Table 1 eDNA site information on Christmas Island.
Site no. | Site name | Type | Brief description | Salinity groups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 19th Hole | Cave | Anchialine cave with tidal influence. Water table accessed on land via a small cave mouth and down a slope | Mesohaline |
2 | The Grotto | Cave | Marine coastal cave; strong sea currents and tidal influence. Accessed on land via Golf Course Road and open to the public. Possible connection to Whip Cave22 | Oligohaline |
3 | Whip Cave | Cave | Anchialine cave system with tidal influence. Possible connection to The Grotto22 | Oligohaline |
4 | Daniel Roux (Lower) Cave | Cave | Anchialine cave system with tidal influence. Water table accessed on land by the lower chamber entrance, down a series of steep rock-mounted steel ladders | Freshwater |
5 | Freshwater Cave | Cave | Anchialine stream passage cave connecting several chambers | Oligohaline |
6 | Hugh Dale Waterfall | Spring | Waterfall cascading from tufa spring | Freshwater |
7 | CI-079 (unnamed) | Spring | Small low cave with spring outflow | Freshwater |
8 | Sepulchral Soil Sink | Cave | Small entrance cave to deeper chambers with low pools | Mesohaline |
9 | Waterfall Spring | Spring | Water supply spring south of CI Resort | Freshwater |
10 | Freshwater Spring | Spring | Spring outflow north of CI Resort | Freshwater |
11 | Jedda Cave | Cave | Cement steps into doline, pump station for town water supply | Freshwater |
12 | Jane-up Cave | Cave | Muddy stream passage with high CO2; used for town water supply | Freshwater |
13 | Jones Spring | Spring | Spring with weir, water re-sinks nearby | Freshwater |
14 | Grants Well | Cave | Well shaft intersecting 20 m below to cave stream passage; high CO2 | Freshwater |
15 | Thundercliff Cave | Cave | Sea cave entrance leading to freshwater outflow | Polyhaline |
16 | Ryan’s Ripper Rift | Cave | Rift cave ending in very deep crystalline edged anchialine water | Oligohaline |
17 | Hosnies Spring | Spring | Freshwater seepage on shore terrace that feeds a protected mangrove stand | Freshwater |
18 | Ross Hill Gardens Spring 1 | Spring | Captured spring once used for town water supply | Freshwater |
19 | Ross Hill Gardens Spring 2 | Spring | Captured spring once used for town water supply | Freshwater |
20 | Dolly Cave Spring | Spring | Low muddy cave with spring outflow | Freshwater |
21 | Lost Lake Cave 1 | Cave | Extensive tidal system passages with various large breakdown chambers. Sampled from stream passage approximately 150 m from sea entrance | Oligohaline |
22 | Lost Lake Cave 2 | Cave | Extensive tidal system passages with various large breakdown chambers. Sampled from stream passage far into the cave extent | Oligohaline |
23 | WiFi Cave | Cave | Deep vertical shaft that is believed to intersect the muddy stream passage between Grants Well and Jane-up Cave | Freshwater |
