A cave is a natural underground void large enough for a human to enter. Some people suggest that the term 'cave' should only apply to cavities that have some part that does not receive daylight; however, in popular usage, the term includes smaller spaces like sea caves, rock shelters, and grottos. A rock shelter is a shallow cave-like opening at the base of a bluff or Cliff. A grotto (Italian grotta) is any type of natural or artificial Cave that is associated with modern historic or prehistoric use by humans

Speleology is the science of exploration and study of all aspects of caves. Speleology is the scientific study of Caves and other Karst features their make-up structure physical properties history life forms and the processes by Exploring a cave for recreation or science may be called "caving", "potholing", or occasionally (only in Canada and the United States), "spelunking". Caving or spelunking is the recreational Sport of exploring Caves In contrast Speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave Caving or spelunking is the recreational Sport of exploring Caves In contrast Speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Caving or spelunking is the recreational Sport of exploring Caves In contrast Speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave

Contents 1 Types and formation 2 Cave Patterns 3 Geographic distribution of caves 4 Record lengths, depths, pitches and volumes 5 Cave ecology 6 Archaeological and social importance 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

Types and formation

Caves are formed by geologic processes. Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit These may involve a combination of chemical processes, erosion from water, tectonic forces, microorganisms, pressure, and atmospheric influences. Most caves are formed in limestone by dissolution. Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 Solvation, commonly called dissolution, is the process of attraction and association of Molecules of a Solvent with molecules or Ions of a

• Solutional caves may form anywhere with rock that is soluble, and are most prevalent in limestone, but can also form in other material, including chalk, dolomite, marble, granite, salt, sandstone, fossilized coral and gypsum. Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 Chalk (ʧɔːk is a soft white porous Sedimentary rock, a form of Limestone composed of the Mineral Calcite. Dolomite (ˈdɒləmaɪt is the name of a Sedimentary Carbonate rock and a Mineral, both composed Marble is a nonfoliated Metamorphic rock resulting from the Metamorphism of Limestone, composed mostly of Calcite (a crystalline form of Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. Salt is a Dietary mineral composed primarily of Sodium chloride that is essential for Animal life but toxic to most land plants Sandstone is a Sedimentary rock composed mainly of Sand -size Mineral or rock grains. Corals are Marine organisms from the class Anthozoa and exist as small Sea anemone –like Polyps typically in colonies of many Gypsum is a very soft Mineral composed of Calcium sulfate dihydrate with the Chemical formula Ca[[sulfur S]] O 4·2
  • The largest and most abundant solutional caves are located in limestone. Limestone dissolves under the action of rainwater and groundwater charged with H₂CO₃ (carbonic acid) and naturally occurring organic acids. Groundwater is Water located beneath the Ground surface in Soil pore spaces and in the Fractures of lithologic formations Carbonic acid (ancient name acid of air or aerial acid) has the formula H2CO3 An organic acid is an Organic compound with Acidic properties The dissolution process produces a distinctive landform known as karst, characterized by sinkholes, sinking streams, and underground drainage. Karst topography is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble Bedrock, usually Carbonate rock such as Limestone A sinkhole, also known as a sink, shake hole, swallow hole, swallet, doline or Cenote, is a natural depression Limestone caves are often adorned with calcium carbonate formations produced through slow precipitation. This include: flowstones, stalactites, stalagmites, helictites, draperies, soda straws and columns. Flowstones are composed of sheetlike deposits of Calcite formed where water flows down the walls or along the floors of a Cave. A stalactite ( Greek stalaktites, (Σταλακτίτης from the word for "drip" and meaning "that which drips" is a type of Speleothem A stalagmite (from the Greek stalagma ("Σταλαγμίτης" "drop" or "drip" is a A helictite is a Speleothem found in Limestone Caves that changes its axis from the vertical at one or more stages during its growth A soda straw (or simply straw) is a Speleothem in the form of a hollow Mineral tube These secondary mineral deposits in caves are called speleothems. A speleothem (from the Greek for "cave deposit" commonly known as a cave formation, is a secondary mineral deposit formed in a Cave.
  • The world's most spectacularly decorated cave is generally regarded to be Lechuguilla Cave (New Mexico, USA). Lechuguilla Cave is as of 2006 the fifth longest Cave ( known to exist in the world and the deepest in the continental United States ( but it is most famous New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Lechuguilla and nearby Carlsbad Caverns are now believed to be examples of another type of solutional cave. Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a United States National Park located in the Guadalupe Mountains in southeastern New Mexico. They were formed by H₂S (hydrogen sulfide) gas rising from below, where reservoirs of oil give off sulfurous fumes. Hydrogen sulfide (or hydrogen sulphide) is the Chemical compound with the formula H 2 S. This gas mixes with ground water and forms H₂SO₄ (sulfuric acid). Sulfuric (or sulphuric acid, H 2 S[[oxygen O]]4 is a strong Mineral acid. The acid then dissolves the limestone from below, rather than from above, by acidic water percolating from the surface.

