EXPLORING INVERTEBRATE COMMUNITY ECOLOGY IN SUBTERRANEAN HABITATS: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
Ecology. Cave. Gaps.
Subterranean ecosystems remain among the least explored on the planet, yet studies have unveiled their unique biodiversity and potential for research across various ecological domains. Historically, the European continent has been at the forefront of research and knowledge production in this field. However, interest in the topic has been growing on other continents, particularly in recent decades. To better understand the historical trends in studies related to invertebrate community ecology in subterranean environments, we conducted a systematic literature review encompassing terrestrial, freshwater, and marine cave habitats. Our analysis covered 106 articles published between 1991 and 2023, identifying at least 57 environmental variables influencing the structure of subterranean communities and taxocenosis. The period from 2020 to 2023 marked a notable increase in both the quantity and quality of studies, with the highest number of publications occurring in 2021, totaling 18 articles. While Europe has been the primary research focus, Brazil emerged as a leading country contributing to studies in this field, possibly driven by legislative changes and the establishment of research centers in recent years. Key factors such as temperature and distance from cave entrances were found to be primary drivers of variation in the composition and richness of aquatic fauna. Similarly, distance from cave entrances, trophic potential, substrate heterogeneity, seasonality, and cave size were identified as crucial predictors of the composition and richness of terrestrial fauna. However, significant knowledge gaps persist, particularly in areas such as biotic interactions, ecological succession, functional ecology, landscape ecology, and metacommunities. Addressing these gaps requires increased research attention to further our understanding of subterranean ecosystems and reduce existing knowledge disparities.