Cave habitats - Aquatic habitats
Aquatic habitats
Aquatic habitats can be divided considering type of sediments, water velocity and water quantity. Very few species have adopted to strong streams of water in caves. In more peaceful environment, like in some small pools or stagnant water, more species can be found. Like the ones from genus Niphargus, Troglocaris, Monolistra and Proasellus. Stagnant waters can be huge underground lakes or some small occasional puddles in clay. Sinter pools are special habitat where some of the interstitial animals can be found. Special community of aquatic animals are community of marifugical layers. Ground of these community is calcite tubes of polychaete Marifugia cavatica where noumerous other aquatic animals found their shelter and food.
Some of the most famous groundwater animals like olm Proteus anguinus, cave clam Congeria kusceri and ogulin cave sponge Eunapius subterraneus live in Croatian underground. Some sessile animals like Marifugia cavatica and Congeria kusceri adopted to the unstable environment and during low levels of groundwater they can survive longer periods without being immerged in water.
Bibliography:
Gottstein Matočec, S., Ozimec, R., Jalžić, B., Kerovec, M. & Bakran-Petricioli, T., 2002: Raznolikost i ugroženost podzemne faune Hrvatske, Zagreb, p. 1-82.
