Evolutionary, ecological and biogeographical assessment of subterranean habitats and organisms

Karst Research

An understanding of the karst landscape also entails good knowledge of the living world. Especially unique are karst subterranean ecosystems and habitats, which we often use as model systems for studying evolutionary processes, ecological theories and biogeographical patterns of subterranean organisms. The research objective is a thorough study of the biology, ecology and distribution of subterranean organisms and their populations in selected areas, focusing on the impacts of environmental changes. We will pay special attention to the processes that lead to loss of biodiversity, and enable a safe supply of drinking water and adaptation to climate change.

Sampling of aquatic subterranean fauna, photo Blaž Kogovšek.

Sampling campaign of microplastics in Lake Bohinj, photo Blaž Kogovšek.

Results:

VALENTIĆ, Lara, PIPAN, Tanja, RAVBAR, Nataša. Does Microplastic Pollution in the Epikarst Environment Coincide with Rainfall Flushes and Copepod Population Dynamics? Sustainability. 2024, 16, 10123. https://doi.org/10.3390/su162210123.

CULVER, David C., PIPAN, Tanja. Contrasting approaches to the study of subterranean life: biospeleology and speleobiology = Kontrastna pogleda na raziskovanje podzemeljskega življenja: biospeleologija in speleobiologija. Acta carsologica. [Tiskana izd.]. 2023, [vol.] 52, [no.] 2/3, str. 277-283. ISSN 0583-6050. https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/carsologica/article/view/13516/11898, Digitalna knjižnica Slovenije - dLib.si, DOI: 10.3986/ac.v52i2-3.13516. [COBISS.SI-ID 178908419].

CULVER, David C., KOWALKO, Johanna E., PIPAN, Tanja. Natural selection versus neutral mutation in the evolution of subterranean life: a false dichotomy. Frontiers in ecology and evolution. 2023, vol. 11, [article no.] 1080503, str. 1-10. ISSN 2296-701X. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1080503/full, DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1080503. [COBISS.SI-ID 141866499].

MAMMOLA, Stefano, MEIERHOFER, Melissa B., BORGES, Paulo A. V., COLADO, Raquel, CULVER, David C., DEHARVENG, Louis, DELIĆ, Teo, DI LORENZO, Tiziana, DRAŽINA, Tvrtko, FERREIRA, Rodrigo L., FIŠER, Cene, PIPAN, Tanja, ZAGMAJSTER, Maja, ZAKŠEK, Valerija, et al. Towards evidence-based conservation of subterranean ecosystems. Biological reviews. 2022, vol. 97, issue 4, str. 1476-1510, ilustr., graf. prikazi. ISSN 1464-7931. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/brv.12851, DOI: 10.1111/brv.12851. [COBISS.SI-ID 102685955].

RAVBAR, Nataša, PIPAN, Tanja. Karst groundwater dependent ecosystems – typology, vulnerability and protection. V: MEHNER, Thomas (ur.), TOCKNER, Klement (ur.). Encyclopedia of inland waters. 2nd ed. Amsterdam; Oxford; Cambridge: Elsevier, 2022. Str. 460-473, ilustr. ISBN 978-0-12-819166-8, ISBN 978-0-12-822041-2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128191668001821, DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-819166-8.00182-1.

VALENTIĆ, Lara, KOZEL, Peter, PIPAN, Tanja. Microplastic pollution in vulnerable karst environments: case study from the Slovenian classical karst region = Onesnaževanje z mikroplastiko v ranljivem krašem [!] svetu : primer slovenskega klasičnega krasa. Acta carsologica. [Tiskana izd.]. 2022, vol. 51, no. 1, str. 79-92, ilustr., zvd., tabele. ISSN 0583-6050. https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/carsologica/article/view/10597/10383, DOI: 10.3986/ac.v51i1.10597. [COBISS.SI-ID 133496067].