L'impact méconnu des chauves-souris et du guano dans l'évolution morphologique tardive des cavernes

The little known impact of bats and bat guano in the late stages of cave morphogenesis. Bats are considered as symbolic caves inhabitants. The colonies, sometimes huge, may occupy caves through long periods. Large guano deposits were accumulated. Some have been mined for phosphates, either by hand or at the industrial scale. Bats impact is triple: breathing releases CO2, urine is corrosive, and guano mineralization releases acids (carbonic, nitric, sulfuric, and phosphoric). Such aggressive compounds have an effect on carbonate rock and flowstones, either by direct ground corrosion at the contact of the guano, or by condensation-corrosion on walls and ceilings. The speleogenetic impact of t…