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DarCo

The vertical dimension of conservation:

A cost-effective plan to incorporate subterranean ecosystems in post-2020 biodiversity and climate change agendas

Project duration: 2023–2026

Total Budget: 1.652.031€

Biodiversa+ 2021–2022 joint call

“Supporting the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems”

Context

Subterranean ecosystems (such as caves, groundwaters, and fractured rocks) host a broad diversity of specialized and endemic organisms that account for a unique fraction of the global taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity. Furthermore, they deliver crucial ecosystem services, especially the provisioning of potable water to more than half of the world’s population. Yet, these out-of-sight ecosystems are systematically overlooked in post-2020 biodiversity and climate change targets. Only 6.9% of known subterranean ecosystems overlap with the global network of protected areas, with just a few of these areas designed to account for their vertical dimension.

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Main Objectives

DarCo aims to advance knowledge about subterranean biodiversity in Europe and inform its management. The overarching goal is to develop a concrete plan to incorporate subterranean ecosystems in the European Union (EU) Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

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​Partners

  • Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Verbania Pallanza, Italy

  • Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology. University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

  • Department Biology of Organisms, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium

  • French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), UMR CNRS 5023 LEHNA, University of Claude Bernard Lyon 1, French National Centre for Scientific Research, Villeurbanne, France

  • Zoology Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History – University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

  • Department of Entomology, State Museum of Natural History, Stuttgart, Germany

  • Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences – laboratory of Stygobiology, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy

  • Azorean Biodiversity Group , University of Azores, Angra Do Heroísmo, Portugal

  • Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Romanian Academy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

  • Department of Organisms and Ecosystem Research, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia

  • Biotechnical Faculty – Department of Biology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

  • Department of Ecology and Hydrology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain

  • Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

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The Romanian Team

TRAIAN BRAD - PI

RALUCA IOANA BĂNCILĂ

MARIUS IOSIF KENESZ

ION ȘERBAN MIRCEA SÂRBU

ANDREI ȘTEFAN

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Sigla ARFCN 2023 text vectorial 02.png

Summary

The project is articulated in three interconnected work packages devoted to direct research (WP2–4), plus a fourth package (WP5) aimed at maximizing the dissemination of results and engagement of stakeholders to implement practical conservation. First, by compiling existing databases and leveraging a capillary network of international collaborators, we will gather distribution data, traits, and phylogenies for all major subterranean animal groups, including crustaceans, mollusks, insects, and vertebrates (WP2). These data will serve to predict species responses to human threats using Hierarchical Modelling of Species Communities (WP3). Models' predictions of biodiversity change will provide the basis for a dynamic mapping of European subterranean life. By intersecting maps of diversity patterns, threats, and protected areas, we will design a plan to protect subterranean biodiversity complementing the current EU network of protected areas (Natura 2000), while taking into account climate-driven shifts in subterranean ecoregions (WP4). Finally, through target activities in WP5, we seek to raise societal awareness about subterranean ecosystems and invite stakeholders to incorporate subterranean biodiversity in multilateral agreements.

Publications &
Conferences

  1. Mareš, J., M. Audy, S. M. Sarbu, J. Kukačka, R. Eftimi, și J. Bruthans. 2026. “Hydrothermal Vents in Sulfuric Acid Speleogenesis Karst: Isolated Feeders with Pristine Hypogenic Water or Interconnected Conduits with Rapid Flow and Recycled Water?” International Journal of Speleology 55 (1). https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.ijs2573

  2. Lomheim HJ, Reyes Rodas L, Price D, Sarbu SM, Băncilă RI, Carroll C, Freeborn L, Sanders S and Protas ME, 2025, Comparative embryology and transcriptomics of Asellus infernus, an isopod crustacean from sulfidic groundwater. Evolution & Development, 27: e70014. https://doi.org/10.1111/ede.70014

  3. Mori, N., Vehovar, Ž., Brad, T., Balázs, G., Englisch, C., Fišer, C., Gaviria, S., Gottstein, S., Griebler, C., Kenesz, M., Knight, L.R.F.D., Malard, F., Mammola, S., Marmonier, P., Martínez, A. and Zagmajster, M. (2025), A Comprehensive Occurrence Dataset for European Ostracoda Inhabiting Groundwater and Groundwater-Dependent Ecosystems. Global Ecol Biogeogr, 34: e70065. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.70065

