A unique small-scale microclimatic gradient in a temperate karst harbours exceptionally high diversity of soil Collembola

A unique microclimatic gradient within the Silická ľadnica Ice Cave, part of the UNESCO-listed Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst, harbors an exceptionally high diversity of soil Collembola, with 129 species identified—approximately 91% of the estimated total richness. This small-scale gradient, characterized by a steep temperature decrease from the karst plateau edge to the doline bottom, serves as a climatic microrefuge for endemic and cold-adapted species. The study, conducted over three years at seven sites along an 117.5-meter slope, revealed that species richness correlates positively with soil temperature, with the middle zone of the gradient hosting a high number of Carpathian endemics (10) and psychrophilic species (21). Additionally, cold and wet karst scree slopes may act as borderline habitats for obligate subterranean species. The findings suggest that such microclimatic gradients in temperate karst systems can serve as biodiversity reservoirs, offering critical microrefugia for endemic and relict taxa.

Raschmanová, N., Miklisová, D., Kováč, Ľ.,. (2018). A unique small-scale microclimatic gradient in a temperate karst harbours exceptionally high diversity of soil Collembola. International Journal of Speleology, 47(2), 247–262. https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806x.47.2.2194