MICROBIAL COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN THE SULFIDIC CAVE AND ITS HOTSPRINGS : SOME GEOMICROBIOLOGICAL ASPECTS

In the last decade, cave microbiology has emerged as a growing interdisciplinary field. Because of caves provides a unique subsurface environment for the exploration of microbial life and their roles on biogeochemical cycling under extreme condition. Sulfidic caves form in carbonate rocks where sulfide-rich waters interact with oxygen at the water table or at subterranean springs (1). Terrestrial sulfidic caves and springs are abundant and diverse, as assessed by efforts to characterize cave microbial ecosystems and to understand large scale geochemical processes (2).

In this study we examined the geochemical features and microbial community in sulfidic cave ( Kaklik Cave, Denizli, Turkey ) and its two hot springs. Sanger sequencing and pyrosequencing were used to understand bacterial diversity and community structure in this study area with contrasting hydrochemial and geological properties. The microbial community displayed a high level of microbial diversity, with 20 unique phylotypes representing ten divisions of the Bacteria and a division of the Archaea.

References :

1- Macalady et al. (2007) Extremely acidic, pendulous cave wall biofilms from the Frasassi cave system, Italy. Env.Mic. 9(6) 1402-1414

2- Rossmassler et al. (2012) Drivers of epsilonproteobacterial community composition in sulfidic caves and springs. FEMS Mic. Ecol 79 421-432