  4. Rossetti G, Sarbu SM, Ștefan A, Motoc R and Mazzini I, 2025, Mixtacandona thessalica, a new species of ostracod (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from a sulfidic cave in central Greece, Subterranean Biology 52: 111-133. https://doi.org/ 10.3897/subtbiol.52.142113

  5. Urák I, Vrenozi B, Głąbiak Z, Lecoquierre N, Eiberger C, Maraun M, Ştefan A, Flot J-F, Brad T, Dainelli L, Sarbu SM, Băncilă RI (2025) An extraordinary colonial spider community in Sulfur Cave (Albania/Greece) sustained by chemoautotrophy. Subterranean Biology 53: 155-177. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.53.162344

  6. Weber D, Brad T and Weigand AM, 2025, Water diviners described: six new species of the Niphargus aquilex (Crustacea, Amphipoda) complex. European Journal of Taxonomy, 1011(1), 1-79. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2025.1011.3023

  7. Sarbu, S. M., Brad, T., Băncilă, R. I., & Ştefan, A. (2024). Exploring biodiversity and food webs in Sulfur Cave in the Vromoner Canyon on the Greek–Albanian border. Diversity, 16(8), 477. https://doi.org/10.3390/d16080477

  8. Mammola, S., Aanei, C., Altermatt, F., Alther, R., Amorim, I. R., Băncilă, R. I., Bellvert, A., Blomberg, A., Borges, P. A. V., Brad, T., Brancelj, A., Brankovits, D., Cardoso, P., Cerasoli, F., Chaveau, C. A., Crespo, L., Csader, M., Delić, T., Di Cicco, M., Di Lorenzo, T., Douady, C. J., Duchemin, L., Faille, A., Fiasca, B., Fišer, C., Flot, J.-F., Gabriel, R., Galassi, D. M. P., Garzoli, L., Griebler, C., Karwautz, C., Kenesz, M., Konecny-Dupré, L., Lilley, T., Malard, F., Martínez, A., Meierhofer, M. B., Messana, G., Millán, A., Mizerakis, V., Mori, N., Nanni, V., Nicolosi, G., Ogorelec, Z., Oromí, P., Pallarés, S., Pereira, F., Reboleira, A. S. P. S., Saccò, M., Salussolia, A., Sánchez-Fernández, D., Sarbu, S. M., Ştefan, A., Stoch, F., Tabilio Di Camillo, A., Taiti, S., Vaccarelli, I., Valanne, V., Zagmajster, M., Zakšek, V., & Zittra, C. (2024). The DarCo project: A cost-effective plan to incorporate subterranean ecosystems in post-2020 biodiversity and climate change agendas. University of Teramo Research Repository. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/11575/153600

  9. Baba, Ş. C., Giurginca, A., Popovici, G., Sarbu, S. M., & Popa, O. P. (2024). A new cave-dwelling species of the genus Geophilus Leach, 1814 (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha) from the chemoautotrophic-based Movile Cave (Southern Dobrogea, Romania). The European Zoological Journal, 91(2), 855–868. https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2024.2378828

  10. Kovařík, F., Audy, M., Sarbu, S. M., & Fet, V. (2023). Euscorpius sulfur sp. n. (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), a new cave scorpion from Albania and northwestern Greece. Euscorpius, (376), 1–14.

  11. Ştefan, A., Brad, T., Băncilă, R. I., Nițescu, R., Dainelli, L., & Sarbu, S. (2024). Sulfidic caves in South-East Albania—a new hotspot of subterranean biodiversity. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Electronic Conference on Diversity (pp. 15–17). MDPI.

  12. Bertrand, M., Manu, M., Sarbu, S. M., & Ştefan, A. (2024). Labidostomma motasi rediscovered: A witness of the Messinian crisis? (Acari: Labidostommatidae). Annales de La Société Entomologique de France (N.S.), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/00379271.2024.2343281

  13. Mammola, S., Altermatt, F., Alther, R., Amorim, I. R., Băncilă, R. I., Borges, P. A. V., Brad, T., Brankovits, D., Cardoso, P., Cerasoli, F., Chauveau, C. A., Delić, T., Di Lorenzo, T., Faille, A., Fišer, C., Flot, J.-F., Gabriel, R., Galassi, D. M. P., Garzoli, L., Griebler, C., Konecny-Dupré, L., Martínez, A., Mori, N., Nanni, V., Ogorelec, Z., Pallarés, S., Salussolia, A., Saccò, M., Stoch, F., Vaccarelli, I., Zagmajster, M., Zittra, C., Meierhofer, M. B., Sánchez-Fernández, D., & Malard, F. (2024). Perspectives and pitfalls in preserving subterranean biodiversity through protected areas. NPJ Biodiversity, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44185-023-00035-1

