Abstract
This preamble introduces the reader to the importance of caves in the evolution of studies on subterranean biology. It outlines the ideas behind the need of such a book and highlights the value of the diverse perspectives on the functioning and ecology of caves presented in various chapters.
Wherefore each of you, when his turn comes, must go down to the general underground abode, and get the habit of seeing in the dark. When you have acquired the habit, you will see ten thousand times better than the inhabitants of the cave, and you will know what the several images are, and what they represent, because you have seen the beautiful and just and good in their truth.
Plato, Republica
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Acknowledgment
We would like to express our special thanks to Francis G. Howarth for the reading of the book and useful suggestions and comments. OTM acknowledges the financial support from the Romanian Academy and the grant of the Romanian Ministry of Research and Innovation, CNCS—UEFISCDI, project number PN-III-P4-ID-PCCF-2016-0016, within PNCDI III.
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Moldovan, O.T., Kováč, Ľ., Halse, S. (2018). Preamble. In: Moldovan, O., Kováč, Ľ., Halse, S. (eds) Cave Ecology. Ecological Studies, vol 235. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98852-8_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98852-8_1
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