[Texascavers] Slow growing microbial ropes in Frasassi caves of Italy :
Unusual Microbial Ropes Grow Slowly In Cave Lake ScienceDaily (Dec. 19, 2008) — Deep inside the Frasassi cave system in Italy and more than 1,600 feet below the Earth's surface, divers found filamentous ropes of microbes growing in the cold water, according to a team of Penn State researchers. Sulfur caves are a microbiology paradise. Many different types of organisms live in the caves and use the sulfur, says Jennifer L. Macalady, assistant professor of geosciences. We are trying to map which organisms live where in the caves and how they correspond to the geochemical environment. In this process, Macalady and her team discovered a previously unknown form of biofilm growing in the oxygen-deficient portion of the lake. The cave explorers had seen these strange biofilms, says Macalady. So we asked them if they could get us a sample. The Frasassi cave system is located north of Rome and south of Venice in the Marche region. These limestone caves are like New Mexico's Carlsbad Caverns and Lechuguilla Cave, but in those caves, sulfur entered the caves from oil and gas reserves, while in Italy, the sulfur source is a thick gypsum layer below. Having sulfur in the environment allows sulfur-using organisms to grow. The researchers received about the weight of two paper clips of the strange rope to analyze. They reported the results of their DNA sequencing today (Dec. 19) at the American Geophysical Union Conference in San Francisco. We did not retrieve any sequences for known methane-producing20organisms or known methane oxidizers, says Macalady. The researchers did find that about half the organisms were bacteria and the other half belonged to another single-celled group of organisms called archaea. The researchers identified half the bacteria as sulfate reducers, bacteria that convert sulfates into sulfide to obtain energy. Of the archaea, more than half were associated with organisms usually found in deep sea sediments and referred to as marine benthic group D (MBG-D). Researchers do not know how MBG-D organisms obtain energy, although they are always found in oxygen-less locations. The 2 inches of ropey biofilm under study was two-tenth of an inch in diameter. Microscopic images of the rope show that some of the single-celled organisms have shapes that intertwine with each other and some have tendrils. We do not know why the have the shape they do, says Macalady. Microorganisms in them likely secrete some sticky goo, an extra-cellular polymeric substance -- slime that holds them together. What the researchers do know is that the location where these ropes grow is very low in available energy -- considered an energy-limiting environment. The location can support only very slow growth. The ropes range in length from one to two meters, and radiocarbon dating places them at 1,000 to 2,000 years old. Previous researchers have estimated the rate of cell growth in some deep sea sediments to a cell division every thousand years, says Macalady. Microscopic images of the rope using three dyes, one for DNA, one for bacteria and one for archaea, show very little activity in the bacteria or archaea, probably because the dyes highlight ribosomes and they only exist in a cell when it is actively metabolizing. The researchers, who include Macalady; Daniel S. Jones and Rebecca R. McCauley, graduate students, geosciences; Irene Schaperdoth, research associate; and Dan Bloom, undergraduate honors student in astrobiology, are hoping to obtain more microbial rope samples this summer. They will work with divers to get samples from the deepest and shallowest ends of the ropes in order to find clues about how they grow. The National Science Foundation and the NASA Astrobiology Institute supported this work. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081219172031.htm
[Texascavers] Archaeological Discovery: Earliest Evidence Of Our Cave-dwelling Human Ancestors :
