Speleobiology

This course is part of the programme
Karstology (Third Cycle)

Objectives and competences

The primary goal of this course is to give students the theoretical and practical knowledge for understanding the biology of subterranean habitats, to present them types of subterranean habitats, their ecological characteristics, biotic characteristics of subterranean organisms and troglomorphoses, as well as knowledge on sampling methods for ecological research work in underground habitats.

Prerequisites

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Content

• Historical review of speleobiology and modern trends
• Survey of subterranean habitats and physical characteristics in different types of subterranean habitats
• Shallow subterranean habitats: ecology, evolution, conservation
• Survey of general characteristics of subterranean organisms
• Adaptations to subterranean life
• General ecological conditions in different types of subterranean habitats
• Research methods for biological investigation and collecting of organisms in subterranean habitats
• Conservation and protection of subterranean habitats and organisms

Intended learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding:
Students get skills on ecological characteristics of subterranean habitats, biotic characteristics of subterranean organisms, history of speleobiology and trends in modern scientific researches, they get practical knowledge for sampling in subterranean habitats, for ecological research work in subterranean habitats and identification of troglomorphic organisms.

Readings

Basic:

  • Culver D. C., Pipan T. 2009: The Biology of Caves and Other Subterranean Habitats. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Catalogue
  • Culver D. C., Pipan T. 2014: Shallow Subterranean Habitats. Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Catalogue

Additional:

  • Culver D. C., Kane T. C., Fong D. W. 1995: Adaptation and Natural Selection in Caves. The Evolution of Gammarus minus. Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge. E-version
  • Gaberščik A. 2003: Jezero, ki izginja. Monografija o Cerkniškem jezeru. Društvo ekologov Slovenije, Ljubljana.
  • Griffiths H. I., Kryštufek B., Reed M. 2004: Balkan Biodiversity. Pattern and Process in the European Hotspot. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht. E-version
  • Gibert J., Danielopol D. L., Stanford J. A. 1994: Groundwater Ecology. Academic Press, San Diego. E-version
  • Pipan T. 2005: Epikarst – a promising habitat. Copepod fauna, its diversity and ecology: a case study from Slovenia (Europe). Založba ZRC, Ljubljana. E-version Catalogue
  • White W. B., Culver D. C. 2012: Encyclopedia of Caves. Elsevier, Amsterdam. Catalogue E-version
  • Wilkens H., Culver D. C., Humphreys W. 2000: Ecosystems of the World. Subterranean Ecosystems. Elsevier, Amsterdam.Catalogue
  • Selected articles from scientific journals.

Assessment

Short written seminar, its presentation and exam. 50/50

Lecturer's references

Full Professor of Karstology

Bibliography:

https://bib.cobiss.net/bibliographies/si/webBiblio/bib201_20211120_230418_a4271459.html

CULVER, David C., PIPAN, Tanja. The biology of caves and other subterranean habitats, (Biology of habitats). 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2019. XX, 301 str., ilustr. ISBN 978-0-19-882076-5. ISBN 978-0-19-882077-2. [COBISS.SI-ID 44574765].

CULVER, David C., PIPAN, Tanja. Ecological and evolutionary classifications of subterranean organisms. V: WHITE, William Blaine (ur.), CULVER, David C. (ur.), PIPAN, Tanja (ur.). Encyclopedia of caves. 3rd ed. London [etc.]: Academic Press, an imprint of Elsevier, cop. 2019. Str. 376-379. ISBN 978-0-12-814124-3. [COBISS.SI-ID 44673069].

CULVER, David C., PIPAN, Tanja, FIŠER, Žiga. Ecological and evolutionary jargon in subterranean biology. V: MALARD, Florian (ur.), GRIEBLER, Christian (ur.), RÉTAUX, Sylvie (ur.). Groundwater ecology and evolution. 2nd ed. London [etc.]: Elsevier, cop. 2023. Str. 89-110, ilustr. ISBN 978-0-12-819119-4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128191194000172, https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?id=153280, DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-819119-4.00017-2. [COBISS.SI-ID 147570435].

CULVER, David C., KOWALKO, Johanna E., PIPAN, Tanja. Natural selection versus neutral mutation in the evolution of subterranean life : a false dichotomy. Frontiers in ecology and evolution. 2023, vol. 11, [article no.] 1080503, str. 1-10. ISSN 2296-701X. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1080503/full, DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1080503. [COBISS.SI-ID 141866499].

CULVER, David C., PIPAN, Tanja. Contrasting approaches to the study of subterranean life: biospeleology and speleobiology = Kontrastna pogleda na raziskovanje podzemeljskega življenja: biospeleologija in speleobiologija. Acta carsologica. [Tiskana izd.]. 2023, [vol.] 52, [no.] 2/3, str. 277-283. ISSN 0583-6050. https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/carsologica/article/view/13516/11898, DOI: 10.3986/ac.v52i2-3.13516. [COBISS.SI-ID 178908419].