IKC UPDATE No 110 PAGE 2 SEPTEMBER 2013 INDIANA KARST CONSERVANCY, INC PO Box 2401, Indianapolis, IN 46206-2401 ikc.caves.org Affiliated with the National Speleological Society The Indiana Karst Conservancy is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and preservation of caves and karst features in Indiana and other areas of the world. The Conservancy encourages research and promotes education related to karst and its proper, environmentally compatible use. EXECUTIVE BOARD COMMITTEES / CHAIRPERSON GROTTOS & LIAISONS President Education/Outreach Bloomington Indiana Grotto* Dave Everton Jerry Lewis (2014) Don Ingle (see E-Board list) (812) 824-4380 (812) 967-7592 [email protected] Web Technologies Central Indiana Grotto* Bruce Bowman Keith Dunlap Secretary (see E-Board list) (317) 882-5420 Kevin Smith (2014) (317) 856-0500 IKC Update Editor/Publisher Dayton Underground Grotto Keith Dunlap Mike Hood [email protected] (937) 252-2978 (see E-Board list) Treasurer Eastern Indiana Grotto Keith Dunlap (2014) Hoosier National Forest Brian Leavell Jerry Lewis (317) 882-5420 (765) 552-7619 (see E-board list) [email protected] Evansville Metro Grotto* Buddha Property Manager Ernie Payne Directors George Cesnik (812) 477-7043 Bruce Bowman (2014) (812) 339-2143 (317) 539-2753 [email protected] Harrison-Crawford Grotto [email protected] Dave Black Orangeville Rise Property Manager (812) 951-3886 Christopher Dick (2015) Steve Lockwood (812) 988-8221 (812) 944-8097 Louisville Grotto* [email protected] Susan Wilkerson [email protected] (317) 910-8023 Robinson Ladder Property Manager Dave Haun (2015) John Benton Near Normal Grotto* (317) 517-0795 (812) 389-2248 Ralph Sawyer [email protected] [email protected] (309) 822-0109 Everett Pulliam (2016) Shawnee Property Manager Northern Indiana Grotto* Jerry Lewis Jennifer Pelter (317) 745-7816 (260) 456-3374 [email protected] (see E-board list) St Joseph Valley Grotto* Sullivan Property Manager Bob Sergesketter (2014) Joy Baiz Keith Dunlap (574) 286-9404 (812) 482-5517 (see E-Board list) [email protected] Sub-Urban Chicago Grotto Wayne Property Manager Gary Gibula Bruce Silvers (2016) Robert Sollman (630) 393-6746 (260) 456-8562 (812) 753-4953 [email protected] [email protected] Windy City Grotto Jack Wood Karen Silvers (2015) Indian Creek CE Monitor (773) 728-9773 (260) 249-0924 Jamie Winner (see E-board list) [email protected] *grottos with liaison agreements Tom Sollman (2015) (812) 753-4953 MANAGED CAVES / PATRONS [email protected] Shiloh Cave Buddha Cave James Adams Carla Striegel-Winner (2016) Jeff Cody (317) 945-8604 (812) 367-1602 (317) 888-9898 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Suicide Cave Lost River Cave Ronnie Burns Bob Vandeventer (2014) Dave Tibbets (812) 883-7400 (317) 888-4501 (574) 875-8498 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Sullivan Cave Richard Vernier (2014) Robinson Ladder Cave Anthony Owens (812) 385-5058 John Benton (812) 322-7359 [email protected] (812) 389-2248 [email protected] [email protected] Wayne Cave Jamie Winner (2016) Upper Twin Cave Dave Everton (812) 367-1602 Jerry Lewis (812) 824-4380 [email protected] (see E-board list) [email protected] Cover: The ubiquitous Cave salamander (Eurycea lucifuga). This one photographed in West Virginia by Dave Black. SEPTEMBER 2013 PAGE 3 IKC UPDATE No 110 IKC QUARTERLY MEETING REMINDER SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21st, 4:00 PM EDT BORDEN, INDIANA HOME OF SALISA & JERRY LEWIS The quarterly meetings are for the elected Board to conduct business, and for our members and other in- terested persons to have an open forum to talk about caves and karst conservation and related topics. Past, present, and future IKC projects are discussed to solicit comments and input from our members and the caving community as a whole. The meetings are informal, and everyone is encouraged to attend and par- ticipate. The IKC Board wants your input. Preliminary Agenda Items: All things about the our various preserves; White-nose Syndrome/DNR cave access update; Wyandotte Cave gate; Financial reports; Land acquisition activities; and more.... Following the quarterly meeting (around 6 PM) will be the annual pitch-in cook-out. The main entree this year will be self-roasted wieners over a campfire. Please bring a salad, dessert, and/or other covered dish to share. If there are enough entries, we will also have a dessert contest (otherwise Keith Dunlap will just claim victory by default). Please bring a lawn chair if you want to sit. Meeting directions: Contact Jerry Lewis (see page 2) or see page 15 of IKC Update #102. ACTIVITIES CALENDAR Sept 21 – IKC quarterly meeting & cookout (see above) Sept 21/22 – Hoosier Outdoor Experience (www.in.gov/dnr/5009.htm) Oct 5 – 39th Annual Hoot, Ferdinand State