Influence of daily visiting regime in tourist cave at different seasons

Abstract

Tourist caves with a daily regime of visits are exposed to severe alteration of their microclimatic balance. The record of microclimatic parameters in Canelobre Cave (Alicante, SE Spain) has allowed the recognition of two successive seasonal periods along each annual cycle with different microclimatic behaviour: (i) a warm period, dominated by stratification of air masses with progressive increase of microclimate parameters; and (ii) a cold period, dominated by ventilation of cave and approach to atmospheric values. These dynamics determine the influence of microclimate changes in the evolution of dripping water chemistry. The presentday visiting regime perturbs dripping water chemistry and the natural dynamics of growth of speleothems. For this reason, adequate management of visits considering microclimatic behaviour of the cave, could significantly minimize alterations to its tourist use.