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Microbial Community Diversity of Moonmilk Deposits at Ballynamintra Cave, Co. Waterford, Ireland

  • Environmental Microbiology
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Abstract

Caves are extreme and specialised habitats for terrestrial life that sometimes contain moonmilk, a fine-grained paste-like secondary mineral deposit that is found in subterranean systems worldwide. While previous studies have investigated the possible role of microorganisms in moonmilk precipitation, the microbial community ecology of moonmilk deposits is poorly understood. Bacterial and fungal community structure associated with four spatially isolated microcrystalline, acicular calcite moonmilk deposits at Ballynamintra Cave (S. Ireland) was investigated during this study. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences in microbial activity, number of bacterial species, bacterial richness and diversity, and fungal diversity (Shannon's diversity) among the moonmilk sites over an area of approximately 2.5 m2. However, the number of fungal species and fungal community richness were unaffected by sampling location. SIMPER analysis revealed significant differences in bacterial and fungal community composition among the sampling sites. These data suggest that a rich assemblage of microorganisms exists associated with moonmilk, with some spatial diversity, which may reflect small-scale spatial differences in cave biogeochemistry.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by Enterprise Ireland through a Basic Research Grant Scheme Award (SC/2003/0118) to FMcD and NC.

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Author notes

  1. Deirdre C. Rooney

    Present address: Askham Bryan College, Askham Bryan, York, YO23 3FR, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microbial Ecology Group, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Deirdre C. Rooney, Elena Hutchens & Nicholas Clipson

  2. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Durham, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK

    James Baldini

  3. School of Geological Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Frank McDermott

Authors
  1. Deirdre C. Rooney
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  2. Elena Hutchens
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  3. Nicholas Clipson
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  4. James Baldini
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  5. Frank McDermott
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Deirdre C. Rooney.

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Rooney, D.C., Hutchens, E., Clipson, N. et al. Microbial Community Diversity of Moonmilk Deposits at Ballynamintra Cave, Co. Waterford, Ireland. Microb Ecol 60, 753–761 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-010-9693-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-010-9693-7

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