Seasonal Dynamics of Cyanobacteria and Algae in Biofilm from the Entrance of Two Caves

Popović, Slađana; Krizmanić, Jelena; Vidaković, Danijela; Jakovljević, Olga; Trbojević, Ivana; Predojević, Dragana; Vidovič, Milka; Simić, Gordana Subakov

doi:10.1080/01490451.2019.1700322

Cited by 14 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…These results suggest that human visitation may be the source of novel microbial community members. However, we also note that differences in abiotic factors and seasonal dynamics among the show cave and wild caves likely play fundamental roles in structuring biofilm communities that have not yet been characterized [21]. Due to the lack of site-specific metadata, e.g., geochemistry, temperature, relative humidity, etc., and a sampling strategy that did not assess seasonal dynamics, additional research will be required to address these questions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The connection between the communities near the entrances and twilight zones of wild caves-caves with infrequent human visitation and without artificial lighting-with lampenflora communities in nearby show caves is not well understood [1,4,21]. Microbial and lampenflora communities on rock walls and speleothems (depositional formations, e.g., stalactite or stalagmite) are often distinct from communities found on the surface [22,23], and cave soils often harbor bacteria that are not found in nearby surface soils [24,25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lampenflora in a Show Cave in the Great Basin Is Distinct from Communities on Naturally Lit Rock Surfaces in Nearby Wild Caves

et al. 2021

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In show caves, artificial lighting is intended to illuminate striking cave formations for visitors. However, artificial lighting also promotes the growth of novel and diverse biofilm communities, termed lampenflora, that obtain their energy from these artificial light sources. Lampenflora, which generally consist of cyanobacteria, algae, diatoms, and bryophytes, discolor formations and introduce novel ecological interactions in cave ecosystems. The source of lampenflora community members and patterns of diversity have generally been understudied mainly due to technological limitations. In this study, we investigate whether members of lampenflora communities in an iconic show cave—Lehman Caves—in Great Basin National Park (GRBA) in the western United States also occur in nearby unlit and rarely visited caves. Using a high-throughput environmental DNA metabarcoding approach targeting three loci—the ITS2 (fungi), a fragment of the 16S (bacteria), and a fragment of 23S (photosynthetic bacteria and eukaryotes)—we characterized diversity of lampenflora communities occurring near artificial light sources in Lehman Caves and rock surfaces near the entrances of seven nearby “wild” caves. Most caves supported diverse and distinct microbial-dominated communities, with little overlap in community members among caves. The lampenflora communities in the show cave were distinct, and generally less diverse, from those occurring in nearby unlit caves. Our results suggest an unidentified source for a significant proportion of lampenflora community members in Lehman Caves, with the majority of community members not found in nearby wild caves. Whether the unique members of the lampenflora communities in Lehman Caves are related to distinct abiotic conditions, increased human visitation, or other factors remains unknown. These results provide a valuable framework for future research exploring lampenflora community assemblies in show caves, in addition to a broad perspective into the range of microbial and lampenflora community members in GRBA. By more fully characterizing these communities, we can better monitor the establishment of lampenflora and design effective strategies for their management and removal.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lampenflora in a Show Cave in the Great Basin Is Distinct from Communities on Naturally Lit Rock Surfaces in Nearby Wild Caves

et al. 2021

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“…Also, in spring, cyanobacteria concentrations were higher than green algae concentrations whatever the positions (horizontal and vertical), whereas in winter, green algae concentrations were higher than those in cyanobacteria excepted for some vertical positions. The difference between cyanobacteria and green algae can be explained by the ability of cyanobacteria to survive and recover faster from desiccation than algae [ 19 ]. Their predominance in spring can also be explained by their ability to resist to high temperature variations [ 8 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of climatic factors on cyanobacteria and green algae development on building surface

Reboah

Bolou-Bi²,

Nowak³

et al. 2023

PLoS ONE

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Buildings and monuments are often colonized by microorganisms that can result in colour change and aesthetical and physico-chemical damages. This bio-colonization is dependent of the material and on the environment. In order to better understand and correlate the microbial development at the surface of buildings with meteorological parameters, concentration of green algae and cyanobacteria have been measured using an in situ instrument on the wall of a private habitation in the Parisian region during two periods: spring and fall-winter. Different locations were also chosen to assess the influence of the position (horizontal or vertical) and of the situation (shaded vs. sunny microclimate). The results show that the microorganism development rapidly responds to rainfall events but the response is more intense in winter as temperature is lower and relative humidity (RH) higher. Cyanobacteria are less sensitive to this seasonal effect as they are more resistant to desiccation than green algae. Based on all the data, different dose-response functions have been established to correlate RH, rain and temperature to the green algae concentration. The influence of the microclimate is considered via specific fitting parameters. This approach has to be extended to new campaign measurements but could be very useful to anticipate the effect of climate change.

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“…Many caves are dominated by cyanobacteria [ 4 , 6 , 29 , 30 ], but in Gobustan the number of species of green algae and cyanobacteria was the same. A similar distribution was found in a number of Polish caves [ 31 , 32 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity of Phototrophs and Culturable Fungi in Gobustan Caves

Mazina

Gasanova

Kozlova

et al. 2023

Life

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Unique natural objects, such as the caves of the Gobustan National Historical and Artistic Preserve, are also of great cultural and historical value due to rock art and sites of ancient people. A favorable microclimate makes these habitats convenient for colonization by microbiota, including phototrophs. In arid regions with intense seasonal fluctuations of microclimatic parameters, the conditions for survival are the least favorable; therefore, it becomes especially important to determine the composition of communities that are the most adapted to specific conditions. This work aimed to identify the biodiversity of communities of caves and grottoes of the Gobustan Reserve. The studies were carried out in July 2019. Samples were analyzed for cyanobacteria and algae by microscopy and cultivation methods, microfungi were isolated by soil dilution, and the fouling glass method was also used. In total, 29 taxa of cyanobacteria and algae, 18 taxa of fungi, and 3 species of mosses were identified. The studied habitats were dominated by the algae Chlorella vulgaris, Aphanocapsa sp., and Stichococcus bacillaris; the subdominants were Jaaginema subtilissimum, Leptolyngbya tenuis, Chlorococcum minutum, and Humidophila contenta. Microfungi had the highest occurrence of Aspergillus niger, Aureobasidium pullulans, Alternaria alternata, and Talaromyces ruber. It was noted that cyanobacteria dominated in morphologically differentiated biofilms and green algae on the rocks. The greatest number of microfungi was found in the aphotic zone and bryophyte tufts. The dominance of green algae is atypical for most caves of other regions and may be associated with intense lighting of habitats. The absence of protonema is a consequence of the aridity and low moisture content of the substrates.

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Seasonal Dynamics of Cyanobacteria and Algae in Biofilm from the Entrance of Two Caves

Cited by 14 publications

References 35 publications

Lampenflora in a Show Cave in the Great Basin Is Distinct from Communities on Naturally Lit Rock Surfaces in Nearby Wild Caves

Lampenflora in a Show Cave in the Great Basin Is Distinct from Communities on Naturally Lit Rock Surfaces in Nearby Wild Caves

Influence of climatic factors on cyanobacteria and green algae development on building surface

Biodiversity of Phototrophs and Culturable Fungi in Gobustan Caves

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