A REVIEW OF THE BIOSPELEOLOGY OFMEGHALAYA, INDIA

摘要

This paper reviews the current state of knowledge of the biospeleology of thenortheast Indian hill state Meghalaya. Since the early 1990s the Meghalayan Adven-turers Association (based in Shillong), in partnership with European speleologists, hasconducted a series of projects with the objective of mapping and documenting caves. Todate over 320 km of cave passage have been mapped and much more remains to bediscovered. The quantity and length of caves in Meghalaya exceeds that of any otherknown karst region of India. An exhaustive search of historical records yielded onehighly detailed biological survey of a single cave in the west of the state and a few recordsof opportunistic specimen collection from caves at other locations. This data issupplemented by a review of numerous biological observations made during theMeghalayan Adventurers Association cave mapping program. Taxa with pronouncedtroglomorphic characteristics appear to be relatively common in the Jaintia Hills regionof eastern Meghalaya and rare elsewhere in the state. In contrast, taxa with partialtroglomorphy are widespread throughout Meghalaya. There is a range of taxa whichoccur regularly within caves and should be considered as significant components of thecave ecosystem regardless of troglomorphy. In some cases there is evidence ofreproductive activity and opportunity for feeding which indicates that a proportion ofthe population complete their lifecycle within the caves and can be regarded astroglophiles. Sources of nutrition are primarily composed of flood borne debris,although dense colonies of bats (or cave-nesting swiftlets at some sites) can alsocontribute. The composition of cavernicole communities is not constant throughout theregion and varies due to environmental and geographic factors. A major expansion of thelimestone extraction industry is underway in the Jaintia Hills and elsewhere inMeghalaya. This will inevitably cause significant destruction and perturbation ofcavernicole habitat. It would be prudent to implement formal studies to document thebiospeleology of the region before significant loss or damage occurs.