Environmental Microbiology and Microbial Ecology Commons^™

Diversity And Biocide Susceptibility Of Fungal Assemblages Dwelling In The Art Gallery Of Magura Cave, Bulgaria, Milena M. Mitova, Mihail Iliev, Alena Nováková, Anna A. Gorbushina, Veneta I. Groudeva, Pedro M. Martin-Sanchez

International Journal of Speleology

Magura Cave, north-western Bulgaria, possesses valuable rock-art paintings made with bat guano and dated from the period between the Eneolithic and Bronze Ages. Since 2008, the Art Gallery is closed to the general public in order to protect the paintings from vandalism, microclimatic changes caused by visitors and artificial illumination, and the consequent growth of fungi and phototrophs. Nevertheless, some tourist visits are allowed under the supervision of cave managers. This study provides the first scientific report on cultivable fungal assemblages dwelling different substrata in the Art Gallery. A total of 78 strains, belonging to 37 OTUs (Ascomycota 81%, Zygomycota …

Characterization Of Antimicrobial Activity Of Culturable Bacteria Isolated From Krubera-Voronja Cave, Aiste Klusaite, Vida Vickackaite, Birute Vaitkeviciene, Rasa Karnickaite, Dominykas Bukelskis, Ieva Kieraite-Aleksandrova, Nomeda Kuisiene

International Journal of Speleology

In the present study we aimed to perform the first analysis of antimicrobial activity of bacteria isolated from Krubera-Voronja Cave, with the main focus on their activity against Grampositive bacteria, including Gram-positive pathogens. Using five different media, in total 874 heterotrophic cultures were isolated from water and sediment samples collected in Krubera-Voronja Cave at a depth from 220 m to 1640 m. 14.0% of all isolates demonstrated antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative test microorganisms. Our results show that this percentage was not uniform; it increased with the sampling depth and was the highest in the lower part of the …

Atp Luminescence Assay As A Bioburden Estimator Of Biomass Accumulation In Caves, Janez Mulec, Andreea Oarga-Mulec

International Journal of Speleology

A commercially available adenosine triphosphate (ATP) detection system (Hygiena, USA), supported by cultivable microbial indicators, was used to estimate bioburden in different habitats in and outside show caves: air, water and solid surfaces. A strong positive correlation between ATP concentration expressed as Relative Light Units (RLU) and Colony-Forming-Units (CFU) was observed for swab samples from cave surfaces. In terms of ATP units, surfaces in a single cave system (Postojna Cave) varied considerably (240-1,258,800 RLU/ 20 cm²) and commonly exceeded the bioburden level of analogues on the surface (0-114,390 RLU/ 20 cm²). Cave sub-habitats were colonized by …

Diversity Of Cultured Bacteria From The Perennial Ice Block Of Scarisoara Ice Cave, Romania, Corina Iţcuş, Mădălina-Denisa Pascu, Traian Brad, Aurel Perşoiu, Cristina Purcarea

International Journal of Speleology

Cave ice ecosystems represent a poorly investigated glacial environment. Diversity of cave ice bacteria and their distribution in perennial ice deposits of this underground glacial habitat could constitute a proxy for microbial response to climatic and environmental changes. Scarisoara Ice Cave (Romania) hosts one of the oldest and largest cave ice blocks worldwide. Here we report on cultured microbial diversity of recent, 400, and 900 years-old perennial ice from this cave, representing the first characterization of a chronological distribution of cave-ice bacteria. Total cell density measured by SYBR Green I epifluorescence microscopy varied in the 2.4 x 10⁴ – …

Fungi On White-Nose Infected Bats (Myotis Spp.) In Eastern Canada Show No Decline In Diversity Associated With Pseudogymnoascus Destructans (Ascomycota: Pseudeurotiaceae), Karen J. Vanderwolf, David Malloch, Donald F. Mcalpine

International Journal of Speleology

The introduction of the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) to North America has stimulated research on the poorly known mycology of caves. It is possible that the introduction of Pd reduces the diversity of fungi associated with bats hibernating in caves. To test this hypothesis we examined the fungal assemblages associated with hibernating bats (Myotis spp.) pre- and post- white-nose syndrome (WNS) infection in eastern Canada using culture-dependent methods. We found the mean number of fungal taxa isolated from bats/hibernaculum was not significantly different between pre-infection (29.6 ± 6.1SD) and post-infection with WNS (32.4 ± 4.3). Although …

Seeps And Springs At A Platteville “Observatory” On The River Bluffs, Bj Bonin, Greg Brick, Julia R. Steenberg

