Conservation of cave fauna: more than just bats

The expansion of biospeleology as a science and caving as a recreational activity have led to a corresponding increase in pressure on caves and their ecosystems. The threats include direct human disturbance from visitation, and indirect modifications to cave habitats and the surrounding environment. Despite the high profile of conservation issues such as the threat to populations of ghost bats, little work has been carried out in Australia to assess the impact of humans on cave ecology. The aim of this study was to briefly review the effects of disturbance on populations of cave invertebrates, and to investigate the impact that sampling may have upon them.