• Some caves are formed at the same time as the surrounding rock. The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the These are sometimes called primary caves. A cave is a natural underground void large enough for a human to enter
  • Lava tubes are formed through volcanic activity and are the most common 'primary' caves. Lava tubes are natural conduits through which Lava travels beneath the surface of a lava flow expelled by a Volcano during an eruption Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the The lava flows downhill and the surface cools and solidifies. Lava is molten rock expelled by a Volcano during an eruption When first expelled from a volcanic vent it is a Liquid at Temperatures The hotter lava continues to flow under that crust, and if most of the liquid lava beneath the crust flows out, a hollow tube remains, thus forming a cavity. Examples of such caves can be found on Tenerife, Big Island, and many other places. Tenerife (previously known and spelled as "Teneriffe" in English before mass tourism adopted the Spanish spelling a Spanish Island, is the largest The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island, is a volcanic Island in the U Kazumura Cave near Hilo is a remarkably long and deep lava tube; it is 65. Kazumura Cave is at 61420m (40 miles the longest and at 1101m (3614 ft the deepest Lava tube in the world Hilo (ˈhiːlo is a coastal town in the State of Hawai{{okina}}i. 6 kilometers (40. 8 mi) long.
  • Blister caves are also formed through volcanic activity.

• Sea caves are found along coasts around the world. Santa Cruz Island is the largest privately owned island off the Continental United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. A sea cave, also known as a littoral cave, is a type of Cave formed primarily by the Wave action of the Sea. A special case is littoral caves, which are formed by wave action in zones of weakness in sea cliffs. Often these weaknesses are faults, but they may also be dykes or bedding-plane contacts. Some wave-cut caves are now above sea level because of later uplift. Elsewhere, in places such as Thailand's Phang Nga Bay, solutional caves have been flooded by the sea and are now subject to littoral erosion. Phang Nga Bay is a 400 km² bay in the Andaman Sea between the island of Phuket and the mainland of the Malay peninsula of Southern Thailand. Sea caves are generally around 5 meters (16 ft) to 50 meters (160 ft) in length but may exceed 300 meters (980 ft).

• Glacier caves occur in ice and under glaciers, formed by melting. A glacier cave is a Cave formed within the Ice of a Glacier. Glacier caves are often called Ice caves, but this term is properly used to describe "Glacial" and "Glaciation" redirect here For the geological periods see Glacial period. They are also influenced by the very slow flow of the ice, which tends to close the caves again. (These are sometimes called ice caves, though this term is properly reserved for caves that contain year-round ice formations). term ice cave refers to any type of natural Cave (most commonly Lava tubes or Limestone caves that contains significant amounts of perennial (year-round

• Fracture caves are formed when layers of more soluble minerals, such as gypsum, dissolve out from between layers of less soluble rock. These rocks fracture and collapse in blocks.
• Talus caves are the openings between rocks that have fallen down into a pile, often at the bases of cliffs.
• Anchihaline caves are caves, usually coastal, containing a mixture of freshwater and saline water (usually sea water). Anchihaline caves are Caves usually coastal containing a mixture of freshwater and Saline water (usually Seawater) They occur in many parts of the world, and often contain highly specialized and endemic faunas.

