Cave Life

[tflaris]

I have noticed more cave life in the Nicholson, Wishbone, Cisteen than in other tunnels in Peacock. Is this due to the nutrients available coming in with the groundwater from the rain. It seems these tunnels tend to be slightly more tannic.

Thoughts?

Thanks

Tony


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[FW]

I have noticed more cave life in the Nicholson, Wishbone, Cisteen than in other tunnels in Peacock. Is this due to the nutrients available coming in with the groundwater from the rain. It seems these tunnels tend to be slightly more tannic.

Thoughts?...

There is less diver traffic back there. There are also more in the seldom used side tunnels in places like P3.

[Kelly Jessop]

Seeing more life in a system can be a very relative term. Typically the 2nd or 3rd person in a team will see more life,especially if there is greater interval between the lead diver,because the predatory response is triggered by the lead diver. Also,if your lead diver has good technique with silt control,it will reduce the turbidity,and more life will be seen. One other thing that will expose more cave life is if you go to a wide angle primary light versus a sharp focused beam.

Why would someone see more life in the areas you mentioned? I have found that diver traffic as Forrest alluded to is mutually exclusive to cave life,but water quality and organic material being the biggest factors. The water in the Nicholson tunnel is always dingy,and when there is a flooding event nearing,you will see a tannin layer in the Cisteen tunnel. I would infer there must be some type of vent to the river,and if there is an influx of river water,then quite possibly the dissolved oxygen is higher there. Hate to say,but if Peacock would hurry up and flood,a better understanding of this system will occur.

[jason]

I may need to move a sensor over to the Cisteen tunnel... In the 2009 reversal, Kelly and several other cave divers installed sensors for our research group at P1, between P1 and Olsen, by Challenge and in the Distance tunnel. We found that river water was recorded first at P1 and then with increasing distance in the system. This would suggest that the influx of river water was initiated at P1 and then pushed back through the rest of the system. I'm making a trip back to Florida at the end of Oct and beginning of November to run a number of geochemical surveys in the cave, to take water samples and to install some discrete tubing to allow for better sampling in summer and during floods (all under an approved DEP permit). I could use some volunteers during that time period that are very familiar with the Peacock systems to assist with several tasks and to play tour guide for me (I don't know Peacock very well). I'll be doing some work at Madison Blue too, which I know even less about.

[Kelly Jessop]

Hey Jason,some key indicators that Peacock is about to reverse is tannic layer on the floor heading past where Nicholson tunnel intersects with Cisteen tunnel. The other place is a low section in the waterhole tunnel that will turn to near zero viz for a 50ft section. As the river seems to rise and go up the spring run,there appears a lot of tannic water coming from P2,which is probably communicated from P3,and then the P1 basin is overwhelmed,and river water heads upward in the system. What will be very interesting is what the results will be if we have another flood with the sensors presently there,and the hydrolab. Any chance you can get 3 more hydrolabs for some key places Count on some help when you come in October,because we got some info to swap with you.

[jason]

Thanks for the offer to help and the data swap. I look forward to it! As for the hydrolabs.... no chance of getting more right now. They're a bit on the pricey side. I'll see if I can get another CTD freed up to move into the Nicholson Tunnel. While there won't be any DO info, we will be able to track river intrusion using temperature and conductivity changes. The Nicholson and Cisteen tunnels were actually on the list of places I wanted to focus on during my trip. I'll be comparing the water chemistry (from water samples) in those areas to the river.

[Kelly Jessop]

Thanks for the offer to help and the data swap. I look forward to it! As for the hydrolabs.... no chance of getting more right now. They're a bit on the pricey side. I'll see if I can get another CTD freed up to move into the Nicholson Tunnel. While there won't be any DO info, we will be able to track river intrusion using temperature and conductivity changes. The Nicholson and Cisteen tunnels were actually on the list of places I wanted to focus on during my trip. I'll be comparing the water chemistry (from water samples) in those areas to the river.

There are some good places that sensors can be placed and the temperature numbers there compared to a control in the system will tell you a lot. PS-win the lotto,and get the hydrolabs.

[tflaris]

I may need to move a sensor over to the Cisteen tunnel... In the 2009 reversal, Kelly and several other cave divers installed sensors for our research group at P1, between P1 and Olsen, by Challenge and in the Distance tunnel. We found that river water was recorded first at P1 and then with increasing distance in the system. This would suggest that the influx of river water was initiated at P1 and then pushed back through the rest of the system. I'm making a trip back to Florida at the end of Oct and beginning of November to run a number of geochemical surveys in the cave, to take water samples and to install some discrete tubing to allow for better sampling in summer and during floods (all under an approved DEP permit). I could use some volunteers during that time period that are very familiar with the Peacock systems to assist with several tasks and to play tour guide for me (I don't know Peacock very well). I'll be doing some work at Madison Blue too, which I know even less about.

Let me know if you need any help. Always interested in learning more.

Tony Flaris
904-210-4550


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[jason]

I'll need a fair bit of help - especially if folks are available during the week. Once the schedule starts to firm up in the beginning of October (I'm on my way to the arctic for another project right now), I'll start a new thread trying to organize volunteers. But as of right now, it's looking like the last week of October for Peacock.

Jason