični coni so lahko temena jamskih zavojev visoko nad erozijsko bazo. Termin parageneza se uporablja za opis razvoja kanalov od spodaj navzgor, ko se spodnji deli zapolnijo s sedimenti. Ta proces pogosto beleži splošen dvig erozijske baze. Vdor sedimentov je tudi razlog za uravnavanje dolgih profilov s paragenezo in prispeva k prehodu jam z zavoji v navpični ravnini v jame uravnane z vodnim nivojem. Različne datacijske metode omogočajo določanje časovnega razvoja jamskih nivojev. Speleogeneza lahko poteka tudi v dveh fazah; v prvi fazi voda ob nizkem gradientu raztopi topen del kamninske matrice (angleško Ghost rock weathering), v drugi fazi pa ob visokem gradientu turbulentni tok mehansko odnese preostali del matrice, pri čemer praviloma nastane labirintni tip jam. Prva faza je lahko povezana z epigeno infiltracijo ali s hipogenim dotokom predvsem na mejnih območjih sedimentnih bazenov. Vertikalna geometrija epigenih jam je pogojena s časovnim okvirom, geološko strukturo, vrsto toka in spremembo erozijske baze. Razvoj mladih (juvenilnih) geometrijskih vzorcev nad nivojem neprepustnih plasti, je povezan s hitrimi tektonskimi dvigi in vrezovanji erozijske baze. V pogojih omejenega odtoka ob spremenljivem napajanju zaradi poplavljanja epifreatične cone nastajajo zavoji v navpični ravnini (angl. loops). Jame vodnega nivoja nastajajo na področjih, kjer je kras pokrit z delno prepustnimi plastmi oz. kjer je speleogeneza uravnotežena z največjimi poplavami. Spreminjanje erozijske baze ob vrezovanju dolin se odraža v jamskih nivojih, medtem ko dviganje erozijske baze diktira razvoj jam od spodaj navzgor (Speleogeneza Per ecensum, PAMS) in nastanek izvirov vokluškega tipa. PAMS se lahko aktivira ob različnih vrstah dviga erozijske baze (zaradi transgresije, rečnega naplavljanja, tektonskega ugrezanja) in pojasnjuje nastanek večine globokih freatičnih jamskih sistemov, razen hipogenih. Izraz hipogena speleogeneza se uporablja za opis razvoja jam zaradi dviganja globokega regionalnega toka. Zaradi izvora iz globin ima voda pogosto visoko koncentracijo CO2–H2S in temperaturno anomalijo. Pri hipogeni speleogenezi lahko sodelujejo številni procesi raztapljanja, ki so povezani z globokimi viri CO2 in H2S, \"hidrotermalnim\" ohlajanjem, korozijo mešanice, speleogenezo žveplene kisline (Sulphuric Acid Speleogenesis, SAS), itd. Zlasti SAS vključuje kondenzacijsko-korozijske procese, zaradi česar prihaja do hitrega nastanka jam nad vodno gladino v atmosferskem okolju. Hidrogeološke razmere pri hipogeni speleogenezi so povezane z regionalnim gravitacijskim tokom, kjer je korozija najmočnejša na območju stekanja in dvigovanja vodnih tokov. Vsak del porečja (obrobni, notranji, globoka cona) ima posebne pogoje. Eden od podtipov je tudi obalno območje. V deformiranih slojih je tok bolj zapleten in strukturno pogojen, pri čemer sta vodni tok in hipogena speleogeneza praviloma vezana na strukturne vrhove (prekrite antiklinale) in na območja večjih strukturnih prekinitev (prelomi, narivi). V prekinjenih bazenih geotermalni gradient \"črpa\" meteorske vode v globine, kar povzroča zanke na različnih globinah in z različnimi značilnostmi. Vulkanizem in magmatizem tudi povzročata globoke hipogene zanke s \"hiperkraškimi\" značilnostmi, ki nastajajo zaradi kombinacije globokih virov CO2, H2S, termalnih procesov in mikrobiološke aktivnosti. Geometrijski vzorci jam v freatičnih pogojih lahko vključujejo geode, 2–3D jame in navzgor razvijajoča se brezna izjemnih razsežnosti. Nad vodno gladino se zaradi termalne konvekcije in kondenzacijske korozije ob prisotnosti žveplove kisline razvijajo različni geometrijski vzorci jam; dvigajoče se razvejane jame, izolirane dvorane in jame vodnega nivoja nastale z delovanjem žveplene kisline. V vadozni coni nastajajo tudi »parna« brezna, ko se na območjih termalnih vodonosnikov topel vlažen zrak dviga, ohlaja in kondenzira vzdolž razpok in jih na ta način širi v brezna. V prihodnosti bodo raziskave speleogeneze verjetno temeljile na analitičnih in modelskih pristopih, izotopskih, datacijskih in geokemičnih metodah ter terenskih raziskavah, ki se bodo osredotočala na odnose med procesi in posl

\"Simple nonfiction text and full-color photographs present animals and plants found in a cave\"-- Provided by the publisher.