Cave Patterns

• "Branchwork caves" resemble surface dentritic stream patterns; they are made up of passages that join downstream as tributaries. Branchwork caves are the most common of cave patterns and are formed near sinkholes where groundwater recharge occurs. Each passage or branch is fed by a separate recharge source and converges into other higher order branches downstream. ^[1]

• "Angular Network Caves" form from intersecting fissures of carbonate rock that have had fractures widened by chemical erosion. These fractures form high, narrow, straight passages that persist in widespread closed loops. ^[1]

• "Anastomotic Caves" largely resemble surface braided streams with their passages separating and then meeting further down drainage. They usually form along one bed or structure, and only rarely cross into upper or lower beds. ^[1]

• "Spongework caves" are formed as solution cavities are joined by mixing of chemically diverse water. The cavities form a pattern that is three-dimensional and random, resembling a sponge. ^[1]

• "Ramiform caves" form as irregular large rooms, galleries, and passages. These randomized three-dimensional rooms form from a rising water table that erodes the carbonate rock with hydrogen-sulfide enriched water. ^[1]

Geographic distribution of caves

Caves are found throughout the world, but only a portion of them have been explored and documented by cavers. Caving or spelunking is the recreational Sport of exploring Caves In contrast Speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave The distribution of documented cave systems is widely skewed toward countries where caving has been popular for many years (such as France, Italy, Australia, the UK, the United States, etc. Caving or spelunking is the recreational Sport of exploring Caves In contrast Speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ). As a result, explored caves are found widely in Europe, Asia, North America, and Oceania but are sparse in South America, Africa, and Antarctica. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a This is a great generalization, as large expanses of North America and Asia contain no documented caves, whereas areas such as the Madagascar dry deciduous forests and parts of Brazil contain many documented caves. The Madagascar dry deciduous forests represent a tropical dry forest Ecoregion generally situated in the western part of Madagascar. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld As the world’s expanses of soluble bedrock are researched by cavers, the distribution of documented caves is likely to shift. For example, China, despite containing around half the world's exposed limestone - more than 1,000,000 square kilometers (390,000 sq mi) - has relatively few documented caves. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3

Record lengths, depths, pitches and volumes

The cave system with the greatest total length of passage is Mammoth Cave (Kentucky, USA) at 591 kilometers (367 mi) in length. Mammoth Cave National Park is a US National Park in central Kentucky, encompassing portions of Mammoth Cave the longest Cave system known in the The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the This record is unlikely to be surpassed in the near future, as the next most extensive known cave is Jewel Cave near Custer, South Dakota, at 225 kilometers (140 mi). Jewel Cave National Monument contains Jewel Cave, currently the second longest Cave in the world with about 141 miles (225 km of mapped passageways Custer is a city in Custer County, South Dakota, United States. ^[2]

The deepest known cave (measured from its highest entrance to its lowest point) is Voronya Cave (Abkhazia, Georgia), with a depth of 2,191 meters (7,190 ft). The Voronya Cave aka Krubera-Voronia Cave, Cave of Kruber, etc Abkhazia (Аҧсны Apsny აფხაზეთი Apkhazeti or Abkhazeti Абха́зия Abhazia) is a De facto Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between ^[3] This was the first cave to be explored to a depth of more than 2 kilometers (1. 2 mi). (The first cave to be descended below 1 kilometer (0. 62 mi) was the famous Gouffre Berger in France). The Gouffre Berger was discovered on May 24, 1953 by, Bouvet Ruiz de Arcaute and Marc Jouffray This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Illyuzia-Mezhonnogo-Snezhnaya cave in Abkhazia, Georgia, (1,753 meters (5,750 ft)) and the Lamprechtsofen Vogelschacht Weg Schacht in Austria (1,632 meters (5,350 ft)) are the current second- and third-deepest caves. Abkhazia (Аҧсны Apsny აფხაზეთი Apkhazeti or Abkhazeti Абха́зия Abhazia) is a De facto Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich This particular record has changed several times in recent years.

