THE POTENTIAL INFLUENCE OF BATS ON CO2 DYNAMICS OF KARST SYSTEMS

Dissolution rates of limestone in a karst aquifer are largely controlled by concentrations of CO₂ in the system, where increasing levels of CO₂ result in more aggressive waters, allowing greater amounts of calcite to be taken into solution. Temporal distributions of CO₂ may vary as a result of seasonal microclimatic shifts, and caves with geometry supportive of advective airflow may experience more exaggerated fluctuations as seasonal differences between surface air and cave air result in patterns of airflow reversal. Activity of bats inhabiting the cave may also affect CO₂ levels if a colony is sizeable enough to produce significant amounts of CO₂ either directly, through respiration, or indirectly, by providing a thriving microenvironment in bat guano. To characterize potential variations of CO₂, continuous CO₂ monitoring was performed throughout a year in War Eagle Cavern in Arkansas.