Coon's Labyrinth Cave Biological Survey

Abstract

Caves present a challenge for researchers interested in quantifying biodiversity. Cave fauna are mostly small and inconspicuous, occupying habitats that are difficult and sometimes impossible for humans to access. Additionally, the sensitivity of cave obligate organisms to disturbance of physical habitat, for example, increased sediment content in streams due to foot traffic, raises concern for the conservation of cave fauna during sampling attempts. In an effort to quantify and better understand the fauna of a Pennington Formation cave on the Domain of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, we systematically surveyed four selected cave passages in February and April for two consecutive years (2014-2015) and produced a map showing the cave’s morphology, including hydrologic sources, springs, and areas of biologic interest.