Global ecosystem typology

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SM1.1 Anchialine caves

Biome: SM1. Subterranean tidal biome

Contributors:
(texts)

Anchialine caves contain water bodies that have a subterranean connection to the sea and no or little direct connection to the atmosphere. These ecosystems are structured by strong salinity gradients. A primarily marine community influenced by tides and currents at the cave entrance transitioning to a more insular and specialised biota in still brackish waters influenced by rainfall percolation deep in the landward section of the cave. They occur where carbonate rocks and lava tubes meet coastlines worldwide.

Key Features

Cave-bound waterbodies connected to the sea with a gradient of tidal influence and salinity. Filter feeders, scavengers and predators limited by light and nutrients.

Overview of distribution

Limestone, basalt and more rarely lithic substrates coastal regions globally.

Profile versions

  • v1.0 (2020-01-20): DA Keith
  • v2.0 (2020-06-17): TM Iliffe; D Brankovits; V Gerovasileiou; B Gonzalez; A Martínez García; DA Keith
  • v2.01 ():
  • v2.1 (2022-04-06): TM Iliffe; D Brankovits; V Gerovasileiou; B Gonzalez; A Martínez García; DA Keith Full profile available at official site

Main references

Selected references for this functional group:

  • Iliffe TM (2000) Anchialine cave ecology Ecosystems of the World. Vol. 30. Subterranean Ecosystems (Eds. H Wilkens, DC Culver, WF Humphreys), pp 59-76. Elsevier, Amsterdam. WorldCat entry

Diagrammatic assembly model

Diagrammatic assembly model of SM1.1 Anchialine caves. See general notes on diagrams. Open image full size.

Maps

Maps are indicative of global distribution patterns are not intended to represent fine-scale patterns. The maps show areas of the world containing major (coloured red) or minor occurrences (coloured yellow) of each ecosystem functional group. See general notes on maps.

There are 2 alternative versions of the indicative map for this functional group, please compare description and sources below.

SM1.1.IM.grid_v3.0

Datasets

  • Carbonate-rocks-3.0
  • SRTM30-PLUS-V11

Map references

  • Williams P, Ting Fong Y (2016) World map of carbonate rock outcrops v3.0 The University of Auckland, Auckland. Webpage

  • Becker JJ, Sandwell DT, Smith WHF, Braud J, Binder B, Depner J, Fabre D, Factor J, Ingalls S, Kim S-H, Ladner R, Marks K, Nelson S, Pharaoh A, Trimmer R, Von Rosenberg J, Wallace G, Weatherall P (2009) Global Bathymetry and Elevation Data at 30 Arc Seconds Resolution: SRTM30_PLUS, Marine Geodesy 32: 355-371. DOI:10.1080/01490410903297766

SM1.1.web.grid_v3.0

Indicative distributions of Anchialine caves and pools were based on mapped areas of carbonate rock outcrop (Williams & Ting Fong 2016) and lava flows intersecting the coast, which were aggregated within a template of 1-degree grid cells. Open image full size.

Datasets

  • Carbonate-rocks-3.0

Map references

  • Williams P, Ting Fong Y (2016) World map of carbonate rock outcrops v3.0 The University of Auckland, Auckland. Webpage

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