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The enclosed environment chamber
affectionally known as "the Wormhole" contrary to a recent newspaper story
describing it as a "converted bomb shelter", was originally built in 1981 as a
large underground rainwater reservoir that was rarely called upon for it's intended
purpose.
Internal dimensions: 12m length 4m width and 3m depth .
The advantages to researchers are simply that the Wormhole can be kept in 24hour darkness
thus facilitating the observation of bioluminescent organisms at any time of day or night.
It is also humidity adjustable and retains a relatively stable temperature.
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inside view of part of one
side of the Wormhole |
After discovering that a small colony
of glow worms had taken up residence in the reservoir in 1996 they were re-located
externally during modifications and it was converted into a walk-in underground controlled
environment research and study area initially for glow worms.
It is currently used for the study of bioluminescent organisms.
The original study of glow worms was done in 1998/9 using transplanted specimens and all
observations were recorded.
The severe ongoing below average rainfall
from 2000/2007 has impacted on all external glow worm colonies causing declining
numbers of glow worms available for relocation. Rainfall records indicate that we have not
received a 'normal' summer wet season here for 6 years.
This year we have not been able to stock the wormhole with the same number of glow worms
used in the study project 8 years ago.
The Wormhole is also used as a breeding area for glow worms to supplement our external
colonies whenever adverse weather conditions cause damage to glow worm numbers in the
natural environment, and also to establish new colonies.
Hopefully this year as numbers build up in the external colonies we may be able to restock
the Wormhole and commence a new study to validate the original findings.
The Wormhole is currently being utilised
for an ongoing study of the four different types of luminous fungi that are indigenous to this area.
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Type_B luminous mushroom
mycelium grown in 24 hour darkness |
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12 metre by 0.5 metre bed of
luminous forest leaf litter grown in total darkness for 7 years. |
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Innoculated logs in 24 hour
darkness to compare fruiting time with innoculated logs externally. |
Three of the four different types of
luminous fungi are currently being propogated as part of a long term study
G.Maguire
Springbrook Research Centre |
