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Oregon Caves National Monument100 years of Discovery
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Oregon Caves National Monument
Other Life Forms

The hyperdiversity that stems from geo-diversity as well as species migrations from the coast, north, and deserts yield at least 40 times as many fungi and bacteria that occur in the surrounding areas.

The Caves, streams, and rock outcrops highlights microbial diversity – moonmilk, cave slime and biofilms, “desert varnish,” lagoon microbial mats, diatom-covered stream cobbles, and cyanobacteria in marble.

Waterfall and pool near the entrance to Oregon Caves.  

Did You Know?
The stream that comes out of the entrance of the cave is a tributary to a watershed that empties into the Pacific Ocean. There are no human-made obstructions that would prevent salmon migration, which makes this the only cave in the National Park Service with an unobstructed link to the ocean.

Last Updated: August 01, 2006 at 18:16 EST