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Residential building construction along the Mississippi River bluffs in the 1970s created a unique enclosed outcrop of the Late Ordovician Platteville Formation at Lilydale, Minnesota. This outcrop was examined in early 2013 after a newly-formed spring flooded an elevator shaft the previous year, drawing attention to the foundation conditions. The Lexington Riverside property is a six story condominium complex constructed within the top of the bluff. A two-level underground parking garage was built into the bluff. Bedrock was mechanically excavated to accommodate the construction of the building, creating an unweathered rock surface. The space between the structure and the excavated …

Cyanobacteria, Algae And Microfungi Present In Biofilm From Božana Cave (Serbia), Slađana Popović, Gordana Subakov Simić, Miloš Stupar, Nikola Unković, Dragana Predojević, Jelena Jovanović, Milica Ljaljević Grbić

International Journal of Speleology

Phototrophic microorganisms (cyanobacteria and algae) and microfungi, were identified from biofilm on the walls of the entrance of BožanaCavein west Serbia. Temperature, relative humidity and light intensity were measured, and chlorophyll a content determined. Light intensity differed from the entrance inwards. However, Chl a content was not proportional to light intensity, instead it was positively correlated to biofilm weight. Biofilm samples from two sites were also observed using a scanning electron microscope. Coccoid forms of cyanobacteria were abundant at the sampling site with the lowest light intensity, while members of the order Nostocales were predominant at the sampling site with …

The Show Cave Of Diros Vs. Wild Caves Of Peloponnese, Greece - Distribution Patterns Of Cyanobacteria, Vasiliki Lamprinou, Daniel B. Danielidis, Adriani Pantazidou, Alexandra Oikonomou, Athena Economou-Amilli

International Journal of Speleology

The karst cave ‘Vlychada’of Diros, one of the oldest show caves in Peloponnese, sustains extended phototrophic biofilms on various substrata – on rocks inside the cave including speleothems, and especially near the artificial lighting installation (‘Lampenflora’). After a survey of the main abiotic parameters (Photosynthetically Active Radiation -PAR, Temperature -T, Relative Humidity -RH, Carbon Dioxide -CO₂) three clusters of sampling sites were revealed according to Principal Component Analysis (PCA): i) the water gallery section predominately influenced by CO₂, ii) the dry passages influenced by RH and PAR, and iii) the area by the cave exit at …

Identification And Ss-Lactam Resistance In Aquatic Isolates Of Enterobacter Cloacae And Their Status In Microbiota Of Domica Cave In Slovak Karst (Slovakia), Barbora Gaalova, Alena Donauerova, Milan Seman, Helena Bujdakova

International Journal of Speleology

Domica Cave is located in the Slovak Karst National Park in southern Slovakia. Heterotrophic cultivable psychrophilic and mesophilic microbiota were confirmed to be prevalent in this cave. Escherichia coli was the most abundant bacterium, followed by Enterobacter species and Serrratia species. Enterobacter cloacae isolates belong to the group of faecal contaminants (coliforms) of concern in water. Their status in cave ecosystem is questionable, but we observed E. cloacae in water samples all years round suggesting an autochthonous origin. We were concerned with possible contamination of the cave water with resistant E. cloacae from animal farms located 2-3 km from the …

National Park Service Cave Ecology Inventory And Monitoring Framework, Gretchen M. Baker, Steven J. Taylor, Shawn Thomas, Rick Olson, Kathy Lavoie, Marie Denn, Steven Thomas, Hazel Barton, Kurt Helf, Rene Ohms, Joel Despain, Jim Kennedy, David Larson

National Cave and Karst Management Symposium 2013

A team developed the Cave Ecology Inventory and Monitoring Framework for National Park Service (NPS) units. It contains information for NPS cave managers across the United States to determine how to inventory and monitor cave ecology. Due to the wide geographical scope of NPS caves and their many different types, the document does not prescribe exact protocols. Instead, it provides guidance for what types of inventory and monitoring are possible, a framework for deciding how to prioritize inventory and monitoring activities, and references to specific protocols that are already in place at NPS cave parks.