The deepest individual pitch (vertical drop) within a cave is 603 meters (1,980 ft) in Vrtoglavica Cave in Slovenia, followed by Patkov Gušt at 553 meters (1,810 ft) in the Velebit mountain, Croatia. For other uses see Pitch Climbing In Rock climbing and Ice climbing, a pitch is a steep section of a route Vrtoglavica Cave is a cave located in Slovenia. The cave holds the record for having the deepest single vertical drop ( pitch) of any cave on Earth at a Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west The Velebit mountain of Croatia is believed to have several Caves with some of the world's greatest subterranean vertical drops For other meanings see Velebit (disambiguation Velebit is the largest though not the highest Mountain range in Croatia. Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between

The largest individual cavern ever discovered is the Sarawak chamber, in the Gunung Mulu National Park (Miri, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia), a sloping, boulder strewn chamber with an area of approximately 600 meters (2,000 ft) by 400 meters (1,300 ft) and a height of 80 meters (260 ft). The Sarawak Chamber is a huge chamber in Gua Nasib Bagus (Good Luck Cave which is located in Gunung Mulu National Park, in the Malaysian state of Sarawak Gunung Mulu National Park near Miri, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses incredible Caves Miri is a city in northern Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the Island of Borneo. Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and

Cave ecology

Cave-inhabiting animals are often categorized as troglobites (cave-limited species), troglophiles (species that can live their entire lives in caves, but also occur in other environments), trogloxenes (species that use caves, but cannot complete their life cycle wholly in caves) and accidentals (animals not in one of the previous categories). A troglobite is an Animal that lives entirely in the dark parts of Caves Such creatures have become specifically adapted for life in total darkness and over time A Trogloxene is a species which uses caves but cannot complete their life cycle wholly in caves Some authors use separate terminology for aquatic forms (e. g. , stygobites, stygophiles, and stygoxenes). A troglobite is an Animal that lives entirely in the dark parts of Caves Such creatures have become specifically adapted for life in total darkness and over time

Of these animals, the troglobites are perhaps the most unusual organisms. Troglobitic species often show a number of characteristics, termed troglomorphies, associated with their adaptation to subterranean life. These characteristics may include a loss of pigment (often resulting in a pale or white coloration), a loss of eyes (or at least of optical functionality), an elongation of appendages, and an enhancement of other senses (such as the ability to sense vibrations in water). Aquatic troglobites (or stygobites), such as the endangered Alabama cave shrimp, live in bodies of water found in caves and get nutrients from detritus washed into their caves and from the feces of bats and other cave inhabitants. The Alabama cave shrimp ( Palaemonias alabamae) is Species of albinistic, obligate cave Shrimp. Other aquatic troglobites include cave fish, the Olm, and cave salamanders such as the Texas Blind Salamander. The olm, or proteus ( Proteus anguinus) is a blind Amphibian endemic to the subterranean waters of caves of the Dinaric The Texas Blind Salamander, Eurycea rathbuni, is a rare Cave -dwelling Troglobite Amphibian native to San Marcos, Hays County

Cave insects such as Oligaphorura (formerly Archaphorura) schoetti are troglophiles, reaching 1. Caves are perhaps the most distinct and well-defined of Insect Habitats. 7 millimeters (0. 067 in) in length. They have extensive distribution and have been studied fairly widely. Most specimens are female but a male specimen was collected from St Cuthberts Swallet in 1969. St Cuthbert's Swallet ( is a cave which forms a major part of the Priddy Caves system in the Limestone of the Mendip Hills, in Somerset,

