Microhabitat selection of a Sicilian subterranean woodlouse and its implications for cave management

IF 1.3 4区 地球科学 Q3 GEOSCIENCES, MULTIDISCIPLINARY
G. Nicolosi, S. Mammola, Salvatore Costanzo, G. Sabella, R. Cirrincione, G. Signorello, M. Isaia
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引用次数: 9

Abstract

Human activities in subterranean environments can affect different ecosystem components, including the resident fauna. Subterranean terrestrial invertebrates are particularly sensitive to environmental change, especially microclimatic variations. For instance, microclimate modifications caused by the visitors may directly affect local fauna in caves opened to the public. However, since numerous factors act synergistically in modulating the distribution and abundance of subterranean species, it remains challenging to differentiate the impact of human intervention from that of other factors. Therefore, evidence of the impact of tourism on cave invertebrate fauna remains scarce. Over a year and with approximately two visits a month, we investigated the effects of the presence of visitors on the subterranean endemic woodlouse Armadillidium lagrecai in the strict natural reserve of Monello Cave (Sicily, Italy). We found that natural microclimatic fluctuations, and not direct human disturbance, were the main factors driving the distribution of A. lagrecai. Specifically, A. lagrecai select for more climatically stable areas of the cave, where the temperature was constantly warm and the relative humidity close to saturation. We also observed a significant temporal effect, with a greater abundance of A. lagrecai in summer and a gradual decrease during the winter months. The number of visitors in the Monello Cave had no effect on the abundance and distribution of A. lagrecai. However, considering the high sensitivity of the species to microclimatic variations, it seems likely that a significant increase in the number of visitors to the cave could indirectly affect this species by altering local microclimate. Constant monitoring of the environmental parameters within the cave is therefore recommended.
西西里地下木虱的微生境选择及其对洞穴管理的启示
人类在地下环境中的活动可以影响不同的生态系统组成部分,包括居住的动物群。地下陆生无脊椎动物对环境变化,特别是小气候变化特别敏感。例如,游客引起的小气候变化可能直接影响到对公众开放的洞穴内的当地动物。然而,由于许多因素在调节地下物种的分布和丰度方面发挥协同作用,因此将人为干预的影响与其他因素的影响区分开来仍然具有挑战性。因此,旅游业对洞穴无脊椎动物影响的证据仍然很少。在一年多的时间里,每个月大约两次访问,我们调查了游客的存在对地下特有的木虱犰狳lagrecai的影响,该保护区位于意大利西西里岛的Monello洞穴。结果表明,自然的小气候波动是影响lagrecai分布的主要因素,而不是人为的直接干扰。具体来说,拉格雷凯古猿会选择洞穴中气候更稳定的区域,那里的温度持续温暖,相对湿度接近饱和。我们还观察到显著的时间效应,在夏季,拉格瑞沙的丰度较高,在冬季逐渐减少。在Monello洞穴中,游客数量对lagrecai的丰度和分布没有影响。然而,考虑到该物种对小气候变化的高度敏感性,游客数量的显著增加似乎可能会通过改变当地的小气候间接影响该物种。因此,建议对洞穴内的环境参数进行持续监测。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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来源期刊
International Journal of Speleology
International Journal of Speleology 地学-地球科学综合
CiteScore
3.10
自引率
23.10%
发文量
12
审稿时长
>12 weeks
期刊介绍: The International Journal of Speleology has the aim to get cave and karst science known to an increasing number of scientists and scholars. The journal therefore offers the opportunity to all scientists working in and on karst to publish their original research articles or their review papers in an open access, high quality peer reviewed scientific journal at no cost. The journal offers the authors online first, open access, a free PDF of their article, and a wide range of abstracting and indexing services.
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