Keywords: cave ecology, cave microbiology, …

Mycological Study For A Management Plan Of A Neotropical Show Cave (Brazil), Erika Linzi Silva Taylor, Maria Aparecida De Resende Stoianoff, Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira

International Journal of Speleology

Caves are stable environments with characteristics favoring the development of microorganisms. The allocthonous input of organic matter and microbes into the warm Neotropical caves may favor the development of filamentous fungi, including pathogenic species. Histoplasma capsulatum is a pathogenic species commonly found in caves and associated with bat and bird guano. Many Brazilian caves have been historically visited due to scenic and religious tourism. The objective of this study was to perform a microbiology study for a management plan of a show cave in Brazil, focusing on the presence and distribution of pathogenic and opportunistic fungi in the cave. Statistics …

Epilithic And Aerophilic Diatoms In The Artificial Environment Of Kungsträdgården Metro Station, Stockholm, Sweden, Lena Norbäck Ivarsson, Magnus Ivarsson, Johannes Lundberg, Therese Sallstedt, Catarina Rydin

International Journal of Speleology

The Kungsträdgården metro station is an artificial and urban subsurface environment illuminated with artificial light. Its ecosystem is almost completely unknown and as a first step to better understand the biology and rock wall habitats the diatom flora was investigated. A total of 12 species were found growing on the rock walls of Kungsträdgården metro station. The results show the diatom flora in Kungsträdgården to be dominated by e.g. Diadesmis contenta, Diadesmis perpusilla, Pinnularia appendiculata, Nitzschia amphibia, Nitzschia sinuata and Diploneis ovalis. One species, Caloneis cf. aerophila, has never been reported from Sweden before. …

Comparative Microbial Community Composition From Secondary Carbonate (Moonmilk) Deposits: Implications For The Cansiliella Servadeii Cave Hygropetric Food Web, Annette Summers Engel, Maurizio G. Paoletti, Mattia Beggio, Luca Dorigo, Alberto Pamio, Tiziano Gomiero, Claudio Furlan, Mauro Brilli, Angelo Leandro Dreon, Roberto Bertoni, Andrea Squartini

International Journal of Speleology

The microbial diversity of moonmilk, a hydrated calcium carbonate speleothem, was evaluated from two Italian caves to provide context for the food web of highly-specialized troglobitic beetles, Cansiliella spp. (Leptodirinae), with distinctive carbon and nitrogen isotope values indicative of a novel food source. The moonmilk and associated percolating waters had low to no extractable chlorophyll, with an average organic C:N ratio of 9, indicating limited allochthonous input and a significant contribution from microbial biomass. The biomass from moonmilk was estimated to be ~10⁴ micro- and meiofaunal individuals per m² and ~10⁷ microbial cells/ml. Betaproteobacteria dominated the …

Cure From The Cave: Volcanic Cave Actinomycetes And Their Potential In Drug Discovery, Naowarat (Ann) Cheeptham Dr., Tara Sadoway, Devon Rule, Kent Watson, Paul Moote, Laiel C. Soliman, Nicholas Azad, Kingsley Donkor, Derrick Horne

International Journal of Speleology

Volcanic caves have been little studied for their potential as sources of novel microbial species and bioactive compounds with new scaffolds. We present the first study of volcanic cave microbiology from Canada and suggest that this habitat has great potential for the isolation of novel bioactive substances. Sample locations were plot ted on a contour map that was compiled in ArcView 3.2. Over 400 bacterial isolates were obtained from the Helmcken Falls cave in Wells Gray Provincial Park, British Columbia. From our preliminary screen, of 400 isolates tested, 1% showed activity against extended spectrum ß-lactamase E. coli, 1.75% against Escherichia …

Diversity And Biosynthetic Potential Of Culturable Aerobic Heterotrophic Bacteria Isolated From Magura Cave, Bulgaria, Iva Tomova, Irina Lazarkevich, Anna Tomova, Margarita Kambourova, Evgenia Vasileva-Tonkova

International Journal of Speleology

Biocapacity of bacteria inhabiting karstic caves to produce valuable biologically active compounds is still slightly investigated. A total of 46 culturable heterotrophic bacteria were isolated under aerobic conditions from the Gallery with pre-historical drawings in MaguraCave, Bulgaria. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that most of bacterial isolates affiliated with Proteobacteria (63%), followed by Actinobacteria (10.9%), Bacteroidetes (10.9%), and Firmicutes (6.5%). A strong domination of Gram-negative bacteria (total 81%) belonging to nine genera: Serratia, Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Sphingobacterium, Stenotrophomonas, Commamonas, Acinetobacter, Obesumbacterium, and Myroides, was observed. Gram-positive isolates were represented by the genera Bacillus, Arthrobacter, and Micrococcus. One isolate …

The Effects Of Uv Light On The Antimicrobial Activities Of Cave Actinomycetes, Devon Rule, Naowarat Cheeptham

