7th grader's analysis of caves
Ah yes, caves. Dark, lonely patches of eternal midnight. If you were to ask someone, they will most likely tell you that caverns like we see today are barren and isolated, devoid of life, just a husk of what it formerly was. But those lumping fools are entirely incorrect! Caves can be more diverse, lively, and beautiful than you could ever be! Now, without further ado, let us step into the mystical realm of caverns, and see what marvels they have in store for us; let us commence!
Climate & Temperature
Firstly, let's discuss the climate and weather of caverns. Usually, caves insulate heat nearly perfectly, which leads to a near constant temperature and climate, even through all the seasons! This is because the limestone walls of the cave are amazing insulators, reflecting all temperature back into the cave. Caves are more humid than most ecosystems, at 90 to 100%! This is mainly the case as, with an isolated ecosystem with mainly aquatic gremlins that habituate its areas, there will be loads of water to go around. Usually, the temperatures of the caves will remain constant at 10°C or 50°F. Caves are found worldwide, mainly in karst, where limestone, granite, and other minerals are. The closer you are to a cave entrance, the more varied the temperature is, as the outside of the cave would be closer to the sun, and therefore closer to winds, and more varied overall. Though, deeper in caves, there is no airflow, so you won't have to deal with being blown away, literally!
Plants in Caves
Within Caves, you won't see as many plants as you would see in, for example, a temperate rainforest, but that doesn't mean that they don't exist! Unlike surface plants, underground vegetation uses a Redox Reaction in order to get its energy. Redox (Oxidation Reduction) Reactions are when one plant directly transfers some of its electrons to another. There are countless different types of cave plants, but for this project, I'll focus on mainly the Cave Moss. Found near the entrance of caves, Cave Moss is a Bryophyte, a plant that can pause its own metabolism in order to survive. Cave Moss absorbs water all over its surface, as it has no roots to absorb water from, or is its surface its own roots? I can't tell. Cave moss can be vital in order to detect water / air pollution. All other cave plants are very similar to cave moss, so it's not necessary to discuss the other cavern vegetation. Other than that, you won't usually find plants like these deeper in the cave, so Minecraft LIED! GLOW LICHEN DOESN'T EXIST, HOW DARE THEY!
Cave Animals
Before we discuss what animals are in caves, first let's talk about categories of cave dwellers. There are 3 different kinds of cave creatures, with different levels of dwelling between each.
- Troglobites - Animals that have to live in caves in order to survive.
- Troglophiles - Animals that could live in caves, but aren't forced to.
- Trogloxenes - Animals that only go to caves in order to gather resources.
The cave animals I talk about in this section are all Troglobites. Now, lets get started.
- Olms - These no eyes, dragon-like, troglobites are facinating at least, and remarkable at best, as they have no eyes. Olms mainly live in Croatia and Slovenia modern day, but back in the 18th century, the Chinese got a glimpse at them, and thought they were dragons. Thanks Cole! Anywho, Olms love dark, aquatic caves. Many studies say that they were the first troglobite discovered, ever! They are also the largest troglobite, as it can be up to 1ft long!. Unfortunately, these lil gremlins are going extinct due to Water Pollution, how sad.
- Texas Blind Fish - Well, this is the most American fish I've ever seen. These troglobites do not wield guns & cowboy hats, but instead are salamanders. This fish are only found in Edward Plateau, Texas,, hence the name. Texas Blind Fish are similar to the Olm, as they both are similar to the mythical dragon, but are a third as small, from 3.75 - 5.375 inches long. Other than their red gills, they have no color, as there is no need for it. Troglobites like the Texas Blind Fish have no need to see due to the lack of light, but they can still see. The Texas Blind Fish tilts its head to sense water pressure changes to search for prey. Endangered by water pollution.