Post by Sharon Faulkner on Oct 31, 2006 9:07:43 GMT -5
This article has some interesting photos included, one showing where a seemingly patriotic person had apparently taken up residence in a cave.
Exploring Tennessee's Caves for New Species
by David Kestenbaum
NPR Morning Edition, October 31, 2006
Running underneath the rolling hills of Tennessee lies a still-mysterious and remote network of caverns. Home to more than 8,000 caves, much of the state is considered karstland. This means the layers of rock under the soil are easily hollowed out by ground water through a slow dissolving process.
Many of those caves shelter fragile ecosystems. Biologist Jerry Lewis and Cory Holliday of The Nature Conservancy are helping to discover and protect some of those ecosystems from man's destruction.
The allure of Tennessee's subterranean world has led to many amateur expeditions. Some of those journeys have ended in tragedy -- either from loss of human life, or destruction and disturbance of fragile cave ecosystems. For this reason, Lewis, his fellow biologists and serious cavers are reluctant to reveal the locations of some of their favorite spots.
Living in an environment devoid of light and organic nutrients, cave organisms have evolved unusual adaptations to survive. Some species of fish are blind, and other creatures that still have eyes flee frantically from outside sources of sensory stimulation. Nothing is wasted in this environment -- for insects and many other life forms, bat guano is the dining option of choice.
NPR correspondent David Kestenbaum joins biologist Dr. Jerry Lewis underground outside Nashville as caves owned by The Nature Conservancy are inventoried and explored for new and threatened species.
Complete Article
Exploring Tennessee's Caves for New Species
by David Kestenbaum
NPR Morning Edition, October 31, 2006
Running underneath the rolling hills of Tennessee lies a still-mysterious and remote network of caverns. Home to more than 8,000 caves, much of the state is considered karstland. This means the layers of rock under the soil are easily hollowed out by ground water through a slow dissolving process.
Many of those caves shelter fragile ecosystems. Biologist Jerry Lewis and Cory Holliday of The Nature Conservancy are helping to discover and protect some of those ecosystems from man's destruction.
The allure of Tennessee's subterranean world has led to many amateur expeditions. Some of those journeys have ended in tragedy -- either from loss of human life, or destruction and disturbance of fragile cave ecosystems. For this reason, Lewis, his fellow biologists and serious cavers are reluctant to reveal the locations of some of their favorite spots.
Living in an environment devoid of light and organic nutrients, cave organisms have evolved unusual adaptations to survive. Some species of fish are blind, and other creatures that still have eyes flee frantically from outside sources of sensory stimulation. Nothing is wasted in this environment -- for insects and many other life forms, bat guano is the dining option of choice.
NPR correspondent David Kestenbaum joins biologist Dr. Jerry Lewis underground outside Nashville as caves owned by The Nature Conservancy are inventoried and explored for new and threatened species.
Complete Article