Cave & Karst Science (ISSN 1356-191X)

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Contents of Cave & Karst Science 44(3)

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Cave and Karst Science (iv + 48pp) (PDF 5.7MB)        Individual articles may be available below

GUNN, John and David LOWE (eds.). (2017). Cave and Karst Science 44(3). Buxton: British Cave Research Association. ISSN 1356-191X. iv + 48pp, A4, with photos, maps and diagrams.
This issue has a cover date of 2017 (December) and was published in January 2018.

The Transactions of the British Cave Research Association

Front cover photo (page i) (PDF 345KB)     

by Jerry WOOLDRIDGE.
The main shaft of Gaping Gill, which swallows the waters of Fell Beck on the southern slopes of Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales, was first descended fully by Édouard-Alfred Martel in August 1895, using rope ladders with wooden rungs (see a new English translation of Martel's account of his success in this Issue). Following Martel's success the shaft was descended many more times during later years, in similar style. Many years later, as caving technology improved, the shaft was descended by cavers using 'electron' ladders, built from flexible steel wire ropes and aluminium-alloy rungs. A memorable account of the first such descent (which took place in November 1954) was provided, in his own inimitable style, by Jim Eyre in an early issue of The Speleologist magazine. Nowadays it is far more common – even 'commonplace' – for the shaft to be descended (by a variety of alternative 'routes' or rigging alternatives) using single rope techniques. The front-cover photograph shows the initial section of the Gaping Gill main shaft being descended under moderately wet conditions. (Photo: Jerry Wooldridge).

 

Notes for Contributors (page ii) (PDF 266KB)     

 

Contents (p97) (PDF 429KB)     

 

Editorial (p98) (PDF 188KB)     

by David LOWE and John GUNN.

 

Karst conduit complexity demonstrated by a dye tracing experiment from Rowter Hole, Castleton, Derbyshire, UK (pp99-108) (PDF 1.6MB)     

by John GUNN.
Castleton (Derbyshire) is one of the most intensively investigated karst areas in Britain, with over 40 water-tracing experiments since the 1950s. These experiments, together with exploration of open and water-filled cave passages allowed the production of what was thought to be a reasonable representation of the conduit drainage network. However, fortuitous timing in the collection of fluocapteurs during a dye tracing experiment from Rowter Hole has demonstrated the existence of a previously unknown and un-suspected conduit that allows autogenic recharge to flow to springs without passing through known cave passages. This result emphasises the importance of repeated water tracing experiments in understanding the hydrology of karst groundwater systems.
Classification: Paper.
Date: Received: 25 October 2017; Accepted: 24 November 2017.

Bibliograph: GUNN, John. (2017). Karst conduit complexity demonstrated by a dye tracing experiment from Rowter Hole, Castleton, Derbyshire, UK. Cave and Karst Science 44(3), pp99-108.

 

The descent of Gaping-Ghyll by Édouard-Alfred Martel on 01 August 1895: a new and original translation (pp109-118) (PDF 1.7MB)     

by Tony REYNOLDS.
A brief background to Édouard-Alfred Martel, the man himself and his speleological achievements, is followed by a new translation of one of his best-known published works, describing the events that culminated, on 01 August 1895, with his achievement of the first complete descent of Gaping Gill Hole, southeast of Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales.
Classification: Paper.
Date: Received: 20 October 2017; Accepted: 09 December 2017.

Bibliograph: REYNOLDS, Tony. (2017). The descent of Gaping-Ghyll by Édouard-Alfred Martel on 01 August 1895: a new and original translation. Cave and Karst Science 44(3), pp109-118.

 

The Descent of Gaping-Ghyll: a new translation. Appendix 1 (pp S1-S28) (PDF 1.8MB)     

by Tony REYNOLDS.
Online supplement to above paper.
Initially it had been hoped to present the translation in a format as close as possible to that of Martel's original French publication, but this has not been practicable. Hence, Appendix 1 comprises an alternative layout using a typeface that mimics the one used by Martel, and with the illustrations sized and placed as they were in his original version.

 

Cyanobacteria and algae in some caves of the Bashkirskiyi Ural Biosphere Reserve (southern Urals, Bashkortostan Republic, Russia) (pp119-126) (PDF 1.5MB)     

by Ildar A GAINUTDINOV, Shamil R ABDULLIN, Marina Yu SHARIPOVA and Irina E DUBOVIK.
Results of cyanobacteria and algae investigation in some caves within the Bashkirskiyi Ural Biosphere Reserve (Bashkortostan Republic) are presented. 98 species and intraspecific taxa (of Variety or Form rank) were identified, comprising: Cyanobacteria (42 species and intraspecific taxa / 42.86%); Bacillariophyta (31 species and intraspecific taxa / 31.63%); Chlorophyta (20 species / 20.41%); Charophyta (3 species / 3.06%) and Ochrophyta (2 species / 2.04%). The species Leptolyngbya boryana, Mychonastes homosphaera and Eolimna minima were present in all caves examined. Novomuradyimovskaya Cave contained the greatest number of different species (71 species and intraspecific taxa), with the smallest number in Skazka Cave (23 species and intraspecific taxa). More species were revealed in the illuminated parts of the caves than in the dark zones. Samples collected from cave floors included representatives of more species of cyanobacteria and algae than did those collected from walls, mosses, water and streambed sediments. Probably, the cave-floor habitat acts as a location for the "conservation" of cyanobacteria and algal cells that are brought there by various means.
Classification: Paper.

Bibliograph: GAINUTDINOV, Ildar A; Shamil R ABDULLIN, Marina Yu SHARIPOVA and Irina E DUBOVIK. (2017). Cyanobacteria and algae in some caves of the Bashkirskiyi Ural Biosphere Reserve (southern Urals, Bashkortostan Republic, Russia). Cave and Karst Science 44(3), pp119-126.

 

Speleothems and spiders: morphology and origin of gypsum nucleated on spider webs, Deer Cave, Sarawak, Borneo (pp127-131) (PDF 1.3MB)     

by Joyce LUNDBERG and Donald A MCFARLANE.
An unusual form of gypsum is reported from Deer Cave, Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia. The gypsum is originally derived from decomposing bat guano, is air-dispersed, dissolved in condensation water entrained in spiders' webs, and then recrystallized on the spider silk matrix.
Classification: Report.
Date: Received: 25 September 2017; Accepted: 28 November 2017.

Bibliograph: LUNDBERG, Joyce and Donald A MCFARLANE. (2017). Speleothems and spiders: morphology and origin of gypsum nucleated on spider webs, Deer Cave, Sarawak, Borneo. Cave and Karst Science 44(3), pp127-131.

 

Book Reviews (pp132-138) (PDF 617KB)     

(1) Tony Waltham and David Lowe (editors), 2017. Caves and Karst of the Yorkshire Dales Volume 2. Buxton: BCRA.
(2) Sam Allshorn and Paul Swire, 2017. Northern Caves – The Three Counties System and the North-West. Leeds: High Mead Publishing.
Classification: Forum.

 

Abstracts: 28th British Cave Research Association Cave Science Symposium (pp139-144) (PDF 395KB)     

Classification: Forum.

 

Research Fund and Grants (page iii) (PDF 239KB)     

 

Back cover photos (page iv) (PDF 319KB)     

by Paul DEAKIN and Jerry WOOLDRIDGE.
Photos relating to two articles in this issue, depicting (1) the Speedwell–Peak cave system in the Derbyshire Peak District and (2) Deer Cave, Mulu. (See contents page for photo captions).