A literature-based database of the natural heritage, the ecological status and tourism-related impacts in show caves worldwide

The touristic use of caves causes multiple environmental alterations to the subterranean ecosystem, having potential effects on all components, from the atmosphere to lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. Setting a baseline on the current knowledge of the ecological status of world show caves is pivotal to implement monitoring and management programs aiming at their conservation. However, information on this topic is scattered throughout several publications, making it difficult to access data and ultimately delaying advances towards a sustainable touristic use of show caves. We provide a literature-based dataset relative to the knowledge on the ecological status of 265 show caves worldwide. Data were collated from 289 papers selected through a systematic literature survey of an initial set of more than 1,000 scientific papers. We made the compiled information available through two complementary datasets, reporting: (i) references of the selected papers and (ii) 44 fields relative to the main characteristics of show caves investigated in literature. These fields encompass information about geographic locations, cave general characteristics, natural heritage, and the specific environmental components-and related environmental parameters-investigated in each of the considered study. Such a dataset improves our accessibility to the basic information provided by literature on the ecological status of show caves, also pointing out some literature gaps that should be addressed by future research. By making these data freely available and re-usable, we hope to stimulate research in the field of cave tourism, cave conservation, and cave-based ecology.

Automated summary

The use of caves for tourism has multiple environmental impacts on the subterranean ecosystem. However, information on the ecological status of show caves is scattered throughout publications, making it difficult to access and delay progress towards sustainable tourism. This study provides a literature-based dataset on the ecological status of 265 show caves worldwide, highlighting gaps in research and aiming to stimulate further studies in cave tourism, conservation, and ecology.