A biospeleological and speleological investigation of the speleological cave structure of Jama opposite Torak
The project “Determining the state of the target habitat type of speleological structure Jama (Cave) opposite Torak, with an emphasis on the species Marifugia cavatica”
As part of the project “Determining the state of the target habitat type of speleological structure Jama (Cave) opposite Torak, with an emphasis on the species Marifugia cavatica”, the Croatian Biospeleological Society (HBSD) conducted a biospeleological and speleological investigation in 2023 of the speleological cave structure of Jama opposite Torak, which is located within the boundaries of the Krka National Park.
This represents a continuation of the research that HBSD conducted in the Krka National Park and the cave of Jama opposite Torak in previous years, which completed the list of established cave taxa, and assessed their condition, while the speleological structure itself was investigated in an additional 14.5 metres of a new channel.
During three caving and diving campaigns in 2023, the cave called Jama opposite Torak was fully explored; in the first field campaign, a passage was opened, and in the next two, a new crack/channel was fully explored and topographically drawn. The new registered depth of the cave is now 34 metres.
Biospeleological research was conducted in the underground lake and focused on the Dinaric cave tubeworm species (M. cavatica). Clusters of the M. cavatica species were photographed and videotaped in order to compare the state of the population from earlier years. In all submerged areas where there are tubeworms, it was confirmed that the population is alive and stable, inhabiting the rocks and reaching from the surface to the bottom of the lake. On two occasions during the investigations, the presence of olm or proteus (P. anguinus) was recorded. During the first visit in April, two specimens were seen, and during the last dive in September, one specimen was seen in the newly explored channel at the bottom of the cave. Confirmed findings of olms indicate that the water in the cave of Jama opposite Torak is a suitable habitat for aquatic (stygobiont) fauna.
For long-term monitoring of the condition of the tubeworms, three permanent panels of different materials marked with a scale were installed. These panels will enable better monitoring of the inhabitation and growth of the M. cavatica species in the coming years.
This project contributes to understanding of the ecology and preservation of speleological structures, and further provides guidelines for future activities to protect this special habitat.
Photo: N. Sudar, B. Jalžić, P. Visković, P. Šimunčić
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