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Guide to the Encyclopedia
Guide to the Encyclopedia
The Encyclopedia of Caves is a complete source of information on the subject of caves and life in caves, contained within a single volume. Each article in the Encyclopedia provides an overview of the selected topic to inform a broad spectrum of readers, from biologists and geologists conducting research in related areas, to students and the interested general public. In order that you, the reader, will derive the maximum benefit from the Encyclopedia of Caves, we have provided this Guide. It explains how the book is organized and how the information within its pages can be located.
SUBJECT AREAS The Encyclopedia of Caves presents 128 separate articles on the entire range of speleological study. Articles in the Encyclopedia fall within 17 general subject areas, as follows: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
are arranged in a single alphabetical sequence by title. An alphabetical Table of Contents for the articles can be found beginning on page v of this introductory section. So they can be more easily identified, article titles begin with the key word or phrase indicating the topic, with any descriptive terms following this. For example, “Invasion, Active versus Passive” is the title assigned to this article, rather than “Active versus Passive Invasion,” because the specific term Invasion is the key word. You can use this alphabetical Table of Contents by itself to locate a topic, or you can first identify the topic in the Contents by Subject Area on page x and then go to the alphabetical Table to find the page location.
ARTICLE FORMAT Each article in the Encyclopedia begins with introductory text that defines the topic being discussed and indicates its significance. For example, the article “Behavioral Adaptations” begins as follows: Animals living in darkness have to compete for food, mates, and space for undisturbed reproduction just as their epigean conspecifics do in the epigean habitats, but there is one striking difference: In light, animals can use visual signals. Thus, important aspects of their behavior driven by visual signals cannot apply in darkness. The question arises, then, of how cave dwellers compensate for this disadvantage in complete darkness. This article uses several examples to compare various behavior patterns among cave dwelling populations with epigean ancestors. Major headings highlight important subtopics that are discussed in the article. For example, the article “Beetles” includes these topics: Adaptations, Colonization and Geographical Distribution, Systematics of Cave Beetles, Ecology, Importance and Protection.
Types of Caves Cave Features Surface Karst Features Hydrology and Hydrogeology Speleothems and Other Cave Deposits Cave Ages and Paleoclimate Exceptional Caves Biology of Particular Organisms in Caves Communities and habitats Ecology Cave Invasion Biogeography and Dispersal Evolution and Adaptation in Caves Evolution and Adaptation in Caves Diversity Contemporary Use of Caves Historical Use of Caves Ground Water Contamination and Land Use Hazards in Cave Regions
ORGANIZATION
CROSS-REFERENCES
The Encyclopedia of Caves is organized to provide the maximum ease of use for its readers. All of the articles
Cross-references appear within the Encyclopedia as indications of related topics at the end of a particular
xiii
xiv
GUIDE TO THE ENCYCLOPEDIA
article. As an example, a cross-reference at the end of an article can be found in the entry “Camps.” This article concludes with the statement: See Also the Following Articles Recreational Caving • Exploration of Light Sources This reference indicates that these related articles all provide some additional information about Camps.
BIBLIOGRAPHY The Bibliography section appears as the last element of the article. This section lists recent secondary sources that will aid the reader in locating more detailed or technical information on the topic at hand. Review articles and research papers that are important to a more detailed understanding of the topic are also listed here. The Bibliography entries in this
Encyclopedia are for the benefit of the reader to provide references for further reading or additional research on the given topic. Thus they typically consist of a limited number of entries. They are not intended to represent a complete listing of all the materials consulted by the author or authors in preparing the article. The Bibliography is in effect an extension of the article itself, and it represents the author’s choice as to the best sources available for additional information.
INDEX The Subject Index for the Encyclopedia of Caves contains more than 4600 entries. Within the entry for a given topic, references to general coverage of the topic appear first, such as a complete article on the subject. References to more specific aspects of the topic then appear below this in an indented list.
The Encyclopedia of Caves is a complete source of information on the subject of caves and life in caves, contained within a single volume. Each article in the Encyclopedia provides an overview of the selected topic to inform a broad spectrum of readers, from biologists and geologists conducting research in related areas, to students and the interested general public. In order that you, the reader, will derive the maximum benefit from the Encyclopedia of Caves, we have provided this Guide. It explains how the book is organized and how the information within its pages can be located.
SUBJECT AREAS The Encyclopedia of Caves presents 128 separate articles on the entire range of speleological study. Articles in the Encyclopedia fall within 17 general subject areas, as follows: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
are arranged in a single alphabetical sequence by title. An alphabetical Table of Contents for the articles can be found beginning on page v of this introductory section. So they can be more easily identified, article titles begin with the key word or phrase indicating the topic, with any descriptive terms following this. For example, “Invasion, Active versus Passive” is the title assigned to this article, rather than “Active versus Passive Invasion,” because the specific term Invasion is the key word. You can use this alphabetical Table of Contents by itself to locate a topic, or you can first identify the topic in the Contents by Subject Area on page x and then go to the alphabetical Table to find the page location.
ARTICLE FORMAT Each article in the Encyclopedia begins with introductory text that defines the topic being discussed and indicates its significance. For example, the article “Behavioral Adaptations” begins as follows: Animals living in darkness have to compete for food, mates, and space for undisturbed reproduction just as their epigean conspecifics do in the epigean habitats, but there is one striking difference: In light, animals can use visual signals. Thus, important aspects of their behavior driven by visual signals cannot apply in darkness. The question arises, then, of how cave dwellers compensate for this disadvantage in complete darkness. This article uses several examples to compare various behavior patterns among cave dwelling populations with epigean ancestors. Major headings highlight important subtopics that are discussed in the article. For example, the article “Beetles” includes these topics: Adaptations, Colonization and Geographical Distribution, Systematics of Cave Beetles, Ecology, Importance and Protection.
Types of Caves Cave Features Surface Karst Features Hydrology and Hydrogeology Speleothems and Other Cave Deposits Cave Ages and Paleoclimate Exceptional Caves Biology of Particular Organisms in Caves Communities and habitats Ecology Cave Invasion Biogeography and Dispersal Evolution and Adaptation in Caves Evolution and Adaptation in Caves Diversity Contemporary Use of Caves Historical Use of Caves Ground Water Contamination and Land Use Hazards in Cave Regions
ORGANIZATION
CROSS-REFERENCES
The Encyclopedia of Caves is organized to provide the maximum ease of use for its readers. All of the articles
Cross-references appear within the Encyclopedia as indications of related topics at the end of a particular
xiii
xiv
GUIDE TO THE ENCYCLOPEDIA
article. As an example, a cross-reference at the end of an article can be found in the entry “Camps.” This article concludes with the statement: See Also the Following Articles Recreational Caving • Exploration of Light Sources This reference indicates that these related articles all provide some additional information about Camps.
BIBLIOGRAPHY The Bibliography section appears as the last element of the article. This section lists recent secondary sources that will aid the reader in locating more detailed or technical information on the topic at hand. Review articles and research papers that are important to a more detailed understanding of the topic are also listed here. The Bibliography entries in this
Encyclopedia are for the benefit of the reader to provide references for further reading or additional research on the given topic. Thus they typically consist of a limited number of entries. They are not intended to represent a complete listing of all the materials consulted by the author or authors in preparing the article. The Bibliography is in effect an extension of the article itself, and it represents the author’s choice as to the best sources available for additional information.
INDEX The Subject Index for the Encyclopedia of Caves contains more than 4600 entries. Within the entry for a given topic, references to general coverage of the topic appear first, such as a complete article on the subject. References to more specific aspects of the topic then appear below this in an indented list.