WEBVTT 1 00:00:04.536 --> 00:00:05.492 - Hi, Gretchen. 2 00:00:05.492 --> 00:00:06.344 We're back. 3 00:00:06.344 --> 00:00:07.505 - Hey, John and Amsat. 4 00:00:07.505 --> 00:00:08.338 - Hey. 5 00:00:08.338 --> 00:00:11.387 We're really deep into the dark zone right now. 6 00:00:11.387 --> 00:00:13.170 - The cave ecosystem is really different 7 00:00:13.170 --> 00:00:14.744 from the surface ecosystem, 8 00:00:14.744 --> 00:00:16.819 where the sun helps plants grown 9 00:00:16.819 --> 00:00:19.291 and form the basis of our food web. 10 00:00:19.291 --> 00:00:20.761 In cave ecosystems, 11 00:00:20.761 --> 00:00:23.461 the light of the sun doesn't reach very far. 12 00:00:23.461 --> 00:00:25.912 However, air, people, animals, water 13 00:00:25.912 --> 00:00:28.563 all bring nutrients into the cave environment. 14 00:00:28.563 --> 00:00:30.005 From underground aquifers, 15 00:00:30.005 --> 00:00:31.765 which are areas that are completely filled 16 00:00:31.765 --> 00:00:33.777 with water beneath the water table 17 00:00:33.777 --> 00:00:37.660 to partially dry passages, they're all full of life. 18 00:00:37.660 --> 00:00:39.753 My team and I are surveying this area 19 00:00:39.753 --> 00:00:41.670 to see what lives here. 20 00:00:42.851 --> 00:00:44.406 - Let's watch a video from the Bug Chicks, 21 00:00:44.406 --> 00:00:46.078 and they'll tell us a little bit more 22 00:00:46.078 --> 00:00:48.624 about what lives in caves. 23 00:00:48.624 --> 00:00:51.207 (upbeat music) 24 00:00:56.546 --> 00:00:58.608 - Jess, we have got to get out of town this weekend. 25 00:00:58.608 --> 00:00:59.497 I'm gettin' antsy. 26 00:00:59.497 --> 00:01:00.911 - Yeah, I feel you on that. 27 00:01:00.911 --> 00:01:01.952 Where do you wanna go? 28 00:01:01.952 --> 00:01:02.785 - Beach? 29 00:01:02.785 --> 00:01:03.618 We were just there teaching. 30 00:01:03.618 --> 00:01:04.451 - Mountains? 31 00:01:04.451 --> 00:01:05.510 I feel like we should go somewhere 32 00:01:05.510 --> 00:01:06.968 we don't normally go, you know. 33 00:01:06.968 --> 00:01:08.271 - Okay, desert? 34 00:01:08.271 --> 00:01:09.457 Rainforest? 35 00:01:09.457 --> 00:01:10.527 They sound cool but-- 36 00:01:10.527 --> 00:01:11.942 Oh, I have an idea. - Oh, I have an idea. 37 00:01:11.942 --> 00:01:13.263 Let's say it at same time. (speaking in unison) 38 00:01:13.263 --> 00:01:14.621 One, two, three. 39 00:01:14.621 --> 00:01:15.786 The caves. - The Bremerton Museum. 40 00:01:15.786 --> 00:01:16.619 Yours is better. 41 00:01:16.619 --> 00:01:17.641 Let's do yours. 42 00:01:17.641 --> 00:01:19.645 - I just think we haven't been to a cave in a long time. 43 00:01:19.645 --> 00:01:21.772 They have troglofauna, cool ecosystems. 44 00:01:21.772 --> 00:01:25.355 - Whoa, Jessica, you had me at troglofauna. 45 00:01:27.510 --> 00:01:30.453 - Troglofauna is the fancy word for cave dwelling animals. 46 00:01:30.453 --> 00:01:32.287 They have special adaptations that allow them 47 00:01:32.287 --> 00:01:34.415 to survive in extreme environments. 48 00:01:34.415 --> 00:01:35.609 - Now, we're going to have to do 49 00:01:35.609 --> 00:01:37.554 a Bug Chick vocabulary break down. 50 00:01:37.554 --> 00:01:39.139 Because saying cave dwelling animals 51 00:01:39.139 --> 00:01:41.068 doesn't really give you the whole picture. 52 00:01:41.068 --> 00:01:43.558 - Here we go, troglo means caves. 53 00:01:43.558 --> 00:01:45.266 - And fauna means animals. 