Cave vegetation

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Cave vegetation is an important component of the underground landscape. But cave vegetation has not been studied for a long time. The information available on this subject is very scarce. It is known that green plants penetrate into the cave only up to certain limits, and their leaf anatomical structure changes, chlorophyll shifts to the edges of the leaves. Plants trapped in total darkness completely lose their chlorophyll grains.

Islets of such albino herbaceous plants were noted on the clay soil in Anakopi cave. Interesting studies in this regard were carried out by Lemmermayer. In one of the caves of Steirmake (Alps), which has a depth of 117 m, he found 34 species of cereals, 4 species of ferns and 7 species of deciduous mosses.

Autotrophic bacteria are found in the deeper parts of the caves, which use the carbon dioxide of mineral compounds to create organic matter. Mycelia of fungi develop on the droppings of bats. Such is the scanty vegetation of the caves.