Forest (see page 5) Oct ?? – Workday at the Shawnee Karst Preserve (date TBD) Oct ?? – Invasive Weed Control Buddha Karst Preserve (after first frost) Dec ?? – IKC Quarterly meeting (date & location to be determined) For more information on the Indiana Karst Conservancy, visit our website at ikc.caves.org or write to our PO box. Membership to the IKC is open to anyone or any organization interested in supporting cave and karst conservation. Annual dues are $15. Please see inside the back cover for a membership application form or to make a much-appreciated donation. Donations can also be made by credit card using the donation button located on our website’s home page. The IKC Update, distributed for free, is published quarterly for members and other interested parties. The purpose of this newslet- ter is to keep the membership and caving community informed of IKC activities and other news related to cave/karst conservation. Submission of original or reprinted articles for publication is encouraged. IKC Update (ISSN 1076-3120) copyright © 2013 by the Indiana Karst Conservancy, Inc. Excluding reprinted material and indi- vidually copyrighted articles and artwork, permission is granted to National Speleological Society affiliated organizations to reprint material from this publication, with proper credit given to the author/artist and the IKC Update. Articles do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Indiana Karst Conservancy, the National Speleological Society, or their respective members. IKC UPDATE No 110 PAGE 4 SEPTEMBER 2013 RAMBLINGS FROM THE PRESIDENT... In April I led a group of twenty or so cavers center bat modeling a prominent white muzzle. from the Cleveland Grotto into Binkley Cave. Al- Now in the spring of 2013 the ravages of though advertised as a biology trip, we hoped to WNS that have occurred in the intervening time look at about a mile of the passage downstream are quite apparent. Dead, mummifying bats were from the main entrance, and see whatever animals common along the walls and ceiling of the pas- might present themselves along the way. In the sage. A few carcasses have fallen to the floor. It’s 1990’s Tom Sollman and I conducted a biologi- apparent that the effects of the disease continue cal inventory of this part of Binkley, visiting once to progress, with some of the bats having died re- or twice a month for a year, so I know the route cently and others still alive but with the prominent through this part of the cave well and have a good signs of white-nose. Sad as this might be, it’s not idea of where to find various kinds of animals. a problem that is limited to Binkley. Over the years that I’ve been going in Binkley In the last issue of the IKC Update I wrote a the cave itself has not really changed a lot. The short article about the work that I’ve been con- biggest changes I’ve seen were the result of a ten ducting on the genetics of subterranean isopods inch rain that brought down some trees in the en- in Indiana. I needed a freshly collected sample trance sinkhole and flooded the Mountain Room of the isopod species that occurs in caves across almost to the top of the breakdown, carrying away the south-central Indiana karst (Caecidotea sty- years of carbide dumps left from a bygone era of gia) and decided that I would demonstrate the caving. For the most part the cave seems pretty technique for preserving DNA for the group from much unchanged over the relative- the Cleveland Grotto. In itself ly short period of time that I’ve the technique is simple… just put visited it. That has not proved to a few isopods in a small plastic be the case with the animals living vial containing a liquid preserva- in the cave, which is the subject of tive called RNAlater that instantly my rambling this time. fixes any and all chromosomal In the bottom of a large sink- material in the specimens. The hole behind the owner’s chicken easiest place to find isopods in farm lies the main entrance to the Binkley has been the place where cave. An impressive opening, Binkley River emerges from the the floor of the entrance room is breakdown at the base of the en- breakdown that slopes downward trance passage. At the same place about 200 feet to the emergence a well pipe extends from the ceil- of the cave stream and Binkley ing to a pool in the stream. For River Trail. The path downward is many years this well had been the briefly interrupted at the base of the entrance room source of the landowner’s water for his chicken by a crawlway through the breakdown. Beyond farm. I sat down on a rock near the well, got my the crawlway the passage opens up to a walking collecting stuff laid out where it would be handy, height passage with the ceiling peppered with doz- gathered the group around me in a circle and start- ens of bats.