54 00:01:45.266 --> 00:01:47.442 - But not all cave dwellers are the same. 55 00:01:47.442 --> 00:01:48.275 There are troglo. 56 00:01:48.275 --> 00:01:49.524 - Xenes. 57 00:01:49.524 --> 00:01:51.887 Xene means visitor and these are animals 58 00:01:51.887 --> 00:01:53.722 that can visit a cave ecosystem. 59 00:01:53.722 --> 00:01:54.990 They can come and go freely, 60 00:01:54.990 --> 00:01:57.819 but they can't spend their entire life cycle in the cave. 61 00:01:57.819 --> 00:01:59.568 - Some famous examples of trogloxenes 62 00:01:59.568 --> 00:02:04.079 are bats, pack rats, moths, and some species of beetle. 63 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:05.866 - Then there are troglophiles. 64 00:02:05.866 --> 00:02:08.278 - These are animals that can live outside of caves, 65 00:02:08.278 --> 00:02:10.095 but they prefer to be inside them. 66 00:02:10.095 --> 00:02:10.962 - Yeah, that's right, 67 00:02:10.962 --> 00:02:12.833 'cause they love caves. 68 00:02:12.833 --> 00:02:14.976 - Phile means one that loves. 69 00:02:14.976 --> 00:02:17.256 - Examples of troglophiles include certain species 70 00:02:17.256 --> 00:02:20.448 of arachnid, crayfish, and salamander. 71 00:02:20.448 --> 00:02:22.466 - And finally, there are the very cool troglo. 72 00:02:22.466 --> 00:02:23.581 - Bites. 73 00:02:23.581 --> 00:02:25.247 - These are true cave dwellers. 74 00:02:25.247 --> 00:02:27.203 These animals spend their entire lives 75 00:02:27.203 --> 00:02:29.855 inside of a cave and can't survive outside them. 76 00:02:29.855 --> 00:02:31.012 - They're usually pale. 77 00:02:31.012 --> 00:02:32.685 - 'Cause who needs color in absolute dark. 78 00:02:32.685 --> 00:02:33.610 - And blind. 79 00:02:33.610 --> 00:02:36.370 In fact, many species have what's called vestigial eyes. 80 00:02:36.370 --> 00:02:37.882 These are mere remnants of the eyes 81 00:02:37.882 --> 00:02:39.269 their ancestors used to have 82 00:02:39.269 --> 00:02:41.772 and they're shrunken and the animals can't see. 83 00:02:41.772 --> 00:02:43.243 - Arthropod troglobites include 84 00:02:43.243 --> 00:02:45.951 these millipedes, shrimp, and isopods. 85 00:02:45.951 --> 00:02:47.575 - Lot's of cave arthropods 86 00:02:47.575 --> 00:02:49.493 have these incredible body parts, 87 00:02:49.493 --> 00:02:51.461 that have evolved over millions of years 88 00:02:51.461 --> 00:02:55.375 to help them thrive, eat, and not get eaten. 89 00:02:55.375 --> 00:02:56.695 - Speaking of millions of years, 90 00:02:56.695 --> 00:03:00.751 time travel segment. - Time travel segment. 91 00:03:00.751 --> 00:03:02.251 - [Jess] A few years ago, Kristie and I 92 00:03:02.251 --> 00:03:04.066 wanted to see some local troglofauna. 93 00:03:04.066 --> 00:03:05.814 So, we traveled to the Oregon caves 94 00:03:05.814 --> 00:03:07.724 in the Rogue Siskiyou National Forest, 95 00:03:07.724 --> 00:03:10.474 in search of giant cave crickets. 96 00:03:12.294 --> 00:03:14.513 - Oh, what's in here? 97 00:03:14.513 --> 00:03:16.141 What is it? 98 00:03:16.141 --> 00:03:19.318 - Look at those long, tarsal segments. 99 00:03:19.318 --> 00:03:20.826 Everything about them is adapted 100 00:03:20.826 --> 00:03:23.159 to live in this environment. 101 00:03:24.251 --> 00:03:26.179 - [Kristie] These cave crickets are a great example 102 00:03:26.179 --> 00:03:28.339 of morphological adaptation. 