  14. Saccò, M., Mammola, S., Altermatt, F., Alther, R., Bolpagni, R., Brancelj, A., Brankovits, D., Fišer, C., Gerovasileiou, V., Griebler, C., & others. (2023). Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem. Global Change Biology, 30, e17066. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17066

  15. Malek-Hosseini, M. J., Brad, T., Fatemi, Y., Kuntner, M., & Fišer, C. (2023). A new cave-dwelling hadzioid amphipod (Senticaudata, Hadzioidea, Melitidae) from sulfidic groundwaters in Iran. Contributions to Zoology, 1–20.

  16. Weber, D., & Brad, T. (2023). Niphargus carolinensis sp. nov. (Amphipoda: Niphargidae), an endemic species in the northern distribution area of the genus. Hydrobiology, 2, 554–574.

  1. Aanei C and Brad T, 2025, Apele subterane. Importanță și amenințări, Conference - Multidisciplinaritate în cercetarea peșterilor, Zilele Academice Clujene, November 19, 2025, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

  2. Băncilă R., 2025, Flexible in the dark: Phenotypic plasticity as a key mechanism of cave life in troglophilic species, Karst Science Day, November 14, 2025, Bucharest

  3. Băncilă RI, Sarbu SM, Brad T, Niţescu R, Ştefan A, Maraun M, 2025, Aquatic to terrestrial food transfer in a sulfidic subterranean ecosystem, the 4th Dinaric Symposium on Subterranean Biology, October 11-12, 2025, Nova Kršlja, Croatia

  4. Brad T and Kenesz M, 2025, Proiectul DARCO - Dimensiunea verticală a conservării: un plan eficace de integrare a ecosistemelor subterane în programele de biodiversitate și schimbări climatice post 2020, Conference - Multidisciplinaritate în cercetarea peșterilor, Zilele Academice Clujene, November 19, 2025, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

  5. Kenesz M, 2025, Distribuția nevertebratelor subterane din Munții Metaliferi, Conference - Multidisciplinaritate în cercetarea peșterilor, Zilele Academice Clujene, November 19, 2025, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

  6. Nitescu R, Cretu G, Bego F, Loce E, Sarbu SM and Georgiakakis P, 2025, Sulfur Cave as a refuge: new insights into bat ecology in the Sarantaporos Valley, Epirus, the 4th Dinaric Symposium on Subterranean Biology, October 11-12, 2025, Nova Kršlja, Croatia

  7. Nitescu R, Georgiakakis P, Bego F, Loce E, Cretu G and Sarbu SM, 2025, The bat fauna of Sulfur Cave in Sarantaporos Valley, Epirus, 12th Congress of the Hellenic Ecological Society, October 1-4, 2025, Athens, Greece

  8. Brad T., Stefan A., Kenesz M., Bancila R., Aanei C., Sarbu S.M. and Stoch F., 2024, Amfipodele subterane din România. Diversitate și neajunsuri, Conference - Multidisciplinaritate în cercetarea peșterilor, Zilele Academice Clujene, November 19, 2024, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

  9. Salussolia A., Brad T., Flot J.-F. and Stoch F., 2024, From darkness to light: molecular phylogenetic analysis of the amphipod Niphargus elegans reveals repeated colonization of epigean environments from groundwaters, 4th Central European Symposium for Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Research (CESAMIR 2024), July 7–12 2024, Stará Lesná, Slovakia

  10. Mori N, Brad T, Englisch C, Fišer C, Gaviria S, Griebler C, Kenesz M, Knight L. R.F.D, Meierhofer M, Malard F, Mammola S, Marmonier P, Martínez A, Zagmajster Z (2024) The linkages between functional traits of Ostracoda (Crustacea) and their habitats in groundwaters and groundwater dependent ecosystems. 26th International Conference on Subterranean Biology, Cagliari, Italy, 09–14 September 2024. 