Archaeological Discovery: Earliest Evidence Of Our Cave-dwelling Human Ancestors ScienceDaily (Dec. 19, 2008) — A research team led by Professor Michael Chazan, director of the University of Toronto's Archaeology Centre, has discovered the earliest evidence of our cave-dwelling human ancestors at the Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa. — A research team led by Professor Michael Chazan, director of the University of Toronto's Archaeology Centre, has discovered the earliest evidence of our cave-dwelling human ancestors at the Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa. Stone tools found at the bottom level of the cave — believed to be 2 million years old — show that human ancestors were in the cave earlier than ever thought before. Geological evidence indicates that these tools were left in the cave and not washed into the site from the outside world. Archaeological investigations of the Wonderwerk cave — a South African National Heritage site due to its role in discovering the human and environmental history of the area — began in the 1940s and research continues to this day. Using a combination of dating methods it has been possible to date the bottom level reached by Peter Beaumont in the front part of the cave to 2 million years ago. A small number of very small stone tools have been recovered from excavations in this level. Geological evidence indicates that these tools were deposited in the cave by human ancestors, not washed into the site from the outside. The combination20of stone tools indicating the presence of human ancestors and the dating of the level leads to the conclusion that human ancestors (hominids) were in the cave 2 million years ago. This is the earliest evidence for intentional cave occupation by human ancestors. There were a number of species of hominids in southern Africat 2 million years ago. The most likely candidate as the manufacturer of the stone tools found at Wonderwerk is Homo habilis. The oldest known stone tools from sites in Ethiopia date to 2.4 million years. The Wonderwerk Cave discoveries are those close in age to the very earliest known stone tools and similar in date to the bottom levels at Olduvai Gorge http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081219172137.htm Press Release Package Using a combination of dating methods it has been possible to date the bottom level reached by Peter Beaumont in the front part of the cave to 2 million years ago. A small number of very small stone tools have been recovered from excavations in this level. Geological evidence indicates that these tools were deposited in the cave by human ancestors, not washed into the site from the outside. The combination of stone tools indicating the presence of human ancestors and the dating of the level leads to the conclusion that human ancestors (hominids) were in the cave 2 million years ago. This is the earliest evidence for intentional cave occupation by human ancestors. There were a number of species of hominids in southern A fricat 2 million years ago. The most likely candidate as the manufacturer of the stone tools found at Wonderwerk is Homo habilis. The oldest known stone tools from sites in Ethiopia date to 2.4 million years. The Wonderwerk Cave discoveries are those close in age to the very earliest known stone tools and similar in date to the bottom levels at Olduvai Gorge. How Was the Site Dated The deposits at Wonderwerk Cave built up over time so that the deeper one excavates the layers become older. The trick is to figure out exactly how old the levels are. We used two methods that together provide a secure date. For Paleomagnetic Dating Hagai Ron of the Hebrew University took small samples of soil from the entire sequence (over fifty samples). These samples allow him to measure changes in he earth’s magnetic field and to correlate the Wonderwerk sequence with a global timescale for changes in the magnetic field (known as reversals). For Cosmogenic Burial Age Ari Matmon, also from the Hebrew University, took soil samples and carefully prepared them in the lab. He then sent these samples to an atomic accelerator in the United States where a procedure to measure isotopes, much like the method used in carbon dating, was carried out. Unlike carbon dating, Cosmogenic Burial Age dating can provide very old dates. Why was this so difficult? Most well dated early sites are in East Africa where there are volcanic ash layers that can be dated using the Argon method. In southern Africa we lack these ash layers so that we need to develop new methods. The first use of Cosmogenic Burial Age dating in South Africa was at the Cradle of Humankind. Our results show the value of this method, particularly when combined with Paleomagnetic dating, for archaeological research both in the region and globally. Wonderwerk Cave: Basic Information Location: Northern Cape Province, South Africa between Danielskuil and
Re: [ot_caving] Speaking of books...
