Where have all the albino crayfish gone?

[TracyN]

It seems to me that there are less and less albino crayfish in the main caves. I have had many dives in Ginnie where I haven't seen one. Even in P3 where they usually are plentiful I don't recall seeing many. On the other hand, I've been diving some less trafficked caves and the crayfish are everywhere. Some of them are pretty big even.

Could it be that all the cave traffic and lights are driving them into the furthest reaches of the cave where people don't go or is our presence detrimental to them. Maybe the recent flooding and high water levels have something to do with it? I've only been cave diving for three years but I have noticed a decline in the frequency of sightings.

Has anyone else noticed this? I'm just curious.

[PfcAJ]

They come and go

[MichaelAngelo]

I have seen plenty of cave adapted fauna in Ginnie in the last two months. Not on the maine line so much but in the smaller less visited places. Within the first 1000 to 2000 feet. Crayfish, Isopods and lots of Amphipods. Something I learned from Kelly Jessop is how to look for the smaller fauna. You gotta go slow but more important its about refocusing your eyes on the small white specks and suddenly seeing the little legs moving. I don't think a dive goes by anymore, anywhere that I don't see something. I think it's the greatest thing I learned in cavediving. How to look at the life.

[Xenia]

The NFSA, specifically Kelly Jessop and Mike Stein, are doing systematic fauna counts at Peacock and other sites. I have had the pleasure to analyze the Peacock data statistically. We have presented preliminary results to Suwannee district river water managment and will have an extensive presentation at the advanced skills workshop in August.

We have proved statistically that after a floud, which is the case currently, there is a decline of crayfish and amphipods. However, their numbers are fully recovered after a certain period of time and they come back to the same range. There is no proven correlation with divers presence and the numbers of crayfish.

Come to the workshop at Peacock on August 23 if you would like to find out more.

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2

[Xenia]

If you cannot make the workshop, we will have a publication in an electronic journal soon. We will post this as soon as it is out.

[Kelly Jessop]

It seems to me that there are less and less albino crayfish in the main caves. I have had many dives in Ginnie where I haven't seen one. Even in P3 where they usually are plentiful I don't recall seeing many. On the other hand, I've been diving some less trafficked caves and the crayfish are everywhere. Some of them are pretty big even.

Could it be that all the cave traffic and lights are driving them into the furthest reaches of the cave where people don't go or is our presence detrimental to them. Maybe the recent flooding and high water levels have something to do with it? I've only been cave diving for three years but I have noticed a decline in the frequency of sightings.

Has anyone else noticed this? I'm just curious.

Many species are flow adverse,and with higher flows lately,you won't see them about. After a flood our data shows there are less species initially,and there is a gradual rebound of population densities in approx. 6 months. A question to be answered is where do to all the troglobitic species go during a flood,because we see the see them return after a few months,and we know their life cycle is longer than that.

Xenia brought up a good point. The Advanced Skills Workshop the NFSA is hosting August 23rd will present some of this information. Free to members and includes free lunch/park admission. Bring your questions.

[Kelly Jessop]

Many species are flow adverse,and with higher flows lately,you won't see them about. After a flood our data shows there are less species initially,and there is a gradual rebound of population densities in approx. 6 months. A question to be answered is where do to all the troglobitic species go during a flood,because we see them return after a few months,and we know their life cycle is longer than that.

Xenia brought up a good point. The Advanced Skills Workshop the NFSA is hosting August 23rd will present some of this information. Free to members and includes free lunch/park admission. Bring your questions.

Opps,too late to hit edit button, so I corrected this

A side note: people say that all cave exploration is done,are very narrow in their focus. The data that has been captured at Peacock over the last 10 years reveal things about this system that have never been understood. Exploration opportunities abound if you expand your horizon.

Edit: I fixed your typo.
FW

[TracyN]

How does one go about volunteering to help with fauna counts and other studies? I would love to help out.

[Kelly Jessop]

How does one go about volunteering to help with fauna counts and other studies? I would love to help out.

Anybody who has an interest please PM me

[caverkevin]

Someone been making low cave country boil again?!?