Finished projects

Speleological and biospeleological research of caves in Kornati National Park

In 2017 first detailed biospeleological research was conducted in the Kornati National Park. The research gave very interesting results. At the moment, in the Park are registered 30 caves and pits, and three wells. Also, because of the contact with locals during research, information about new caves and pits is usually gathered, and part of the fieldwork is always dedicated to the search for new localities.

Field speleological and biospeleological research included subterranean fauna collection (by hand, and using pit-fall and water traps), photo documentation of caves and fauna, microclimatic measurements, and topographic mapping. Analyses of the subterranean fauna material collected in 2017 and 2018, from 28 caves and pits, and three wells, resulted in the determination of 74 taxa from 14 groups: Acari, Amphipoda, Araneae, Coleoptera, Collembola, Diplopoda, Diplura, Isopoda, Orthoptera, Formicidae, Palpigradi, Pseudoscorpiones, Psocoptera, and Scorpiones. Total taxa number includes trogloxenes (like edaphic species which are not ecologically connected with cave habitats), along with troglobionts and troglophiles. The research continued through 2019.