Guano-related phosphate-rich minerals in European caves

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60077344%3A_____%2F19%3A00505710" target="_blank" >RIV/60077344:_____/19:00505710 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2252&context=ijs" target="_blank" >https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2252&context=ijs</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.48.1.2252" target="_blank" >10.5038/1827-806X.48.1.2252</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Guano-related phosphate-rich minerals in European caves

Original language description

Guano is a typical deposit found in caves derived from the excretions of bats and in minor cases of birds. These organic deposits decompose and form a series of acid fluids and gases that can interact with the minerals, sediments, and rocks present in the cave. Over sixty phosphates are known and described from caves, but guano decay also often leads to the formation of nitrates and sulfates. In this study twenty-two European caves were investigated for their guano-related secondary minerals. Using various analytical techniques, seventeen phosphates, along with one sulfate (gypsum), were recognized as secondary products of guano decay. Among those minerals, some are very rare and result from the interaction of guano leachates with clays, fluvial deposits, or pyrite. Some of these minerals are even found only in the studied caves (spheniscidite, robertsite). The most common minerals belong to the apatite group. The common mineral association present in fresh decaying guano is brushiteardealite-gypsum, minerals that usually are not present in older deposits because of their higher solubility. Most minerals are in hydrated form because of the wet cave environment, however, some specific dry conditions may favor the presence of dehydrated minerals, such as berlinite, formed during guano combustion. Investigation on the acidity of guano piles shows pH values as low as 3.5 with an increase of acidity with age and depth. Finally, cave guano deposits should be better studied in the future because of their role in paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic reconstructions and because it is important to better understand the origin of guano-related minerals, especially the phosphates and sulfates. Among all of the caves studied, Corona 'e sa Craba (Italy) and Domica-Baradla Cave (Slovakia-Hungary) are considered to be outstanding sites with respect to their phosphate mineralogy.

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10511 - Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7)

Project

<a href="/en/project/7AMB15FR007" target="_blank" >7AMB15FR007: BatClim - Cave bat guano as record of climatic and environmental changes in Mid-Holocene, an Europe and Euro-African transect</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year

2019

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

International Journal of Speleology

ISSN

0392-6672

e-ISSN

—

Volume of the periodical

48

Issue of the periodical within the volume

1

Country of publishing house

IT - ITALY

Number of pages

31

Pages from-to

75-105

UT code for WoS article

000462015000007

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85070763411