Oct. 2007 - Volume 68, Issue 10
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Conserving an Ozark Cave
Landowners and scientists restore the famous Tumbling Creek Cave.
Tumbling Creek Cave in Taney County is a gorgeous cave with a gurgling stream. It also has the highest recorded biodiversity of any cave west of the Mississippi River. The cave has been featured in a National Geographic special and in other TV programs, as well as in scientific articles.
The cave harbors three endangered species: gray bats, Indiana bats and Tumbling Creek cavesnails; the last is nearly extinct. Among the 115 different species found in the cave are 12 species of troglobites (cave creatures with reduced or absent eyes and pigment). Two of these troglobite species are found only in this cave.
In addition to its biological wonders, 2-mile-long Tumbling Creek Cave is an important educational and research cave. Since 1969, more than 25,000 people have taken guided tours of the cave. Each college or professional group gets an introduction to karst (areas with caves, springs, sinkholes and losing streams), views sinkholes, then enters the artificial shaft entrance, which has two airlock doors to keep the cave from drying out. The visitors bring their own lights and follow a rudimentary trail with low environmental impact.
Tom and Cathy Aley have led most of the tours. The Aleys established and operate the Ozark Underground Laboratory, which is based on a 2,550-acre tract in southern Missouri. The nonprofit Tumbling Creek Cave Foundation owns 383 acres in the cave’s recharge area and around the natural entrance, ensuring protection of the cave into the future.
The Ozark Underground Laboratory has sponsored many studies of the cave. These studies include dye tracing to map the cave’s 9 square miles of recharge area that collects water to the cave, determining water infiltration rates into the cave and collecting water quality data from the cave stream.
Other research conducted at Tumbling Creek Cave includes studies of cavesnails and stream fauna and bat censuses, as well as studies of bat guano, stalactite drippage and land-use effects on the cave.
About This Article
Authors
CATHERINE L. ALEY is co-owner and biologist for the Ozark Underground Laboratory. She is an accomplished naturalist, conservationist, carpenter, gardener and chef.
THOMAS J. ALEY is a hydrologist, caver and forester. Director of the Ozark Underground Laboratory, he teaches college and professional groups above and below ground.
DR. WILLIAM R. ELLIOT, Department cave biologist, recently received the National Speleological Society’s Honorary Membership Award for contributions in science and conservation.
