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What's the temperature in tropical caves?
Luis Mejía-Ortíz1, Mary C Christman2, Tanja Pipan3
1Lab. de Bioespeleología y Carcinología, División de Desarrollo Sustentable, Universidad de Quintana Roo, Cozumel, Mexico.
Plos One
|December 31, 2020
Summary
Cave temperatures in Quintana Roo, Mexico, exhibit seasonality with a 3°C drop during the Nortes season. Daily temperature cycles were also observed, though faint in some areas, indicating patterns worthy of further study.
Area of Science:
- * Speleology
- * Environmental Science
- * Climatology
Background:
- * Understanding subterranean climate dynamics is crucial for ecological studies.
- * Cave environments offer unique settings to study temperature fluctuations with reduced external influences.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To investigate the seasonal and daily temperature patterns within three cave systems in Quintana Roo, Mexico.
- * To compare temperature variability across different cave zones and connectivity to the surface.
Main Methods:
- * Hourly temperature data collected over one year from 17 stations across three caves: Muévelo Sabrosito, Muévelo Rico, and Río Secreto (Tuch).
- * Stations were strategically placed, with 13 located in twilight zones.
Main Results:
- * All 17 stations displayed temperature seasonality, with a notable 3°C decrease during the Nortes season.
- * Muévelo Sabrosito and Muévelo Rico showed increased temperature variability in winter, while Río Secreto exhibited greatest variability during the rainy season.
- * A faint daily temperature cycle was detected across most sites, particularly noticeable in caves with less surface openness.
Conclusions:
- * Cave temperatures demonstrate distinct seasonal and daily patterns, influenced by external climate and cave structure.
- * Despite diminished variability compared to surface conditions, cave temperature temporal patterns warrant further investigation for their ecological implications.
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