Bats, such as the Gray bat and Mexican Free-tailed Bat, are trogloxenes and are often found in caves; they forage outside of the caves. The Gray Bat ( Myotis grisescens) is a small Bat that lives in Caves throughout the southern United States. The Mexican Free-tailed Bat ( Tadarida brasiliensis) is a medium sized Bat. Some species of cave crickets are classified as trogloxenes, because they roost in caves by day and forage above ground at night. The Orthopteran family Rhaphidophoridae includes the cave wetas, cave crickets, camel crickets and sand treaders, of the

Because of the fragile nature of the cave ecosystem, and the fact that cave regions tend to be isolated from one another, caves harbor a number of endangered species, such as the Tooth cave spider, Liphistiidae Liphistius trapdoor spider, and the Gray bat. An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation The tooth cave spider ( Neoleptoneta myopica) is a 1/16 inch (1 The spider family Liphistiidae comprises 5 genera and 85 Species from Southeast Asia, China, and Japan. The Gray Bat ( Myotis grisescens) is a small Bat that lives in Caves throughout the southern United States.

Caves are visited by many surface-living animals, including humans. These are usually relatively short-lived incursions, due to the lack of light and sustenance. Light, or visible light, is Electromagnetic radiation of a Wavelength that is visible to the Human eye (about 400–700

Archaeological and social importance

Throughout history, primitive peoples have made use of caves for shelter, burial, or as religious sites. The Taínos were pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. Petroglyphs are Images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising pecking carving and abrading Since items placed in caves are protected from the climate and scavenging animals, this means caves are an archaeological treasure house for learning about these people. Cave paintings are of particular interest. Cave paintings are Paintings on Cave walls and ceilings and the term is used especially for those dating to Prehistoric times One example is the Great Cave of Niah, in Malaysia, which contains evidence of human habitation dating back 40,000 years. Niah Caves is located within the district of Miri in Sarawak, Malaysia. ^[4]

In Germany some experts found signs of cannibalism in the caves at the Hönne. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Cannibalism (from Spanish es ''caníbal'' in connection with cannibalism among the Antillean Caribs, also called anthropophagy (from Greek ἄνθρωπος The Hönne is a left tributary river to the Ruhr, flowing through the northern Sauerland hills in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Caves are also important for geological research because they can reveal details of past climatic conditions in speleothems and sedimentary rock layers. Sedimentary rock is one of the three main rock types (the others being igneous and Metamorphic rock)

Caves are frequently used today as sites for recreation. Caving, for example, is the popular sport of cave exploration. Caving or spelunking is the recreational Sport of exploring Caves In contrast Speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave Sport is an Activity that is governed by a set of rules or Customs and often engaged in competitively For the less adventurous, a number of the world's prettier and more accessible caves have been converted into show caves, where artificial lighting, floors, and other aids allow the casual visitor to experience the cave with minimal inconvenience. Show caves, also called tourist caves, public caves, and in the U Caves have also been used for BASE jumping and cave diving. BASE jumping is involving the use of a Parachute or the sequenced use of a Wingsuit and parachute to jump from fixed objects--with the parachute unopened at the jump Cave diving is a type of Technical diving in which specialized SCUBA equipment is used to enable the exploration of natural or artificial Caves which are

Caves are also used for the preservation or aging of wine and cheese. The constant, slightly chilly temperature and high humidity that most caves possess makes them ideal for such uses.

See also

• Cave Conservancies
• Cave Research Foundation
• Caving
• Flowstone
• Grotto
• List of caves
• Mining
• National Speleological Society
• Pit Cave
• Sinkhole
• Speleology
• Speleothem
• Stalactite
• Stalagmite
• Wine caves

References

External links

• Australian Speleological Federation (ASF), AU
• British Caving Association (BCA), UK
• Classification of Caves A list of cave types with links to further information
• Journal of Cave and Karst Studies
• National Speleological Society (NSS), US
• International Union of Speleology (UIS).
• Speleological Abstract (SA/BBS) An annual review of the world's speleological literature.
• The Virtual Cave Photographs of many types of caves.
• cave-biology.org Cave biology (biospeleology) in India.

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