International Journal of Speleology

The goal of this study was to determine whether actinomycetes isolated from a volcanic cave in western Canada could produce novel antimicrobial compounds against six multidrugresistant pathogens when exposed to UV light. One hundred and seventy-six actinomycete strains isolated from Helmcken Falls Cave, Wells Gray Provincial Park, BC, were screened against six pathogens using the “plug assay” in UV light and no light conditions. Of the 176 strains tested, 100 or 57% of the cave actinomycete strains had antimicrobial activities against the pathogens in 124 different instances: 35 instances when exposed to UV and no light, 30 when exposed to …

A World Review Of Fungi, Yeasts, And Slime Molds In Caves, Karen J. Vanderwolf, David Malloch, Donald F. Mcalpine, Graham J. Forbes

International Journal of Speleology

We provide a review of fungi, yeasts, and slime molds that have been found in natural solution caves and mines worldwide. Such habitats provide frequent roost sites for bats, and in eastern North America the environmental conditions that support white-nose syndrome, a lethal fungal disease currently devastating bat populations. A list of 1029 species of fungi, slime moulds, and yeasts in 518 genera have been documented from caves and mines worldwide in 225 articles. Ascomycota dominate the cave environment. Most research has been conducted in temperate climates, especially in Europe. A mean of 17.9±24.4SD fungal species are reported per study. …

La Serreta Endokarst (Se Spain): A Sustainable Value?, Antonia D. Asencio, Teodoro Espinosa

International Journal of Speleology

La Serreta endokarst (SE Spain), which UNESCO declared a World Heritage Site in 1998, was considered a sanctuary with cave art and one of the most important archaeological sites in the Mediterranean region for both the remains it hosts and the spectacular karstic landscape at the site.

To coincide with the 40th anniversary of its discovery, the La Serreta cave-chasm was adapted for public use with the intention of showing visitors the remains, which date back to prehistoric times. The solution included attempts to minimize contact with the valuables in the cave in order to alter the existing remains as …

Chemoorganotrophic Bacteria Isolated From Biodeteriorated Surfaces In Cave And Catacombs, Filomena De Leo, Agnese Iero, Gabrielle Zammit, Clara E. Urzi

International Journal of Speleology

The main objective of this work was the comparative analysis of a large number of bacterial strains isolated from biodeteriorated surfaces in three different sites, namely the catacombs of St. Callistus in Rome, Italy, the catacombs dedicated to St. Agatha in Rabat, Malta and the Cave of Bats in Zuheros, Spain. Our results showed that even considering only culturable chemoorganotrophic bacteria the variability is very high, reflecting the great variety of microhabitats present. Hence any strategies to prevent, control or eliminate the biofilm-embedded microbiota from an archeological surface should take into account a number of considerations as stipulated in our …

Bacterial Community Survey Of Sediments At Naracoorte Caves, Australia, Eric M. Adetutu, Krystal Thorpe, Esmaeil Shahsavari, Steven Bourne, Xiangsheng Cao, Ramin Mazaheri Nezhad Fard, Greg Kirby, Andrew S. Ball

International Journal of Speleology

Bacterial diversity in sediments at UNESCO World Heritage listed Naracoorte Caves was surveyed as part of an investigation carried out in a larger study on assessing microbial diversity in caves. Cave selection was based on tourist accessibility; Stick Tomato and Alexandra Cave (> 15000 annual visits) and Strawhaven Cave was used as control (no tourist access). Microbial analysis showed that Bacillus was the most commonly detected microbial genus by culture dependent and independent survey of tourist accessible and inaccessible areas of show (tourist accessible) and control caves. Sediment bacterial groups were assigned to the Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria. The survey …

Iron Oxide And Calcite Associated With Leptothrix Sp. Biofilms Within An Estavelle In The Upper Floridan Aquifer, Lee J. Florea, Chasity L. Stinson, Josh Brewer, Rick Fowler, B Joe Kearns, Anthony M. Greco

International Journal of Speleology

In Thornton’s Cave, an estavelle in west-central Florida, SEM, EDS, and XRD data reveal biofilms that are predominantly comprised of FeOOH-encrusted hollow sheaths that are overgrown and intercalated with calcite. Fragments of this crystalline biofilm adhere to the walls and ceiling as water levels vary within the cave. Those on the wall have a ‘cornflake’ appearance and those affixed to the ceiling hang as fibrous membranes. PCR of DNA in the active biofilm, combined with morphologic data from the tubes in SEM micrographs, point to Leptothrix sp., a common Fe-oxidizing bacteria, as the primary organism in the biofilm. Recent discoveries …