My memory is really bad. I have never heard of author James Rollins, so unfortunately I can't take credit for it. I would take some of the herbal medications that improve mental awareness, if I was certain they worked and they were safe. - Give this to a friend: ot-subscr...@texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: ot-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: ot-h...@texascavers.com
[Texascavers] minor cave rescue in the news
Here is a minor story in the news about a person stuck in a cave http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/dec/18/knoxville-rescuers-responding-man-trapped-monroe-c/ Was it a caver? On a not so related note, I will be in Reynosa, Mexico from Christmas Eve to possibly New Year's Day. If you are passing thru you are welcome to stop by. Or if you have nothing to do, and would like to spend your hard earned vacation in a dusty border town eating street tacos, then give me a call. David Locklear 281-995-8487 - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
Re: [Texascavers] minor cave rescue in the news
Sounds like a caver to me. He was in a freakin' cave wasn't he? -WaV On Sat, Dec 20, 2008 at 10:46 PM, David dlocklea...@gmail.com wrote: Here is a minor story in the news about a person stuck in a cave http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/dec/18/knoxville-rescuers-responding-man-trapped-monroe-c/ Was it a caver?
[Texascavers] China sinkhole collapse sends hundreds fleeing :
Villagers evacuated after ground sinking in S.China GUANGZHOU - Nearly 400 villagers were evacuated after a ground cave-in that affected 73 houses in south China's Guangdong Province, local officials said Saturday. Houses and residential buildings in Xiamao Village in Baiyun District of Guangzhou, the provincial capital, began to slope at about 4:15 p.m. Friday, forcing 381 people to escape, according to Long Xin'an, an official with the district emergency office. The ground sinking affected an area of about 5,000 square meters, where one building collapsed, 11 houses cracked and 61 others were under safety monitoring. Among those affected, 334 were migrant residents and 47 were natives. They were seeking shelter in the conference hall and an entertainment center under organization of the village committee. The committee officials said 134 of them may have to stay overnight and others would be able to return home. No one was injured as the buildings were tilting slowly and people had time to evacuate. The cave-in left a huge hole measuring three meters in diameter, Guangzhou-based Xinxi Times cited a witness surnamed Chen as saying. It reported earlier that several thousands of people were evacuated. Initial investigation indicated that the sinking was caused by piling work of a real estate project that triggered an underground limestone cave. The sinking area remained cordoned off as of Saturday noon. Cause of the cave-in was still under investigation. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-12/20/content_7325386.htm
[Texascavers] Texas State University to transform San Marcos Spring Lake back to nature :
University to give most of Spring Lake back to nature Posted on December 20, 2008 at 12:48 pm by Sean Batura The University will partner with the US Army Corps of Engineers to transform the Spring Lake peninsula to a more natural state. “Basically the project will restore the aquatic and terrestrial habitats throughout Spring Lake which have been degraded over the years by the construction and operations of the Aquarena Center,” said Associate Vice President of Facilities Pat Fogarty of Texas State University. “The structures and facilities associated with Aquarena Center will be removed. Basically we’re going to remove everything on the peninsula except that (which) is needed to support the operation of the glass bottom boats and the diving program.” Regional Technical Specialist for the Army Corps of Engineers Jeffry Tripe said he did not know when construction funds might become available because the Corps and Congress have yet to determine how much funding will be available for the construction phase of the project. “Ideally this plans and specs phase will last about a year, and then as soon as we’re done with that we’ll be ready for some construction funds,” said Tripe. “If there’s no problems and we get funding, we’re looking at probably a year and a half out we’ll start construction.” He said the Corps often has insufficient funds to move forward with projects already initiated, though because the aquati c ecosystem restoration project at Aquarena Center is “probably” a high-priority project, it is not likely that federal funds for the construction phase will be lacking. “It’s got five threatened endangered species in the area that will benefit from restoration,” said Tripe. “It’s a unique area, it’s a spring-aquifer-type area…And it’s