Cave ecology isolated for over 5 mllion years

[DaveC426913]

Surely this is a huge, huge find, is it not??

A living ecology, isolated for over 5 million years?

http://ecowatch.com/2016/05/24/movile-cave-romania/

Scientists Uncover Array of Strange Animals in Cave That Has Been Sealed Off for 5.5 Million Years

 

[Uranic_Wabbit]

This is a fascinating discovery that could just possibly revolutionize our understanding of how to counter the build-up of greenhouse gases on Earth. And of course it is so exciting to observe all of these new species that have had little to no contact with the Outside world whatsoever before now.

I also found another source that also talks about the topic: http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150904-the-bizarre-beasts-living-in-romanias-poison-cave

My personal favorite is the waterscorpion, it causes me a great deal of wonder to think just what venom it utilizes without any outside contact.

 

[256bits]

Wiki says this, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movile_Cave

Forty-eight species, among them leeches, spiders, scorpions and insects, were found inside the cave, of which 33 are endemic. The food chain is based on chemosynthesis in the form of methane- and sulfur-oxidising bacteria, which in turn release nutrients for fungi and other bacteria. This forms microbial mats on the cave walls and the surface of lakes and ponds which are grazed on by some of the animals. The grazers are then preyed on by predatory species

http://www.jcmurrell.co.uk/cave.html [Broken]
has a model of the biogeochemical process.
http://www.jcmurrell.co.uk/images/movile_cave_interactions.jpg [Broken]
Interesting stuff.

 

[1oldman2]

Surely this is a huge, huge find, is it not??

A living ecology, isolated for over 5 million years?

Agreed! Thanks for the link.

 

[1oldman2]

Interesting stuff.

Very!