To understand the survival techniques of cave animals, we need to first take a closer look at three environmental factors governing Mammoth Cave. The cave has its own cycles and rhythms of life. In a sense, the cave has its own weather system. Wind is created by temperature differences between the entrance and interior passageways. The final contributor to cave weather is the barometric pressure.
Barometric changes affect air movement, humidity levels and dew points.
Subtle weather changes in the cave make it possible for a perceptive caver to discern outside weather conditions, even though he or she may be hundreds of feet below the surface. Secondly, Mammoth Cave is intricately tied to the outside world. The cave is different from our world, but the survival of cave life depends on the surface. Plants, through photosynthesis and through their own decay, release carbon dioxide that combines with water in the air and in the soil, to form weak carbonic acid that carves the cave. In addition, plants provide food and energy for underground animals.