Many of the near vertical cliff faces are undercut by notches and sea caves that eventually lead to slope failure.

This edited work presents an interdisciplinary exploration of the use of caves and rock shelters across Europe during the medieval period for a wide range of religious and spiritual purposes by Christian, Muslim, Pictish and non-denominational communities, at both regional and local levels.

Introduces several types of animals that live in caves.

In Europe, several gypsum karst regions occur among which the gypsum karsts located in Emilia-Romagna (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2023) and Sicily are notable. The sediments, spring water microbial aggregates, and wall biofilms from three caves, Re Tiberio, Befana (Emilia-Romagna), and the Sicilian Santa Ninfa, have been studied from a microbiological and geochemical point of view. The samples of wall biofilms from gypsum caves were exclusively composed of Bacteria , while the sediments showed negligible abundances of Archaea . The two most abundant phyla in most sediments and biofilms were Actinomycetota and Pseudomonadota , whereas the microbial aggregates floating in the spring waters of Befana Cave showed a deviation from the typical abundance pattern as Campylobacterota replaced Actinomycetota , and the abundances of Bacteroidota and Desulfobacterota were high. The most abundant genus in the wall biofilms was Crossiella ( Actinomycetota ), but it was absent in the water aggregates collected in Befana Cave. The abundances of Crossiella in the cave sediments were very low. The dominant genera in Befana microbial aggregates showed different abundances and microbial composition when compared with the previously studied Frasassi and Fetida thermal sulfuric acid caves, located in Central and South Italy, respectively, suggesting that the community composition of the microbial aggregates is specific for each cave and related to the geochemistry of the sulfidic spring. Also, a different microbial community composition was found in Befana water aggregates with respect to the wall biofilms from Befana and Santa Ninfa caves. In the case of sediments, they significantly clustered together indicating that the microbial communities associated with sediments are similar, independently from the cave and possible other environmental parameters.

\"While exploring a cave, Joe and Dr. Bea encounter all sorts of wildlife living in the damp cavern. Can the two scientists find their way out? In this engaging title, readers learn all about stalactites, stalagmites, and how animals survive and adapt to life in the dark.\"-- Provided by publisher.

Figurative cave paintings from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi date to at least 35,000 years ago (ka) and hand-stencil art from the same region has a minimum date of 40 ka 1 . Here we show that similar rock art was created during essentially the same time period on the adjacent island of Borneo. Uranium-series analysis of calcium carbonate deposits that overlie a large reddish-orange figurative painting of an animal at Lubang Jeriji Saléh—a limestone cave in East Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo—yielded a minimum date of 40 ka, which to our knowledge is currently the oldest date for figurative artwork from anywhere in the world. In addition, two reddish-orange-coloured hand stencils from the same site each yielded a minimum uranium-series date of 37.2 ka, and a third hand stencil of the same hue has a maximum date of 51.8 ka. We also obtained uranium-series determinations for cave art motifs from Lubang Jeriji Saléh and three other East Kalimantan karst caves, which enable us to constrain the chronology of a distinct younger phase of Pleistocene rock art production in this region. Dark-purple hand stencils, some of which are decorated with intricate motifs, date to about 21–20 ka and a rare Pleistocene depiction of a human figure—also coloured dark purple—has a minimum date of 13.6 ka. Our findings show that cave painting appeared in eastern Borneo between 52 and 40 ka and that a new style of parietal art arose during the Last Glacial Maximum. It is now evident that a major Palaeolithic cave art province existed in the eastern extremity of continental Eurasia and in adjacent Wallacea from at least 40 ka until the Last Glacial Maximum, which has implications for understanding how early rock art traditions emerged, developed and spread in Pleistocene Southeast Asia and further afield. Uranium-series dating of rock art from Borneo reveals a minimum date for figurative artwork of 40,000 years ago, and a distinct style of parietal art in Southeast Asia at the Last Glacial Maximum.\