The results show that Bunker Cave is a homogeneously ventilated cave with rather low pCO2 values of 580?200 ppmv, which lacks strong seasonal variations. The ¦Ä18O value of cave drip water reflects the mean annual composition of the rain water, and the seasonal variability is strongly attenuated indicating a well-mixed karst aquifer. Hence, stalagmites from Bunker Cave should be well suited to record interannual/decadal climate trends.
Seven drip sites in two cave chambers show three different types of discharge behaviour including slow seasonal drip, fast seasonal drip, and seepage-flow. The drip-rate patterns of most drip sites are consistent with the main infiltration events, taking into account a delay of several months. An instantaneous response to precipitation (i.e., piston-flow) is not observed for any drip site indicating a specific water capacity threshold in the soil/karst aquifer. Prior Calcite Precipitation (PCP) was also identified especially during times of low discharge. Though PCP is not as pronounced at Bunker Cave as in other caves, it probably has an influence on the Mg/Ca ratios of the stalagmites.