Microbial Diversity in Caves

Relatively stable physical conditions in caves allow for the examination of the relationship between geochemical processes and the activity of microorganisms, reflected in substantial rock alterations, formation of new structures, surface deterioration and cave expansion. Although caves are consider...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geomicrobiology journal 2016-01, Vol.33 (1), p.20-38
Main Authors: Tomczyk-Żak, Karolina, Zielenkiewicz, Urszula
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Actinobacteria
Archaea
biodiversity
biofilm
caves
Proteobacteria
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Summary:Relatively stable physical conditions in caves allow for the examination of the relationship between geochemical processes and the activity of microorganisms, reflected in substantial rock alterations, formation of new structures, surface deterioration and cave expansion. Although caves are considered as extreme environments, they are inhabited by microbial communities with unexpected diversity. While Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria are the most ubiquitous groups, also the presence of Archaea has been frequently noted recently. Here, we present a summary of results on diversity of cave microorganisms in the context of taxon distribution as well as the contribution and role of individual taxa in cave ecosystems.
ISSN:0149-0451
1521-0529
DOI:10.1080/01490451.2014.1003341