unique in that it has a lot of cultural resource and background history…so getting that area back to a more natural, native-type setting will definitely be a plus.” A federal law - The Water Resources Development Act of 1996 - authorizes the US Army Corps of Engineers to carry out projects for aquatic ecosystem restoration and protection. According to a report published by the Corps, the project at Spring Lake will entail “demolishing 19 structures, relocating 3 structures off-site, leaving 6 structures in place, establishing native prairie vegetation, removing exotic vegetation, installing a vegetative buffer zone, and constructing trails and a restroom.” Fogarty said the “vegetative buffer zone” will be intended to keep people from the edge of the lake. He said 22 acres of lacustrine habitat, 10 acres of peninsula flood plain and nine acres of riparian habitat will be restored. Fogarty said Wetlands Walk will not be demolished. The old inn and other structures on the hillside bank of Spring Lake will not be removed. According to the Army Corps of Engineers’ Integrated Detailed Project Repo rt and Environmental Assessment, construction associated with project might result in the harming or killing of up to 732 San Marcos Salamanders and 965 Fountain Darters, two of the eight endangered species living in the San Marcos region of the Edwards Aquifer. “Critical habitat for the San Marcos salamander, fountain darter, and Texas wild-rice could experience temporary degradation during construction, primarily due to increased turbidity and sedimentation,” the report states. “However, the (National Ecosystem Restoration) plan would improve aquatic habitat in Spring Lake and the San Marcos River providing a long-term benefit to protected species.” According to the report, removal of structures submerged in Spring Lake “would create an additional 4,600 square feet of Critical Habitat and potentially uncover spring openings that could be colonized by federally-protected species.” Before 19th century settlers created Spring Lake Dam, early travelers to the region reported the springs spewing water several feet into the air. The aquatic ecosystem restoration project will not involve removing Spring Lake Dam. Professor of aquatic resources Walter Rast said removing the dam would eliminate Spring Lake and the nearby wetlands, thereby harming some of the species that have become acclimatized to the dam’s presence. Rast said he doubts the dam will soon be removed. “The canoeing groups would love to see it gone,” said Howard. “They wouldn’t have to portage anymore, and it would=2 0be a faster ride, probably.” Executive Director of the San Marcos River Foundation Dianne Wassenich said most of the dams on the river will be removed someday. She said demolishing Spring Lake Dam, thereby fully restoring the San Marcos Springs to their natural state, would have to be done over a period of years. “(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) would have to be very careful to protect the endangered species during the process,” said Wassenich. “So I don’t see it happening in my lifetime.” Tripe said an increase in the de-watering of
[Texascavers] 2009 TCC Winter Conference
2009 TCC Winter Conference Mark you calendars -February 27-March 1, 2009 The TCC Winter Conference is a special event for new cavers, however Old-timers are welcome as well. Take this opportunity to round up your new people and get them caving and learning about caves. The TCC asks for a donation to assist in the costs, however, but for new cavers (less than five years) everything is free. There is really no good reason not to take part. Our special guest is Ron Kerbo. For a number of years Ron was with the National Parks Service. Rons Power Point presentation will be Wooden Lettuce, Chili Peppers and the Speleo-education of an Oil Field Roust-a-Bout. Here is the tentative schedule: Friday: Camping caving. Saturday: Breakfast provided. Tours Workshops - 10:00 AM Geology-Caving Tour Twin Creeks Tour Basic Caving Workshop Introduction-Land Owner Relations- Cave Biology, Survey, Photography Cave Restoration (Visits several caves). Urban Cave Monitoring Management Workshop- This will be conducted at the TCC Headquarters at 5:00 PM Avery Ranch Cave- All Day Avery Ranch Cave Special Event- 4:00 PM Dies Ranch Treasure Cave-All Day Dies Ranch Shelter Cave-All Day Caving-All Day 5:00 PM Dinner - Mexican Food 6:30 PM After Dinner Special guest presentation by Ron Kerbo Wooden Lettuce, Chili Peppers and the Speleo-education of an Oil Field Roust-a-Bout Hall of Texas Cavers slides Party Dave Caves Salon- Strawberry Margaritas Sunday: Breakfast provided Caving More information will be provided closer to the event Save $15 on Flowers and Gifts from FTD! Shop now at http://offers.juno.com/TGL1131/?u=http://www.ftd.com/17007 - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
