Attenuating Anthropogenic Impact on Subterranean Micro-Climate: Insights from the Biospeleological Station in Postojna Cave
The Biospeleological Station (BS) in Postojna Cave, with a volume of 36,000 m<sup>3</sup>, has served as an underground biological laboratory since 1931, receiving 100,000 visitors annually. Historical cave micro-climate monitoring was performed in 1933 and 1963, and continuous monitorin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Geosciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/14/3/87 |
| _version_ | 1797240864655802368 |
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| author | Stanka Šebela Uroš Novak |
| author_facet | Stanka Šebela Uroš Novak |
| author_sort | Stanka Šebela |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Biospeleological Station (BS) in Postojna Cave, with a volume of 36,000 m<sup>3</sup>, has served as an underground biological laboratory since 1931, receiving 100,000 visitors annually. Historical cave micro-climate monitoring was performed in 1933 and 1963, and continuous monitoring of cave air temperature and carbon dioxide concentration at hourly intervals started in 2015. Micro-climatic data collected between 2015 and 2024 has helped us to understand the relationship between natural underground environment and anthropogenic impact, thereby aiding expert recommendations to cave managers for the mitigation of anthropogenic micro-climatic effects. Results strongly support the policy that, during summer, when outdoor temperatures are higher than in the cave, solid metal doors connecting the BS with the rest of the cave (Stara Jama) should be kept open. Such a simple mitigation act helps to decrease anthropogenically increased air temperature and carbon dioxide concentrations, thereby maintaining suitable micro-climatic conditions for the exhibition of cave animals. Closure during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021) resulted in the lowest temperatures recorded. BS visitation increases air temperature by 1 °C, highlighting the need for management strategies to maintain suitable conditions for cave fauna exhibition. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:14:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-15da1eaa5648430fb595f3169fb279ea |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3263 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:14:13Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-15da1eaa5648430fb595f3169fb279ea2024-03-27T13:43:29ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632024-03-011438710.3390/geosciences14030087Attenuating Anthropogenic Impact on Subterranean Micro-Climate: Insights from the Biospeleological Station in Postojna CaveStanka Šebela0Uroš Novak1ZRC SAZU Karst Research Institute, Titov trg 2, 6230 Postojna, SloveniaZRC SAZU Karst Research Institute, Titov trg 2, 6230 Postojna, SloveniaThe Biospeleological Station (BS) in Postojna Cave, with a volume of 36,000 m<sup>3</sup>, has served as an underground biological laboratory since 1931, receiving 100,000 visitors annually. Historical cave micro-climate monitoring was performed in 1933 and 1963, and continuous monitoring of cave air temperature and carbon dioxide concentration at hourly intervals started in 2015. Micro-climatic data collected between 2015 and 2024 has helped us to understand the relationship between natural underground environment and anthropogenic impact, thereby aiding expert recommendations to cave managers for the mitigation of anthropogenic micro-climatic effects. Results strongly support the policy that, during summer, when outdoor temperatures are higher than in the cave, solid metal doors connecting the BS with the rest of the cave (Stara Jama) should be kept open. Such a simple mitigation act helps to decrease anthropogenically increased air temperature and carbon dioxide concentrations, thereby maintaining suitable micro-climatic conditions for the exhibition of cave animals. Closure during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021) resulted in the lowest temperatures recorded. BS visitation increases air temperature by 1 °C, highlighting the need for management strategies to maintain suitable conditions for cave fauna exhibition.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/14/3/87air temperaturecarbon dioxideshow cavesustainable managementCOVID-19 pandemicDinaric karst |
| spellingShingle | Stanka Šebela Uroš Novak Attenuating Anthropogenic Impact on Subterranean Micro-Climate: Insights from the Biospeleological Station in Postojna Cave Geosciences air temperature carbon dioxide show cave sustainable management COVID-19 pandemic Dinaric karst |
| title | Attenuating Anthropogenic Impact on Subterranean Micro-Climate: Insights from the Biospeleological Station in Postojna Cave |
| title_full | Attenuating Anthropogenic Impact on Subterranean Micro-Climate: Insights from the Biospeleological Station in Postojna Cave |
| title_fullStr | Attenuating Anthropogenic Impact on Subterranean Micro-Climate: Insights from the Biospeleological Station in Postojna Cave |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attenuating Anthropogenic Impact on Subterranean Micro-Climate: Insights from the Biospeleological Station in Postojna Cave |
| title_short | Attenuating Anthropogenic Impact on Subterranean Micro-Climate: Insights from the Biospeleological Station in Postojna Cave |
| title_sort | attenuating anthropogenic impact on subterranean micro climate insights from the biospeleological station in postojna cave |
| topic | air temperature carbon dioxide show cave sustainable management COVID-19 pandemic Dinaric karst |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/14/3/87 |
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