  11. Brad T, Stefan A, Kenesz M, Bancia RI, Aanei C, Sarbu SM, Stoch F (2024) Niphargus (Amphipoda, Niphargidae) research in Romania. Diversity, pitfalls and shortcomings. 26th International Conference on Subterranean Biology, Cagliari, Italy, 09–14 September 2024. 

  12. Bancila RI, Giurginca A, Nae I, Nitzu E, Popa I, Baba SC, Nae A, Sarbu MS, Brad T, Plaiasu R (2024) Investigating the effect of microclimate variability and habitat heterogeneity on functional diversity of  cave-dwelling arthropod communities. 26th International Conference on Subterranean Biology, Cagliari, Italy, 09–14 September 2024.

  13. Sarbu SM, Brad T, Bancila RI, Stefan A, Chauveau C, Flot SL, Nitescu R, Kenesz M, Urak I, Flot J-F (2024) Subterranean sulfidic biodiversity in the Sarandaporo canyon (Albania-Greece). 26th International Conference on Subterranean Biology, Cagliari, Italy, 09–14 September 2024.

  14. Ștefan A, Tawfeeq MM, Popa OP, Popa LO, Stoch F, Keffer SL, Sarbu SM, Flot J-F (2024) Phylogeography and genetic diversity of water scorpions (Nepa spp., Insecta: Hemiptera). 26th International Conference on Subterranean Biology, Cagliari, Italy, 09–14 September 2024.

  15. Mammola S, et al. [all consortium members] (2024) Safeguarding the future of subterranean biodiversity in Europe. 7th European Congress of Conservation Biology “Biodiversity positive by 2030” (ECCB 2024), 17–21 June 2024, Bologna, Italy

  16. Mammola S, et al. [all consortium members] (2024) The DarCo project: A cost-effective plan to incorporate subterranean ecosystems in post-2020 biodiversity and climate change agendas. 26th International Conference on Subterranean Biology, Cagliari, Italy, 09–14 September 2024. 

  17. Brad T. and Sarbu SM, 2024, Movile Cave – The cave that time forgot. University of Vienna, invited lecturer, March 4, 2024

  18. Mammola S, Altermatt F, Alther R, Amorim IR, Bancila RI, Blomberg A, Borges PAV, Brankovits D, Brad T, Brancelj A, Cardoso P, Chaveau CA, Crespo L, Cerasoli F, Csader M, Di Cicco M, Di Lorenzo T, Delić T, Douady CJ, Duchemin L, Faille A, Fiasca B, Fišer C, Flot J-F, Gabriel R, Galassi DMP, Garzoli L, Griebler C, Lilley T, Karwautz C, Konecny-Dupré L, Malard F, Martínez A, Messana G, Meierhofer MB, Millán A, Mizerakis V, Mori N, Nanni V, Ogorelec Z, Oromí P, Pallarés S, Pereira F, Reboleira AS, Salussolia A, Sarbu SM, Sánchez-Fernández D, Saccò M, Ștefan A, Stoch F, Taiti S, Tabilio Di Camillo A, Vaccarelli I, Zakšek V, Zittra C, Zagmajster M (2024) Safeguarding the future of subterranean biodiversity in Europe. 7th European Congress of Conservation Biology “Biodiversity positive by 2030” (ECCB 2024), 17–21 June 2024, Bologna, Italy 

  19. Sarbu SM., 2024, Life without Light: the fascinating biology of stinky caves, Faculty of Biology, University of Innsbruck, invited lecturer, November 11, 2024.

  20. Sarbu SM, Flot J-F, Biological investigations in sulfidic caves in Albania, Department of Biology, University of Tirana, Albania, invited lecturer, October 18, 2024.

  21. Sarbu SM, Brad T, Bancila RI, Stefan A., The Fascination Biology of Stinky Caves, Department of Ecology, University of Göttingen, Germany, invited lecturer, October 22, 2024.

  22. Sarbu SM, Brad T, Bancila RI, Stefan A., Sulfidic caves in the Sarandaporo Valley, Town Hall Meeting, Konitsa, Greece, invited lecturer, October 12, 2024.

  23. Sarbu SM, Flot J-F, Brad T, Bancila RI, Stefan A., Subterranean chemoautotrophy-based ecosystems, Science Week Camp, Sarandaporo, Greece, invited lecturer, June 29, 2024.

  24. Sarbu SM, Life without light: Chemosynthesis-based groundwater ecosystems, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Romania, invited lecturer, April 24, 2024.

Contact

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