103 00:03:28.339 --> 00:03:30.059 Check out those long antennae, 104 00:03:30.059 --> 00:03:32.421 the extended palps and cerci, 105 00:03:32.421 --> 00:03:35.004 and those incredible back legs. 106 00:03:35.986 --> 00:03:37.520 These adaptations help the cricket 107 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:40.026 sense potential predators that might be nearby 108 00:03:40.026 --> 00:03:43.193 and help them feel around in the dark. 109 00:03:44.290 --> 00:03:46.512 - Our day in the caves did not disappoint. 110 00:03:46.512 --> 00:03:47.832 We went deep underground 111 00:03:47.832 --> 00:03:50.556 and got to see animals you don't normally get to see. 112 00:03:50.556 --> 00:03:51.819 Scientists don't really know much 113 00:03:51.819 --> 00:03:53.025 about this species of cave cricket, 114 00:03:53.025 --> 00:03:56.095 so being in a cave is like visiting an alien planet. 115 00:03:56.095 --> 00:03:58.178 But it's in our backyard. 116 00:04:04.305 --> 00:04:05.967 Oh, I miss those caves. 117 00:04:05.967 --> 00:04:06.859 I want to go back. 118 00:04:06.859 --> 00:04:07.996 - I thought you might. 119 00:04:07.996 --> 00:04:09.489 So while that segment was playing, 120 00:04:09.489 --> 00:04:11.178 I whipped up some special costumes 121 00:04:11.178 --> 00:04:13.563 so we can dress up like troglofauna. 122 00:04:13.563 --> 00:04:15.349 Compelte with morphological details 123 00:04:15.349 --> 00:04:18.182 that are going to help us survive. 124 00:04:20.476 --> 00:04:22.142 - Cosplay. 125 00:04:22.142 --> 00:04:23.386 Can we go to a nearby cave? 126 00:04:23.386 --> 00:04:24.219 Can we try them out? 127 00:04:24.219 --> 00:04:26.772 - Yes, now using the measurements 128 00:04:26.772 --> 00:04:28.710 of the cave crickets in the last segment, 129 00:04:28.710 --> 00:04:31.282 I extrapolated using our body length 130 00:04:31.282 --> 00:04:32.630 and figured out that our antennae 131 00:04:32.630 --> 00:04:34.371 should be about 132 00:04:34.371 --> 00:04:35.814 eight feet 133 00:04:35.814 --> 00:04:36.647 long. 134 00:04:38.978 --> 00:04:40.095 All right. 135 00:04:40.095 --> 00:04:41.484 Now. 136 00:04:41.484 --> 00:04:42.317 - Oh, vestigial eyes? 137 00:04:42.317 --> 00:04:43.613 - Yep. - Yeah, these are mine. 138 00:04:43.613 --> 00:04:44.943 - Okay and then I'll take these, 139 00:04:44.943 --> 00:04:46.617 that are super big to capture 140 00:04:46.617 --> 00:04:49.142 as much light in a dark cave as possible. 141 00:04:49.142 --> 00:04:49.975 Whoa. 142 00:04:49.975 --> 00:04:50.891 (laughing) 143 00:04:50.891 --> 00:04:52.972 Oh, I almost forgot, 144 00:04:52.972 --> 00:04:54.097 okay, 145 00:04:54.097 --> 00:04:54.930 our legs. 146 00:04:57.822 --> 00:04:59.702 (laughing) 147 00:04:59.702 --> 00:05:00.860 (snapping noises) 148 00:05:00.860 --> 00:05:03.565 (lively music) 149 00:05:03.565 --> 00:05:05.482 - Now you get to drive. 150 00:05:06.871 --> 00:05:08.113 (car engine starting) 151 00:05:08.113 --> 00:05:10.696 (upbeat music) 152 00:05:14.953 --> 00:05:16.484 I forgot how chilly it can be in a cave. 153 00:05:16.484 --> 00:05:17.634 - Oh, I brought tea. 154 00:05:17.634 --> 00:05:18.483 - You did? - Yep. 155 00:05:18.483 --> 00:05:19.737 - Awesome, I brought a joke. 156 00:05:19.737 --> 00:05:20.667 - Okay. 157 00:05:20.667 --> 00:05:22.311 - What's a bug's favorite sport? 158 00:05:22.311 --> 00:05:24.173 - Mmmm, I don't know, what? 159 00:05:24.173 --> 00:05:27.345 - [Jess] Cricket. (laughing) 160 00:05:27.345 --> 00:05:29.838 - Wait, so I would be a trogloxene? 161 00:05:29.838 --> 00:05:31.545 - (laughs) Yeah, that's right. 162 00:05:31.545 --> 00:05:33.060 We could be considered trogloxenes.