Abstract
The Postojna-Planina Cave System (PPCS) in central Slovenia is a globally exceptional site of subterranean biodiversity, comprised of many interconnected caves with cumulative passage length exceeding 34 km. Two rivers sink into the caves of the PPCS, called the Pivka and Rak, and join underground into Unica River, which emerges to the surface. The studies of fauna of PPCS began in the 19th century with the first scientific descriptions of specialized cave animals in the world, making it “the cradle of speleobiology”. Currently, the species list of PPCS contains 116 troglobiotic animal species belonging to eight phyla, confirming its status as the richest in the world. Of these, 47 species have been scientifically described from the PPCS, and more than 10 await formal taxonomic descriptions. We expect that further sampling, detailed analyses of less studied taxa, and the use of molecular methods may reveal more species. To keep the cave animals’ checklist in PPCS up-to-date, we have supplemented the printed checklist with an online interface. As the revised checklist is a necessary first step for further activities, we discuss the importance of PPCS in terms of future research and conservation.
Highlights
Sampling subterranean fauna is a challenging task, considering that humans have limited access to the subterranean environment
The highest conservation priority is usually given to sites with high species richness, so completing species inventories of such hotspots should be highly prioritized [2]
The total number of troglobionts for Postojna-Planina Cave System (PPCS), 84, was given in a comparative study of the Diversity 2021, 13, 271 richest subterranean sites in the world [8], but the actual species list was not included. We fill this gap with this paper, in which we have carefully evaluated and updated the list of troglobionts and discussed its importance within a broad socio-scientific-conservation context
Summary
Sampling subterranean fauna is a challenging task, considering that humans have limited access to the subterranean environment. The total number of troglobionts for PPCS, 84, was given in a comparative study of the Diversity 2021, 13, 271 richest subterranean sites in the world [8], but the actual species list was not included. We fill this gap with this paper, in which we have carefully evaluated and updated the list of troglobionts and discussed its importance within a broad socio-scientific-conservation context. Two other caves that should be considered part of the PPCS, connected via impassable flooded channels, are Lekinka (No 1867) and Tkalca jama (No. 857) [16] (Figure 4), both of which are often excluded from biological observations of the system [12,13]. The amount of organic matter in Pivka River decreases in the direction from Postojnska jama to Planinska jama [21]
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